yeh, finally someone that's actually driven other cars and know
wtf im talking about.

shift by instinct. you mean shit by instinct. jk lol

 

So by this definition... of what use would a tach be after you have found the sweet spot? So wouldn't it make more sense to put the tach off to the side so after a couple weeks of having to look over, you won't have to look over there anymore and now have more pertenient information like the speed clearly visible? Or would you rather it huge and smack dab in the middle so it's easier to learn the "sweet spot" and then after you learn said "spot" you can have that huge tach taking up all that space for nothing?

 

I would trade the tachometer for a intermittent rear windshield wiper setting in a second! I've probably looked at the tach 20 times total in my Fit since I got it in April.

 

*sigh*

With only 109hp to play with, it's pretty easy to fall out of the desirable range of the engine, even though the torque curve is pretty flat. It doesn't REALLY make a difference if all you're doing is farting down the road going to work, but let's say you LIKE to drive the car in a sporting manner, maybe even take it out on the autoX every now and then. At THOSE times it's nice to be able to, at a glance, check the RPM's and see if they make sense for the situation you're ABOUT to get in to. If not, and you're trying to maximize your experience, you'll need to shift. Hiding the tach behind my left hand doesn't make that experience nicer. Maybe that's why real sporting cars (like Ferraris and even RX-7's) waste all that valuable dash real estate with a tach right in the middle.

 

I don't know man... I drive my Fit hard almost everytime I go out in it and I never need to look at the tach, then again I have i/h/e so I can hear the engine better so maybe that has something to do with it. But if I do need to look at the tach it's never hidden behind my left hand, and I have HUGE hands.

 

I hate that there is alot of snow that accumulates in between the doors and the frame of the car, especially under the hatch.

 

--very consistent gas mileage (35 mpg every single tank for 4k+ miles)
--quality interior (anyone look at a chevy or ford recently?)
--very quick steering and brakes
--not fast, but peppy if you keep it on the boil
--seats fold flat, can fit a pretty darn big TV back there
--shifter is quick, very precise
--stereo / gauge lights are very legible, even in direct sunlight
--big side mirrors
--decent visibility out back when you take out the rear headrests
--HVAC / stereo controls very simple / intuitive / easy to use
--can't see a lot of complex crap breaking any time soon
--A/C clutch disengages when A/C turned off (better mpg)
--cutting edge engine design, even though 10+ years old
--decent paint (ssm) / panel fit
--excellent build quality for pricepoint (no interior trim gaps / good quality plastics, etc)
--presages a new era of quality small cars?

Oh wait, this thread is supposed to be what I DON'T like about the fit, sorry. . .(!)

 

I see what you did there...

 

i hate how when it rains the back of the hatch becomes ridiculously dirty while the rest of the car doesnt get that dirty

 

If you wanted the type of car meant for sport driving, you're in the wrong forum, and purchased the wrong car. Comparing the use and location of a tachometer on a Honda Fit to the tach on a Ferrari is absolutely insane. A Fit is for transportation, a Ferrari is for racing, of course it will have a large tach in a better location.

 

You HAVE seen the Fit Racing, haven't you? Folks race these cars. Not just that, two of them from THIS forum trophied in their class this year. The Fit isn't just a people-mover, it's a sporty people mover. I don't see a lot of mAd tyt3 modZ, yo, on how to install more child car seats or hold grocery bags better - it's all IHE, bigger wheels/tires, different body kits to make the car a better performer.
I put a couple months of research in to my purchase, and the Fit made the most sense from virtually every aspect that I felt was important: safety, reliability, looks, and fun to drive. That last aspect is what sold the Fit for me over all it's competitors, because I'M the one who has to live with the car day in and day out for the next 10 years or so, and I can't tolerate a boring car.
Look, we both own Fit Sports, so at some point we're both admiting that "sport" is an important enough consideration that we bought the cars we did. All I'm saying is that even though the overall level of instrumentation in the Fit isn't great, the worst part for ME is the fact that the tach is tiny and useless when I want to use it. Moving it from the left to the right would fix 95% of my gripe, and putting it dead center would fix about 97%. The remainder can't get fixed without a few more gauges so I can see what's going on in the system as a whole.
There's a whole lot of things I DO like aobut this car, but this IS the "what DON'T you like" thread after all. If you're happy with the tach position, that's great; it just doesn't suit me, or a lot of other folks I'm sure.

 

this whole discussion about the fit not needing a tach. maybe we should just harken back to the good old days of bias-ply tires, too.

there is a time where new techniques are just flat out superior to old ones. shifting by ear only, while acceptable, just isn't even the same ballpark/league/sport as actually having a tach.

i'll admit, rev-matching (with whatever method you like to employ) has a lot to do with sound. but you tell me - can you downshift without any excess weight transfer (not feathering the clutch, but just quick and smooth actuation) or when you can tell when you are exactly 100rpm prior to fuel cut off without a tach?

 

Wow, this rear bumper "applique" is a total POS. Compared to what Subaru offers for the Impreza wagons (solid piece of plastic that can withstand some actual pressure/weight), this is pretty worthless. I don't even feel like putting it on my car.

-Mike

 

yah, plus with those, it's extra work to go around that rubber piece
when you're polishing your paint. some waxes are fine because they
dont turn the rubber white, but most polishes will.

 

um can you say f the interior? it suckksssss

 

^^^ I've seen worse, and at higher price points than the Fit.

Yep, good point as well. To eBay it goes.

-Mike

 

What exactly are you comparing it to? Which car (besides the fit) costing 15k has an interior that doesn't suckk??

 

i would say the stupid rear fender thing that newer car has. the lip that you have to get it rolled when you want to be lowered and have no problems rubbing.

i think thats the only thing i hate about my car.

 

I was a little disappointed in what I got, too, as I expected it to be a chunk of plastic like the one on our Pilot. Basically textured adhesive tape is all it is, but I still put it on. At least I didn't pay the $170 that the dealer wanted for it plus installation - I think I paid $35 through HondaAcuraworld.com. Still highway robbery for that price, but it'll do what I need it to do. If I ever set anything on the bumper, that is. On my old Shelby Charger, you HAD to rest things on the bumper to open the hatch. You can't open the hatch on a Fit with anything on the bumper, so you're less likely to need the applique. On a light-colored car, I'd say it was a waste. For BBP or NHB, it's probably worth it - partly because it disappears, and partly because it WILL keep the scratches down.

 

i would just get some clearbra excess and make my own.