Does any one know about any products out there to replace the Fit's plastic paddles with something more sturdy? I was thinking some aluminum shifters would look and feel great. Also this opens the question how hard is it to remove the paddles without having to do to the dealership and asking them to put it back together for you?

 

I have a GD3 5AT and I'm not satisfied with my paddles either-I've been thinking of either making them rubberized or having custom brushed aluminum ones made. The image below should help describe what they really look like as a standalone part (I included the 2009 as well)

2008 (Parts 9 & 10)

http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/auto/jsp/mws/prddisplay.jsp?inputstate=5&catcgry1=FIT&catcgry2= 2008&catcgry3=5DR+SPORT&catcgry4=KA5AT&catcgry5=ST EERING+WHEEL+(SRS)

2009 (Parts 19 & 20)

http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/auto/jsp/mws/prddisplay.jsp?inputstate=5&catcgry1=FIT&catcgry2= 2009&catcgry3=5DR+SPORT&catcgry4=KA5AT&catcgry5=ST EERING+WHEEL+(SRS)

I don't know how difficult changing the texture is going to be until I take mine apart this weekend.
If all else fails, I plan on retrofitting a rubber grooved brushed aluminum sleeve over the plastic paddles--however, it would be ideal if the paddle itself could be replaced for less bulkyness, I have a feeling the plastic has too many complicated parts involved on one piece to be replaced completely.

 

Indicating off the diagram it does looks pretty scary but manageable. Just alot of parts. Keep posting pics if you are able to complete dismantaling the steering wheel... with this mod I will also prob dupli-color the silver plate to match my outside paint. Have you seen anyone else do this?

 

559fitman- be gentle on the paddles.

i'm in the same boat as you are. i 'd like to see some brushed metal shifters. those plastic paddles look like they will snap if i start cranking on the freeway and corners.

 

I didn't take it apart completely but enough to see with the back shroud off that there is no way to swap the actual paddles with retrofitted brushed alum--the grooves and complications of the bends in the plastic....yeah, not gonna happen. You could paint them really easily though, however if color was the only thing I was worried about I wouldn't bother, too much hassle when the real problem is the texture and quality feel of the paddles, they suck, they feel cheap and flimsy.

I'm definitely going with to have to retrofit some paddle "sleeves" instead. On the front, brushed aluminum cut to the size of the paddle, on the back side of it I'm hoping I can figure out a way to rubberize or attach a leather pad to it for grip.

 

I simply glued suede onto the back of my shifter paddles after tracing an outline of the shifter paddles. I would provide pictures but (a) it's difficult to get a good shot of the back of the paddles and (b) the suede was difficult (for me) to cut out and adhere perfectly to the paddles and looks somewhat crude. While it does little for the looks from the driver's seat or feeling of how the paddles move, it does wonders for the tactile sensation of using the paddles as you feel suede instead of plastic.
My $0.02.

 

I get the look of aluminum and feel of padding or insulation on the paddle shifters, but worrying about breaking them? It doesn't need that kind of force to shift with these things, lol. It's like those guys, or girls, who break their shifter on a manual gearbox. Is that really necessary? You can only push it so hard, lol...

 

How about these...?
Works Bell Paddle Shifter Kit Honda Fit Jazz GD3 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Paddleshifter Paddle Shift Paddleshift - The Tuners Group

 

those carbon fiber ones look nice but the Australian currency to US would be over $600 plus shipping... No thanks I'll just stick with the plastic ones... too hard to remove and not worth $600+ for paddle shifters, That takes the practicality away from what I want. I'll just live with it but if it continues to bother me I'll paint a silicone coat on it to give more grip.

 

Not liking to chase the paddles on turns I added rings around each half of the circumference. in doing so we added sleeves on the paddles using thin walled tygon tubing to attach the ring and to make contacting the paddle easier. You may find PE or rubber thin-walled tubing better. Shrink tubing may also be good.
If your looking for sturdy, as in how hard you beat the paddle without breaking I don't see an alternative.
If its appearance try chroming with one of the spray-on or brush on chrome paints. Just mask off the area well.
And if you're looking for attention grabbing you can paint the paddle front with high visibility orange, red, green, or yellow. Red upshift and red downshift might be spectacular. Actuation is on the backside of the paddle so don't paint unless its to change the contact feel.

 

I drive in S (M) mode all the time and I'm not too happy about the stock paddles either. There are some times when I tap the left paddles to down-shift, it doesn't respond right away forcing me to tap it (with a bit more pressure) a second time, but the up-shift (right paddles) works every time. Maybe my left paddles needs to be re-calibrated to be more sensative? (and no I don't abuse it either)

I'd like to replace it with the Works Bell Paddle Shifter Neo, but they don't seem to have the GE8 kit. They do have a UNIVERSAL one...

Works Bell Paddle Shifter NEO Universal - The Tuners Group

 

My downshift works fine but my upshift acts funky. I think it is because the computer decides that you can't upshift yet in my case. I know sometimes I upshift and it will re-downshift to a lower gear usually from 4th to 3rd. I believe that comes from the grade logic system if that makes sense.