Make my Honda Fit more travel-friendly?

[Nivel Egres]

Living the the NYC is hard. Parking in the NYC is even harder. So, my vehicle choice is the tallest midget of them all - Honda Fit. Had it for a year and hate it with passion, but my choices are limited - sub-compacts are literally twice cheaper to park then an SUV or full size car. The only reason I own a car is to be able to reach rocks and mountains, so most of the 45k miles are accumulated on road trips of various duration. Truly, I wish there are SUVs of ssimilar dimensions (I heard there are, but nobody imports them into the US), but at the moment Fit is the best of my choices (IMHO).

Now I would like to invest a little into making the car a bit more comfortable for road-tripping and could definitely use a bit of wisdom and advice. Here is what I would like to change about the car, in no particular order:

(a) The ************* gas tank is the size of the mouses bladder - 10 gallons. My previous car, a Volvo, was doing 22MPG and had a 25 gallon gas tank, this thing is supposed to do 35MPG and has a 10G gas tank. Something does not compute there. Plus, IRL I get closer to 30 and with the bouldering pads on the roof rack I get about 22. So any extended drive requires numerous gas station stops and I am always nervous about running out of gas.
-- Is there a way to install a bigger tank or install an additional one?
-- Alternatively, is there a circular gas can to put into the car instead of the spare tire?
-- Alternatively, is there a gas tank mount for the rear gate? I'd be ok with a 2-3 gallon spare tank, no?

(b) Make it just a tiny bit better off road. I am not planning to ride the dunes or cross streams, just want to be able to feel a tiny bit more comfortable on gravel and dirt roads which frequently lead to rock climbing destinations.
-- Can I install slightly bigger wheels to increase the road clearance?
-- Also, maybe there a suspension lift kit that would make the car sit just a tiny bit higher?
-- Would I really lose something by changing the fancy alloy wheels to regular steel ones with a bit more sidewall and slightly more thread?

(c) I have a 42" x 63" roof rack that usually houses my bouldering pads, I would love to mount it directly, without the cross bars using quick-release type fittings.
-- How difficult/bad would it be to ask someone to screw brackets directly onto the roof and waterproof?

Any other ideas or personal experiences of travelling in a micro-vehicle like that are welcome!

 

[Haf-E]

Hello - nothing wrong with traveling in a small vehicle - but there definitely are some improvements you can make. Here are my thoughts:

(a) there are small gas tanks that can be added - I would advise doing it externally. Tanks inside of a car then the heat up and then the excess pressure leaks out and the car smells like gasoline - it gets into the fabric / headliner and stays for a long time. You are right that the additional tank can be very small - 2 or 3 gallons is enough - it allows you to push the tank to the limit since you have a backup option. I would look at the "rotopax" type containers and some kind of roof or rear mount.

(b) You can go up a size or two in tires usually. There also are is the possibility of adding an airbag inside of the rear suspension coil spring to reduce rear end sag when the car is loaded. I did both taller tires and rear "Firestone" airbags and it worked great when using a rear bike rack with two mountain bikes and camping supplies. Worth checking around.

g down some "L" track (Logistic track - what the airlines use on floors to attach seats) directly to the roof - it will require drilling holes and putting in "rivnuts" - I've also seen it done using rubber "well nuts" also - which don't require special tools. The only challenge to doing this is not having the drill bit catch on the roof liner when it pops thru - you'll end up making holes in it (I did that on a 1990 Honda Civic Wagon - but no one ever noticed the small marks it left inside).

Any RV shop should be able to do this - but if they won't go find a company that installs car sunroofs - they would do it for sure.

if you put on three pieces of L track on the roof you would probably not even need the roof rack / basket... less weight / less drag perhaps - better mileage.

This track uses clip in devices for connection of straps etc - easy to use - lots of options.

The other option is installing a rear towbar receiver and putting the items in a slip-in basket - that would reduce your wind drag since it would be in the slipstream of the car.

 

[evilfij]

I looked at the fit and I would not run bigger tires. The hubs are tiny and only 4 lug wheels. Better tires, sure, snow tires year round are my go to. You lose an mpg or two and they only last 30k, but the traction is light years better than low rolling resistance or whatever other crap tires they come with. I have firestone airbags for my VW sportwagen, but never fitted them. I never carried enough weight to care. Biggest utility improvement was to remove the rear seat bottoms so I had a flat loadbay and I have the factory roof rack (an RTT bolts right up as well as a basket of Thule bars and box). I would see what you can find to fit and then strap gas cans and a pelican case or bags to it. mpgs will suffer, but maybe 10 percent at most.

Anyway, no reason you can't camp out of it. I still have my little wagen and I will be sad to see her go when I have to give her back to VW. The great MPG like the fit and the nice highway ride make up for the lack of off-road ability. I now have a 4 cylinder taco, but it gets half the mpg and is not as good on the highway and I can't sleep in it.

Bottom line, some better tires and a rack and some stuff and you should be fine.

 

[Buliwyf]

Use simple airbags as stated above to keep the car level when it's loaded with camp gear and coolers in the back.

Be mindful of the cars empty ride ht and match that. DO NOT increase the cars ride ht. That would drastically increase the cars steering response and weight transfer traction. Many of the modern hatches can be very unforgiving. The Toyota Matrix, for example is one of the most dangerous cars I've driven. Uneven construction pavement, and a little operator error, on the highway can make them snap oversteer like nothing I've ever seen before.

(I never noticed this before I witness two of them spin on an arrow straight highway when the driver over exaggerated thier steering across that uneven pavement. Like how they tell us in school to steer very carefully back onto the road when we accidentally swerve off of it in the grass, because high steering angles in that grass and then hitting pavement = rollovers. The Matrix does that on dry pavement. LOLz. Noticed similar complaints about hot hatch VW's and other assorted little hatches. May not apply to the Fit at all, but I'd be careful none the less.)

I'd also add a roof rack for bikes, luggage carrier thing etc.etc.

Don't mess with fuel tanks and jugs, just deal with it. Gasoline ain't worth playing around with. 300 mile range is fine.

 

[NatersXJ6]

So, slightly off topic, but a Jeep Renegade is only 7" longer and 7" wider and 7" higher than a Fit. That is a lot of difference with respect to space and capability in the car, but virtually no difference when it comes to renting a parking spot. Have you considered that change?

 

[SGNellett]

So, slightly off topic, but a Jeep Renegade is only 7" longer and 7" wider and 7" higher than a Fit. That is a lot of difference with respect to space and capability in the car, but virtually no difference when it comes to renting a parking spot. Have you considered that change?

If it is an option, I'd say this is probably your best bet for upgrading your Fit for of road use...

 

[Lucky j]

You must know that honda as the HRV, AWD built on the fit platforme.

Toyota as one similar in size too.

And yep, the renegade by Je/iat.

 

[Martinjmpr]

How comparable in size is the Subaru Crosstrek?
.
I realize that's not the question you asked, you asked how to make your Fit a better road trip vehicle to the mountains but at some point I think you're going to get frustrated with trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. No matter how much money you throw at it, it's still going to be a tiny urban car. Maybe instead of throwing money at it, you could clean it up, sell it to someone who has no need for a road trip vehicle and get something more suitable? I think in the long run you'd be happier.

 

[SGNellett]

You must know that honda as the HRV, AWD built on the fit platforme.

Toyota as one similar in size too.

And yep, the renegade by Je/iat.

I hadn't even considered the HRV, I have yet to see one in real life, LOL! According the the Honda website, the HRV is about 3 inches longer wheelbase, about 9 inches longer overall.

 

[Nivel Egres]

Thanks for all the ideas! I might order the jerry can and probably look into "L" track. It's pretty obvious that it's all amounts to polishing a turd, so I am not going to make a big production out of it.

So, slightly off topic, but a Jeep Renegade is only 7" longer and 7" wider and 7" higher than a Fit. That is a lot of difference with respect to space and capability in the car, but virtually no difference when it comes to renting a parking spot. Have you considered that change?

Obviously, I have considered and researched the alternatives without much luck. The garages in Manhattan literally charge by the inch. It is for a good reason - all of the underground garages usually have a few spots where only something stupidly small would fit. Once I went down to where they parked my car and the space between the columns was so tight, they had to fold the mirrors! To give you a sense of the savings, right now I am paying $515 a month for my Fit, while anything bigger by 5" or more would cost $685. Any vehicle that's considered "oversize", which is 181″ long and 70″ high (or 75″ regardless of length) would run additional $150-$200 a month depending on the location.

 

[NatersXJ6]

Wow! A great reason for me to stay here! It does make me feel a bit better about trying to squeeze my F250 into ridiculously narrow urban Cali parking! Good luck though. I think you will find many helpful solutions here.

 

[PirateMcGee]

What year Fit?

I get 38-42mpg out of mine....but I have a manual trans.

Any reason you can't put a bouldering pad behind the driver/passenger seats? Those magic seats are magic. I've never looked but are there any decent inflatable bouldering pads?

I run Kuhmo Ecsta on mine (16" Sport Alloys). I've had it on a lot of dirt and it's done fine. However, I would drop to a 15" steel wheel for a bit more sidewall if I was using it in the dirt regularly.

Have you looked into a Suzuki SX4? Might be just the ticket....and a low mileage Fit will go for enough that you can pick up a minty SX4 and put some cash in your pocket.

Another option might be a 2 door 1st gen Rav4 with the manual trans and AWD.

 

[FJOE]

I remember having both an ExPo'd out FJ and an F350 XLT that I was parking in Manhattan. would have to cruise the block a couple times, but could always find parking. But those garages and hydraulic parking areas, no thanks. I doubt either of those trucks would have even made it past the booth.

 

[Nivel Egres]

What year Fit?

I get 38-42mpg out of mine....but I have a manual trans.

Any reason you can't put a bouldering pad behind the driver/passenger seats? Those magic seats are magic. I've never looked but are there any decent inflatable bouldering pads?

2009. It is a surprising amount of space for such a little car, but I usually on my trips have a large dog, a few bags and then pads/ropes/gear. I have the seats permanently folded down and am considering removing them all together.

Have you looked into a Suzuki SX4?
Another option might be a 2 door 1st gen Rav4 with the manual trans and AWD.

Oddly enough, I was just looking at an SX4 in front of my building today. Looks like a mini-SUV,
What year are those 1st get Rav4s?

- let me check out the dimensions on these two, maybe...

 

[PirateMcGee]

Rav4 is shorter but same width.
SX4 is a bit bigger.
Theres also the chevy tracker, grand vitara, or old school samurai