First post while waiting (~2 mo.) for delivery of a red Sport.

My only major reason for getting the sport was getting the factory installed the cruise control. The front air dam and ground effects cladding are just items that will act as snow plows and ice gatherers around this part of the country. I know it's no CRV - but I would like to be able to get into my driveway without using the front end as a plow. (Yes - coming from someone who drove a Jeep Wrnagler for 13 years:):):)

Has anyone tried taking off all of that trim - and if so, what is left behind? A bunch of ugly fasteners like under most plastic? If so - are they visible from the side/front - or just from underneath?

TIA

geezer

 

hole in the front bumper... HIGHLY noticeable. sides and rear are ok to remove.

 

The Fit looks soo cheap without the sport kit though, IMO. Exactly how steep is your driveway? Even with my car lowered I've never scraped anything and I go to school in rural CT. I can't imagine many places in Illinois with steep terrain.

 

Direct answer to the question: If you remove the fake ground effects installed on the sport model, you will be left with eight holes in the rocker panel. You could tape these over, but a nicely finished job would involve serious body work and painting.

The ground effects trim has no real aerodynamic function, as it does not extend below the rocker panel. The muffler, exhaust pipe and several other items are actually lower, so this trim does not reduce ground clearance.

The ground effects and the rear spoiler are aerodynamically worthless under real highway conditions. The spoiler might have some value if you were road racing the car on a track, where you would be doing limit-of-adhesion cornering at speeds of 90+ mph.

I bought my Fit used, and got a good deal on a sport, and wanted the other sport features. Personally, I think the base fit is a pretty car, while the phony aero trim makes it look like a cheap street-corner hooker.

PS: I used to road race both a car and a motorcycle. There hasn't been an attractive winning race car since the GT-40 took the Glen six hours in the mid-70s.

 

you will be left with approx 30 holes that are about quarter inch to half inch diameter

YOU WILL NOTICE

even a blind person could read the braille

the aero effects r negligible but the aesthetics are very noticeable, especially with all those holes!!

unless you cover the holes, lots of crap will get in and will eat your car from the inside out and die a slow miserable cancer