I can't be the only one who loved his '07 Fit Sport for two years, customized it perfectly to my taste, then lost it in a wreck and had to replace it with a new '09. But I don't remember anyone posting about similar experiences.

Please chime in! People ask me how I like the new car, and that's hard to answer. My GD3 fit me like a second skin and I was absolutely familiar with every aspect of the car. I am finding the '09 so completely different in so many ways that I work very hard to keep from saying that it is a better car. It IS in many ways, particularly the seat comfort and telescoping steering wheel, but those things do not mean that the GD's are bad.

It's like comparing a Datsun 240Z with any of the later versions- 260, 280 and so on. Which was the better car? The rough edged, Spartan, absolutely great 1st. gen, or the ever more plush, bigger and more powerful later models?

At least the GE owners have a few high quality styling and comfort mods available right off the bat. But we are left waiting for performance stuff like intakes and exhaust systems, just like we were in the early days of the GD's. Very frustrating times all over again.

How maqny of us are there?

 

I didn't really customize my 07 any, but I kept it clean, stayed current on maintenance and drove it everyday. It was devastating when some guy pulled out and smashed it. The 09 took a little getting used to. It definitely drives and rides differently. I've never had 2 cars that were the same model, but different generations before so I don't have a point of reference. I use my car to commute so I am not really looking to modify it.

It is hard to say the 09 is better than the 07. Maybe it's like it hasn't been dead long enough or something

 

Well, at least we can talk from a similar frame of reference. I have not done any real handling testing of my '09 yet, but I was the first to buy the Progress RSB for the '07 Fit, and never stopped modifying the car for better ride and handling. The ride of the '09 is much better than the previous models, and the few extra inches of length actually feel like a few extra FEET in ride and stability. The '09 is a completely different car to me. But the great improvements of the interior appearance and comfort make me a little suspicious about the rest of the changes in the car. I am hoping to keep on finding more pleasant surprises. But my skeptical nature keeps warning me- "OK, so what's the BAD news?".

 

I don't think there really is any "bad news". There were some little things about my 07, I wasn't thrilled about.

As far as handling on the 09, I did notice when I was coming back from New Orleans into a pretty strong wind, that you have to work a bit more to keep in a straight line. That's just one thing I noticed. If I ever get some spare time, I'm going to take it out on the country roads around here and see how it does.

 

Did thought about getting the 09Fit for my partner, but because the 09 dun have the JDM sky-roof, the plan didnt work out. I dun have any plans to trade my 07 to an 09... my 07 is so customised that i doubt theres any value now... but heck, I love my 07.

 

I had a Blaze Orange '08 Sport AT for about ten months (purchased in 01/08), and recently traded in for a '09 Sport AT.

I really liked the '08 alot; however, the constant downshifting going up long rolling hills, interior noise and stiff suspension were the main things I disliked. I'd still have it today, but a great deal came up on an '09 and my payments were even cut in half due to a great finance rate with my credit union and the stealer giving me $14,500 for my '08 with 17,400 miles on it (yes, in 10 months).

The '09 Sport feels like a totally different car. It feels heavier, quieter, highway driving up long hills does not require constant downshifting, more room, arm rest, etc. I'm not much of a modification kinda guy, but I really do like the creature comforts of the '09 Fit.

 

I didn't do any customizing on my '07, except for tint, but I just traded it in for an '09.

I've only put less than 100 miles on it so far, so I'm still getting used to the differences between the two. The handling seems a little more refined, and the ride seems to follow a bit - the '07 made me want to throw it around curves and such, whereas the '09 so far seems to want to glide through them - kinda like the teenager has grown up finally...

I don't like the placement of the climate controls and the radio layout. Especially coming from the '07 (which I thought had a very good, intuitive, layout). I keep reaching over to turn down the radio and grab the fan control knob instead. The presets on the radio are all spaced well apart, so when I'm channel surfing, I have to pay conscious attention to where the buttons are, instead of just running down the row.

I also don't like that the visors STILL don't clear the roof - they don't get stuck on the grab handles like they use to, but they stop on the headliner with the end pointing right at my face, unless I push it over further and start bending the arm down some.

No refresh mode! (I actually used it about 3 times total over a 2 year period.)

So, that's the cranky, get-off-my-lawn rant about the little things that I don't like about the new gen.

I still think this is one awesome, fun to drive, great to look at, great to ride in, cheap to drive car, and do not regret anything about it. I think the upgrades overwhelm any of the little details that I have issues with, and I'm sure over time I'll forget that I ever had a problem with them.

 

Thanks for all of the comments so far. I agree with everyone's viewpoints. As far as mods, I am someone who just can't leave anything mechanical alone, and believe that anything can be improved. I miss the sound of my Megan axle back exhaust on my '07, and will buy another one for my '09 as soon as I can. Also, since the '09 Fit is not being marketed as a sports car, such as the S2K, I don't believe that the stock rear sway bar on the Sport models will actually equal the performance that the Progress rear bar gave to the '07-08s. Progress is working now on an add-on bar to increase stiffness in the rear of the '09s, and I will buy it the minute that it is available. I am also waiting for Gerry at PRM to produce a version of his Jet Stream intake for the '09s. I had one on my '07 for a month before my wreck, and will add the new version to the '09 without a second's hesitation.

Don't take any of that as a sales pitch to any of you anti-modders. There is nothing wrong with bone stock, for everyone EXCEPT FOR ME! I have a boat load of mods coming from College Hills Honda and from Zeta Products. No one makes a dash mat for us yet, but when they do, guess what? Thule does not have any parts yet to adapt my rack for the '07, but when they do, you know the rest.

 

my 08 sport is still stock and i drove 2 09 sports today a manual and a auto i like the seats and the telescoping wheel and the cup holders but i couldn't trade my 08 for one. like you said about your gd3 being a second skin thats what my has become don't get me wrong i liked the ge8 .

 

I only bought the GE because I found that there were absolutely zero new '08s left at any dealer in Northern California. I wanted to transfer all of my '07 mods to the new car. I found a few used GD's, selling within a few hundred dollars of the MSRP of a new GE- so bought the new one reluctantly. I am not reluctant any more about having the '09, just pissed at having to sell the mods for the '07 and buy them all over again for the '09. Gee, life is hard!

 

i hear you bro i think i got the last gd3 in tennesee but if i couldn't have found a gd3 i would have gotten a ge8.