My '91 CRX Si is still alive and kicking, but getting a bit long in the tooth these days at 242K.

I have an opportunity to buy an '07 Fit Sport from a friend of a co-worker. He is asking $11,000 and it has 20,364 mi. I checked it out the other day and it looks pretty good, aside from a rather scratched up back bumper cover (that's what happens here in NYC when you have to park on the street). Front bumper is clean and I found only two minor dents, one in the driver's door and another on top of the roof. You have to look very carefully to even see them. The interior is nice needing only some minor vacuuming.

My biggest concern is that it is an automatic. I don't particularly care for automatics, but I did just get engaged New Year's Day and the auto would allow her to drive it as well. I have given her a few stick shift lessons in the CRX, and while she is learning, she still needs a lot more practice before I'd want her tackling the open road with a manual transmission. On the plus side, it does have those cool paddle shifters.

I know Honda made some pretty crappy automatic trannys. Does anyone know what model 5 speed auto is in the Fit Sport and anything about it's reliability?

I check the fluid and it was light brown with no discernible burnt smell. I thought perhaps that Honda ATF was brown like the old Ford Type F, but evidently ATF-Z1 is pink just like good ole Dexron/Mercon. I assume this is the fluid that this transmission takes. Brown fluid at 20,000 miles kind scares me.

The engine ticks a bit loudly. The owner said that it got louder after a while. I'm thinking it may just need a valve lash adjustment. It is definitely a top end noise. What is weirder to me is that it seems to be loudest at the throttle body.

So what do you all think? Should I get it? If so, how much should I pay?

Thanks,
Frank

 

just put a B series into the crx, have a car that is faster and just as economical as the fit and be money ahead.

 

the fluid turns brown in like 3000 miles.. dont worry about it, as long as it doesnt smeel burnt. no issues with my AT or any other guys that we see at the meets

 

i want a crx lol

 

11,000 sounds pretty good imo. Auto is alright, manual is definitely a winner for the 07-08 fits though. Reliability-wise, i haven't heard any complaints from local Fit owners

 

Actually, the engine and tranny are fine, granted she blows a little smoke on hard acceleration and leaks a little oil but that's about it. Mechanically, the car is rock solid. A B16 etc would liven things up a bit but I'd still have an old beater with a worn interior, dings and dents, and that typical CRX rust in the rear wheelwells. I'm sick of driving beaters. I'd rather sell it as is for $1500-$2000 to some kid on eBay.

That's good to hear, but strikes me as odd. I have a buddy with a '97 Mustang GT which he bought new and meticulously maintains himself. He changes the ATF every couple of years and it always comes out looking like it was just poured out of the bottle, despite the fact that the car is 13 years old and has well over 100k miles on it.

So do I. I wish they still made them. I'd actually like to keep mine and make a track car out of it, but that probably isn't a realistic scenario at this point in my life. I wish I had a barn I could park it in with a tarp over it for 5-10 years.

Thanks. I've seen them go for more and also for less. The one I'm looking at is Silver. A dealership near me has a Black '08 with a 5 speed and Navi which they are asking 13.5k for. It has a bit over 40k miles though, twice what this '07 has on it. The black look sharp but I think I like the silver better.

 

Automatic GD3's have a high rate of bad mpg. A good number of us get horrible mpg while others get great mpg. I'm talking people averaging 35 mpg vs 22 mpg in the same conditions (or in some cases, better mpg in WORSE conditions like 100% city vs 50/50). I wouldn't risk it with the AT in the GD3. All signs point it to being a defect in a % of AT GD3's - people who don't understand will tell you it's how you drive that matters, but this is something else; I've been looking for a fix for 30,000 miles now and nothing so far.

 

22mpg? That would make me snap. My 25 year old 5.0 Mustang convertible gets that and that car has 3.73 gears.

I wonder if I can take it for a 3 hr test drive to check out the mileage.

 

Black is a pita to clean lol trust me good luck let me know if u end up getting one also there is o ly one way to learn to drive stick thow em in it and tell them to drive lol best way by far IMO

 

Buy a cheaper car. I would say get an EG or EK.

 

For what it's worth, my 2008 has a top end ticking as well...I've also assumed it's just valve lash a bit on the loose side. I've got 46,000 miles with no apparent ill effects, and it quiets down quite a bit once the engine is warmed up. I plan on having it checked out whenever the maintenance minder calls for it, but I haven't been too worried about it.

 

The Sport automatic has two advantages
1. the gears can be selected with the paddles as well as full auto. Very nice for pairs with different driving needs.
PS the auto isn't terribly slow as you can see fro 'Fit leading at VIR ..." on you tube.
2. it runs at much lower rpm on the interstate and is much more comfortable ti 'live' in.

The $11,000 is fair, not great. Compare with any Fits on CarMax. Look carefully at each one.
PS my CRX is still doing great but then it was turned into an SiR 2 years ago. Fast, fun, and economical. This year we're going ti hybridize it with an electric motor. Soon as it warms up.

 

The ATF turns brown because of all the clutch material suspended in it, this is why you need to change it every 30k or when the maintenance minder says. This does not indicate a problem, its just the way it is designed. You can change it yourself at home and save yourself $80, all you need is a trans drain plug washer (it is bigger then the engine oil plug washer) and 3 quarts of HONDA AND ONLY HONDA ATF-Z1 (DO NOT USE DEXRON). As for the ticking, I would take it to the dealer, noisy valves are not normal at that low mileage. I don't know about the '07 but the '10 has a 5yr/60k powertrain warranty, may be worth looking into.

 

It seems like ticking is pretty much normal in the 07-08 Fits - most people report hearing it. I took my 08 in for a valve adjustment at 30k miles and my mechanic told me the intake was a little loose, exhaust a bit tight - nothing excessive going on though. Car was ticking noisily before, and was ticking just as loud after adjustment.

 

80k miles and only oil changes not even breaks yet cuz all my driving is freeway. love my car

 

Welcome Frank 2 the forum & congratulations on your engagment!,
The price is OK not a great one but you have to look @ the condisions it's been driven short trips and stop and go driving is hard on the drive train, so keep that in mind. The top end noise is normal as Kio & other stated and I own an '08 a/t 17k and love it!! milage is fantastic............ on the hiway 44 best but around town 26 to 31 mpg and that's in the Norfolk, VA area maybe I should call it suburban driving, lol . The trans so far is good to go!, changed the fluid @12k with amsoil, and am in the process of adding a cooler which is great insurance for a little price, (if you add one keep the radiator cooler inline with the added cooler).
Dents are very easily acquired the meatal gauge is thin but it's to lighten the weight. the paint is soft and scratches easily too, but the reflection and shine is good for the sub compact class.
If you buy this Fit I would reccomend an a/t fluid (synthetic) change, and you read as a pretty savy mechanic! wash, clay bar , sealer and wax, detail the interior( qbmuder13 is the official paint expert! on the forum), oil & filter with syn or blend 5/20, this is a sure fire recipe to impress the new wife and you both will have a great 1st car on what we all hope is a wonderful journey together! C-ya................

 

interesting. i thought my wife's car was the only one. i'm pretty mad at the fit right now, combined driving over many tanks now is less than 25 mpg. with my wife driving it. pretty garbage for a 2600lb car with and 106 whp.

do you need the extra space of the fit? i'd rather spend money to maintain the crx and pay for driving lessons for the mrs. than get a fit.

 

Thats about what I Paid my 07 Sport MT from HONDA with 29k on it. I would hold out for an MT.

 

Hey thanks everybody and thanks for the hearty welcome and the good wishes for the little lady and I.

I got to drive the Fit the other day, and let's just say it's not my CRX Si. However, it did have enough power for reasonable high-speed merges. The auto with the paddle shifters is actually kind of neat. I'm OK with the auto tranny now. Besides, I still have my summer car to bang gears in if I so desire. I have a 1985 Mustang GT convertible that I built up myself and converted to sequential electronic fuel injection and 5 speed manual transmission from the factory throttle-body injection and 4 speed automatic. It's a fun ride and my soon-to-be wife want's to learn to drive that car too. She loves it. Granted, it isn't nearly as nimble as my CRX, as those old 5.0s left a lot to be desired in the suspension department, but it does make for a fun summer ride.

I know I'm going to my CRX if I sell it. Maybe I can stash it someplace for a while. I'd love to fix it up and swap in a B16. That would be so sweet. Even as-is with the D16A6 that car is still a blast to drive. I know I'd really miss it if I sold it.

Now on this '07 Fit Sport, I'm pretty sure I can get the car for $10K. I know the guy is negotiable and I'm pretty sure 10K is what he is looking for, which is why he is asking 11k.

10K sound like a good price for the car?

He is also going to bring it down to the dealer and ask them about the ticking noise and the tranny fluid. If they say that it is perfectly normal, I told him I want them to put it in writing.

If the valves just need adjusting, I can hack that myself. I've owned a few VW bugs and buses during my college years and I'm pretty familiar with setting valve lash. .006 cold was the spec on them if memory serves me right. That was periodic maintenance on those cars.

For the tranny service, I think I'll pay someone to flush the system and change ALL the fluid. Then I will periodically change the three quarts you can drain and replace myself about once per year. I am also seriously considering adding a cooler as mentioned, as it sounds like the car could use one.

Other than that the car drove beautifully. I'm thinking if I can get the car for 10K or less it's a go. Sound good?

 

dont overthink the auto. Its a good deal and at least you can rely on your fiance to drive it as well.
Im at 30,000 miles and it is driving like if i was just driving off the lot