Fit is a poor handler
#1
Fit is a poor handler
Sorry I have to say this. Let me qualify my statement by saying I drive my fit every day, it is the most useful vehicle for me and can not be replaced by any other in terms of economy and cargo space. However it handles like crap. At low speeds it isn't a problem. I can e-brake like it's no ones business and flip it around on the street or in the parking lot. The problem comes when dealing with ice / snow or gravel. If there is any cross wind on the highway and the roads are somewhat icy, I can literally feel the vehicle sliding out from underneath me. I sit there doing 90km while minivan moms pass me at 110. I would consider my risk threshold to be higher than most, yet here I am in the slow lane because I know my fit cannot keep up.
I have owned 2 different 88-89 preludes previously, and I used to do 120km through snow drifts on the highway, you could hit them with a thump and the snow would fly up all around you, slow down 10-15 and keep going. With my Fit I am afraid to even drive over an icy patch since the vehicle starts slipping sideways immediately. Anyone have grid roads near where they live? (That means gravel roads, like in the country). I encourage you to take your fit out and see how fast you can drive without the vehicle skating from side to side like crazy. I can get to about 90km. In my prelude I used to pass at 130. Is it my imagination? The vehicle just "feels" like it's sliding but actually isn't? In a single road trip I hit the ditch 3 times at 80km, 70km, and 50km respectively. Managed to get out just fine, but what the H? Why does this thing handle like a crazed mule?
I have owned 2 different 88-89 preludes previously, and I used to do 120km through snow drifts on the highway, you could hit them with a thump and the snow would fly up all around you, slow down 10-15 and keep going. With my Fit I am afraid to even drive over an icy patch since the vehicle starts slipping sideways immediately. Anyone have grid roads near where they live? (That means gravel roads, like in the country). I encourage you to take your fit out and see how fast you can drive without the vehicle skating from side to side like crazy. I can get to about 90km. In my prelude I used to pass at 130. Is it my imagination? The vehicle just "feels" like it's sliding but actually isn't? In a single road trip I hit the ditch 3 times at 80km, 70km, and 50km respectively. Managed to get out just fine, but what the H? Why does this thing handle like a crazed mule?
#3
OMG, I've replaced my tires 4 times since I bought it over 2 years ago. I'm currently driving on brand new winter tires, that's right not "all-seasons". If you think an all-season tire means winter too you obviously haven't driven in canada very much. But that's not my point in this thread. And yes, I am the only one on the road. Apparently you haven't driven on a grid road before either.
#4
where in canada are you ??
I know vancouver and don't know any roads that have speeds higher than 100...unless you're WAY out there...
but then again going at those speeds on icy areas?
honestly, I feel anything is going to suck with handling on icy roads unless you have a track belt tank.
I know vancouver and don't know any roads that have speeds higher than 100...unless you're WAY out there...
but then again going at those speeds on icy areas?
honestly, I feel anything is going to suck with handling on icy roads unless you have a track belt tank.
#8
My fits oversteers at it's limits. I don't think enough people have experienced lift off oversteer at 90-100 MPH in their fit on dry pavement to even have a real conversation about this. If I could criticize anything it's myself for taking so long to learn that floating feeling that occurs just before the snap. Once you learn that feeling, you'll never struggle with it again.
Last edited by Lyon[Nightroad]; 02-23-2011 at 06:32 AM.
#9
#10
That's very interesting Lyon. I always thought FF cars were more inclined towards understeer at their limits...especially the Fit since it has over 60% of its weight biased towards the front of the vehicle.
To quote Wikipedia:
I find it interesting that the Fit behaves oppositely as you would expect of a FF car. Thank you for this information Lyon...although I never think I'll corner at 90mph in my Fit this is good to know how the Fit is going to handle when it's pushed that far.
Stupid question: What is "lift off" oversteer? Does this refer to a wheel or wheels literally losing contact with the ground at high speeds?
To the OP: You used to do nearly 75mph through snow drifts? On a highway? In a freaking Prelude? I hope I do not have the misfortune of sharing a road with you, sir.
To quote Wikipedia:
The cornering ability of a FF vehicle is generally better, because the engine is placed over the steered wheels. However, as the driven wheels have the additional demands of steering, if a vehicle accelerates quickly, less grip is available for cornering, which can result in understeer.
Stupid question: What is "lift off" oversteer? Does this refer to a wheel or wheels literally losing contact with the ground at high speeds?
To the OP: You used to do nearly 75mph through snow drifts? On a highway? In a freaking Prelude? I hope I do not have the misfortune of sharing a road with you, sir.
#11
That's very interesting Lyon. I always thought FF cars were more inclined towards understeer at their limits...especially the Fit since it has over 60% of its weight biased towards the front of the vehicle.
To quote Wikipedia:
I find it interesting that the Fit behaves oppositely as you would expect of a FF car. Thank you for this information Lyon...although I never think I'll corner at 90mph in my Fit this is good to know how the Fit is going to handle when it's pushed that far.
Stupid question: What is "lift off" oversteer? Does this refer to a wheel or wheels literally losing contact with the ground at high speeds?
To the OP: You used to do nearly 75mph through snow drifts? On a highway? In a freaking Prelude? I hope I do not have the misfortune of sharing a road with you, sir.
To quote Wikipedia:
I find it interesting that the Fit behaves oppositely as you would expect of a FF car. Thank you for this information Lyon...although I never think I'll corner at 90mph in my Fit this is good to know how the Fit is going to handle when it's pushed that far.
Stupid question: What is "lift off" oversteer? Does this refer to a wheel or wheels literally losing contact with the ground at high speeds?
To the OP: You used to do nearly 75mph through snow drifts? On a highway? In a freaking Prelude? I hope I do not have the misfortune of sharing a road with you, sir.
You can do it at much lower speeds too. I've done it at 30 mph, but the turn was rather sharp and the road was a little wet. I got surprised by an oncoming car and reacted by lifting off the gas pedal... causing my back end to slide out... towards the oncoming car! Had to hit the gas so the slide wasn't going as wide, and that I didn't slide into the other guy.
Last edited by Goobers; 02-23-2011 at 07:10 AM.
#12
Thank you for the explanation goobers, makes perfect sense.
#16
hell i would be scared to do a drift that fast in a ferrari, let alone a honda fit.
#17
LOL... that his pretty stupid... (go to track for retarted stuff like that) but the Fit handles extremely well in very tough weather with the right tires...
I have driven for hours in TERRIBLE snow storms, and never ever felt i was less safe than in another car!
The fit handles great! YOU are a bad driver... don't blame the car please
I have driven for hours in TERRIBLE snow storms, and never ever felt i was less safe than in another car!
The fit handles great! YOU are a bad driver... don't blame the car please
#18
I can't say our winter weather gets as harsh as it does for our Canadian friends, but a lot of that weather does move down and east through Wisconsin and living between a big lake and a huge lake makes for some rather unlpleasant conditions. That said, I agree with everyone that the ge8 is as most other FF cars are in snow and ice and what happens when you have to drive through it depends largely on you. I'm still rocking the Dunlops and when we got dumped on last Sunday night I was one of the four that made it to work that night (the other 23 couldn't even get out of their driveway or got stuck along the way), I stayed alert and how I drove saved my ass more than once.
#19
The only reason that I can think that the Fit 'handles poorly' in winter conditions is because the car is so light.
Less weight = less friction = less traction gained on slippery surfaces.
seconding the slow down advice, I haven't had any problems driving it in winter conditions (edit: except when the snow was deep enough that I didn't have clearance to drive through it), even with the all-season OEM tires on it.
Less weight = less friction = less traction gained on slippery surfaces.
seconding the slow down advice, I haven't had any problems driving it in winter conditions (edit: except when the snow was deep enough that I didn't have clearance to drive through it), even with the all-season OEM tires on it.
Last edited by BVictor; 02-23-2011 at 09:26 AM.
#20
@xSimply: i'm impressed you've been able to do something with the dunlops... i think they are junk even for summer...
@BVictor: The car does feel like it's floating on snow, but i feel it's easier to control when losing traction... the car feels so responsive that even if i lose traction, i can easily gain control back, but that's just my feeling...
@BVictor: The car does feel like it's floating on snow, but i feel it's easier to control when losing traction... the car feels so responsive that even if i lose traction, i can easily gain control back, but that's just my feeling...