My friend is shopping for a GE8 sports ... but the Canadian sports model cost almost the same as the US sports model (if not more after tax, dings and dangs) and yet, it DOES NOT come with paddle shifters or other fancy options... so we are planning to head south to make the purchase.

Now the question is, i sthe VSA worth the extra 2K. We aint too concern with the Navi because factory Navs are often overpriced and inferior compare to aftermarkets. He plans to install a Pioneer Z3 later anyway so really, its just the VSA.

Since i dun own a GE8, I wouldnt be able to comment... but I am sure some of you folks would have info or had come across this decision making process when u buy the Fit.

I believe (i may be wrong) that VSA is not needed because the fit itself is well balanced and is a very easy to handle. I always thing VSA is only needed for more powerful cars or SUVs.. somethign with my weight / power.

Any advice?

BTW, if my friend is gonna buy the Fit, we are gonna drive from Vancouver BC to Portland OR. Any dealership recommendation?

 

There are a couple of threads on this already:

https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/2nd-...questions.html

https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/2nd-...-navi-vsa.html

 

I think it might be nice to have after reading some other owners comments but if your coming down south I want to check out your Fit. I don't think it would be worth the extra two grand for it but is your friend looking to buy it in Oregon or Washington?

 

My friend is looking to buy the Fit in Oregon cos he can save the tax... but really, with the economy now... anywhere with teh best deal + service gets the sale imo

I dunno if I will drive my fit cos he is planning to trade in his 124,000 km, 2001 Acura CL type-S... which makes it silly to drive two cars...

Thanks for the link.. I guess I have to do more research... Why cant we just have cars like Japan... where EVERYTHING OPTIONAL here is standard...

 

That's a long drive to Oregon.

 

I looked into buying in the USA, but with the current exchange rate, duty, warranty issues, speedo etc. etc. I decided against it. I was buying a Manual Transmission though, if I wanted an Automatic, those paddle shifters might have been enough to sway me. I didn't answer your VSA question but I'll bump the thread just the same.

USA Fit pros: VSA, Paddle shifters, Cost, Map Light, Tire Pressure sensors

Canadian Fit pros: Heated Mirrors, Windshield washer level sensor, Warranty

 

Have you looked into the procedures to export your friend's CL? I don't think it is as simple as him driving it down there and trading it in.

Also, how the heck did your friend figure out that it is cheaper to buy a Fit in the US? Unless he could get a SMOKING deal on one, you will end up spending thousands more than if you bought one in Canada.

US Fit Sport auto: MSRP US$17780 incl. destination; assuming a $0.78 exchange, that is $22794.87 CDN. Add 6.1% duty = $24185.36 and with PST+GST that is $27087.60.

CDN Fit Sport auto: MSRP CDN$21790 incl. destination; add tax for $24522.05.

That's about $2500 cheaper, plus you get a warrantee, not have to worry about the hassles of importing (ie. getting a recall letter from the manufacturer, making sure it has DRL and other necessary changes, cost of getting the car inspected, probably worse resale because it is a US car). Am I missing something? Are the extra features on the US model worth that?

edit: Oh yeah, if you are planning on driving the Fit back, don't forget about the insurance rider from ICBC, getting a temporary permit from the Oregon DMV, and probably a good idea to get traveller's medical insurance. Add cost of gas, hotel (the car has to remain in the US for 3 business days after you fax the paperwork to the border office) and food, and it gets pretty expensive. Even more if you decide to use an auto transporter to bring the car up from Oregon.

 

I don't want to thread jack too badly here but I agree with Olyar. Like I said, I looked into buying the Fit in the USA but the math just didn't make sense to do it. I'm interested to see how this works out.

 

For me, living in the land of ice and snow, VSA alone has been well worth the extra $$$.

 

wow no paddle shifters and VSA or Nav.

That makes me feel special. Esp. that my vdub R32 isn't sold there also.

No wonder so many Canadians are getting them with the manual tranny. Tho I've driven manual for near 10 years, I didn't consider manual for the FIT.

Thankfully I haven't had to use the VSA yet, but we do get rainy seasons for a week or two so it should prove useful.

Vancouver gets tons of rain and some snow, it should prove useful.

seems like a lot of trouble but too bad we Americans couldn't do the same for the imported R32s and silvias you guys have

 

With paddle shifters though its like driving a stick (Able to control what gear your in and until whatever rpm) thus not needing VSA to apply braking during acceleration when on slick surfaces.
I drove my fit auto (non vsa/non navi) in the snow and ice here in Ohio in January and I felt 10X more comfortable driving it compared to my CL-S which had VSA. I think VSA on the fit is a bit overkill... If you want to pay for it go ahead but its not a neccesity to me.
We are talking about a 117hp 2600lbs car people not a 300+hp 3800lbs monster. VSA is a must in cars like the CL-S, Accords, RL's...etc. because they are so heavy so unintouch with the road or the driveres feel they don't get traction or hard to tell if your not getting traction (when trying to drive from a still). The fit is so light and nimble to me its not needed. I rather save 2K and put just ~$600 into some better suspension, snow tires and brakes to me that would be a hell of alot better than having VSA thus I bought better suspension and am getting better tires and brakes still saving $1400. Ok theres my 2 cents.

 

I'll keep you guys posted. thank you for all the feedbacks. Honestly, I am not sure if we will end up buying the car in US because of all the "complications"... but then again. when u import a car, we called CSA and the agent send there is no PST (@.@") - its just 195admin fee + GST ... of cos I can be wrong, or was misinformed.

Anyway, see how things go. He really likes the fit with paddleshifters - he don't understand why the 2007 and 08 Canadian model has it but not the 09~

As for the deal, we are getting some good quotations... I guess the bad economy is one of the factors why dealerships are throwing in good deals.

VSA wise, i kind of agree with commit... the fit itself is a eco-box, not much power and weight so it is suppose to be very stable. Besides, when you are driving on icy or snow services.. u prolly want to slow down to begin with. Something I also learn from last winter is that its now about teh tires and control.. sometimes the ground clearance of teh car makes a whole lot of different (Stuck in snow, or drive over it)

 

The VSA is not best for conditions you already know about and can slow down for (snow)... it's best for the situation you cannot plan for (black ice, etc.). It's not a matter of being a better driver in these instances. VSA is just another tool that modern technology has brought to us, whether you decide to use it or not. Definitely useful, even on the Fit, in my experiences of being a driver for 24 years.

 

Not sure how useful VSA can be, but over in SG, common feedback from Fit RS (MT) drivers is that they have not gotten a chance where the VSA would activate. Thus, it's a good-to-have but non-essential feature in city drive.

 

Another option is to wait a few years. ESC (electronic stability control) is mandated for all cars starting MY 2012 in the US. Canada is considering a similar rule to harmonize our regulations with the US. Chances are, Honda will incorporate VSA in all versions of the Fit before that.

And FYI, PST is charged by ICBC when you first register the car in BC. For more information about importing a vehicle, go to Importing a U.S. vehicle | Importer un véhicule des É.U..

 

Bah, I guess going south is no good...

My friend is gonna look into the LX model... forget all the paddleshifter thing cos he is going MT...

 

I think its a great safety feature. I would not buy a vehicle without it. Saved me one time in my other car when I misjudged an on ramp. I think the fact that it will be mandatory is pretty telling of its capabilities. That said I'm still pissed I had to buy this POS Nav to get it.
-C

 

Good choice. Get some good quality winter tires too.