Unofficial Honda FIT Forums - 1st Generation (GD 01-08)

2005 honda fit engine swap

Ondadawg — Sun, 17 May 2026 16:58:23 GMT

hi,
I am looking for information on swapping out an engine from a 2005 Honda fit and replacing it with the 1.5L engine from a 2006 Honda fit aria/ Honda city..engine GD9 - 1XXXXXX, i-DSI. What advice can anyone give?
alt="this is the engine I want to put in a 2005 Honda Fit Hatchback"https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fitfreak.net-vbulletin/1500x2000/img_20220705_201427_e4759918b46a63afead8324ffa6fd8 e1447f54d7.jpg
this is the engine I want to put in a 2005 Honda Fit Hatchback

Buying my first 1st-Gen for a track build - Tips?

Potions — Wed, 13 May 2026 21:06:15 GMT

Hello!

I’m currently saving up to buy a 1st gen Fit that I’d like to eventually turn into a track car. I’m pretty new to this space, so the plan is to learn as I go with this car. I’ve also only ever bought cars from dealerships before, so private sales are new territory for me.

I’m curious what you all look for when browsing listings. What mileage would you consider acceptable? Would you always have a mechanic inspect it before buying? Are there certain years within the 1st gen that are more desirable or worth holding out for?

I’m also trying to get a better sense of budget. Right now I’m aiming for around $5k max, but ideally less. Part of the appeal of the Fit is keeping costs low while I learn, so I’m trying to be realistic about what I can get in that range.

This wouldn’t be my daily driver, if that makes a difference.

Bonus question: What would you spend your first $1000 on after acquiring the car? Assuming there are no issues besides normal wear and tear.

EDIT: I feel like I should have done some research before posting a thread. I put together this report from a bunch of different threads I found. I did use AI to combine it all into a nice format, but there are no AI generated claims in this.

1st Gen Honda Fit (GD) — Buying & Track Build Research

Compiled from FitFreak.net 1st Generation (GD 01-08) sub-forum. All claims linked to actual forum posts.

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1. Buying Used: What to Look For

Rust — The #1 Dealbreaker

The 1st gen Fit is notorious for rust, especially in northern/salt-belt states. This is the single most important inspection point.

Quote:

In a unibody car, the floor is the frame.

Source: Help! Just bought Fit's rusted out

Where to check: Wheel wells, spare tire well, rear subframe, fuel filler area, rocker panels, underbody generally. Dedicated GD3 Rust Guide thread (last active Apr 2026): GD3 Rust Guide

Pre-Purchase Checklist

Ignition coils — easy check. "Remove and inspect ignition coils — 'rust-like' deposits on the boot means loose spark plugs. That's the most famous hit that can ruin the whole deal." — Buying 2008 Fit tomorrow
Drive shaft: "Go in circles (turn the steering until the end, in both right and left directions) several rounds to check if there's an issue with the drive shaft." — Advice on buying 2003 GD5
Wheel bearings: "Drive around in a quiet area with windows down. Listen for squeaky noises coming from the wheels." — same thread
Paint/clearcoat: "You'll want to check out the paint; the GDs have notoriously thin clearcoat." — Used Fit Sport test drive/what to look for
Service history: "It's best if you can secure a complete service history for the cars." — same thread

Get a Pre-Purchase Inspection

Quote:

Did you have the car inspected by a mechanic prior to purchase? Do you have service history records for the car? If your answer [is no to either]...

Source: Just purchased 213k mile GD3

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2. Mileage — These Things Run Forever

The forum has a High Mileage Fits thread (258,615 views) tracking the highest-mileage examples. Mileage matters far less than maintenance history.

Notable examples:

456,355 miles — 2007 Fit Sport, bought new. Used transmission at 306k, otherwise original. Put 67k miles in one year. — My High Mileage 1st Gen 2007 Honda Fit Sport
~500k miles — "We have a Fit on here nearing 500k miles with mostly OE parts." — High mileage items to watch/replace
275k miles — "I've got a 2008 Fit, 275K miles." Still going with basic maintenance. — Fit Sport 08 Multiple misfire
260k miles — Valve adjustment never done — fixed rough running. "Exhaust valves were way too tight." — Redoing valves — is it worth it?
190k miles — GAFIT's build: "left us stranded exactly once. The fuel pump died." Otherwise just routine maintenance over 10 years. — Our GD Build Thread
183k miles — "Bought mine with 183,000 miles and haven't had a problem other than replacing the primary o2." — Buying used high mileage 2007-08 Fit

Common Failure Points:

Ignition coil packs — Varies (70k-148k). Use Hitachi or Denso only — Hondas are picky. — P302 code
Front brakes — ~100-110k. Normal wear item.
Water pump and idler — ~95-100k. Preventive replacement.
O2 sensor — 160-180k. Primary most common.
Fuel pump — 160-190k. Blamed on ethanol fuel. — High mileage items to watch/replace
Clutch (manual) — 100-200k+. Depends on driving style. — Clutch issues/replacement

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3. Best Years and Trim

2007 vs 2008 — Mechanically identical. 2008 is slightly preferred for being the later/most refined year.

Quote:

Get the newest one with the lowest miles that fits your budget. In this case, 2008 model year and whatever mileage/price ratio that works for you.

Source: What is a good price for a GD Fit?

Sport vs Base (=147]50,486 views)

Sport adds: 15" alloy wheels, fog lights, cruise control, steering wheel audio controls
Base is lighter and cheaper — fine for a track build where you're replacing parts anyway

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4. Budget: What $5k Gets You

$2,000-3,000 CAD — High mileage (260-300k+ km) — Buying used high mileage 2007-08 Fit
$3,800 USD — 2008, 90k miles — "a pretty good deal" — Purchasing a 2008 Fit
$5,000 USD — 150k miles, manual — Looking to buy: 33k vs 150k miles

At $5k max, aim for $3-4k on the car, keep $1k for immediate maintenance. A mechanically sound car with cosmetic issues is ideal — cheaper and you won't feel bad about beating on it.

Hybrid Racing Short Shifter feels off

RipTorn — Tue, 05 May 2026 18:31:39 GMT

Hey Fit Freaks!

I�m a newbie to fit world, but recently acquired an 07 vivid blue pearl 5 speed MT fit and have been absolutely loving it. Fun to drive, great gas mileage and super practical.

I installed the hybrid racing detent springs and short shifter and have noticed some issues that I�m wondering if anyone else has experience with.

Intermittently when shifting into first (and sometimes into second) the shifter feels like it clicks twice if that makes sense?

It doesn�t feel super smooth and I�m wondering if it has to do with cable tension, as i had to push the shifter and cable forward pretty hard to get the bolts to line up with the holes in the chassis.

Just curious if anyone else has experience with this and what they did to fix it? TIA!

Spare tire recommendations

Viivaass — Fri, 01 May 2026 02:32:28 GMT

I am in need of a spare tire donut for my 2008 sport. Can I use any other size aside from the 125/70D14? Can I use 115/70D14 that's for the base trim or 125/70D15 and fit it in the spare tire compartment Flush?

Windshield Wiper Linkage Replacement Issues

2008FitGirl — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 22:18:15 GMT

Hi all! I am new here, I have a 2008 Sport. Posting mainly seeking advice on replacing the windshield wiper linkage but also want to give others a heads up on what I am running into trying to replace this part. Getting the old one out was tricky as the design for that area is super tight. The only part I can find is Dorman brand which was impossible to get it into place. A mechanic friend tried and found the left end connection was sequenced wrong and corrected it. He was able to get it in then (barely) but then found the back arm rubbed on the body when put to use. There is a slight curve in the original that was not in the Dorman part as shown in pic below, OG part is on top. I will be checking with Honda next for a OEM part, although I fear the price! I did notice that one seller on Ebay had a Dorman part that looked different, darker colored and curved more like the original, but have no idea if that is what they would actually send. All other sellers with the part number show a pic of the one I got.
The second picture is the arm that is malfunctioning, the circled parts popping out of joint easily. Anyone else run into this issue? Suggestion on what to do?