Ecomodding my $800 Honda Fit 5-speed beater [was "Picking up my..."]

[Ecky]

Put some 17" wheels on it, paint a strip around the wheel well black, and call it a crossover. It'll be gone in 24 hours.

[Ecky]

That's what Honda did with the newest one:

[samwichse]

That's actually... pretty sweet looking

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by California98Civic

Those prices are so low. You simply have to buy one. Blue. Not just because of fewer KMs, but also because blue.

Yeah, spiffy! I had my eye on that exact blue car for YEARS. I walked/biked past it regularly. And it sold today - woohoo!


Mine goes on the block tonight.

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Yeah, spiffy! I had my eye on that exact blue car for YEARS. I walked/biked past it regularly. And it sold today - woohoo!


Mine goes on the block tonight.

So you are sorta flipping these cars... buy fix up and drive as a personal vehicle for a while, maybe a year, then sell... are you making any money off the resales, you think?

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by California98Civic

So you are sorta flipping these cars... buy fix up and drive as a personal vehicle for a while, maybe a year, then sell... are you making any money off the resales, you think?

Yeah. I do track my expenses and I think I typically net around $500-$700. The 2004 Prius was the only one in recent memory that I've lost money on (I had it for about a year and it cost me $500 in the end).

I've done this most of my life - since high school days. Roughly a car a year.

But money isn't the main motivation. Mostly it's curiosity - I like to try out different eco cars that interest me. And I (usually) enjoy the process of rejuvenating the car. I'd probably still do it even if I was just breaking even, not counting my time (but not losing).

--

And relevant to this topic...

The Fit sold this morning for $2200 "as-is". I had about $1k and 15-20 hours into it.

A young guy bought it to use as a runabout/commuter to save burning fuel in his pickup truck. (Insert seal of approval here.)

[MetroMPG]

Fit wins at...

• Outward visibility: the Fit has twice as many side windows as the Mirage! There's the little triangle window ahead of the front door, but even better is the window between the back door and the smaller C pillar. That rear one especially makes a difference.
  
  
• Handling: The car weighs ~400 lbs more, but it feels lighter than the Mirage. The steering is direct and lively (much quicker ratio), and because the suspension stays flatter, it's a delight in swift cornering.
• Active safety: See above - I'd much rather be driving the Fit if I had to take evasive action - eg. some kind of quick emergency maneuver like the Moose Test.
  
  GR YARIS doing the Moose Test...
  
  
  .

• Not feeling like a cave inside: This is partly because of all the glass, partly because the interior surfaces are NOT ALL SOLID BLACK, FFS. I like an airy cabin.
• Better audio: More powah? I don't know audio. All I know is this one goes to 11 or 12 vs. the Mirage.
• Cargo stowage - AKA magic seats: the origami rear seats are really clever. The best trick is the configuration where you tilt the rear seat cushion UP, and then you have a ~4' high space accessible through the side doors. Makes loading bulky objects amazingly easy.
• Power: That part's obvious, and I don't really care about it.

Mirage wins at...

• Fuel economy: Obviously. Roughly 20-30% better than the Fit when driven similarly.
• Gearing: believe it or not, the Fit and Mirage are at the same RPM in top gear for a given road speed. So the Mirage wins in my book (given its engine size/power), even though many of us still think it revs too high. That said, unlike the Mirage, the Fit has readily available options for swapping in taller 5th gears and/or entire transmissions from other Hondas.
• Comfort 1: This is subjective of course, but the Mirage driver's seat is more comfortable for me (mostly the bottom cushion angle). The Fit seat has more pronounced bolstering though, and the Mirage would benefit from some of that.
• Comfort 2: The squishy suspension. Although having said that, the Fit isn't harsh. It's just firm.
• Shift quality: The Mirage isn't great by any means, but I think it has a nicer shift feel than the Fit which is more "plasticky" and cheap feeling. (The Hondas of the 1980's & 90's would be shocked to hear this.) I also like the Mirage's feather-light clutch.
• Value for money: pound for pound, the Mirage is a bargain compared to used Fit prices (well, used just about anything prices).

Overall...

In my ideal world, the Fit would have something like the Mirage's engine, or the Mirage would have something closer to the Fit's steering, suspension & cargo stowage options.

I'm gonna miss the Fit, and I'm certainly glad I bought this one on impulse.

I grok 100% why they're so popular and have such a following - they're an economy car you can love with your head AND your heart (unlike the head-only Mitsu). It's the driving enthusiast's econobox.

[MetroMPG]

Now it's time to tidy up & sell Mirage #2!



Too many cars this year.

[MetroMPG]

We had a new guy (girl?) sign up whose username caught my attention... hope he sees this thread. (I sent a PM)

Member: EcoFit08

About EcoFit08
What's your main area of interest in vehicle efficiency?
Hello ecomodder.com My goal is to get my 2008 Honda Fit to hit at least 40+ MPG.