Any Honda Fit/Civic owners?

[Trek420]

What's showing up a lot on Craigs are the rebuilt Geo's of the 90's. These cars average over 30 mph. I would not buy a used car on Craigs but why did they ever stop making a car with mileage that good?

[fastdogs]

can somone post a photo of a fit with bikes inside? I'm just not seeing it. I was recently car shopping, and didn't even look at the fits because they looked just too small. I drive 40 miles (mixed) each way to work, and my beloved aztek's gas mileage (low 20s) was killing me.
I needed something that got good gas mileage but had room for my son's car seat (can't put the back seats down) and also at least one good sized dog crate (I have a big "dog car", but need the option in case I need to take a dog to the vet or something). But I also carried my folding bike in the back of the aztek so I could ride during lunch sometimes, so needed room for that.
I ended up getting an HHR, so far I'm liking it but am still getting used to a "small car". I love the gas mileage, 30 mpg with the mixed driving in my commute. The folding bike doesn't fit as easily as in the aztek, but it does fit on it's side in the little storage well in the back, with the shelf above it.
I'd like to see a photo of a bike in the back of a fit if anyone has one- from the outside they look so small!
thanks

[Triskeliongirl]

To get bikes in the fit, you need either both back seats in the up position (bench part of seat up, like in the commercial w a bike behind the front seats) or at least one back seat in the down position. Indeed, it only feels roomy with the rear seats down, but you could put 2/3 rear seats down and still fit a child/car seat in back.

We are empty nesters, so we drive around with both back seats down and it feels like our old station wagon. But if the kids come to visit they can be put up easily.

Sorry, not pics yet w bikes inside.

[dingster1]

I have a 2004 Civic coupe. I usually just throw my hybrid in the back with the front wheel off

[bike4ever]

My Yakima rack is now installed. Here's the Fit with my bike on top. I'll try to get a picture with it in the back.

[Irulan]

What's showing up a lot on Craigs are the rebuilt Geo's of the 90's. These cars average over 30 mph. I would not buy a used car on Craigs but why did they ever stop making a car with mileage that good?

I think the reason that they stopped making a lot of cars like that has to do with new safety regulation that make cars heavier. That's why there is nothing out there like the old civics that used to get 40-50 mpg - they are just to heavy.

at least, thats how it was explained to me. You start adding in ABS, traction control, air bags etc and you can't make a super cheap/light car any more.

Regarding the FIT, it has that cool fold UP back seat. I would think you could fold the seat bottom up, take your front wheel off and stick a bike in crossways.

I.

[Trek420]

That's what I thought. The idea of a $1-2k car that gets 30-40 mpg sounds great. But it probably won't have modern standard safety stuff.

[OakLeaf]

Maybe, maybe not. It's true, I couldn't find specs on cars as old as '83, but I was surprised to learn that my Prius (2932 lbs) is considerably heavier than the earliest subcompacts I could find (2100-2200 for 1990 vintage cars) - and of course a Prius is so roomy inside that it's considered compact, not sub.

But, the way I understand it, fuel mileage comes more from aerodynamics than it does from weight, and body design and wind tunnel testing are much improved in recent years.

I'm not convinced that automakers couldn't be doing a lot better if they had any motivation to.

[Irulan]

Maybe, maybe not. It's true, I couldn't find specs on cars as old as '83, but I was surprised to learn that my Prius (2932 lbs) is considerably heavier than the earliest subcompacts I could find (2100-2200 for 1990 vintage cars) - and of course a Prius is so roomy inside that it's considered compact, not sub.

But, the way I understand it, fuel mileage comes more from aerodynamics than it does from weight, and body design and wind tunnel testing are much improved in recent years.

I'm not convinced that automakers couldn't be doing a lot better if they had any motivation to.

mmm- I dunno. We currently own a nice little 83 tercel (one of those nice old lightweight high economy cars that you can't get any more with zero safety features) and a 08 Mazda. Which one would you rather be in a high impact collision in?

I do agree that the automakers could be doing a lot better. I was very disappointed in the offerings as we car shopped recently. I didn't want a hybrid, I did want good mileage, and I needed a wagon, and I wanted one nicely equipped, and not european. That left me two cars to choose from.

[Trek420]

I'm not convinced that automakers couldn't be doing a lot better if they had any motivation to.

Oh c'mon where'd this guy come from. This isn't TREK, HELP!! A major exec of a major car company has taken over my user id now he's writing .....

SUV's took no effort on our part. It's just a bigger, heavier car on a truck chassis. We didn't even have to change the production line, just higher prices and more profit for us. And the public gobbles them up. To you the illusion of power, safety and speed is soxy, that's what sells our cars. C'mon, nobody buys based on MPG, that's wimpy, practically un-American. Just watch our ads Powering through mud, hauling trailers up a mountain, taking the short-cut around gridlocked traffic off road up over a mountain, rescuing puppies from tornadoes and floods (I'm watching our ads right now!) and all with children safely tucked in back watching videos. Don't you just want one right now? We know you'll never do these things. We know you'll be stuck in gridlock at single digit MPG and not rescuing kittens from hurricanes. We know even the light truck frames these are build on get better MPG.

But by then you've bought our car and we're laughing all the way to the bank.

We're so smrt )