I'm sure most of you have seen that there have been about three recalls already for the New Fit. Plus all the initial problems they had with the car that delayed the original launch date last year. I wonder if that's the reason that they don't seem to be making very many Fits. Maybe they are still trying to figure out the problems with them?

 

Since we're speculating -- my guess: Production is reduced because the analysts projected low car sales for the upcoming year(s). I'll bet it is not just Honda.

There was a time when people bought a new car every 3-5 years or so; now it is around ten. Lower sales = lower production. The Fit is a good car that I think will go 10 years no problem.

As for recalls, I only know of two: a CVT reflash and coil pack replacement. both are easy fixes, give the dealerships a kickback, and are pretty minor in the whole scope of things. I expect software reflash update "recalls" will be more and more common with modern cars.

I've had no problems with mine at all in almost 11,000mi. The recalls do not scare me, nor disappoint me.

 

My guess would be there are fewer Fits because there can be more HRVs. Why make a Fit when they can sell more of the higher profit HRV in the hottest current market sector? Witness Mazda not bringing in the new 2.


Two recalls is the correct number. The bumper change on early cars was a voluntary upgrade not a recall.


Mine has also had no problems in 8K miles. I agree; recalls happen.

 

My local dealer says that for any 6MT Fit the wait time is at least 4 weeks. The MT HRV is the same. There just is not the stock to sell more Fits here in Toronto. For the rarer colours like blue, red and yellow, the wait is longer. Dealers usually play it safe and order white, grey and black.

 

Are people seeing that many HRV's on the road? I've seen exactly one since they launched, and probably only because the owners work with me. I see far more '15 Fits.

 

My local dealer has no Fits OR HRVs on the lot. LOTS of Civics, Accords and CRVs, though. There's NEVER a shortage of Civics, Accords and CRVs.

 

I was at a dealership last Friday and they didn't even have an HRV in the showroom - I wanted to check one out and they said the plant was having issues (?).
They also said that when they get them they barely last a full 24 hours on the lot until someone purchases it. I've seen about 4 on the road in total.

They did have a few 2015 FITS, although I didn't see any 2016s.

 

It sure seems like lots of Fit issues. I don't know if its related but I am seeing more and more Nissan Versa Notes on the road.

 

The Versa Note is also made in Mexico, FWIW.

 

source

I don’t know the writer's source for sales figures, but here in Toronto, Canada there are way more Versa Notes on the road than Fits. I don't think it has to do with Fit issues, but the lack of Fit stock by Honda certainly does not help. That 2015 saw the Fit refreshed, with some early issues, probably hurt. Now in 2015 you need to wait 4 weeks here for a 2016 Fit, while I could buy a Versa Note tomorrow with no delays, also does not help. I do like the Versa Note, but like the Fit more.

 

I can walk into the local Nissan dealer today and choose between a couple dozen Versa Notes. The Honda dealer next door doesn't have a single Fit on the lot. It hard to sell something you don't have and can't get.

 

There was quality problems that delayed the launch at the new plant in Mexico from day 1. And now recall problems. And as you said the ISSUE of limited availability, probably still due to Honda trying to work out production or possibly quality issues.

 

Not one HRV on the lot or in the showroom, and only one Fit when I was at Palm Harbor today.

 

I understand there will be delays because of a new plant and a model upgrade for MY2015, but day 1 was a year ago. We're now on day 366+ and we still have an issue with limited availability? How long does Honda need to fix their factory issues, and what does this say about the Fits manufactured in MY2015? Does Honda need a couple of years to dial in their quality?

At least Honda has not been caught lieing to government regulatory agencies around the world, with slick cheat software. Here in Canada we have a whole bunch of VW diesels that don't meet emissions requirements, and need to be taken off the road.

 

Well, next month we are supposedly going to see Fits from Japan so the drought may soon be over, and we get better-built cars in the bargain! I watch Cars.com for '16s with "J" serial numbers but so far nothing (and very few Fits at all.)

Honda said that they were going to stop producing Fits in Celaya in favor of HRVs. They've bet a lot on the HRV which should be a more profitable car than the Fit. I hope it works out for them, but to me the HRV is just another overweight cute ute.

As far as VW's software issue, I wouldn't bet against other manufacturers having software that goes into a cleaner mode when it detects certain conditions that indicates testing. Toyota gamed the system too with the early Prius by having the engine stay off when it normally would have been running, yielding incredible mileage and emissions numbers. The EPA ended up changing their system for all cars. With proprietary code there is no transparency and manufacturers can put anything they like in there. The key is not getting caught. VW was a target because they promoted Diesel cars and embarrassed hybrid manufacturers by beating them on efficiency.

The EPA has always been lackadaisical about testing, avoiding meaningful real-world testing in favor of testing that lets them stay in their comfortable labs. I'm not surprised that some manufacturers have adapted to the game.

 

You need to understand how the system works, The EPA does not do the testing. It's a self-certification regime. (Just like the FDA does not test drugs.) The manufacturers submit a certification data package demonstrating how they comply. EPA accepts or rejects their certification. VW only confessed what they'd been doing when EPA threatened to reject their certification for MY 2016 vehicles without a better explanation why similar previous year models were not performing in real world tests like the VW data suggested they should. The system depends on the integrity of the regulated. And the lab tests are designed to be repeatable from place to place, time to time, and manufacturer to manufacturer, which real world tests are not. Expect one outcome of this to be some form of real world data requirement; say 100k "real world" miles of average emissions data for regular production units.

 

have never seen an HRV on the road...they are but ugly cars as well.

 

I've only seen one so far, and that's because a co-worker at the plant drives it.


And, yes, it's another ugly small CUV.

 

We signed the paperwork to pre order a new Fit Navi 4 weeks ago. Just got word that it is now out of customs and enroute.

 

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I was told that the Fit production was mostly being moved back to Japan. That is why there is a delay. Demand for the Fit in Japan is huge and it makes financial sense to make it there versus importing it in from Mexico. The plant in Mexico is being retooled for the HRV because that is the car that they believe America would rather have. An they are probably right. This is why there is a delay on the 2016's.

And in case you didn't know, diesel is cleaner than gas. But because of all the emissions crap the manufacturers have to put on the diesels to get rid of the soot and nitrogen output, it drives the price up on the cars here. We should all be driving diesels. European diesels. But for some reason there is so much ignorance about the subject here in America that we are happy to get 40mpg in a gas car.

And who says the VW's don't meet the emissions laws? From what year? From which government? We are always trying to be one world and all that crap so why don't we adopt the European emissions laws and stop trying to choke off the motors and in effect cost us more money to buy the car and put gas in it for the life of the car???

Also Honda has done the emission slick cheat software in the past and got caught for it. Also GM and Ford have done it in the past and got caught for it. So did many others (see link below) All of them had to pay fines to the .gov. The difference from VW is that VW did it on a much larger scale (this time). I don't blame the manufacturers for trying things like this when the emissions laws here in the USA are completely different than the rest of the world. Way more strict. If the EPA would get out of the way we would have all the sweet European diesels here and we would all enjoy 60mpg. But we don't. Thanks to the .gov and big oil money. All IMO of course.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-e...nvironment.htm


http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articl...ollution-tests