I'm not an enthusiast by any means. I test-drove an auto and it was all right in every respect except that it was always downshifting to go up an incline on a highway. It just seemed busy all the time. I know I wouldn't really use the paddle shifters. The manual just seems like the most normal thing in the world for the car. The downside of the manual is that on the highway the revs are higher than they would be with the always-ready-to-downshift automatic.

We love it.

Cheers.

 

Sport mode prevents downshifting on the highway, unless you want to downshift. I probably use sport mode and the paddles 90% of the time, even in city traffic. Whatever floats your boat.

 

Indeed.

Cheers.

 

I was also told that in the USA, we just don't buy mani's anymore. I waited 3 months to get my Blackberry Mani, was worth the wait!

 

Manuals, automatics, this is market driven, one way or another.

The 2010 black Sport M/T I ordered all those (2) months ago should be available for pick up sometime this week, according to the message I received today.

 

If u really want a manual, you'll travel to get a manual
..
Luckily I've bought 2 new Honda's in the past 3 years at the same dealer, so they had one shipped to me at almost what I paid for my GD (which was impressive )..
For those who want manual, take ur time, and get what u want.. wasting a day traveling is better than regretting an auto transmission for the time u own the car, if manual is what u want.

 

las tyear i drove a geo over 100000 miles with stick, i was gonna get a stick fit but there was almost no price difference and no power difference every other car i drove i could get a little more top end power but not with the fit so thats why i got auto not lazy.

 

Bingo! Honda (like every other manufacturer) has sales databases, and adjusts output to meet estimated future demand based on past sales. They have a very, very good idea of the model mix they need to produce.

 

..... i was gonna get a stick fit but there was almost no price difference and no power difference every other car i drove i could get a little more top end power but not with the fit so thats why i got auto not lazy.[/QUOTE]

??? I guess I have to disagree. Depressing a clutch, actually shifting a lever and choosing whatever gear you want, whenever you want it, and at whatever rpms you want is VERY satisfying for certain folks. Thus with the M/T you can keep the car in the power band much easier whenever needed.
I had a automatic 07 fit. Its automatic was a disappointment because gas mileage was never quite as good as advertised, and the manumatic wasn't near as sporty as a manual, but was helpful in the mountains.

 

I was told my BBP ge8 m/t was the only one in the state, so i guess it was just the whole "right place at the right time" thing. Im glad i was there.

 

waiting for my 2010 m/t sport to arrive also. i was told there were none in a 5-state area. ordered it 2 weeks ago, supposed to arrive early march -- apparently its still on a boat from japan. i'll be traveling 3 hrs to dealership, but i think i got a good deal and they've been responsive and accommodating...
excited!

 

Only up to a point. Does this sales database take into account people who wanted a manual but bought an auto because they couldn't get one? Does it count the people who gave up trying to get a manual and ended up buying a different car?

 

^ very true

 

I thought I would have to wait as well, or order one, but my dealer found one and made the trade within 2 days! Total time from first visit to delivery was a week, and that included the first round of this Snowmageddon we're having!

Maybe it's the combo of wanting a manual in a specific color that makes it harder to find? The first dealer I went to (back in Oct) told me that Storm Silver or Blue Sensation in stick wouldn't be a problem to get, but Crystal Black or Milano Red would be - but then they said it would take 6 weeks to get the car, hence I went elsewhere when it came time to purchase.

I thought black or red would be easier to come by, not the other way round...

 

My salesman felt that certain combinations are definitely harder to come by. He was very sceptical about being able to find an orange for me. I was not in an urgent situation, but I did not want to wait forever so I gave him some alternative choices if he was unable to get an orange MT within 2 weeks or so...he surprised himself and me when he was able to get one on their lot within just a couple of days.

As for the sales database, it does not necessarily account for "lost" sales, but at the same time if the ATs are not sitting long on the lots, that's about all they need to know.

 

I just looked at the online inventory for the dealer nearest me (Curry Honda):

Accord (126) [Yikes]
Accord Crosstour (13)
CR-V (20)
Civic (100) [Yikes again]
Element (1)
Fit (6) [up from 2 a month ago]
Insight (5)
Odyssey (35)
Pilot (20)
Ridgeline (1)

All the Fits are AT. I don't know an awful lot about how the auto business works. Is the model mix at a dealer a) under their control; b) dictated by Honda; or c) constrained by supply? On the face of it, looks like they have way too many Accords and Civics in inventory, and too few Fits and Insights. I suspect it's mostly a+c, as last summer before C4C, they were showing about 35 Fits in stock. If Honda provides incentives because they have inventory to move, I can imagine b also influencing a dealer's model mix.

 

Well if I couldnt get a MT FIT then I would just look at another car. MT is that important for me. It's not just about performance or price. It's about the joy of driving. I took my Jazz to the mountains the other day and its just an unbelievable experience. It was simply amazing and something even paddleshifters cant reproduce. Everyday driving is really a joy for me and its not because of the FIT but more because its a manual. And come on the MT FIT here is like $1500 cheaper then the exact same version with AT, that is not even superior in anyway to the MT let alone give me the same enjoyment. But anyway that has already been discussed.

Priority for me is MT > Car = Colour for sure. I would definately look for another car that is comparable to the FIT if I couldnt get one with a MT.

I highly recommend the MT FIT. You guys have to believe me on this one. I test drove an automatic BMW before and I would take my jazz over that BMW anytime. That is the honest truth. Well everything that I want to say about manuals has already been said. Control, enjoyment, economy, price, emotional link. I take my Jazz everywhere I go with me. It has become an extension of me. My buddy..

I wish they would offer a FIT that is just more refined and more exclusive. On the same level as a BMW or VW scirocco. Because it still an economy car. Maybe that would be the CRZ

 

From personal experience down here in Houston, Texas, there are plenty of manual base fits between the 3-4 dealers within a reasonable driving distance (at least when I bought the car less then 6 months ago). The hard thing to find is manual sports, that are not black (oven), red or orange (high profile colors). All the sport manuals that I watched enter inventory, were sold in less then a week, so when I saw the SSM enter inventory, I was all over it like white on rice. I paid msrp & for the dealer installed accessories that can't be removed (paint & interior protection, diamondguard windshield, tint), but they did upgrade the carpeted floor mats to all seasons for no charge.

BTW IMO The Paint protection is definately worth it, i've had my car 4 months, and it visits the auto car wash (Bubbles Express) twice a month minimum, weekly if weather permits, where I hand dry/detail with a microfiber towel (no water spots for me thank you), and my paint is still scratch/swirl free.

5500 miles on the odometer, and the only problems i've encountered are:
Nail in tire (removed and plugged by the dealer for free)
Steering wheel slightly off-center, caused by a nasty pothole @ 40mph.
Cracked Fog Light Lense on Passenger Side

 

When I bought my '09 base in Oct there were several MT's. Now out of 24 2010 vehicles there are no manuals. That's a shame.

 

It seems like here in Los Angeles, Honda dealers received new shipment of Fit recently.
There are about 10 or more dealers here in LA metro area. I checked their inventory and some
have manual Fit Sport. Usually only one. I think one of the dealers have 1 sport and 1 base Fit manual.
This assuming that they're online inventory list is accurate / recently updated.