Honda Fit Accessories and Modifications

Replying to: bodble2 (Jun 15, 2006 10:31 pm)

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• bodble2 (Jun 20, 2006 5:15 am)
  • hungarian83 (Jun 20, 2006 6:31 am)
    • bprenderson (Jun 20, 2006 7:35 am) and 4 more...
    • bodble2 (Jun 20, 2006 11:22 am) and 2 more...

Replying to: carfanatic007 (Jun 16, 2006 9:21 pm)

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• hungarian83 (Jun 20, 2006 6:31 am)
  • bprenderson (Jun 20, 2006 7:35 am)
    • mtngal (Jun 20, 2006 11:59 am)
    • munchie1 (Jun 26, 2006 11:43 am) and 2 more...
  • bodble2 (Jun 20, 2006 11:22 am)
    • hungarian83 (Jun 20, 2006 5:53 pm) and 1 more...

Replying to: bodble2 (Jun 20, 2006 5:15 am)

Really, how much of a difference does it make being placed two feet forward?
If the car truly "bottoms-out", the entire area between the wheels will be hitting the ground at one point or another. A fuel tank below the front seats will be just as vulnerable as one near the rear wheels.
As for getting high-centered...it doesn't take a lot of brain power to keep your car out of those situations, and I don't know about other Fit owners, but I don't plan to do any extreme off-roading in my car.
 
The fuel tank is essentially in the middle of the car anyway if it is placed between the two axles, which is the only safe place to put it. I would have to think that Honda engineers would think about "bottoming-out" when designing a global car for 1.5 million people.
 
Put a fuel tank in a really dumb place like behind the rear axle (Ford Crown Victoria) or in the engine compartment (Trabant) and that will make me queasy.

Replies to this message:
• bprenderson (Jun 20, 2006 7:35 am)
  • mtngal (Jun 20, 2006 11:59 am)
  • munchie1 (Jun 26, 2006 11:43 am)
    • bprenderson (Jun 26, 2006 1:27 pm) and 1 more...
• bodble2 (Jun 20, 2006 11:22 am)
  • hungarian83 (Jun 20, 2006 5:53 pm)
    • bodble2 (Jun 20, 2006 9:32 pm)

Replying to: hungarian83 (Jun 20, 2006 6:31 am)

Replies to this message:
• mtngal (Jun 20, 2006 11:59 am)
• munchie1 (Jun 26, 2006 11:43 am)
  • bprenderson (Jun 26, 2006 1:27 pm)
    • fit_ness (Jun 27, 2006 2:31 am)

Replying to: hungarian83 (Jun 20, 2006 6:31 am)

Replies to this message:
• hungarian83 (Jun 20, 2006 5:53 pm)
  • bodble2 (Jun 20, 2006 9:32 pm)

Replying to: bprenderson (Jun 20, 2006 7:35 am)

Replying to: bodble2 (Jun 20, 2006 11:22 am)

First, sorry for confusion on the front/rear wheels. I was referring to cars that had the gas tank in front of the rear axle (both of my previous cars), and not between/around it.
 
"you could potentially expose the tank to damage simply by straddling a large speed bump"
 
Good point, but no.
I decided to look under the car myself and check. There is what appears to be a thick, strong beam on either side of the fuel tank. In the event that you found a speed bump that is extremely high, the car would rest upon these two beams (and the rest of the chassis). The fuel tank would not be even scratched.
Mounted at the same level as those beams is a large plastic shield that guards the fuel tank. The fuel tank itself is a little ways above that. There is even a metal shield for the area where the filler pipe connects with the tank.
From looking at the bottom of the car, I can say that anything that could damage the Fit's centrally-mounted tank would be the same things that could damage any car's tank...large rocks, debris, etc.
 
...and regarding the straddling a speed bump, the Fit is actually not too low. In the parking lot at my work, there is a large speed bump that I have actually hit the bottom of the car with in a Dodge Stratus carrying three adults. I have gone over the same bump with my Fit (with five adults) and nothing happened.
 
Don't worry!

Replies to this message:
• bodble2 (Jun 20, 2006 9:32 pm)

Replying to: hungarian83 (Jun 20, 2006 5:53 pm)

Wow, I didn't realize Honda has gone to such great length to protect the gas tank. Good to know though!