All,
I am looking to buy a 2008 Fit Sport with an AT. The car is actually for my future wife. The car has 136,000 miles. The price is $5000. I get to see the car tomorrow. What should I look for mechanically (especially the AT)? What do you think of the price? Would you buy this Fit or a 1997 Civic DX hatch will 108,000 for $4000?
Thanks!

 

That's a good price, actually a very good price. It all depends on the condition though.

Things to be aware of at 130k+ miles:

Coil pack replacement - ~$250 (OEM part + OEM spark plugs) if you do it yourself - symptoms of a coil pack failing include; misfiring, check engine light on, stuttering, lack of power, etc. A really easy to diagnose problem. Keep this in mind if the coil packs haven't already been replaced.

and you would also like to check the basic stuff like: transmission fluid change, brakes, tires, and some people recommend checking the serpentine belt for wear (cracks, squeaks, etc.).


That's pretty much it. The car has no other common issues mechanically that I've ran into or heard of, besides the coil packs of course.


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I'd get the Fit Sport over a EK DX. Mostly because you get a lot more creature comforts and the reliability of a newer car (not to say that the Civic wasn't a reliable car, because it is.) - it's just a better package overall than the DX. And for the price, I would certainly get the Fit.

But then again, I haven't seen the condition of neither car, so if you could post pics that would be helpful!

 

My personal opinion would be the Fit. I have a 2008 Fit and love it. I also had a 96 Hatchback as well. The problem with hatchbacks (96-00) is they're over priced and stolen a lot. You can easily get a 2 door EX with 100K for like $2K. If you were planning to fix the car up on the cheap and race it or something then the hatch def has a very large and inexpensive part selection. She would enjoy the Fit more. It's a fun car to drive.

136K is not bad for a Honda. Make sure the AT doesn't slip and feels solid. Ask when maintanence was done on the vehicle such as fluid changes and services. Look at the oil and rad level (when cold). These are things that will help you determine the condition the car was kept in. How smooth is the idle, etc. Remember many people make the obvious stuff look presentable. Dig a little deeper and see what you can find.

Good luck!

 

Thanks for the great replies. It sounds like a typical car inspection for the most part. I will let you know what happens. The owner is not a car guy at all. Hope he has records!

 

Post pix or the ad if you can for us to look at.