I have a 2016 FIT and want to lower it. What is the best way to do this?

 

Depends on your budget and what you're looking for. Performance or looks?

Cheapest and worst way to do it is cut the OEM coils. You can probably rent or maybe borrow a spring compressor from a discount auto parts store and do yourself if you have the skills. Most likely the struts will blow out over time?

Next best would be to buy a set of lowering springs. They usually cost around $200-300 and are offered by different manufactures in different amounts of drop or amount your car will be lowered. Again ou can probably rent or maybe borrow a spring compressor from a discount auto parts store and do yourself if you have the skills. Depending on how much or severe of drop you have you will probably blow out the struts over time since they're not operating in their intended range of motion.

Next would be cheap coil overs. This is just for looks. Companies like Riceland and BC sell this garbage in the $400 range. They will look like real coil over but the adjustments other than for changing ride height do very little.

Another option would be lowering springs with say Koni or Bilstein struts if available? Again $200 for the springs and another $600-800 for the struts. This would be a real performance upgrade and would be what many weekend autocross or track day racers use every weekend.

Next would be maybe two way adjustable coil over from say KW or some other real brand. Probably in the $1500-2500 range? Real performance upgrade assuming you know how to adjust?

Top of the line performance coil over would be say 4 way adjustable Penske. Around $10,000. This would be for the serious competitor.

Obviously there's a bunch of good coil over between the KW and Penske such as Ohlin, Moton along with others

Back to looks. You can maybe do air ride or hydraulics? Not sure on the cost? Either way you can raise your car while driving and slam it to the point of not being able to put pack of cigarettes under it when sitting at the meet, car show or in a parking lot. Don't have the slightest idea on cost?

All the above are based on your budget, skills and what you want to do with the car?

Good luck

 

Thanks man. I am going for looks. Although I have read that lowering it about 1/1.5 inches makes it handle better. Maybe that is NOT true. I just want it to look cool. I'm NOT poor but I think my lowering budget would be $1500 all said and done. BTW, I have NO skills. I would pay somebody to do it.

 

This sounds like ME

 

Eibach lowering springs are the best option on a budget.

PRO-KIT - 2015-UP HONDA FIT | eibach.com/america

 

THANKS, could it be done, look cool and handle well on say a $1500 budget?

 

That's a huge budget for lowering... the spring kit is $215. Labor at worst case is $400.


__

Eibach is a quality spring. These springs are designed to work with the OEM struts. You do not need to replace the struts.


---

 

THANKS again. Sounds like you know a lot about this topic. That's why I got on here. I wanna do XY&Z to this car but I wanna do it right.

 

Not trying to be argumentative, but is that specific to the Fit or a generalization? Do you have first hand knowledge of this application or are you getting it from the sales literature? I've owned Eibach springs for a different make of car. The car had less than 5K miles in it when the springs were installed. I don't remember how many miles were on the car before the struts blew out, but the car now only has 16,500 miles. The car I owned before had MOPAR lowering springs that were also designed to work with the stock struts, guess what they blew out.

I don't know about this specific application, but from my experience, friends similar experiences and other car make forums, it's common in stock struts

 

SO, you are implying that I will have to change out the struts?

 

You may? I don't have first had experience in your specific application.

It probably depends on your situation. If you can do the work yourself than keep the OEM struts and if they blow out replace them. Obviously if you can't you have to weigh double labor vs doing the struts and springs at the same time. I don't know your budget, cash flow, how long you plan to keep the car and if you do plan to get rid of it, to whom? Only you have the answers.

If if you have the storage space the advantage of keeping the stock strut/spring combo along with say a Koni/lowering springs is that you can revert back to stock and sell the lowering spring combo when done with it to recuup some of the cost.

Again you you have to figure this out yourself. Or you can just take the answer you want to hear and run with that. Either way it doesn't affect me at all.

Good luck with your project

 

Ok man. THANKS for the input.

I plan on keeping the car FOREVER.

I'm probably just gonna replace the OEM struts when they go OUT.

I guess NO question is stupid but WHEN a STRUT "BLOWS OUT"
I guess I will just know, right?

 

Maybe, maybe not? IDK how in tune you are with your car, what type of driving you do or where?

My SRT-4 seemed bouncier in the rear end. I suspect ed that maybe the struts had blown since I was on MOPAR lowering springs. When I jacked the car up and looked they had fluid on the outside of them. When I changed them to Koni they would slide in and out with ease. Effectively not providing any rebound or compression. I have know idea how long they had been bad for?

I'm sure there's a buch if people driving around on blown struts who never even know.


keeping your car "FOREVER". That's along time. Car might get wrecked, have too many mechanical issues, might not fit your family or personal needs over time? IDK how old you are, but I personally wouldn't make statements like that especially in person to friends/family. Otherwise you can eventually look foolish. Remember the cars a cheap, entry level sub compact that's meant to be somewhat disposable. To each their own.

 

Darn, I already told my Grandma and everybody in my immediate and extended family that I'm keeping the car FOREVER

FOREVER

FOR

EV

VER

 

Question: Why would anyone ever commit to owning a Honda Fit forever?

I have owned two Fits for a total of 5-6 years...and at least 70% of that time has been me begrudgingly driving the Fit while regretting my purchases.

 

I currently have access to an SUV and gonna probably get a truck pretty soon. The FIT is paid for and will basically be my 2nd car. So, being as I will be customizing, babying, and NOT driving the car much, will mean I will have the car a long time. Can't say how long.

I did get the Eibach Springs, IF anybody was wondering.

 

I'm wondering

How is the ride?