Honda fit

[dsimon]

Would like to see Pictures of your honda Fit's Stuffed with bikes thanks

[thwart]

No pic, but two road bikes 'fit' fairly easily in ours.

There was a fairly long thread a couple of years ago about the Fit and bikes (Ray was the thread starter, IIRC. He had just bought one).

[Louis]

Do a search on posts by "Ray" and look for "Fit" in the text. I know he took a bunch of pics when he first got his Fit.

L

[dsimon]

thanks I found it pretty impressive, Now how about the accord crosstour? any one have one of these? Thanks :argue: I know Im indecisive.

[firerescuefin]

We own a Pilot, was just looking at the Crosstour. With a 2 year old, and a 10 week old and multiple bikes, the Crosstour was not going to cut it. (You would be hard pressed to add your bikes and do much else with the styling of the rear (b-pillar back)....but it is a beautiful car. I really wanted it to work, but no dice.

[sg8357]

thanks I found it pretty impressive, Now how about the accord crosstour? any one have one of these? Thanks :argue: I know Im indecisive.

A 1 bike inside wagonette, a Honda Murano.

The Fit is a bit underpowered and buzzy for long distance, but fun
to drive, a Fit Si would be the cats pajamas.

I'm looking at the Ford Fiesta, 1 bike wagonette, but high entertainment
factor and a better long distance car than the Fit.

[Ray]

The Fit is a bit underpowered and buzzy for long distance, but fun to drive, a Fit Si would be the cats pajamas.

I don't have much to add to what I said the first time around, but I don't mind the Fit for long distance as long as the roads are decent. On really crummy roads it'll beat you up more than a lot of cars, but on a freeway trip with half decent road conditions, it does just fine and I tend to cruise around 75-85 when traffic allows it. That said, I've never been spoiled by a BMW or some other really refined car, so perhaps my standards are just low. :cool:

Definitely a premium bike hauler if you don't have more than one other person on board.

-Ray

[dsimon]

Thanks guys i still don't know maybe ill look at a pilot, we have a Volvo v50 and its great but wont hols a bike up right just want something easier and still gets good gas mileage. Thank you

[firerescuefin]

We love our Pilot. Have an 06 with 85K miles...not a single issue. We will be replacing it (actually it will become my car) most likely with the new redesign.

[Ralph]

My son has a FIT....and it will sure haul bikes well.

I have an Element 2WD EX....and it is much roomier than a FIT or any of the cute utes like Escapes, RAV4's, etc. It was designed to be a bike hauler, hauling bikes inside upright. It's also by far the cheapest vehicle I have bought in a long time, and I really like it. However....I do have 2 other nicer vehicles my wife mostly uses. I just drive my ugly Element. I love it.

[Jeff N.]

No Fit, but I do own a '10 Toyota Matrix-S, and with the rear seats down, you can get a bike in there without having to remove the front wheel. Also, the Matrix frame at the rear is drilled and tapped to accept a trailer hitch...which I recently installed. You can get them at U-Haul, about $150 installed. A bike rack slips right in. Perfectamundo!

[mikki]

Anyone have a newer Subaru Outback? I drove one and it was like driving a Porsche or something...fantastic handling and very well made car. I think it's the car frame (vs. truck) and the all wheel drive that makes the difference. Also looks like two bikes would fit in the cargo area just fine. The only thing is the mileage is only around 24mpg and I am looking for great/clean mileage.

I need to fall in love with SOME car fairly soon, my RX300 (SUV) has 174,000 miles on it.

[Louis]

I need to fall in love with SOME car fairly soon, my RX300 (SUV) has 174,000 miles on it.

Ditto here. 205,000 and counting on my Acura Integra...

[dd74]

Being a diesel fanatic (I recently drove a Fiat Panda turbo-diesel in Italy and was astounded by its fuel mileage and performance - too bad it won't come stateside), I urge any new buyer to at least give what few diesel offerings we have in the U.S. a look. Achieves mileage equal to a hybrid, and will outperform any gasoline equivalent. Plus, the new diesels are cleaner than gasoline engine cars.

Start with the VW Golf TDI. Car and Driver said it had difficulty deciding which was the better performance value - the Golf GTI or the Golf TDI.

[dd74]

The Golf TDI will also easily fit bicycles inside it.

[Pete Serotta]

Thanks guys i still don't know maybe ill look at a pilot, we have a Volvo v50 and its great but wont hols a bike up right just want something easier and still gets good gas mileage. Thank you


MY daughter took over the 06 with 100k on it and we got a 2010 one. They needed the room with Kids and the other items needed.


It meets all my familiy needs and I even took the bike to Ride the Rockies from Raleigh in a PILOT.

They work well, have enough room and are bullet proof. As far as their looks :confused: :confused: / I am use to them and still put at least 15k miles per year on them.

My other fun drive is an M3 and to me that says a lot for HONDA and the PILOT.


PETE

[palincss]

Definitely a premium bike hauler if you don't have more than one other person on board.


How close a fit is it, and what size are your frames? My bikes are 59 and 60 cm, and all but one have full size fenders. I suppose one of these days I should load up a bike and go visit a Honda dealer and check it out, but lacking a compelling necessity I haven't been sufficiently motivated.

Last Thursday, I thought this might have been enough to get me off the dime:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4080/4870137198_646a9d0fb0_z.jpg

but it didn't get a scratch. Mine was parked around the corner, and it had a big branch in front of the grille, but it too didn't get a scratch.

[Ray]

How close a fit is it, and what size are your frames? My bikes are 59 and 60 cm, and all but one have full size fenders. I suppose one of these days I should load up a bike and go visit a Honda dealer and check it out, but lacking a compelling necessity I haven't been sufficiently motivated.
Steve,

Here's the post where I demonstrated how I got mine in there a couple of years ago. I think the newer model Fit is very slightly larger, if anything.

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showpost.php?p=453847&postcount=53

The bikes shown are both around 60-61cm, one has full fenders. With one bike fit sideways as shown in the first picture, its easy - although its easier if I slide the passenger seat pretty far forward, particularly for the fendered bike. For two bikes, its a tight fit, but it works. Forks mounted at the rear hatch, wheels angled toward the center and protrude just slightly between the two front seats. I have to lean the bikes over for the saddles to clear the lip of the rear hatch, but they can stand straight up once I get 'em past the hatch.

When I'm just driving with one bike to the start of a ride (or a tour), I stick the bike between the front and rear seats like shown in the first pic. This leaves the whole rear "trunk" area clean and free of bike stuff. When I've taken two bikes and a passenger, I stick them on the fork mount in back, like shown further down the post. I've actually only traveled like that a few times in the couple of years I've had the car, though. The real trick is getting a tandem inside, which has also been done, but not by me!

Glad those trees missed your car - and your house and you!

-Ray

[pjm]

Sat in a new Fiesta hatchback this weekend and was impressed with how roomy it was. I'm 6'2" and had plenty of seat travel. (I have to fit, too.)

I love the Fit, especially that rear seat bottom that folds up, leaving a perfect space for a bike, but Honda doesn't seem to understand that there are people in the world over 5'9"

[bigman]

My wife has the new Outback V6, we would have gone for the 4 but the CVT transmission is way to go kart like for our tastes. The V6 is effortless,car is roomy and the AWD is just amazing, better than our previous Audi Quattro.

I have never loaded in any bikes but it does have a rear hitch. If the CVT does not bother you these models are bargains. We are approaching 12,000 miles and other than a recall for a possible defective part we hav had no issues.

[DaveS]

My wife and I have an 08 fit, and can put 4 bikes (2 road, 2 track) in vertically as long as we remove the front wheels. She rides a 49, and I ride a 57, for what that's worth.

Would definitely recommend it to others.

[michael white]

Sat in a new Fiesta hatchback this weekend and was impressed with how roomy it was. I'm 6'2" and had plenty of seat travel. (I have to fit, too.)

I love the Fit, especially that rear seat bottom that folds up, leaving a perfect space for a bike, but Honda doesn't seem to understand that there are people in the world over 5'9"

The new Mazda2 is supposed to be a slightly better driver than the Fiesta. That's the one I'm thinking about . . . sort of . . . I'm glad these cars are coming, fun practical cars, what's not to like?

[palincss]

Glad those trees missed your car - and your house and you!
-Ray

Thanks for the info & link to the photos. I'm happy to hear your bikes are the same size as mine.

We came out of the "downburst" very lucky: no real damage except to the trees. Others were not so lucky - I have a trash can half full of roofing shingles from the neighbors' roofs, and a couple of people a few blocks from us had trees fall on their cars, squashing them. I haven't heard of anybody who was injured during the storm, but there's tree damage all over the neighborhood. A tree fell on a bus full of passengers on the GW Parkway (basically due east of my street) but there as well, no injuries although lots of inconvenience.

[palincss]

I love the Fit, especially that rear seat bottom that folds up, leaving a perfect space for a bike, but Honda doesn't seem to understand that there are people in the world over 5'9"

Is the Fit short on head room or leg room for you?

[pjm]

Is the Fit short on head room or leg room for you?
Leg. I have the same complaint about any Honda. Not enough seat travel. VW's on the other hand, have more than enough. Why Honda is so stingy with the seat travel is a mystery to me. Maybe they are paranoid about the driver being too far away from the airbag?

[Pete Serotta]

The new MAVIC and the new Fiesta look very interesting and functional. Yep I could see that as a very sensible fun loving bike hauling car. PETE

[flydhest]

Leg. I have the same complaint about any Honda. Not enough seat travel. VW's on the other hand, have more than enough. Why Honda is so stingy with the seat travel is a mystery to me. Maybe they are paranoid about the driver being too far away from the airbag?

Very interesting. I own a Honda now and used to own an Acura and, at 6'2", I've never had any complaints about that sort of thing.

[SEABREEZE]

Dont want to rain on anyone here, but I would not want to be in such a compact car. If a crash would occur.

After experiencing a head on to my wife by a texter, the sheriff said to her you were lucky to be in your large F350 pick up. Quite honestly you could of been killed in a smaller vechile.

By the way the F 350 was totalled.. you get the picture.

The other vechile was a american car, that took 1 hr to extract the texter, taken to the hospital in critical condition.

[sg8357]

After experiencing a head on to my wife by a texter, the sheriff said to her you were lucky to be in your large F350 pick up. Quite honestly you could of been killed in a smaller vehicle.

F-350 are sort of good in crashes, just by being heavy.
An S-Class Benz in the same crash you could have probably still opened
the front door to get out. A customer aquaplaned off the road at 60 (ahem)
mph and struck a telephone pole head on, his injury consisted of a bump to
the head, the front door still opened.

[alembical]

I would like to see a comparison in braking distance between a F350 and a Golf GTI. You may be better off in a head on accident in the larger heavier vehicle, but I would bet you could avoid more accidents in the Golf... although there are obviously some accidents that you can not avoid no matter what. I think the arguments that seem to prevalent here in the US about larger heavier vehicles being safer, really probably is not shown by the statistics.

[pjm]

Dont want to rain on anyone here, but I would not want to be in such a compact car. If a crash would occur.

After experiencing a head on to my wife by a texter, the sheriff said to her you were lucky to be in your large F350 pick up. Quite honestly you could of been killed in a smaller vechile.

By the way the F 350 was totalled.. you get the picture.

The other vechile was a american car, that took 1 hr to extract the texter, taken to the hospital in critical condition.
Unless your daily driver is a Peterbilt, there is always someone bigger on the road.

[pjm]

I would like to see a comparison in braking distance between a F350 and a Golf GTI. You may be better off in a head on accident in the larger heavier vehicle, but I would bet you could avoid more accidents in the Golf... although there are obviously some accidents that you can not avoid no matter what. I think the arguments that seem to prevalent here in the US about larger heavier vehicles being safer, really probably is not shown by the statistics.Exactly why I drive a BMW 3er.

[Louis]

Dont want to rain on anyone here, but I would not want to be in such a compact car. If a crash would occur.

After experiencing a head on to my wife by a texter, the sheriff said to her you were lucky to be in your large F350 pick up. Quite honestly you could of been killed in a smaller vechile.

By the way the F 350 was totalled.. you get the picture.

The other vechile was a american car, that took 1 hr to extract the texter, taken to the hospital in critical condition.

She would have been safer still in an M1-A1 Abrams tank, but I bet she doesn't drive around in one of those. Perceived safety (I'm not willing to grant you actual proven statistical safety unless you can provide the numbers to back it up) is only one of a number of considerations.

Perhaps we should stop riding our bikes - even a SmartCar can take out the heftiest of our cycles.

[SuzyQ]

Grown men who idolize carbon wheels, titanium frames and all things Campagnolo should not be driving Honda Fits/PT Cruisers, compact pickups, the new VW bug or anything made by Scion, Kia or Suzuki.
Men drive trucks. Big ones.
I can carry 12 bikes in/on my Suburban: 4 on the roof, 4 on the hitch and 4 inside the vehicle with the front wheels off. Plus, 5 adults and all their gear. Plus a case of tampons for all you Fit-driving girlie-men. ;)

[SEABREEZE]

Fellows theres no denying some of the smaller cars are a blast to drive, I had many sport tuned vechiles. I understand the manuverability of such, but as someone posted some accidents are just right unavoidable.

With that said I was the happiest man on earth she was in such vechile and not a small compact.

Louis you mentioned "is only one in consideration", well brother if you were the one in the accident I described, I bet you would be happy you were in a big F350 than you accura. You could of been dead. Yes my wife was blessed that day, with what you call one in a million. All it takes is one, then you might be singing another tune if your around to sing..

Didnt do any satictic research, but I can tell you both body shop owner and insurance ajustor said, time and again ford trucks have proven to be tougher than any other american made vechile.

I am sure there are some european models that have excellent crash ratings.

Side note. The sherrif told my wife after being on the traffic squad for 25 yrs and getting hit three times while on patrol, and arriving on so many accidents he now only drives a pick up as his personal vechile. Perhaps this can be taken as satistics.

[Ray]

Over in Europe, they have a version of the Fit that they call the Jazz - I think it was called that all over the world before they introduced it as the Fit in the US. Over there its a conspicuously bigger than average car. They have so many cars on the road that SHOULD be sold in the US. Lots of Smart cars, but also cars from Toyota, Nissan, Citroen, Fiat (which doesn't seem to suck anymore), and others that are rather Smart car-like in their size and design. There's even a Mercedes "A" model that's a little hatchback, about the size of a Honda Fit/Jazz. We're just used to big-ass stupid cars here in the States. As the price of oil inevitably goes up, our cars will be getting smaller. We're a stubborn bunch about driving our big-ass cars, but our wallets will get to us eventually.

In the meantime, I've made it past 50 driving small cars my whole life - the only thing I've ever personally owned and driven that was bigger than a Civic or Sentra was an old Econoline Van I had for a while in the early '80s that kind of doubled as home for periods of time during those vagabond years. If I haven't joined the bigger is better arms race yet, I'm probably not gonna. And in the Fit there's even a handy little storage compartment for your tampons Suzie, if you ever wanna go for a ride. :cool:

-Ray

[sg8357]

An F350 is a commercial vehicle, ie tinfoil above the frame rails.
Roll overs, side impacts above the frame rails (think semi) you are
worse off than in a full size car.

Back in the paranoid 1970s AMF built "safety cars", more of a road going
NASCAR vehicle with extra rollover protection, the gas crisis killed the
"safety" car.

I have an MRAP on order from my uncle in the war surplus business. :)

[AngryScientist]

Grown men who idolize carbon wheels, titanium frames and all things Campagnolo should not be driving Honda Fits/PT Cruisers, compact pickups, the new VW bug or anything made by Scion, Kia or Suzuki.
Men drive trucks. Big ones.
I can carry 12 bikes in/on my Suburban: 4 on the roof, 4 on the hitch and 4 inside the vehicle with the front wheels off. Plus, 5 adults and all their gear. Plus a case of tampons for all you Fit-driving girlie-men. ;)

some grown men idolize carbon fiber, titanium and campagnolo because it's light and efficient, and full of innovative engineering.

[AngryScientist]

Fellows theres no denying some of the smaller cars are a blast to drive, I had many sport tuned vechiles. I understand the manuverability of such, but as someone posted some accidents are just right unavoidable.

With that said I was the happiest man on earth she was in such vechile and not a small compact.

Louis you mentioned "is only one in consideration", well brother if you were the one in the accident I described, I bet you would be happy you were in a big F350 than you accura. You could of been dead. Yes my wife was blessed that day, with what you call one in a million. All it takes is one, then you might be singing another tune if your around to sing..

Didnt do any satictic research, but I can tell you both body shop owner and insurance ajustor said, time and again ford trucks have proven to be tougher than any other american made vechile.

I am sure there are some european models that have excellent crash ratings.

Side note. The sherrif told my wife after being on the traffic squad for 25 yrs and getting hit three times while on patrol, and arriving on so many accidents he now only drives a pick up as his personal vechile. Perhaps this can be taken as satistics.

do you live in Texas?

[AngryScientist]

i used to work for a Marina, and drove an F-150 quite a bit. i would NEVER drive one of those bohemiths if i didnt have to.

when you get into a fight, there are two things you can do, take the punches in the face with brute force, or avoid them.

i can say without reservation that smart driving and a sport tuned, good handling car will keep you much safer than driving around in a gas guzzling shoebox on wheels.

[Acotts]

I thought I read that SUVs werent safer. Rather they were more lethal to the other person.

I dunno.

I personally wont let that dictate my choice in car.

My quads are lethal enough as is.

[Dekonick]

Anyone have a Honda Ridgeline? I want to know how it works for hauling bikes... inside and in the bed.

Looks like a good compromise

[michael white]

real men don't need big vehicles to remind everyone what they ain't got. :)

[SEABREEZE]

do you live in Texas?


no, lived in suburbia out skirts of the apple

now in florida, but i do understand the question.

I know you own a vw, so did I, Tweaked out to the max. actually it was a passat wagon,with audi performance chip, free flow xhaust, a 6 brakes,german performance supension, bbw wheels, pierreli tires.Created the vw insignia in rear lights, so every time you stepped on brakes the red would be the insignia.

I debaged the entire vechile, color keyed all other parts to match car color
Many times I was asked if it was a mercedes.

If I wasnt in the business that I am in, which requires f350 pickups.I would seriously consider the vw jetta special edition tdi.

As I said earlier, I am thankful that one in a million accident of that magnitude happened in a f350 and not a compact.The out come could of been very different.

[SEABREEZE]

i used to work for a Marina, and drove an F-150 quite a bit. i would NEVER drive one of those bohemiths if i didnt have to.

when you get into a fight, there are two things you can do, take the punches in the face with brute force, or avoid them.

i can say without reservation that smart driving and a sport tuned, good handling car will keep you much safer than driving around in a gas guzzling shoebox on wheels.

Go test drive a presnt f 150 fx4 with 20 in pierrils on them, your opinion may have another perspective.

remember a marina having a f 150 is a stripped down version, probably with 15 in tires.

ford engineering has progressed the f150 fx4 is no sport tuned vechile, but you may enjoy its handling characteristicts .on the negative its a gas burner for sure.you may not call this one a shoebox.

[AngryScientist]

no, lived in suburbia out skirts of the apple

now in florida, but i do understand the question.

I know you own a vw, so did I, Tweaked out to the max. actually it was a passat wagon,with audi performance chip, free flow xhaust, a 6 brakes,german performance supension, bbw wheels, pierreli tires.Created the vw insignia in rear lights, so every time you stepped on brakes the red would be the insignia.

I debaged the entire vechile, color keyed all other parts to match car color
Many times I was asked if it was a mercedes.

If I wasnt in the business that I am in, which requires f350 pickups.I would seriously consider the vw jetta special edition tdi.

As I said earlier, I am thankful that one in a million accident of that magnitude happened in a f350 and not a compact.The out come could of been very different.

cant argue with any of this :beer: cheers Mr Breeze

[sg8357]

Lawyers should really be required to take physics course.

http://www.suv-rollovers.com/vehicles/ford-f-350.cfm