Have you given any consideration to the Honda Fit? Lots of room with the back seats folded down, and the mpg's are very good using regular gas.

 

I have a '08 SI sedan with 35K miles. I use it as my "winter beater". So far my mileage average 25+ mpg.

The car is a kick to drive. It helps me through the winter withdraw from the S. I have put a trailer hitch on it so that I can pull a small 4" x 8" trailer plus I can put a bike rack in the receiver and haul my bieks around.

I don't think you can go wrong with this car.

BTW, both of my cars use premium fuel so I don't pay much attention to the cost. If you are going to play you have to pay!

 

I'm really surprised by you S guys who love power, that you are happy driving a Honda Fit. I understand it's versatility, but isn't it really a slow poke? Do you have manual transmissions to give it a little more oomph when taking off?

 

Most Honda's with a manual are fun. I've driven the Fit with manual and it is no slouch. On Highways though crosswinds will tire you out.

 

At 258K miles you've probably lost enough compression that there is no real difference between premium and plus. Any smoke?

Congrats on the mileage total.

 

"How do you remove the middle seat from a Civic?"

*** Good question for a Jedi knight to answer!"

"SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS A DAY! I just don't see why anyone who really enjoys driving wouldn't pay that for a better handling more powerful car. "

"He makes his own coffee at work."

*** I only pay $0.25 for a $0.25 for a good cup of coffee or $0.50 for an espresso when I want to indulge.


I"'ve got a RSX-S"

*** I really like the RSX b/c it is a hatchback (avoids removing the third seat from the Civic). Almost every one I've seen here in SC has been "riced out."

"Have you given any consideration to the Honda Fit? "

*** My daughter was seriously considering a Fit. The Fit automatic was way too underpowered for DC Beltway traffic -- she bought a Civic-LX. I also think the Fit Sport is overpriced and there isn't any dealer incentive money.

Thanks so much to everyone for the input. I only need to fit one bike in an SI and when I need two, I can use a rear rack or roof rack. Going to give the SI a serious look

 

Lainey,

I like underpowered cars. I always have. In order to drive them, you really have to drive them. For me the fun has always been in the gearbox not the engine, and an underpowered car makes you use the gearbox.

I truly believe in lightweight, underpowered, manual transmissioned cars.

I looked at the fit. I don't especially like the bodystyle, but my real problem with the car was the trunk. Unfortunately with where I go to see clients, I must have a locking, enclosed trunk for my workpapers, computer and other things that travel with me.

That's one of the reasons the Si works so well for me.

 

^
Yeah, but doesn't the SI have more power than the Fit?

I've driven small four cylinder engines. The manual transmission made a huge difference.

I don't care for a manual transmission for a daily driver, so it's doubtful I'd be happy with an underpowered vehicle like a Fit. For me, it's also just too darn small.

 

When we test drove the 2008 Fit a dealer that the Plant Pixie had called told her that they had a five speed Pearl Blue Metallic Fit in stock. They did not. We drove a Fit Sport with the automatic with paddle shifters that I thought may be fun and the best of both worlds when in the manual mode. It was NOT. The automatic is a full 1.5 seconds slower in it's zero to sixty MPH time over the five speed manual. In other words: It could NOT get out of it's own way. The five speed manual on the other hand is responsive (if in the correct gear at the time) and is FUN to drive. As Jonas has stated, the mileage does not seem to change much when one flogs it hard. Like the S the engine willingly rev's to 4 or 5 K easily. In fifth gear at highway speed the engine RPM is half of one's road speed in MPH (I.E. At 70 MPH it is turning at 3500 RPM) at still will deliver over 32 MPG or more. On one trip I got almost 38 MPG.

Every article that I have ever read about the fit states basically the same comment: "The car is seemingly bigger on the inside than the outside" One can turn it into a one person vehicle by removing the RF seat head rest, moving the seat forward and fully reclining it. This allows for a seven foot, ten inch parcel to span from the dash board to the rear hatch. It is an SUV that is fun to drive and gets great gas mileage.

 

Yes, the Si engine is considerably more powerful than the fit but I really don't care about that, except of course for the 8,000 rpm. I liked the fit, even though I'm not partial to the bodystyle, but it doesn't have a locking, enclosed trunk and that eliminates it.

I also very much like the CR-z but it only has two seats and I don't think it's got a locking enclosed trunk either. If not for those I'd seriously consider a CR-z if I give Adam my Si.

For all of the looking and thinking that I've done, I keep coming back to the Si.