manxman
06-12-2010, 02:33 PM
This subject has been well covered in other sites, and it bears repeating here. Honda USA lost a class action suit over a design flaw in the front grille. This flaw is shared by many other car makes and models, particularly those that have very low ground clearance in the front. The Fit is extremely at risk because of this flaw.
"The Flaw": The plastic front grille has such huge openings that it provides absolutely no protection against damage from rocks bouncing up from the road and into the air conditioning condenser. A hole in the condenser immediately stops the operation of the air conditioner. Rock holes in the A/C condenser are not covered in your warranty (considered "road hazard", "act of God", not covered). Dealers charge a minimum of $700.00 for A/C condenser replacement.
Look through your lower grille, and what you see immediately behind it is the A/C condenser.
"The Solution": protect the condenser with additional grille materials that keep rocks from hitting it. You can do this affordably and attractively with an add-on Billet Aluminum Grille that fastens over the front of the stock plastic surfaces with no cutting and no drilling. It looks like this:
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/5136/imgp1018ns7.th.jpg (http://img152.imageshack.us/i/imgp1018ns7.jpg/)
Or, you can "cheap out" and use wire or plastic mesh materials, like Home Depot "gutter guard" material, cut that to fit the lower grille area, and fasten it either in front of or behind the stock plastic grille panel. The bar type billet metal grilles and the cheap plastic mesh all are attached with plastic wire ties (zip ties). Once you get the zip ties attached tightly, whatever grille you use will never move. Zip ties hold a weight of 75 pounds each without breaking, and you will need at least 6 zip ties to attach any type of added grille protection. A billet aluminum grille like the on pictured on my Fit weighs 4 pounds. Plastic mesh material to cover the grille area weighs about one pound.
To attach any of these grille protection materials, all you need to do is remove the flat black plastic bridge piece that surrounds the hood latch between the radiator and the front grille above the bumper. This is for '09-'10 Fits. For the first generation GD3 Fits, it is best to remove the bumper (which is also easy). If you need help to do this easy protection, post your questions here or PM me for help.:):D:eek:
If you decide to buy the Billet Aluminum Grille like the one pictured, the best brand is "Mr. Grille" located in Norco, CA. Ebay Motors is the best place to buy, and Mr. Grille runs many ads for Fit grilles there. His product is the strongest on the market, and can be ordered either in a polished aluminum finish, or in black anodized finish.
I can't guarantee that your new Fit will suffer the loss of A/C because of a rock hole, but the chances are very good that it will. I CAN guarantee that a billet metal grille will prevent that event, and a cheap plastic mesh piece will greatly reduce the chances of that event happening.
You can find MANY posts on this subject, including several of mine on the fitfreak site.
"The Flaw": The plastic front grille has such huge openings that it provides absolutely no protection against damage from rocks bouncing up from the road and into the air conditioning condenser. A hole in the condenser immediately stops the operation of the air conditioner. Rock holes in the A/C condenser are not covered in your warranty (considered "road hazard", "act of God", not covered). Dealers charge a minimum of $700.00 for A/C condenser replacement.
Look through your lower grille, and what you see immediately behind it is the A/C condenser.
"The Solution": protect the condenser with additional grille materials that keep rocks from hitting it. You can do this affordably and attractively with an add-on Billet Aluminum Grille that fastens over the front of the stock plastic surfaces with no cutting and no drilling. It looks like this:
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/5136/imgp1018ns7.th.jpg (http://img152.imageshack.us/i/imgp1018ns7.jpg/)
Or, you can "cheap out" and use wire or plastic mesh materials, like Home Depot "gutter guard" material, cut that to fit the lower grille area, and fasten it either in front of or behind the stock plastic grille panel. The bar type billet metal grilles and the cheap plastic mesh all are attached with plastic wire ties (zip ties). Once you get the zip ties attached tightly, whatever grille you use will never move. Zip ties hold a weight of 75 pounds each without breaking, and you will need at least 6 zip ties to attach any type of added grille protection. A billet aluminum grille like the on pictured on my Fit weighs 4 pounds. Plastic mesh material to cover the grille area weighs about one pound.
To attach any of these grille protection materials, all you need to do is remove the flat black plastic bridge piece that surrounds the hood latch between the radiator and the front grille above the bumper. This is for '09-'10 Fits. For the first generation GD3 Fits, it is best to remove the bumper (which is also easy). If you need help to do this easy protection, post your questions here or PM me for help.:):D:eek:
If you decide to buy the Billet Aluminum Grille like the one pictured, the best brand is "Mr. Grille" located in Norco, CA. Ebay Motors is the best place to buy, and Mr. Grille runs many ads for Fit grilles there. His product is the strongest on the market, and can be ordered either in a polished aluminum finish, or in black anodized finish.
I can't guarantee that your new Fit will suffer the loss of A/C because of a rock hole, but the chances are very good that it will. I CAN guarantee that a billet metal grille will prevent that event, and a cheap plastic mesh piece will greatly reduce the chances of that event happening.
You can find MANY posts on this subject, including several of mine on the fitfreak site.