Hi folks,

I still considering purchasing a Fit Sport with a 5 speed (if I can find one without having to pay over MSRP..). However, my wife and I are put-off by two aspects of this car; namely the cheesy carpet ( and I use the term carpet very graciously...) and the reports (26 pages on this forum) of peeling paint.

I understand that the Fit is an economy car, but still, the paper/plastic/psuedo carpet thing is just.....well cheap. I'm really concerned that even with carpeted floor mats it just won't hold up well.

Since this is a forum, I appreciate that problems like the paint, can get over represented. Again, though, I really don't want to lay down $17 -18K (OTD) for a Fit that ends up shedding on me.

Am I over blowing these two issues? How has your carpet and paint held up?

Best Regards,

Landmizzle

 

my paint seems fine. but my carpet passenger side has a small hole somehow when have these huge rubber floormats on it to cover the carpet

 

im asking my wife to pickup some black dye for my carpet because i
can't seem to clean off the roadsalt that got on the carpeting
(around the a/s floor mats )...

i tried several cleaners but just wont come off.

 

my carpet is dirty but thats just cuz i never clean it =P my paint is fine... i bought it in january and to this day still shines when i wash it... i drive shoeless too so i never get holes in my carpet unless i drop a cig >.<

 

Carpet floor mats FTW.

I can't imagine driving a car without them o.O

 

Paint good, carpet just fine. The carpet may be thin, but this is the same thing they put on boats, and after 10 years of water and sun, mine is still going strong.

 

for those with MT, you'll burn your left heel right through those factory
carpet mats. it's better to use the a/s mats for durability. even with
the a/s mats i can see wear.

for carpet mats on my hobby cars i use berber mats. they are very
strong and have a nice lux look.

 

im going to try my last mix... white vinegar with water 50/50 and see if
i can get rid of that salt stain (might be calcium stain). if that fails, im
going to dye it black.

 

As far as the "carpet", all weather floor mats FTW.
And paint is cheap, and scrathes/chips easily. But will still look good for years if you treat it right.

Tyler

 

one thing to keep in mind here is that carpet and paint are common problems with most cars in this class. I don't know if helps make a decision. It's an easy corner to cut.

Even with these problems, I wouldn't trade my fit for any other car on the market in the US.

 

We have had our Fit for over a year and the paint is doing just fine. I bought the Honda carpet floor mats, so I haven't even looked at the carpet. Everything is holding up very well. My wife and kids eat and drink in the car, and don't clean up after themselves. It's not a luxury car, it's a small sporty utility vehicle. It's fun to drive and handles really well.

 

here's wat i did tonight... the 50/50 mix sprayed liberally onto the
carpet where the salt stains are and let it sit 15min. kept adding more
solution every 5min.

took a cotton towel and without rubbing, i pressed firmly and soakedup
the solution. the repeated once more.

then used water-only very liberally and soaked up all the water. left
the doors open for about 15min or so to start to air dry.

i used total 7-8 cotton towels (clean, not rags).

it looked much better, but wont know for sure if it did the job until
tomorrow when everything is completely dry. keeping my fingers crossed!

 

im very happy to report back that my vinegar/water 50:50 solution
worked!!!

my carpet that was salt stained is now back 100% new looking again.

 

Mental Note;
50:50 vinegar/water...thx for the update!
I'm sure this will come in handy down the road.

 

After a year and two months. Carpet is ok. I have the all season floor mats that help keep the dirt off. Paint is ok, the usualy blemishes from random debris on the roads between California and Colorado.

 

Did you get the Honda all-season mats from the dealer?
Do you like them? They fit well, look good, etc.?

I was just thinking of calling my sales guy to add it to my bill.
My Fit arrives next week.

 

no complaints from the carpet but i am considering getting some clear plactice floor matts. But that is just to help keep the floor clean more than anyting else. My clear coat had some minor scratches from driving and such but it was nothing a good waxing didn't take care of.

 

Yup, got the all season mats. Saved me from a few spills so far. Got em from the dealer when I got my car. Pricey but they work for me because I go camping and into the snow now and then. If you want to save a few bucks shop around, some places might give you a deal, or some owners might be selling em.

 

thanks for the info and opinion.

I have WeatherTech's in my CR-V and love 'em. Maybe I'll price those out for the fit.

 

I think the carpet is CRAP. I have an 07 sport, silver. I've had it 2 years and a month, and I've already worn large holes (3 inches dia. at least) through the carpet next to the gas pedal and where there SHOULD be a dead pedal. I have the all weather mats and they have held up great. I covered up the dead pedal hole with a Zeta dead pedal (which I recommend highly, although it is a bit tricky to install)

To be fair, my car is a total MULE. I already have over 72K miles on it and have routinely packed the rear compartment to the gills with band equipment. It has also been in a fairly significant accident (I was the last of 7 cars in a highway chain-reaction pile-up) and has had the entire front-end skin and bumper replaced, along with the entire engine wiring harness. But for posterity I will note that I have had the following problems:

- Broke one of the rear seat releases (fixed under warranty)
- Pulsating brakes (can't change the rotors without an impact wrench)
- Paint chips (pre-and post accident) all over the hood
- Driver's side front window jams about 4/5 of the way up (fixed with occasional application of silicone spray)
- Intermittent ABS function with warning lights
- Cruise control buttons (Cancel and accelerate) no longer work properly
- Shift knob deteriorated after 1 year of use (rubber coating wore off and split)
- Factory wiper blades streaked and obscured my view from DAY 1. (I recommend the Rain-X replacement blades)
- Gas mileage is NOT what was on the sticker, not even close.
- Rough idling

I love the car, but these little annoyances have shaken my faith in Honda. They really cut a lot of corners with this car. The carpet is probably my biggest gripe. I took it to Honda before the warranty was up and they refused to fix it, stating that the carpet is a wear item.

Now I ask you, who here has EVER replaced the carpeting in their automobile unless they were restoring it?