Hey guys,

I recently test drove a couple of Fits and really fell in love. My dilemma now is trying to decide between a 2010 Fit Sport and a 2012 Fit Sport. I'm trying to spend between $5-$6k.

Exterior looks-wise it's a wash for me - I like the wheels better on the '12 but prefer the front fascia of the '10. I haven't test driven the 2012 yet but really enjoyed the '10. I've heard mixed reviews about the sound dampening that the '12 is supposed to provide.

There's a '10 Fit Sport for sale with ~130k miles for $5k that I looked at today - the dealer told me they just got it and listed it $1000 too low, but that he could give me the car for the $5k listed through tomorrow morning. Not sure how true this is, but it seems like a good deal.

A '12 Sport seems harder to find in my price range, but I saw a couple that gave me hope that if I look harder and patiently I can find one.

I'm mostly just trying to figure out if I should buy the '10 right now for $5k, or should wait. I don't want regrets whichever I decide, so I thought I would get y'alls opinions.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

 

You should take a careful look at any car you are thinking about buying. Caveat emptor.

The '12 is a little more refined but mechanically they are the same. You can add sound deadening if you want. Neither is really quiet out of the box.

I have a '12. It's good. I would have bought it a year earlier if needed, too, so makes not too much difference imo. Some better colors in the earlier years.

 

We bought our '13 Sport three years ago and I've since thrown my notes away, but do check the infotainment connectivity differences between the two years if that might matter to you. Our '13 has a factory cable USB input that earlier year second gen models might lack. I think the Aux Input jack was present in most years, but that feature might be worth reviewing as well. Think about getting a Carfax report on these too.

I suggest not spending any money until you are confident in your decision. I'd never jump on a rushed "I'll give you until tomorrow morning" offer unless I'd had a chance to look at the car and other contenders in close detail and had quiet time to mull things over. Good luck with your purchase. Like fujisawa's experience with his '12, our '13 has also been a good choice.

 

He lied to you. If I were you, I'd never go back there.

 

Had a '10 Sport w/ Nav. Loved it. Only gripes:

--A/C during the summer (Texas summers are brutal)..but I think this is a known issue w/ 2nd gen Fits
--Road noise at highway speeds


Friend had a '12 Sport and they were about the same. The '12 did look better imo (wheels/front fascia) but that's about it. Everything infotainment wise my '10 had was the same on the '12 (USB, Aux, etc.)

 

I had a 2009 and now have a 12 and a 13. all 5MT. The 09 was a bit stiffer. the shocks and struts have different part #'s from 2011 to 2012. the 2009 did not have radio controls in the steering wheel.
The 2012 and 13 feel a small amount quieter and smoother imside.
seat fabric is different and some panels inside are a different color

 

Do not buy a car with a time limit on the deal!
a 2010 will be a 10 year old car soon,
Check the MPG in the dash and look for oil leaks. rust can hide in the rocker panels etc

 

Theres lots of good advice in here, but hell, heres my hat.
Currently attempting to purchase a Mazda CX-5 2015 over in Atlanta GA from our humble shack in California.

If you can, and I recommend that you do, send a mobile mechanic to perform a pre-purchase vehicle inspection. costs around a hundred bucks. You tell them the Year Make Model, Vin, Dealer/address, and do provide them with a salesperson's contact information. I called ahead and asked permission of one and asked her to be present.

The dealer may well have turned the first mechanic away saying "Its not on our lot". They thought I didnt know the car had been side-swiped and the right rear wheel was taken out. could tell from the online images that a spare was on and there were some minor scuffs on the fender that indicated collision.

Most folks see damage as a deal-breaker, but let me tell you. Better is the demon you know. If something goes unreported to Carfax or like business, well sh*t, they dont know. For example, my vehicle has no service record, but I service it religiously. I also backed into a hillside while tresspassing on private property some years back (it was a light offroading opportunity I couldnt pass up) damaging the rear bumper a bit. I sure as hell didnt call that in, so clean carfax despite a jacked up bumper.
If its clean, dealers will advertise it, even if its only clean due to lack of information. Means to boost asking price.

So, we've established that you cant trust a salesperson.
This is where the mechanic comes in. Ones job with a pre-purchase inspection is to tell you not only the condition of the vehicle, but also to tell you and the dealer what the adjusted price should be. From there, you negotiate.

even at $100 an inspection, it can save you more than you pay and also give peace of mind.

I'll let you know how it pans out, if it pans out. time constraints and I'm using the company "yourmechanic.com"
thus far it has been.. apologies guys, but I cant recommend yuh. if they make it right then I'd say rough waters, but mission accomplished.
Recommend you hit up yelp to find a local if you can.

 

Ha...the timebomb trick!

One of my favourite sales tactics. That pricing "mistake" is also a lie. Run away.

130k mile 2010 Fit for $5k is not a compelling deal IMHO. Honda sold a ton of Fits so they are pretty easy to find.

Last year, we got a 2011 Fit Sport with 65k miles from original owner with over $5k in dealer manitenance receipts; purchased from original owner for under $6500. That was a fair deal but not incredible; car had a few blemishes and needed a few tyres. But it runs and drives like new.

Save some cash and buy a car from private party, original owner. Also have your independent mechanic inspect it say for $100. If there is a silly timebomb, or the seller won't let a mechanic inspect it, or ANYTHING makes you nervous, run away.

 

Ive got some info on using "yourmechanic" as a resource.
Here's the skinny:
Call em up, provide year, make, model, vin, vehicle location (in my case it was Landmark Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram on Peachtree Industrial BLVD. Atlanta), and dealership contact (that allows you to not be present)
They'll schedule an appointment and send a dude. They don't give you direct contact with the mechanic unless you request it. If you do, and you should, they'll give you a temp phone number to reach the homie that lasts some 48 hours or so.
Whoever you speak to on the phone of you're an old-fashioned like myself, their English was good, cool "guys" really, but I'm fairly positive that the same gent went by chris, johnny, and Ramone when he answered. Brush up on your phonetics before-hand. They don't use military standard, but it'll benefit.
Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Hotel, India, Juliet, Kilo, Lima, Mike, November, Oscar, Papa, Quebec, Romeo, Sierra, Tango, Uniform, Victor, Whiskey, X-Ray, Yankee, Zulu, yer welcome

Movin' Onnn.

First appointment was within 24 hours, BUT dude had an emergency and ghosted. I had to call a couple times to fix that, but they would likely have called. Was a tight timeline on my end.
Dude #2 Showed up on the lot the next morning, but reported that the vehicle wasn't there. In sincerity I suspect a salesperson turned him away knowing the condition of the vehicle and assuming that I thought it never had a collision. They sure as sh*t don't advertise, but I spied the right rear tire being lower on tread than the others, with scuffs on its fender.
Dude #3 Showed up same day as #2, did his thing, and I got an email link.

The email link I received didn't show a darned thing. It was ratings. Overall the car got a 64 outta 100? The tires are "good" vs the rest being "very good". Are you f-ing high?
Back on the phone: Go back and click this tab - Nope.
Back on the phone: I'll just send you a link.

Theres the stuff I paid for!!
Full pics followed by sound bites, little 3-4 second clips of the dude saying something like "Alternator: Not reaching full voltage" "Battery: dead" "Cant test emissions/pull codes due to dead battery resetting computer" "Radiator fluid low"
The guy that got sent out this time around, I checked, was one of the upper techs in a management position, but I'm confident now that their guys are generally good.
Disappointed that he gave zero written notes or recommendations, suppose he was seeing it as: it's obvious, don't buy it.
He did yank off the fender trim pieces that they must have gingerly set back on, covering up the wrinkled sheetmetal.

Overall Consensus: Their asking price was 15. were I present and possessing time I may have offered 10 or 11 and taken it to get body work, tires, and done some PMCS. But the reality is, they could service the body (and said they intend to) top off the fluids, and still sell it for 15 or 16 to some poor soul, so they might not even accept my hypothetical offer. All-Wheel Drive with 44K miles? Yes please. No accidents listed? Well sh*t, she's a peach.
Yourmechanic did right by me, but lordy suspicion was building to be sure. I'll add in images from their report, and again, their inspections range from 99-110, or maybe it was 120. Not-so-baaad.

 

To add to that, when you're shopping a vehicle, check the gaps between doors and body, hood and body, trunk and body. If it looks wonky, too much or not enough space, its a collision. Pop the hood to check for factory paint. Look at all four tires and see if they match (not a disqualifier if they don't, but quite possible if theres just one odd man. at any rate, the area would merit special attention), check fluids, drive her, check oil again. I recommend using online pictures or a walk-around to at least figure out the accident part before calling a mechanic.

 

This seems overkill.

A Honda Fit should not be an intimidating car to buy.

Does everything work? Yes? Good. No? Depends on what isn't working.
Is there rust? Yes? Hm, serious or meh? No? Good.
Do the VIN numbers match/are they present on each panel? Yes? Good. No? Something has been painted or replaced.

I helped my friend buy a Scion xB a couple days ago, a 2005 for a bit less money than is being discussed in this thread.

While he asked the owner a few questions about his ownership of the vehicle I checked for rust, crash damage, VIN numbers, played with various functions inside the car, looked under the hood for evidence of leaks, etc.

Within 40 minutes he had handed over cash & gotten the signed title back.

When I bought my S2000 in an hour or so I went from first viewing the car to handing over thousands of dollars, in the three years since nothing that I didn't see in that hour has given me a problem. In a car that I'd be much more stressed about buying than a Fit.

 

Thanks for the PPI narrative @Pyts . Too bad they didn't run a written report but for $100 I'm not sure that is realistic.

The pictures and soundbytes were worth well over $100; your mechanic did a good job identifying a lot of undisclosed issues. Who knows what was missed without access to a lift or diagnostics (with all the drama around the Mazda dealer, the undisclosed issues, my gut tells me the diagnostics were not disabled by coincidence).

That Mazda clearly was not taken care of. It would have been a money hole and a time sink. Good due diligence.

 

'12 has thicker glass and a smidgen more sound proofing and different wheels. Thats about it.

Everything is interchangeable. Just get the one that has better paint and better engine. Hit vtec on both if you can. Drive it over bumps and listen for noises. Open the hood and rev it. Shift it. Look at the transmission dip stick if it looks.like strawberry milk shake thats not a good sign. (Water contamination) Open oil cap and peer into it look for sludge.