"Fit" for Framing

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Mark Rogers

Mark Rogers

CGF, Certified Grumble Framer
Joined
Dec 22, 2003
Posts
138
Loc
Dallas, TX
Nearly two years ago I traded my Toyota truck in for a Honda “Fit”. Since I own a framing company and occasionally need to make a mad dash for material I was a little worried. Turns out the only time I have ever missed having the truck is when I need a 4x8 sheet of plywood. One picture shows a 32x40 mat board box but I have been able to pickup 40x60 mat board with no problem. It will lay flat in the back although I did need to put my seat a little closer to the steering wheel. The box of moulding is a little over 8 feet long. Just under 8 feet will lay flat. Nielsen 10 foot moulding I have to let poke out the window. Usually not an issue unless it is raining, but that was also a problem for the truck. I average 35 mpg. A little more on the high way, and a little less if I let my lead foot have its way. Gas mileage is not as good as a hybrid, but the storage capacity is much better and the cost is about 4K less.

Cheers,
Mark
Frame Destination, Inc.
 

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I bought a Honda Ruckus scooter and carry packages up to 15x15x10 by setting them on the "floor" area between my legs. I made a smoked plexi box that fits under the seat to carry stuff and can bungee some things behind the seat. Best of all, I get 100mpg and don't fill up the truck for 3 weeks now.
 
The only thing missing is 4WD. I downsized to my piece of junk Outback this year from a Pathfinder. I can fit just as much stuff in that as the Pathfinder. I even got a 10.5 foot stick of moulding in it. The most I ever got in the Pathfinder was 9feet. If only the Outback would kwit leaking oil. And anti-freeze. And if the air conditioning worked. And if the switch to open the drivers side window hadn't snapped off. Ahh, good times!

It looks like this is the first year the Fit is out. I looked for a used one on Auto Trader. Oh well, no 4WD no deal here in Colorado. I wish I could have a car for good mileage and then one for winter driving. Maybe in my next life. Or if I didn't have to drive 40 miles a day in a blizzard. Or if global warming accelerates and perhaps there will be no more winters here.

Sorry, just rambling. One of the first things I'm gonna do when I am no longer self employed is buy a car.
 
It's amazing what can fit into the right car.

I got a Saturn ion, only for the fact that it has a 42" wide space in that transition area between trunk and fold-down seat back. That was bigger than anything else I could find at the time.

Also, I like that it is a boring looking car that fits most art things in its trunk out of sight, so that thieves don't look twice (knock on wood). Flashy is not good in Vancouver.

Other than that, I don't think too much of the car (has a lotof blind spots), but it gets from A to B. Our ancient Honda gets better mileage.

Rebecca
 
You folks would be surprised by what fits in my Mini Cooper. I can get a 32x40 box of foamboard in the back.

People think they need these humongous #####-substitute SUVs and trucks, and they are just fooling themselves. I remember getting out of my Mini in a parking lot one day, and watching some lady take about 5 minutes to park her huge hummer next to me (wanted to make sure she didn't crush my Little Fiona under her planet-killer). She finally gets the Admiral Nimitz parked, and climbs down (no other term for it). And she sees me watching, and comments on how hard it is to park that Death Star. So I politely suggest she get a smaller car. She says in response that she needs it because she has 5 kids. I had to bite my tongue to keep from suggesting that she try birth control pills.
 
I can fit more in my husbands Hyundai accent than i can fit in my 15 foot long Mitsubishi Galant.

His seats fold down and I can fit a bunch of stuff in there.... the Galant doesnt have the fold down seats, so if it dont fit in the trunk it better stand up behind the seats.
 
PaulSF said:
She says in response that she needs it because she has 5 kids. I had to bite my tongue to keep from suggesting that she try birth control pills.
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I think it's a little to late for that!
 
PaulSF said:
You folks would be surprised by what fits in my Mini Cooper.
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I have been looking at the Mini Clubmans. They are just a little bit longer overall and slightly taller inside, so they are a little more mini-van like.

The mileage and performance is about the same, and with BMW as the parent owner of the company, how can you go wrong?
 
Jerry Ervin said:
I have been looking at the Mini Clubmans. They are just a little bit longer overall and slightly taller inside, so they are a little more mini-van like.

The mileage and performance is about the same, and with BMW as the parent owner of the company, how can you go wrong?
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You pretty much can't. Test drive one...you'll be sold.
 
I want a Smart Car!!! Actually smaller than a Mini. I can always use my Moms handicap van if I need to move large stuff.

Not sure i could fit all of my photo equipment in the Smart car tho.
 
I've seen quite a few Smart cars on the road around here lately. I saw them all over Europe. They are great city cars, but I wouldn't take one of them onto the highway. They are just too small, and the way other people drive, it just seems too dangerous.
 
I just replaced my 9 year old Chevy Cavalier (now my son's car) with a new Toyota Corrolla in March. I love it! Great mileage, lots of space. With the rear seats folded down, a box of 10' moulding fits in perfectly and there is no problem getting in a 32x40 case of foamcore. I actually took a 10' stick of moulding and a 32x40 matboard box with me when checking out different cars just to make sure they would fit (I sure got some weird looks from the salespeople!)
 
I just love my Kia Pregio diesel van. 9 litres of juice per 100 kilometres and enough space in the back to hold a dance. No problems fitting in moulding, boxes of fomecor, customer's big frames or anything else. It sounds like a tractor but keeps up with the traffic and will cruise at 110km/h all day if needed.
 
PaulSF said:
I've seen quite a few Smart cars on the road around here lately. I saw them all over Europe. They are great city cars, but I wouldn't take one of them onto the highway. They are just too small, and the way other people drive, it just seems too dangerous.
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Those of you who know Curtis Sliwa (Guardian Angels and NY radio personality) will appreciate his view of the Smart Car. If you get hit on the Jersey Turnpike, at least your family won't have to buy a coffin - the Smart Car will serve just as well.
 
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