Since seeing that first billboard I got pretty hooked on the Fit because of the Honda name, the reviews, the high MPG, the space configuration options are especially cool as i ride a bike on partial commutes and haul amplifiers and what not around regularly.

Whilst reading posts here I'd been perusing the dealer web sites and phoning around trying to find a Fit just to test drive in the Seattle area on and off for two and a half months.

A blue AT sport with VIN pops up on Klein's site which was just what i had been after. I call the internet dept, speak with Jack West who says yup the car will be in soon, we talk about the car a bit, i make an offer, he accepts, and takes my credit card to 'put my name on it'.

Jack emails to say it's just been shipped... Here I am dissapointed, because from our earlier conversation i believed that it had already been shipped, but after we talk i realize that when he had said it's in day 4 of a process that he's only seen take at most 12 days.. he was talking about it having been built and waiting to ship, whereas i was thinking it had already been shipped. I was eager, we were both a little hasty in that initial conversation on this point.

And... after reading here about how some folks are strung out with delivery promises i think i was a little paranoid, it was a simple misunderstanding that it just took a few seconds of phone conversation to resolve.

Two weeks after my first contact that the car arrives, that night i spend an hour doing the paperwork and getting an introduction to my new car, then drive it home!

Very smooth transaction, no games, zero pressure on accessories, service packages, and add-ons. Good communication. Jack's emails were regular and polite but i actually became impressed with how short they were, i was pretty excited wanted to make the deal over email etc.., he just said what had to be said at the right time, telling me what he knew. I feel that he gave me a couple nice financial breaks at closing, among them a $100 gas card.

As for how i approached the transaction as a first time car buyer... I'm happy but have learned some things too.

I bought the car without driving it, luckily it fit's perfectly but... were Fit's around in the area to test drive that would of course have been wise to do so.

Since i'm 5'10" i figured correctly i would fit in the car readily, and knew from reading it was perfect for my functional needs. I think mostly the road test would have been good to compare sight lines and visibility among this nicely populated small car segment. I'm having to get used to the rear pillars and new mirrors after driving my VW Fox for 15 years, but that is proving easy!

So, yes maybe i should have gotten my Fox's bad flywheel fixed, then taken more time to test drive at least a few cars in the segment, waited on the new Nissan, then maybe waited till next year for the Fit allowing me to finance less, and buy and more readily buy at MSRP or below -- instead of about a grand over which is what that flywheel might have cost to fix -- but i have the car now, am happy, and overall believe i done good.

Thanks for y'alls help!