I put down $300 deposit for DX MT at the end of August at Millwoods Honda in Edmonton and they still cannot even guess at when the car will be built. I have a sense that Honda dealers here don't quite believe in the existence of DX (like it is some mythic animal, a unicorn). I heard from several that they have never seen one in their life. Any comparable experiences out there? If anyone has laid their hands on a DX MT in Canada, I'd love to hear about their experiences. I also want to be reassured that it exists!

 

I was told by my dealer that the DX was produced for the Ontario market...they said they probably would not see a DX at the dealership...every one of them that they get are supposedly LX and Sports...

 

Thanks for the info. It is all so murky. My dealer placed the order and claims to know nothing. I wonder if Honda in Japan then makes arbitrary decisions whether it is Ontario or Alberta that gets a precious DX. I wonder if anyone has figured out a way to get some information about the allocation policy? I hate to say "inscrutable Japanese" since I teach anthropology of Japan at U of Alberta and debunk stereotypes, but from the position of a fitfreak Honda's ways do seem inscrutable.

 

Here are a few people that bought manual DX Fits.

https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/show...6&postcount=17

https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/show...4&postcount=21

So they do exist.

 

Thanks, it does give hope that they do in fact exist, but it seems in Ontario only, which just confirms what Illusive was told. I called Honda Canada customer service and they had nothing whatsoever to say - just said I should ask my dealer. Mystery remains.

 

i am the happy owner of a manual silver dx in kelowna bc. i got it in june(ordered in april). there is a smaller profit margin on these ones i hear which may explain the dealers reluctance to order you one. the kelowna dealer had 2 other dx models but they were both automatic. although i had a couple of hot days with no ac the car was almost 3000$ cheaper. the 5 speed is also cheaper and way more fun to drive. good luck.

 

Good news. I breathe easier. They said they ordered it a month ago. And yes, we'll have the exact same model. I ordered silver too. Yeah, manual is so much more fun to drive. I drove a friend's Subary Imprezza (the car I drooled over before I learned about Fit) and its stickshift felt so much "mushier" than Fit's. Fit that I test drove (LX MT) was a delight, I never experienced such precise feel of shifting before. As for AC, I figure there aren't more than 4 or 5 really hot days per year in Edmonton and I will certainly survive without AC. In fact, this summer, while everyone complained on these few hot days, I would just try to soak up the heat and store (at least the memory of it) for the long cold winter ...

 

Have you gotten your DX MT yet? I just picked mine up last Thursday (Oct. 5th), after ordering it in August. I was told that DX production was 5% of the total, and that MT production was 18% of the total, so MT DX is ~1% of production! Also the DX is unique to Canada - the owner's manual says that all the rest of the cars in NA have power locks (which is the only thing I miss in mine - no need for A/C in Halifax!).

Got mine with no tires but with a set of 14" alloys thrown in, and got sticky Bridgestone Potenzas to go on it - it's almost as much fun as my Mini, and half the price - can't argue with that!

 

No, not a word from the dealer yet. It's been about 40 days since I ordered. It's funny how my wife is an optimist (she believes in Japanese efficiency), while I am a pessimist.
I know I'll have to get winter tires the moment it arrives. Being new to driving in serious winter (just moved from Portland, OR to Edmonton) I have no idea what are the best tires. From what I've seen on the internet, Michelin X-Ice gets highest praise.
Speaking about locks, is the absence of power locks going to be a problem in extreme cold? I mean, will the locks freeze, and if yes, what does an experienced Canadian do?

 

I almost bought a white LX M/T base Fit in Illinois. But I really wanted the sport's additions...goodluck dude..at least you can be assuredthey exist..but chances are they're harder to get than M/T Sports..whic hare pretty hard to get now....

 

I'm planning to get Nokian Hakkapelitta RSi's in the stock size (175/65R14). I've got them for my Mini, and had them for the Volvo wagon we traded for the Fit, and really like them. There are lots of great winter tires around, and as long as you stick with one of the "top" tires from a reputable manufacturer you'll probably be fine. The Nokians are longer living than some of the "Ice" tires, since they use a harder compound, and they use a canola-based oil instead of petroleum-based, so they're better for the environment. They also don't use as many evil things in manufacturing, which I like. The "Ice" tires get part of their grip from being a really soft compound, which is fine when you're driving on really cold roads, but here in Nova Scotia we have a mixed bag in winter - frozen one day and 5 above another, so having a harder compound pays off.

I can't imagine that you'll have too much trouble with the locks freezing up, and if you do you can buy a little squeeze bottle of lock de-icer that won't bother you in your winter coat's pocket to free them up as needed. Another trick is to spray in a bit of "Fluid Film", a lanolin-based anti-corrosion lubricant - it won't freeze and keeps things running smoothly. The only drawback to Fluid Film is that it's pretty sticky (good for keeping it in place) which tends to promote dust and dirt sticking, and can look a little unsightly. You can always wipe it off, of course. I always kept the rear window wiper on the Volvo lubricated with it, and it worked much better as a result.

I'm loving my Fit, though, and hope yours arrives soon!

Chris

 

Thanks Chris for all this advice. As for tires, I was surprised to hear a few experienced Edmontonians say they never go for winter tires. If you just drive short distances around town, you don't need them, they say.
The main thing is that the dealer says they now have the VIN will soon get the "release date" and to expect the car by the end of November. This is good news indeed.

 

Great news about your fit being on the way - I hope you enjoy it as much as I have mine! Just put on Thule roof racks tonight, going for the first of hopefully many outdoorsy weekends - canoe camping in Kejimkujik National Park. Should be fun, but a little cold...

As far as winter tires go, there are some that swear by them (the ones who have tried them) and some that feel you don't need them (the ones that haven't, for the most part). I like to drive fairly spiritedly, and in winter that's not very fast without winter tires. You can certainly drive more conservatively and get through winter on all seasons - but you'll have more fun with winters. You'll also be really happy if you should happen to find yourself in a situation where you need to stop, right now. Winters will give you some number of feet (I don't have numbers, of course, but there are tests that bear it out) shorter stopping distances - which can occassionally be crucial. So can turning when the corner turns out to be sharper than usual, or avoiding someone that slips into the road - or whatever, there are lots of examples.

So it's entirely up to you, but you can tell where my opinions lie!

Cheers,

Chris

 

I tend to drive very slowly in snow, but it is mainly a matter of budget. If I could afford it I wouldn't think twice and would get the best winter tires. We'll see. Let the car first arrive!