For me the goal is to reduce interior temperature, which is also the reason I picked white (well, one of the reasons -- I just like the white color as well).

 

makes sense... it is hot in the summer. but just a hassle to put it away and put marks on the glass if not perfectly clean each time....well, for me that is.

i use to use it long time ago.

 

I hear you -- I never bothered with a sunshade until I moved to California.

 

I recently bought an Intro-Tech Sunshade on Amazon:

2009-2012 Honda Fit INTRO-TECH Sunshade : Amazon.com : Automotive

I placed a review there which I figured I'd repeat here, since this thread is about this subject.

I like the Honda Fit INTRO-TECH Sunshade very much. I bought it for my 2013 model and it fits fine, so don't be misled by the product title, which when I bought it was described as "2009-2012." In fact, it even says "09-13" on the product's box itself.

The sunshade is in a roll and you install it very easily by just unrolling it. I thought this might be kind of cumbersome, but it isn't. It is pretty flexible in the direction it is rolled in. Plus, you have a large "staging area" on the top of the dashboard, so you unroll it there and then just move it up to the windshield and pull the visors down to hold it in place. It has a slot to fit around the mirror. At first it seemed that you might have to bend the sunshade a lot to get it around the mirror, but after some experimentation I found that you can tilt it left and right and get it around the mirror with little or no bending at all.

It does tend to move out a little (maybe an inch or 2) away from the windshield at the lower left and right corners - the areas the farthest from the anchoring visors at the top. However, I think over time this will improve with use, and it is still blocking the sun from coming in there even if not perfectly tight against the glass.

It is very light and rolls up into a pretty small roll. Of course it is pretty long, since it covers the entire windshield. It does fit onto the rear cargo cover (if you have one installed), although of course it blocks some of your view out the rear window in this position. The best place to store it seems to be under the rear seat. It tucks up out of the way there and does not obstruct your heels sitting in the back seat.

I read some reviews of an alternate sunshade, the Heatshield Brand with the triangular side-window covers. Some complain about it being cumbersome and unwieldy. I bought the Intro-Tech sunshade instead because I thought that those added side panels would just make things more cumbersome, and I think I was correct. The Intro-Tech is really easy to put up and take down.

I cannot speak to how effective it is yet because it is only April. However, it seems that it will work much like any other such puffy reflective shield, and being a perfect fit should be pretty effective.

 

I use the intro-tech sunshade and its exact fit to the windshield, like stated earlier the windshield on the fit is huge as hell so the sunshade is well...ginormous

 

Yes, it is pretty ginormous, but not too unwieldy, IMHO, and very light of course. I actually used it for real (as opposed to just trying it out in the garage) today. I still don't have the hang of getting it around the mirror easily and had to bend it some. I think eventually it will acquire some minor bent areas around the mirror area and will just go on more easily.

The only other issue I had is when I took it down, sitting in the driver's seat and then rolling it up (on top of the dashboard), I was unable to roll it tight enough to get the velcro strap to fit around it. So I just reached back and placed it on the floor of the backseat and then rolled it up better when I got home. In other words, it is a little awkward to deal with while it is on top of the dashboard.

It still isn't hot enough here to judge its effectiveness. Today the sun was beating down on the windshield for much of the afternoon with the sunshade on, but the temp was only about 58 degrees, and I left the side windows open a crack. The car stayed relatively cool like that. However, we shall see in August when it is 95!

I think of such devices as kind of the "best you can do" under lousy circumstances, so you might as well use one. It probably helps some, although it isn't going to work wonders. I think its worth using, for sure.

 

bubble-wrap plus silver paint equals profit

 

Hello,

I just got my Fit less than a week ago

One of the first things I need is a good sunshade. Today I tried the Heatshield
( ) that does a great job covering the windshield. But like many have said, it is huge and I found awkward to roll up.

I just ordered another from Amazon ( ). This one comes in two parts (a left and a right side) and folds instead of rolls up.

 

I just purchased the Covercraft one, and I love it. It is still pretty huge (let's face it, the windshield on a Fit is ginormous), but it is in two pieces. Although that seemed a little cumbersome at first, I think the two pieces actually makes it easier to use. If it were one piece, it would be really difficult to unfold and put in the window. It really does fit the windshield exactly. The problem is finding a place to store it while you're driving. Since I rarely have back-seat passengers, I've just been putting it in the floorboards of the back seat.

 

My Covercraft sun shield should arrive tomorrow or Friday. I look forward to giving it a try.

I did use the one piece Heatshield again today and couldn't prevent from bumping up against the rear view mirror when removing. Even more, while I was driving the a/c felt warm and I think that the sun shield had inadvertently bumped up against the dial from cool to warmer.

That said, depending on how much I like the Covercraft, I may still keep the Heathshield for days I go somewhere and park in the blazing sun for hours.

 

I continue to use my Intro-Tech sunshade, which I got from Amazon:


I do think it is a nice compromise between the awkward Heatshield (with the arguably unnecessary side-panels) and the Covercraft (folded in 2 pieces). I added some thoughts to my Amazon review on their site, and repeat them here:

I have used this shade for a while now, so I am adding to my review. I can now install it and take it down in less than a minute. I can even roll it up while on top of the dashboard and secure it in a pretty tight roll using a short Velcro strip that I leave attached to the existing strap to lengthen it some.

The shade did develop a slight crease on both sides of the mirror and that makes it easy to get around the mirror and doesn't at all affect its coverage.

I have now used it in very hot weather, with the car sitting for over 3 hours in direct sunlight in 90 degree heat, with just the side windows open a crack. It absolutely helps a lot. The dashboard stays relatively cool to the touch, and most importantly the steering wheel, which as you may have experienced can get VERY hot without such a cover. Of course the interior still gets real hot, but nothing like how it would be without it. So I don't really see any reason at all not to get one of these.

 

I think if the Heatshield wasn't so rigid around the RV mirror area, that sun shade would be perfect. I don't mind having to take the shade outside to roll it up. But so easily bumping the RV mirror becomes an irritation. Now, for long stays out in the sun, a bump of the RV mirror is an okay trade off for all the windshield coverage offered by the Heatshield.

 

We had the heatshield and had no complaints. As others have said, getting it around the rearview mirror can be a pain.

 

I bought the Heatshield a month ago and I love it. Makes a ton of difference. We had a strong heatwave here over the last couple of weeks and between the heatshield, tinting, and having my windows cracked with door visors, my car definitely felt cooler than the ambient temperature when I got in.

I don't really have problems bending it around the mirror, it's flexible enough to easily do it. I have the cargo cover, and it rolls up and can be thrown on top of that (along with my umbrella) so it stores well for me.

 

I received the Covercraft sunshade and just tried it out putting the shade up and taking it down a few times. Then I compared the process with the Heatshield.

One thing I discovered since owning this sun shade a few days ago is when putting up and taking down the Heathshield, before doing so, if I flick the tab on the RV mirror (the one to reduce extreme glare from the rear view, like from a bright sunset), this keeps the mirror in place much better than the standard position. In the anti-glare position, I was able to take the Heathshield out with little movement of the RV mirror.

In comparing the two, the Covercraft also is large, but because it has two panels, I was able to slowly install and remove this sun shade inside the car and avoid moving the RV mirror. Also, I think had a passenger been present, I wouldn't have bumped him or her with the sun shade.

The Heatshield offers maximum windshield coverage, but in my opinion is more cumbersome to remove. The Covercraft is easier to remove, but the inside might be a bit warmer as it does leave the corner windows exposed.

It probably comes down to personal preference. I decided to go with the Covercraft full time and returned the Heatshield.

 

RAH, I'll be ordering the one you have today. You did a good job reviewing it

Oops, correction, its over $40 with shipping. Can anyone tell me what the dimensions are for the ones that work? Specifically, the inches from the front of the windshield to the top of the visors? I really need to find something cheaper, and the 'jumbo' one I bought is simply not tall/long enough to stay put, even holding it up with the visors. Amazon does not really list the dimensions of these in a way that makes sense to me.

 

About a week from now will be a good test as to how good the Covercraft sun shade works. Where I live, the garage parking spaces are being washed down, so as a result I'm allowed t park on the outside, different garage but not covered.

 

DeltaBond,

I went ahead and measured the length of the Covercraft from the front of the windshield to the top of the visor and it is 35.5 inches (so, almost 3 ft).

It's more than $40. As mentioned before, the Covercraft comes in two pieces and doesn't cover the corner windows. But it is firm so won't droop down like some sunshades do.

I would post a picture of it here, but don't see how to include that to the post as an image.

 

Thank you for measuring that for me. I have no idea where our measuring tape is right now. I'm glad I didn't jump the gun and order the cheaper ones. They are 31 inches, so I'm not sure how that's working for people.

 

You're welcome. My previous car had a sun shade that would sometimes droop down and fall to the side as that was a little too small. I would get a tiny clipping clamp and secure the shade that way.

For me, the way I look at it is with a sun shade, over the life of the car I'll be putting it up and down a lot, so I might as well...look at it as an investment and a long term thing.