Community Forums

MRUSA14 · 03-14-2016, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rream

Mine lasted 15K cost me 4,000 to replace tranny - same story Honda said I screwed up.

Now we see why so many car manufacturers have begun saying NO to towing four-down. They just don't want the customer hassles in the rare event that the transmission quits. It used to be that nearly ALL Hondas and Acuras were approved for towing. Now, almost none are approved. Very sad for us RVers as the choices for towing keep getting slimmer.

Belladog · 03-14-2016, 01:16 PM

It is sad........even after it has a detailed section in the owners manual on how to tow it. :(

We purchased a 4 year extended warrantee when we purchased our FIT. Hopefully if in the event our tranny takes a dump......I'll have a backup plan.

But..... I'm sure the warrantee Co. will agree with the manufacturer ......its all about $$$$

johnboy2 · 03-14-2016, 01:37 PM

I've towed my automatic Fit base since 2010, good tow however I have put three sets of tires on it in 80000 miles and with the added weight and wind resistance I guess my fuel economy has been disappointing. I also had to replace the transmission because I hit a road hazard I did not see or hit with my motor home and smashed the housing. Just don't forget the fit has very little ground clearance.

Campbell5 · 03-14-2016, 06:53 PM

We towed our 2012 Fit Sport Automatic 5,000 miles on a two week family trip last August with no issues.

**CountryFit** · 03-14-2016, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnboy2

Just don't forget the fit has very little ground clearance.

that's exactly the reason i recommended for a larger tire. it came from an exhausting lesson - two years ago in utah just about arriving in a camp site, a rock in the middle of the road knocked out the tranny housing right below the dipstick insert. the fluid was leaked out but luckily we noticed it moment later so didn't cause the damage. but nobody had the part! we stuck there for two weeks until the part from the manufacturer to a dealer then to us arrived (the manufacturer won't ship a part to a consumer directly). i installed it on the spot then resumed our journey.

a side note - since honda has a bad name on transmission, and still is up to the date, an extra caution on fit trans is warranted. my advice is - do not change fit trans fluid in 30kmi interval, too long. i changed it every year or 10kmi which ever comes first. just suck it out and refill. 3.4-quarts is all you need. valvoline multi vehicle trans fluid (full synthetic) is good enough.

afawley · 03-15-2016, 09:03 AM

Was yours an automatic transmission? Would manual fair better? Thanks.

johnboy2 · 03-19-2016, 04:25 PM

The trany worked fine up till it got smashed, the problem is ground clearance. and I don't think you could put tires big enough to give the fit much more. I put 50000 towed miles on that car.
I would not recommend the fit for a toad because of ground clearance ,room for gear and guests comfort is marginal for site seeing other than that and what I said earlier its a fin tow car .

John

powercat_ras · 03-19-2016, 05:22 PM

Fit and HR-V with manual tow 4 down with manual transmission in neutral and key in position 1 to unlock the steering wheel just fine. I tow a HR-V that way. I have a 12 volt charge line from the RV to the HR-V so I don't have to pull any fuses when flat towing

**CountryFit** · 03-19-2016, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnboy2

The trany worked fine up till it got smashed, the problem is ground clearance. and I don't think you could put tires big enough to give the fit much more. I put 50000 towed miles on that car.
I would not recommend the fit for a toad because of ground clearance ,room for gear and guests comfort is marginal for site seeing other than that and what I said earlier its a fin tow car .

John

i used to get 42 mpg in 70% highway and 30% local. now i have 56kmi on the clock and i could only make 30-32 mpg combined. is yours like that? any clue?

johnboy2 · 03-21-2016, 01:01 PM

I think the fuel economy dropped like a rock when I added all the tow equipment and carried some gear when traveling. the car lost all of the aero dynamics. most of the time driving with a bike on the back and Roadmaster base plate rig. When we travel we are a lot of the time on back roads and in the mountains. I got about the same mileage with my Saturn wagon.

powercat_ras · 03-21-2016, 01:04 PM

I have a 2016 HR-V. It is a slightly bigger engine than the FIT and slightly heavier (about 3,000 lbs). Six speed manual transmission. With 2,000 miles on the ODO it does 30 MPG in town and about 34 MPG on the highway going 70 MPH. Highway mileage goes way up to 38 MPG and up if I drive 55 or 60 MPH vs. 70. Very sensitive to wind load, can do 40 MPG with a tail wind and it will drop to 30 MPG driving into a head wind.

Knightab · 03-21-2016, 01:06 PM

We just use a dolly to tow our 2015 fit. It also gives me the option to tow a different car if I need to. I don't find a dolly to be a hassle personally. We could have got the 2013 but I just didn't care as much for it as the new 15 model even knowing it would be untowable flat.

Knightab · 03-21-2016, 01:12 PM

Another option if you want to tow a new fit 4 down is to buy a set of free wheel tow hubs. We use to use these back in the 70's for flat towing race cars to the track. All those companies are gone now but there is a guy who will custom make a set for whatever car you want. Freewheelerz Towing Hub's Manufacturing Company | eBay
The issue is that you have to jack up the car and remove the front wheels to install the hub and then replace the tire. Tires will stick out about 1-1/2-2" and once there you have to do the same thing before you can drive the car by removing the hubs. This isn't for the "I just wanna hook up and go" person but if you don't mind a little extra work it beats a dolly. I have a set I bought used from back in the day for $100 and had to redrill the pattern to fit my Ridgeline but I am happy with it. The Honda Ridgeline is AWD so I have to put them on the rear and tow on the dolly but this gives me the option of towing either car. Warning, the special made the guy is asking $950 a set but it is an option.