Hi everyone,

I am a soon-to-be new Fit owner. I put an order down for a 2013 Fit DX-A yesterday (manual transmission), and right now I am just waiting for the dealership to receive stock.

I've been driving a 1993 Mazda Miata (manual transmission) for the past twelve years and I have no problem driving a manual. I just have a few questions moving to the manual Fit.

What are the recommended rpm's that I should be changing gears on the Fit? With the miata I would be shifting somewhere between 3k to 4k rpm, which is roughly every 20km/hr on flat ground (1st gear 0-20, 2nd gear 20-40, 3rd gear 40-60, 4th gear 60-80, 5th gear 80+).

During my car shopping, I was not able to find a manual Fit to test drive, but I was able to test drive a manual Fiat 500. I didn't like the clutch on the Fiat very much. The pressing the clutch felt like I was going through an entire foot of travel, and while releasing the clutch pedal it didn't engage until near the top 20% of the pedal. It felt much different to my miata, which had far less travel and engaged much more quickly off the ground. Test driving the Fiat, I almost like a total newbie all over again trying to shift smoothly. Would the clutch action in the Fit be closer to the Miata or the Fiat? Either way I assume I will get used to it very quickly, but I'm just curious.

 

Here is one of the several earlier discussion threads on this: https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/2nd-...-gears-mt.html I searched across the web for "honda fit manual transmission shift points rpm" and these forums are at the top of the results.

(I'm in the shift by feel camp--although I find myself keeping an eye on the MPG monitor, which leads to faster shifting)

As for the clutch, I migrated from a '98 civic; once I got used to it (day or so?) this one seems smoother. Either it is much easier to teach a new clutch driver on this than on the civic or on my '95 F150, or my three nieces were all more naturally gifted than my sons!

Steve

 

in real world driving in traffic, i rev to about 3700-4000 rpm in 1st, followed by 3300-3500rpm in 2nd. then the other gears are 3k or less.

when im trying to max mpg, i shift below 3500rpm in all gears. the take off is quite slower and people tend to get aggrivated around me as our hatches are perceived as being weak (including driver). you can read all about that in my blog. lol

 

It depends on my mood, but anywhere between 3k and 6k in first, then 2.5k to 6k in the other gears. Its ~800rpm difference (maybe more) between first and second and about half that for the other gears. I just go by feel.

I don't know about Canadian Fits but the US ones have a very light clutch with little feel and I know they have a clutch delay valve. It will probably be closer to the Fiat than the Miata, sadly. I know I much prefered the clutch and shift feel in my 97 Civic, even if it was harder to drive, it was esier to be smooth with (if that makes sense).

Also, at least here, the stock tires a shite and replaceing them makes the Fit a whole new car.

 

i just floor it and call it a day lol

 

fixed.

 

Remember DX-a is not available in the US

I'm driving an LX so its probably very similar to your car.

before i had a 93 civic si hatch and a 2001 protege 5

the civic still has the best manual, its so smooth, like cutting into warm butter
the fit would be next, a little more knotchy
the protege would be the worst, longest travel and just not as connected as the Si or the fit.

On my fit, depending on my mood, i'd be in 5th, but 60kms, or in 3rd at 60kms ---- depending on what I need the car to do.

Make sure u let it breakin

Congrats btw

 

woah, protege5... full of fail. i hated mine. bought it new back in 2003 (?), sold it before the first oil change. hahaha.

and i had a short shifter on it too... but then the engine mounts and drivetrain mounts were made out of materials like superballs are made out of.

 

Fit will feel nowhere near as good as your Miata on the shifter or the clutch, but much better than a lot of newer model compacts. Clutch feel is kind of disconnected since it's electronic, you'll get used to it.

I just shift when it's the right time to, it's entirely situational, I rarely look at the tach unless i'm going in a straight line and I know i'm about to hit the limiter. Usually I just tag the limiter and upshift

Just driving around I end up upshifting by 3.5-4k i've noticed and I get better than average gas mileage.

 

I shift as early as possible in first because I hate that gear. Second - third at about 2750-3k. Third - Fourth about 4k rpm. Fourth - Fifth at 3k rpm.

Yes that's ridiculous

 

oh, i didnt know that the GE's MT was connected electronically. that explains why there's no real clutch spring feel when i release the pedal... kinda bugged me at first, now im pretty use to it.


considering the gear ratios start out farther apart and closer together as you shift up into the higher gears, your rpm increments are actually better than zipping 1st and waiting for 2nd like me. but i prefer the UMPH! when taking off from a standstill so this is why i zip 4k-ish in first.

 

Yeah I crawl from a stop, but I hate when the car bogs on the 3-4 upshift so I hold off on that one a bit. 2nd and 3rd are where the car shines most too IMO, so why not hold off a bit haha

 

I don't know that it's "connected" electronically. I think it is actuated by hydraulic fluid passed from a slave to a master cylinder just like any MT; only there's a valve that delays the fluid movement by a half-second or so. Whether that valve itself is controlled electronically, I don't know.

Could be wrong though.

 

No you are right, I suppose the valve is really the issue, but the pedal doesn't give any feedback, but I guess that is the downfall of the hydro trans.

For some reason I always thought there was some sort of electronic engagement thingie, idk why

 

Well lets put it this way...yes the protege 5 started to feel like suspension was going to fly off, but it did handle, descent size, and did come in a loaded manner, with sunroof.

And to its defence, it started the hatchback Re-craze....

You see us in Canada, buy smaller cars than in the US. Hatchbacks have always done good here. But in the 90s they were not being sold here, unless you got a boring base model, think of a civic cx, in fact 93 was the last year, at least in canada, a civic si hatch was sold.

Most of the time whatever is decided for the US to be in showrooms, is what we get, eventhough our buying decision are different.

some exceptions B series Merc, acura EL, fit LX

Darn SUVs, or maybe it was jurrasic park and the explorer

When the protege 5 came out, I was like finally the body i wanted and they offered it with 5 speed and loaded with a sunroof.

Honda had nothing at the time to offer....

And still doesn't offer a civic hatch, at least here in north america.

As much as I like the fit, a loaded civic hatch, would be in my driveway instead of the fit, if it is was available.

(please note none of this post was to be taken as a ranting)

 

Sounds like what I do. I am usually in 5th by 35mph :P I hate first, but the fit really doesn't like starting in second. Third gear is just awsome though, I love it.

Its all hydrolic. The delay valve is basicly (at least on other cars) a restrictor to restict how fast the clutch can be closed to make dumping the clutch near impossible. The idea was to make it easier to drive. I personally hate the delay valve, but you get use to it. The worst part is the slight delay between when you pick your foot up off the gas and when the revs start to drop....

 

x25- hummm.... ive dropped the clutch on my GE and it make my tires squeal with no issue...

vicken- yah, i agree the pro5 probably did bring back the sporty j-hatch/wagon craze. i liked the shape of the thing. too bad it was WAAY under powered and just sucked in most all areas. cargo space was decent but not great.

 

Even with the delay valve the clutch will still engage very quickly, just not a full on dump like a car that doesn't have one. And on the stock tires, even thinking about dumping the clutch made them spin :P

The 205's I have on now will still chirp and squeel, but they take a bit more work (I think it is just the lack of overall power :P )

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clutch_delay_valve since I don't feel like typing it all out.

 

Oh I'm not in 5th until 55 mph, I avoid acceleration in 4th/5th gears at all costs.

 

i see... ive not done a burnout kind of dump so dont know for certain from redline, but the engagement isn't damped at all for a nice launch so this is fine with me.