Hi all,

Just purchased my 2013 Fit Base AT. Went with mudguards/flaps and wheel locks. Total came to 16400 out the door (after all relevant fees/taxes/etc.).

What kind of aftermarket stuff should I add (rather than paying dealer prices)? Good blind spot mirrors? Should I get floor mats?

This is literally my first car...............

What kind of maintenance schedule do you guys recommend? How should I drive it for the first bit?

Break me in! I'm so excited--I drove a bunch of cars in this range, and in all the places the other cars came short (where some were great), the fit did very well (even if not in the top), but it was the most consistently good from what I experienced--and it excelled in its own places (maneuverability, visibility, etc.).

Any tops and tricks I haven't asked for would be great!!!

 

lol wheel locks on a base.

Body side molding and door visors


Rear bumper applique


And you should look into something to cover your hood. I would suggest Vinyl and i wouldn't just do a strip of it on the hood because wax and dirt will collect and form a line. Much better to just cover the whole thing in clear vinyl while its new and chip free.

 

Thanks man! Those are all after-market, right?

I was told that the wheels are constantly stolen from Fits. My fiance works in an inner city school and will be driving the car a lot--wasn't sure if that would be an issue.

Thanks!

 

No the mods I listed all all honda genuine accessories. You don't really need wheel locks on a base because they use steel wheels instead of alloy wheels in the sport.

base (nobody is gonna steal these)

Sport


Also if you ever decide to run a set of aftermarket wheels the oem lug nuts won't work anyway.

 

Thanks! Just told the dealer not to do the wheel locks.

 

https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/2nd-...s-top-ten.html

 

Congrats! I hope the car works out really well for you.

Definitely get floor mats of some sort; the carpet is pretty thin. Your preferences and wallet can guide you to some extent; cheap aftermarket carpet ones can be perfectly serviceable, but obviously don't fit as well as custom-fit ones (whether Honda or third-party).

Blind spot mirrors aren't a huge need IMHO. It's best to get in the habit of checking the blind spots with a head twist. The outside mirrors on the fit give pretty decent visibility; the inside mirror a bit less so because of the long hatch and somewhat smallish back window. (It's mostly that the top of things get cut off; you can see truck bumpers and headlights, but not so much the truck drivers.)

Get a windshield sun shade if you ever park outside. I do recommend a custom-fit model here, rather than some generic one, as the Fit's windshield
is rather unusually shaped (it's fairly narrow but quite tall). Window tinting is also not a terrible idea.

You may want the cargo shelf/cover (or want to build one) since the car will be parked sometimes in less than ideal locations. That way you can leave some things in the car and not have them visible to everybody.

Lots of people here like the Clazzio seat covers.

The only mods/accessories I've gotten for my base (through a year of ownership) are floor mats (from the dealer), a sun shade, and the Honda leather steering wheel cover. The stock base steering wheel felt rather cheap and nasty to me; the leather wrap feels nicer, but it's somewhat of a pain to install and seemed a bit steeply priced. I did move over various odds and ends from previous cars: a small first aid kit, jumper cables, tire pressure gauge, GPS unit, etc.

In terms of maintenance and break in procedures, the owner's manual pretty well covers them. Many things are just following the maintenance minder display. Beyond that, periodically checking the tire pressure and tread life (maybe every week or two or three) and making sure the oil level doesn't get low are pretty important.

 

Read the owner's manual.

Here's what it has on break-in:

As for scheduled maintenance, the Fit has an electronic "maintenance minder" that does the scheduling for you. Just follow this. Avoid dealer service contracts and recommended schedules as these are only designed to increase dealer profits.

Avoid extended warranties. If you must, Honda warranties are available through Honda up until the time the 36k 36month full factory warranty runs out. Online prices through Honda dealers are often half what you pay at at the showroom.

If you don't mind the look of the body side moldings, they're a good idea. Dings on the side are heartbreaking

check out some of the accessories here. I'd do a cargo tray (avoid crying over spilled milk) and carpeted floor mats.

 

Get the center armrest.

http://www.collegehillshonda.com/storeart/fit/2009/armrest.jpg

 

I would recommend you try to install a mesh to protect the A/C condenser. There are several threads on it.
https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/2nd-...ml#post1092749

They are pricey, but Weather Tech custom mats do a great job of collecting all the dirt and water/snow/slush and crud that might come in with your shoes. FloorLiner DigitalFit Product Education Center | WeatherTech.com
I also second the cargo tray and cargo cover. There are Honda dealers that sell these items online for cheaper than you can get them from your local dealer. Shop around for prices and shipping costs.

You will quickly find that the stock horn is either not heard or ignored by other drivers. There is a civic horn that is a simple plug in replacement that is supposed to be a little bit louder, or you can install a louder horn like the but it needs a relay which is a bit more complicated.

A vinyl film covering the hood put on by a quality installer probably costs more than its worth. You will get some rock chips without it, but if you don't tailgate on the highway, that will help. The best way to avoid door dings is to park far away from everyone else in parking lots and walk a little farther.

The sun shade is pretty important. The car builds up a tremendous amount of heat without one. I really like the Heatshield brand I have, but it is big (it needs to be) and takes a little getting used to rolling it up.

 

Install the vinyl yourself. Even if you don't tailgate bugs can hit the fit hard enough to do some damage. mine only cost $90 for me to buy everything and install myself.

 

My advice is settle the car loan paperwork WITHOUT accessories or upgrades.

Dont add to your monthly payment.

Buy the accessories and upgrades after car is purchased.

You might get better deals at the time SOMETIMES but Ill be glad to save the 30-50 per month extra the extra stuff will add. Interest is balance of loan, not just car!!

 

$90 for that hood vynil/film?


That stuff is less then half that at walmart

That stuff that comes in a roll and you must cut it to fit your hood.


The cheap walmart stuff works perfectly fine, though the clear does start to fade and yellow after a few years

 

That includes a heat gun

 

Not a bad deal if it includes a good heat gun

 

I'm getting the 0.9% financing... the interest at the rate so far would be 300/5 years. I plan on paying it off faster than that but that's a max rate.

Thanks for all the info!

What about seat covers? OEM or another brand? Is PVC uncomfortable?

 

There's plenty of places online to buy accessories cheaper than honda. Handa.com ships out of a sacramento, ca honda dealership (even though they "aren't" affilliated) but its genuine honda parts cheaper than I've found most places.

I love my weather tech front floor mats - easy to clean and since they're "custom" fit they're perfect! I also got the cargo cover for the back...just make sure you get the one for the 2013- most say they fit up to 2012...

Other than that, you'll learn what YOU want as you go. Don't go changing everything until you've driven it long enough to like it or hate it on your own.

 

Clazzios for the win.

https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/fit-...out-there.html

 

Automatic base? Center arm rest for sure. I'd get one if I didn't think it's annoy the shit out of me while shifting M/T.

Also +1 on not tacking accessories onto the loan, just buy them and install them yourself. You can get most of the accessories cheaper online than what the dealership will charge you. None of them are rocket science unless you're doing some electrical add-ons, then it's a little more difficult for someone that doesn't know their way around cars.

If you can build furniture you can probably install most of the accessories lol idk if that makes sense.

 

On the topic of the lugs - are they worth a damn, or is it just a feel-good measure?

Do chain tire stores have the appropriate tool to unmount them, say, if I was swapping to snow tires and storing the alloys?

Are the mud flaps any good or are they more trouble than it's worth?