I am an "old school" car guy (The new '09 Fit is my first ever non-US made car!) and I have done a couple little things with it many of you younger folks might not have thought of:

• I noticed that the cover between the radiator and grille is just attached with a bunch of easy-open "pop-up" fasteners so I took it off and cut a piece of aluminum window screen to put in front of the A/C Condenser to catch the bugs before it gets all plugged-up! I used a piece of screen about 29 inches wide and 16 inches high, just poked a couple holes in the upper corners and attached it to the top radiator brackets with "ty-wraps". When I notice the screen getting plastered I can just remove it and clean it out - easier than trying to clean the condenser in-place! (To pull the pop-up fasteners just pry-up the center button with a thin screwdriver blade - it will pop-up about 1/8-inch to un-latch the thing, then you just rotate and pull on the outer ring and the whole thing comes out. To reinstall, just reverse...) In our climate the screen won't impede airflow enough to cause cooling problems unless you run into a swarm of locusts or something!

• I live in the "rust belt" and a friend who restores Mustangs showed me years ago how he sprays White Lithium Grease inside the drains in the bottom of the doors to keep salty water from collecting there. I have done this on a lot of cars and it works so I did it on the Fit too! You can buy a big spray can of White Lithium Grease (for greasing hinges and latches) at WalMart for 2 or 3 bucks and it is way more than you need to do the Fit. The stuff comes with a long plastic nozzle (like WD-40) - you just need to get down on the ground and spray it into the small "drain holes" along the bottom of the door. Spray into each hole with the nozzle pointed both forwards and back until it starts to drip out the hole. I also did the bottom of the liftgate by "unscrewing" the two rubber bumpers at the bottom corners (if you rotate them counter-clockwise they "unscrew" - just turn the other way to put them back in when you have loaded the bottom up with grease. Did the front edge of the hood too by spraying into the oval openings on the inside. You could use expensive rust-proofing stuff, but the Lithium Grease does work and it is cheap!

 

The first one sounds similar to "justintime wire mesh." It helps protect the condenser from being punctured by rock debris.

The 2nd one is intriguing. NJ dispenses rock salt during the winter. Any chance that someone could take a picture of the areas that are to be sprayed? I have to look down and see if I can locate the spots.

I'm a car noob. The engine & underside of the car are a mystery to me. The Fit could might as well run on voodoo and black magik as far as I know.

 

Good information - I think several people have worked on the open grill area and it is a good idea to have it covered and protect AC many Fit owners have had problems with rocks hitting them and causing damage. I would like to see some pictures of the area that you treat too so we can do the same. I live in an area that uses lots of salt in the winter time so that would be helpful.

Cat :x

 

That lithium grease idea sounds good. I had an 89 prelude one time where the water would just collect in the front fender areas. You could actually see like an inch of water sitting if you looked through the door hinge opening.

The AC condensor thing is neat too. This is has got to be the 5th thread I've read in the past 2 days about the AC condensor getting messed up. I'll have to look at mine when I get home today.

 

I had dealer undercoat mine. Let me tell you it was more than $2-3. More like $500 with 10 yr wty. I also had the paint sealer treatment as well. No waxing ever. I plan on keeping my toy a long time.

 

Excellent tips, specially the grease idea.

Thanks!

handymus