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Honda Fit Care - Interior & Exterior



  • anahita61anahita61 Posts: 110
    Thanks for the info - I bookmarked the web site.
  • tr4q3rtr4q3r Posts: 5
    it's quite normal. i get shocked more often than my family. Its what you call static electricity. Usually happens on dry cold days. The seat cover material is also is a factor. I've been shocked all my life from the office, to brushing with other people, to computers to cars. Most painful is with the car. I learned to deal with it by touching the metal part of the key and touching the other end of the key to the metal latch of the door before going out of the car. You i still feel the shock but it doesnt feel as strong compared if you touched a metallic object directly.
  • anahita61anahita61 Posts: 110
    Yes, I know it's called static electricity. What I learned from others who replied to my original message is that I need to ground the car if I want it to go away. I've not grounded it, it still shocks me... every single time I get out of the car and touch the door to close it. Every single time. I hate it, but until I ground it, it's what I deal with. Small price to pay.
  • fit07fit07 Posts: 5
    this question may have already been asked and answered, but I couldn't find it...

    Rust Proofing...I'm in Toronto Canada and we get a lot of salt on the road in the winter, so I know rust proofing is a must...but the question is which one...go with the dealer offer or use a third party?...any thoughts?
  • poachedpoached Posts: 3
    Yesterday I scrapped the bottom of my brand new fit. It hasn't even had a single oil change yet. I am so upset. Is the front bumper made out of metal (rust) or fiberglass. What should I do to repair the damage? Should I get the dealer to work on it or buy a kit at the auto store and do it myself?
  • marcy46marcy46 Posts: 2
    What else fits the sport fit besides the dealer car mats?
    I just couldn't spend that amt. of money on mats when I bought it I need to ?
  • jkandelljkandell Posts: 116
    It all depends. You can buy official mats a bit cheaper through internet. But I just bought some $10 plastic mats at Target and put some "no slip" shelf paper underneath. They still need readjustment every now and again but I just can't see paying more for what goes under my dirty feet.
  • tr4q3rtr4q3r Posts: 5
    i think its plastic. i scratched my lower right lip in the curb too. not quite obvious but still just breaks my heart. got it when it was still about 300 miles on it.
  • caldodgecaldodge Posts: 8
    This IS covered in the owner's manual - it's a manual override for the Sport model, in case the electronic lock fails to unlock on command.

    You're supposed pop the button out, using a small screwdriver.

    I don't have the manual with me (wife has the car 230 miles away), but IIRC you move the flange to the right to unlock the hatch.
  • anahita61anahita61 Posts: 110
    I have been SO careful since I bought my Fit in March, always parking really far away from any other cars everywhere I go. Stores, work, even at home in my apartment complex, parking with several empty spaces on either side, purposefully. Yesterday at work I parked a little closer than that, and some schmo in a giant SUV parked right next to me. I didn't notice it until this morning, but the SOB opened his door until it hit mine, and now I have a white paint scuff mark about four inches long on my passenger door! I am so angry I can hardly stand it, and disappointed that so soon after purchase I've already experienced more damage than I did with my Toyota Tercel after 22 years of ownership.

    I already had a rock fly up and scuff my windshield on the highway, a nail puncture my tire, and now this, paint on my door.

    Anyone know how I can get it off? There doesn't appear to be any denting, or solid scraping of the paint, just this white paint scuff on my silver metallic paint. I rubbed with my finger, just to get a feel for how bad it is, and tried a little scrape with my fingernail, to no avail.

    Also, I have noticed a road ding on the front hood, and underneath is black - is this normal? Is the black the "undercoat", and will I want to buy some Honda silver touch-up paint for that and any other little dings?

    I wish I didn't have to drive on the highway for my commute, because that's where the dinging comes in, primarily (from gravel, etc., flying up from under tractor trailers), but this parking lot side-swiping thing is inevitable, I know. My Tercel had plastic "guards" along each side, so even if doors ever made contact, there would be no mark. The Fit seems so incredibly VULNERABLE.

    Help getting this paint off?? Thanks!
  • stevecebustevecebu Posts: 493
    Help getting this paint off?? Thanks!

    Go to a professional detailer and have them buff it out. Then have them install some body colored side molding. It will protect it next time in a parking lot.
    You are going to get dings and chips and everything and for some reason the more you worry the more you get or notice you get.
    Not much you can do about rocks flying up and hitting the windshield. At least you don't get hurt. :)
    So a few bucks to buff it out and a bunch more to add the side moldings and you are golden, problem solved. ;)
  • anahita61anahita61 Posts: 110
    Thanks, stevecebu.
  • i agree with you jkandell, i work at a honda dealership and i see alot of people that buy their own mats, you can buy good rubber mats for 1/3 the price of honda mats and will still look good.
  • jkandelljkandell Posts: 116
    Has anyone else experienced the black plastic "tape" on the exterior of the door frame splitting, exposing the paint underneath? At first it was just along the top but now it's along the side of one door too. One dealer in town denied this was a warrantee issue, but I'm going to insist: it's not normal for the parts to start disintegrating. I'm at 4200 miles at about eight months.
  • eldainoeldaino Posts: 1,618
    mine hasnt, but then again, i've only had my fit for a week!

    sorry about your woes!
  • Since I bought my Fit in 2006, I've had a terrible time with my front bumper getting caught on and pulled off by curbs! It's in terrible shape now... is anyone else having this trouble?
  • rapoerapoe Posts: 3
    The cheapest solution is to buy 2 yards of floor matting from a hardware supply (Home Depot, etc). And cut and trim it to fit. It comes in black perfectly matching the existing floor. The 2 yards cost less than $10 and worked for both front wells. At that price they can be replaced if they get grundgy.
  • rapoerapoe Posts: 3
    Now that I helped solve the floor mat situation, what about seat covers? Again the dealer cost is high and have looked for others cheaper.
    But I see problems: How are the seats covers installed? The plastic apron on the outside edge of the seats seems to make it tough. Then the covers for the back would cover access to adjustment levers and headrest removal. Any solution? Do the dealer covers take this into account?
  • Be sure to have your doors closed if you back out of a carport. The door could catch on a pole and have to be replaced..I did it. So far the estimate to replace the door is $1030. My grandson forgot to close the door and I forgot to check before pulling out. Honestly the floor mats seem like no problem at all to me now. I will check out the matting and likely will do what you did after I replace the door. Thanks for the response.
  • rapoerapoe Posts: 3
    Do you know you cannot use seat covers in the FIT? I was searching for ways to get around the lever at the upper shoulder level for moving the seat forward when I saw this patch which is labeled side air bag.

    I called the dealer and asked. He said the owner's manual tells you NOT to interfere with this. He says, though they don't say it, seat covers would. So don't use 'em!

    So why are they selling seat covers at the dealer??? Dick
  • It depends on what kind of seat covers you get. I know there are places online that sell seat covers that are specifically made for each type of vehicle - they leave an opening where the side air bag is. I am looking into getting covers from CoverKing, and they do make provisions for side air bags.

    It may just be a matter of getting something like that instead of a generic seat cover.
  • So, today I accidentally dropped my travel cup full of iced tea into my lap as I was exiting my Fit Sport (it tapped the side of the steering wheel as I was removing it from the cup holder and it dropped, go figure).

    Does anyone have recommendations on how to remove stains from the seat fabric? I soaked it up immediately with napkins, but it got on the gray mesh of the seat and now there is a noticably darker splotch.

  • mnapuranmnapuran Posts: 4
    One of my businesses is a higher end detailing company. I've used just about every product out there over the years. Believe it or not... 95% of the time (unless a customer wants something else specific) we are using Zaino products.

    I have also recently starting spraying an amazing fabric protectant (been selling to dealers, etc) that has absolutely amazing results and benefits. It's been in use on high end jets for 15+ years and has always been a "green" product.

    Mike's Blog
  • larry_slarry_s Posts: 2
    I was driving just before sunrise yesterday morning when I noticed a crack in my windshield. About a foot and a half long, starting near the lower left corner of the windshield in the "seal" and traveling up and to the right at about 45 degrees. Crack's in the outer layer not inner.

    My Fit's only about five months old. Haven't had a cracked windshield in years. There is a very tiny ding partway along the crack. I've had other dings like this in other cars without cracks.

    Anyway, I'm wondering if I was just unlucky or if there's some know problem with the windshield that others are experiencing.

    Great car, otherwise.

  • anahita61anahita61 Posts: 110
    larry_s, I had to replace my Fit's windshield about six months after I bought it - a tiny rock hit the bottom of the windshield and a crack ran straight up and began to turn and spread further horizontally. The guy who replaced it said that windshields are weaker on the edges. It wasn't a big deal to get a new one - the guy came to my job and put the new one in. It wasn't even very expensive. But yeah, that was a first for me, after owning my last car for 22 years - never had a crack, and I know I had a few rocks bounce up and hit it while driving on the highway. Maybe the Fit's glass is not as good?
  • My wife has a 2007 Fit Sport, and I don't fill it up all that much. We've had it almost a year now, and I just now noticed something a bit odd the last time I filled it up.

    When I removed the plastic exterior gas cap, I noticed that there isn't one of those little metal tabs that cover the hole down into the gas tank. Usually, a car will have one of those metal tabs as protection, and when you go to fill it up, the nozzle of the gas pump will push it open.

    In other words, once you unscrew the exterior gas cap, there's nothing there but an open hole down into the gas tank.

    I'm wondering, did I just never notice that the Fit doesn't have one of these little metal tabs, or did it originally have one and maybe it broke off sometime?

  • thora47thora47 Posts: 5
    I just got my 2008 Base Fit last Friday and filled it up a couple of times because we took it on a road trip... now that I think about it, I don't think mine has the tab either.

    I'll double-check next time, but... what's the point of the tab anyhow? Is it some back-up for the gas cap?

    I've always remembered to replace the gas cap and don't intend to start forgetting now!
  • Yes, please check next time, and let me know.

    I think the tab is to block any foreign objects from going into the gas tank if the cap is not on, like you mentioned, as a back-up. Also, if your cap breaks and you have to drive, say, in the rain, it will stop water or anything else from going into the tank.

    If the car doesn't have one, it's not that big a deal -- if you fill up and don't put the gas cap back on, there's actually a light on the dashboard that will display to let you know.

    I just thought it was a bit weird, though, that there isn't one, as I've never seen a car without one. But if the car did have one and it broke off or something, I'd want to take the car in while it's under warranty and get it fixed.

    Enjoy your new Fit, and thanks! :shades:
  • jbonsaijbonsai Posts: 1
    :lemon: Six months and a variety of problems! :lemon:

    1. Paint cracks
    2. Clear coat literally falling off...
    3. Continual static shock when exiting vehicle.
    4. MT (gear-shift) clunky, jumping out of gear.
    5. Stalling engine, poor clutch release.
    6. Position of pedals are uncomfortable.
    7. Senseless power window and door lock controls.
    8. Small plastic pieces (interior & exterior) breaking and falling off.
    9. Plastic, tarp, burlap seats; CHEAP!
    11. Roof is cheap thin tin, press on top of roof (lightly) watch whole roof bend-in!
    12. Painted lower rockers, (yes) drag foot over rocker when door is open; SCRATCH!
    13. Windows fog-up extremely easy!
    14. Vehicle heat reminds me of 7th grade orange school bus, pure hot exhaust; Horrible comfort!
    17. Tiny 10.8 gallon fuel cell, always have to fill-up!
    18. Interior smells like a Mattel toy; all plastic!
    19. You get the idea...

    :lemon: This car is a pile of junk. :lemon:

  • backybacky Twin CitiesPosts: 18,784
    What I see here are the following problems:

    * paint problem - have you reported this to your dealer? If not you should do it soon.
    * shifter - but not sure what "jumping out of gear" means.
    * plastic pieces breaking/falling off - which ones? (offhand I can't think of any small plastic pieces on the exterior of the car)
    * windows fog up easily - try cleaning them; new cars emit plasticizers that cause fogging problems. Will go away over time.

    The other things you listed are characteristics of the Fit that are common to many cars (e.g. static shock when exiting, thin metal panels, painted rocker panels, all-plastic interior with that "new car" smell) or design points that should have been easy to spot during your research of the Fit and the test drive you took before you bought the car.
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