Thank you Honda for still offering the spare
In any natural disaster especially a hurricane one of the biggest problems getting thru or around is flat tires. .After Andrew hit Florida there was so much unavoidable debris that caused flats and major tire damage that I consider a spare AND a repair kit and air compressor essential gear to have with you. I like the way Honda made the Fits spare but that big foam piece it a waste of valuable space. I'll figure out a better use of the room Honda give us back there next year. I will use it to store a basic medical kit, water and some food, a few tools and duct tape, a few other things I don't want to mention on a public forum. It's more for my piece of mind than anything else but in a disaster things happen quick and it's cumforting to know I have a few basics always with me. I'm glad Honda give us the spare and the extra hidden storage if you want to use it..They could have just added a few more gallons to the gas tank.
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 1,545
From: SoCal, CA
While not a complete deal breaker for me, I do add the cost of a tire and jack if the car doesn't come with one. With a spare a flat means a 15 minute delay. Without one, a flat is very likely an evening ruined. Fix-a-flat seldom works well and even if it does it renders the punctured tire difficult to repair properly. Tire guys hate it when you bring them a tire with goo inside!
What I really wish for is space for a full-size spare. Donuts are OK, but for a Westerner being able to complete a trip makes the extra room used worth it.
What I really wish for is space for a full-size spare. Donuts are OK, but for a Westerner being able to complete a trip makes the extra room used worth it.
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,421
From: Upstate New York
That's true. You also need pickup trucks. At least out here where I live. The only vehicles that sell are SUVs, CUVs, and pickup trucks. Nobody is buying cars anymore.
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 1,545
From: SoCal, CA
When I ride a motorcycle I never trust automobile drivers to see me, let alone judge how far away I am.
This kept me alive through decades of commuting on LA freeways.
Last edited by GeorgeL; Nov 19, 2015 at 12:56 PM.
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,421
From: Upstate New York
Likewise. Been on the road for 35 years and 300,000 miles on two wheels.
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Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 2
From: Los Angeles, CA
I was very relieved to learn that the Fit included a temporary spare. I guess it's because I've never worked with those emergency inflation kits or run flat tires, so I don't entirely trust them. However, I've changed lots of wheels in strange places over the years, so it's always in the back of my mind that it's going to happen sooner or later.
BTW I'm also loving the fact that tires are going to be more affordable for the Fit than for my last car. I'll save that for another post.
BTW I'm also loving the fact that tires are going to be more affordable for the Fit than for my last car. I'll save that for another post.
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Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 36
From: Fort Lauderdale
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Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 466
From: Arizona
Today's Autoblog featured an article about how 1/3 of today's cars don't offer a spare tire: By eliminating spare tires, automakers leave motorists stranded
The main reason behind this is weight savings to achieve higher fuel numbers, increased use of cell phones for roadside service, fewer people who know how to change a tire, and to be honest, cost savings
This was also one of the reasons I bought my Fit. I did cross-shop this car with the Accent, and very briefly, the Kia Rio. Neither have a spare tire. I really liked the Accent, but couldn't get around this detail. It did cost Hyundai a sale.
I do drive occasionally in the Sierra Nevadas to see my parents and there are areas without cell phone reception for 30-40 miles. The roads in these areas aren't, let's just say, the most well maintained either. Not having a spare can be the difference between continuing the trip safely versus being stranded for a few hours and a long walk.
The spare on the Fit, and the Sonic and Mirage, kept them on my shopping list. I applaud Honda for keeping the spare tire despite continued pressure to raise the fuel economy of its fleet.
Did any of you factor in that the Fit is one of the last remaining subcompacts with a spare as part of your buying decision?
The main reason behind this is weight savings to achieve higher fuel numbers, increased use of cell phones for roadside service, fewer people who know how to change a tire, and to be honest, cost savings
This was also one of the reasons I bought my Fit. I did cross-shop this car with the Accent, and very briefly, the Kia Rio. Neither have a spare tire. I really liked the Accent, but couldn't get around this detail. It did cost Hyundai a sale.
I do drive occasionally in the Sierra Nevadas to see my parents and there are areas without cell phone reception for 30-40 miles. The roads in these areas aren't, let's just say, the most well maintained either. Not having a spare can be the difference between continuing the trip safely versus being stranded for a few hours and a long walk.
The spare on the Fit, and the Sonic and Mirage, kept them on my shopping list. I applaud Honda for keeping the spare tire despite continued pressure to raise the fuel economy of its fleet.
Did any of you factor in that the Fit is one of the last remaining subcompacts with a spare as part of your buying decision?
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,421
From: Upstate New York
Which generation was that? My '09 GE had a temporary spare. The only GE Fits that didn't AFAIK were automatic transmission Fits sold in Canada.
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 1,545
From: SoCal, CA
Toyota bBs sold in Japan have no spare. When they brought the original xB to the US, one of the few changes they made to the bB design was to add a spare under the cargo area and a jack under the driver's seat. If you use the spare, the full-size original tire won't fit in the well, so they provide a cargo net to restrain it. It's unknown what one would do with one's baggage when this occurs!
Definitely a kludge job, but at least they knew that Americans want spare tires.
The sad thing is that most cars could provide ample space for a full-size spare. All they have to do is make the spare tire divot deeper like they all used to be.
Definitely a kludge job, but at least they knew that Americans want spare tires.
The sad thing is that most cars could provide ample space for a full-size spare. All they have to do is make the spare tire divot deeper like they all used to be.
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