I have a 2008 Fit Sport now. Great car. I use it to haul my kayaks around. My longest kayak is 18 feet at 59 lbs. Sometimes put two kayaks up on roof rack for around 120 pounds total.

2015 Fit according to both Thule and Yakima wont take any clip on roof rack at ALL. I saw the thread on Inno making a roof rack but it can only take around 90 lbs. I did see Thule has a bolt on rail that you can then install Thule pads and the cross bars. BUT its not specific to the Fit. I wonder if the roof metal is so thin I kinda doubt the bolt on rail would be all that secure. PLUS I don't want to drill wholes into a brand new car roof.

So the Fit is RUINED for me. I will miss the magic seat. Thinking maybe a Ford Fiesta but not sure if Ford is still Fix or Repair Daily kinda car?? I just dont trust american cars any more. I use to work as a mechanic in the 80's through early 90's at Chevy dealer so I know first hand how they made junk. At least back then.

Here is a picture of my 2008 Fit with my 18 foot kayak on it::

 

That shouldn't even be legal.

 

Really. 2 years ago I saw a guy with a Fit same year as mine had 4 kayaks on his setup. He added a T-bar up front off the bumper for more stability.

So people with kayaks should only use what then? I bigger car? I have been doing this since 2008 never had a problem. If you notice I have tie downs front and back in a V shape to keep any twisting motion be applied to the rack reduced greatly. The rack is rated for 135lbs this kayak is about 57lbs.

But when I replace this car it wont be another Honda Fit as the newest version is made to thin for support. To bad I like Honda's. I had a 2001 CRV before this Fit.

 

The roof metal on my 2011 Fit feels very flimsy compared to other cars I have previously owned. I wouldn't use it for carrying any load.


Clifton

 

Is that your Hyundai or is that a Honda?

 

Wat.

10char.

Car with kayaks on top is clearly a 2008 Fit Sport. Poor thing deserves better.

 

I think he is referring to the Hyundai that is in the for front of the pic. As for the kayak I see no issue with him using his fit that way. I have seen people use cars to move much more sketch loads

 

Why not?

It's not overheight, it's not overweight, it's not over width, it looks to be well secured, and the (modest) extended rear overhang has a proper flag on the end of it for visibility. I'm not even sure the flag would be legally required in this case; it depends how far the kayak extends beyond the back of the car. There's nothing that I can see that would dangerously compromise the handling of the car or the driver's sight lines.

Would you rather see a 20' long trailer? Disco lights? The boat tossed in the back of a pickup truck with maybe a clothesline to keep it from bouncing out?

 

Nothing wrong with my 2008 Fit sport. Its the new 2015 that sucks as it cant take ANY roof rack at all. Both Thule and Yakima the two largest roof rack makers say the roof is to flimsy now.

Yet a Ford Feista or a Nissan Versa Note or many other small cars can.

This really stinks big time. Right now iam leaning toward a Ford Feista but not sure I want to go with an American car ever again. They just cheap out on so many things BUT maybe this has changed?

So the reason no more Fits is they made it to flimsy to take a roof rack. Oh well. I was hoping to use my extra wheels with snow tires on new car but I would have to buy new wheels for another make of car. At least I can use the roof rack on new car like the ford with just a new clip kit.

Oh the Hyundia isnt mine it was just in the drive way at the time.

 

That kayak is a beauty :0 I have two kayaks myself, but mine are lake kayaks so only around 80lbs total when both are atop my car. Here is hoping my old Thule aeroblades will work on my new 15 Fit when the kit comes out.

My last car was a 2014 Ford Fiesta SE, went through 2 clutches in 20k miles on an automatic. So as long as you get a manual, you should be fine. Although, I don't know if that roof can support that much weight either.


Edit: I cannot find anything online about a roof rack not going on the Fit, when I emailed Thule, They said a fit kit would likely come out this summer.

 

Both Thule and Yakima said there will be no kit for the 2015 Fit. So not sure why they told you something different. Maybe they changed there minds? If the roof is strong enough that would be great. Iam going to call both thule and Yakima again to see if something has changed. Maybe they did more research or something and found it is strong enough. I will call tomorrow.

 

I would be interested in knowing. Makes me wonder what other drivers around here are using then, I have seen two people with the 2015 fit that were carrying things on top their car with roof racks. One person was carrying a kayak with seemly no problems on the freeway.

 

I agree. That's whysit's my opinion that their lawyer team won't sign off on a fit for our new Fits. I think their claims that the roof steel is more prone to denting, if true, may just need a change from their standard 165 lbs weight capacity to something less.

 

The weight is not supported by the "roof" itself, but by the rails, that are very structurally solid. The roof sheets are never meant to carry any weight, they are just enclosure for the elements and carry little structural strength compared to the roof and side racks/frame.

The rails in orange and white is what I am talking about.
I imagine the newer Fit is no different and is likely even stronger.
Thule and other rack companies probably haven't designed or received market demand for the new Fit.

If only you saw what people around the world carry on their cars' roofs.

 

I've had rowing blades on the top before but they weigh practically nothing anyway
I use a roof rack from a hrv with some foam wedges in to make up the gap
It doesn't look safe but its structurally solid

 

I agree with John, I can't imagine they would design a car that wouldn't support a roof rack nowadays. Our government has specific "roof-crush" regulations that state that "vehicles weighing 6,000 pounds or less must be able to withstand a force equal to three times their weight applied alternately to the left and right sides of the roof. The roof cannot bend so far that it would touch the head of a median-height-male test dummy."

 

Not having a clamp on roof rack usually has more to do with the door weatherstrips than anything else. Not wanting to drill into the roof is perfectly reasonable, but not because of weight- the holes will be near the outer edges where all the strength is.

Aftermarket companies not wanting to develop custom products for low end cars isn't surprising either.

 

I'm just thinking they should be illegal based on the gas wasted by fools with roof racks on their cars.

"I want to explore this planet that I'm destroying in a way that only speeds its destruction."

 

Hey, a Fit hauling a parachute still burns less than a full size pickup!

 

Shoot, the Ram EcoDiesel seems to get similar highway numbers to some of the people on this site.