I don't know if this has any value. BUT..The EXACT same thing happened to me when I purchased my FIT. The mileage was written into the contract as the "trip" mileage, about 3 blocks from the dealership I discovered the actual mileage was 240+!

I immediately turned around and went back and voiced my EXTREME displeasure, siting that the contract was fraudulent since it represented the incorrect mileage.

First they told me it was a dealer trade...then back tracked...then told me it had just been on the lot a long time and used as the dealership "gopher" vehicle. All along it was "just" a honest mistake of the salesman....

They offered me perks...but ultimately I was so upset. Long story short, they took the vehicle back and tracked me down a new one...right off the boat with 5 miles on it.

Hard to prove...but I find it hard to believe that a salesman, and a contract manager, both screw up getting the "right" mileage. Sure it has a trip odometer, but it took me one glance at the owners manual and a few nano-seconds to figure out the difference and discover the REAL mileage. Plus it's THERE job to put together the correct contract.

It's up to you? You have less miles on your vehicle than I discovered on mine. At the least you might be able to leverage for a free perk...at most you could probably void the whole deal.

At 240+, most of my family and friends said I was overreacting. 1 tank of gas and I'll put more that than that on it...blah, blah, blah..just take the free perks and be happy...

But my opinion was I had 240 on a vehicle that was sold to me, being represented as having 40...that's 200 miles of driving inwhich nobody could or would account for...

In defense of the dealership? Honest mistake or attempted manipulation they were NOT too difficult and did find me another vehicle.

Would the 240 miles of made a difference? In the BIG picture probably not...but only probably...that's a chunk of break in..that I did NOT control. Also "luckily" if there contention that it had been on the LOT for a few months and used as a "gopher" vehicle was not Total BS? I'm guessing switching vehicles helped me avoid being part of this recent recall.

Your story makes me even more suspicious...but it's hard to prove. But since The Fit isn't the only Honda Vehicle that uses a Trip and Odometer reading? Plus you'd think that would be an IMPORTANT thing to verify as a deal closes and a contract is written? I'm highly suspicious it isn't just a tactic used to try to get dealer demonstrators, or other "higher" mileage new vehicles off the lot. The dealership banking that the purchaser won't notice...until they've driven enough that maybe it becomes vague...or even if they do discover..they won't care...

Anyway, if it helps at all, you are not the only person this has happened to...I don't think a 100 miles would freak me out...BUT it was a misrepresentation of the vehicle that was sold to you, and I think I'd ask for some type of compensation for their mistake. If you are otherwise happy? Then you might get yourself a nice extra or two, mention the phrase "Fraudulent Contract" semi-calmly in passing...

 

I was under the impression that when you buy a new car it's been driven only from the factory to a car-carrier, onto a ship, onto another car carrier then into the dealer's lot, unless it was also driven from one dealer to another. In any case all those drivers are professionals, not some guy taking the car for a test-drive who might drive it hard and who has no responsibility to any of the companies involved.

If the car was used for test-drives it's not new, it's used, and that it was used for test-drives ought to have been disclosed.

 

Then how do you test drive the car you want to buy?

 

I can't believe how worked up some people have gotten over something so minor.

I would truly hate to be in the service departments at a dealership after spending a few months on this forum and seeing how people over react at the slightest perceived issue, real or imagined.

 

In my buying history I've run across it. Got a great deal and new tires on a 'new' Eagle Summit. Forget the mileage, but enough for me to haggle. Turns out the owners 'secretary' had been driving it -winkwink.

I stand strong buy the shop techs - I have little love in general for a floor room car salesman/woman and precious little for the sales managers. I am perfectly pleased with my Honda dealer, however - sales and service have been above board.

In the OP's case - it ain't the end of the world, dobt it was a mistake, however.

 

I wouldn't want more than about 8 miles on my "new" car, mostly for the concern that it was used as a demo, which we all know gets run hard, during the crucial break in period.

That dealer knows very well if it was a demo or not. It's unlikely they made a mistake in the odometer reading.

 

They have cars on the lot specifically for test-drives, don't they? I think the Fit I test-drove wasn't the Sport I bought but it was close enough. A bunch of years ago I test-drove a Nissan Maxima- they had only a stick-shift on the lot, so that's what I drove even though I wanted an AT.

And then at the end of the year these cars are sold as demos, not as new cars.

Even if the miles on his car were because they swapped with another dealer that should've been disclosed. When I bought my prior car it had well over 100 miles on it but this was something they discussed because I wanted a specific color and they didn't have one, so a salesman drove to Hartford and drove my car back to NY.

 

I agree with you that in the big picture it is minor.

But, at a major dealership that does NOTHING but sell cars all day? I'm highly suspicious of a mistake like this...but also giving the benefit of the doubt...it STILL is a mistake.

Actually 100 miles, probably wouldn't freak me out...if you thought it had 40 on it...that's only 60 more miles than you originally thought...

But 240 miles? That's a major road trip.

In my case, buying a new car is NOT something I do every 3-5 years, I typically keep my vehicles 8 years or more....I had bought my previous vehicle used and was looking forward to owning a "New" vehicle inwhich I was aware of it's history and useage almost from genesis...It really was a big reason why I was looking at "New" as opposed to a "Newer Used" vehicle.

Also for what it is worth, most of my family and friends told me I was overreacting...but in retrospect? I'm glad if I did. Honest mistake or not? It's the dealerships responsibility to represent their vehicles correctly and write up contracts representing the actual mileage...it's the dealerships mistake.

Like this OP, I was too trusting and NOT used to a vehicle with a scrolling odometer...but that's NOT my job.

The dealership TOLD me that it was an honest mistake (maybe) but then simultaneously that "it" had just been on the Lot a long time and used as a gopher vehicle...

Okay...but if it was the dealership "known" gopher vehicle? Then how do you NOT know it has more than 40 miles on it? ....it's sleazy at the least.

 

I'm thinking that my sales guy sat me in the car I bought and walked me through all the bells and whistles before the sale. I also took it for a test drive.

 

My sales guy sat me in the car and showed me stuff including, by the way, scrolling through miles, trip miles, oil life minder and mpg meter. But the first time I drove MY car was after I signed all the papers.

 

That strikes me as an odd way to shop. I mean, yeah there are a bunch of laws and consumer protections if you get a lemon, but still, test driving the car before owning it seems smart.

 

Yes it is your job and it is your responsibility as a consumer to ask question and to do research.

Ultimately you are the one that pulls that trigger.

You in particular seem to enjoy playing the victim.

Take some responsibility.

How often do your friends and family tell you that you are over reacting? Because they probably have a point. I have had 4 interactions with you so far, all of which have followed the same basic narrative.

 

Don't let this eat at you as it was most likely an honest mistake. Enjoy the car!

You litterally cannot break in your fit wrong. No dealer is going to let a test driver catch air off the hills of san francisco or go 120mph and do a panic stop, and even if they did, the car would be fine.

I had major drama with my fit purchase, storming out of a dealer when they tried to back out of a price they had committed to via email (15738 on fit sport including everything but T&L). After dealing with the dealership owner and coming back to get the car days later it had 100 test miles put on it. I was irritated, but that is it. Who cares.

If I were you, I'd still be irritated and put up exactly what happened on Yelp to serve as a warning to others, but since you didn't find that the actual miles were in the thousands, you really have no case regarding value or potential damage. 100+ miles does not make it a used car unless someone bought it before.

If you are really ticked, just make sure you let American Honda know by registering a complaint, and don't forget the dealer feedback card .

 

I completely understand the op's dissatisfaction of the 100 mile odo. I would raise hell at tge dealer for selling me a demo car with bs odo on the contract. My fit had 12mi on it when I took delivery and I still thought it was abit much for a new car. I would go to the dealership and void the contract and get them to find a new fit or threaten legal action.

 

I once bought a car with 3000 miles on it. It had been a demo, but since it was never titled it was considered new. (I knew the milage and the price was appropriate.) 100 miles is nothing to worry about, it was probably an honest mistake by a stupid salesman. You may still be able to get some merchandise out of the deal. Do you need mats, extra keys, rear cargo mat or cover, etc.? Check the accessories catalog and go asking.

 

Many of you are assuming that all the people at dealerships know how to do their jobs

 

The 3 new cars I've bought and every used car (all5) were all driven first by me. Yea it's standard to drive a used car is what you're thinking but why not the new car?

No dealer I've been to had a demo car for every car, even the BMW dealerships my uncle and i went to picked his car off the lot to test drive.

There are some major differences in models, hence why you typically do a test drive.

 

Likewise...when I bought my Civic, I picked one off the lot, test drove it, bought that one.

When I bought my Fit, they did not have orange on the lot, but one came in off the truck a few days later. I test drove a different MT prior to delivery, but they still had me drive the orange one around the block before I signed the papers.

And when I bought my wife's xD, same thing pretty much...they got the car driven over from another dealer but still had my wife test drive it prior to signing.

I was kinda under the assumption that if it's on a dealer lot *that* is the disclosure that people are test driving it.

 

Geesh DiamondStarMonsters, I was agreeing with you.

I did do research...A LOT...I enjoy researching automobiles. I admit that I should of been more attentive to the odometer..BUT my previous vehicle was a 1993 Accord..and before that several vehicles all with mechanical odometers...believe it or not, The Fit was the first vehicle I've owned that had a "scrolling" odometer/information display.

Why you seem to enjoy placing personal commentary about what you perceive as my "personality" onto me? I don't know.

I do take responsibilty....but it's the DEALERSHIP that sells cars. The same model cars...day after day, after day...and it's legally their responsibilty to present a contract that represents the vehicle they are selling...including accurate mileage...

Yeah, in the future, I've learned.

And yes, "If" I over reacted? I still say good for me. I went from a having a vehicle that had 200 unaccounted miles on it...for whatever unknown reason...to being given a pristine vehicle inwhich I know the history almost from the very first few feet out of the dealership driveway.

By the way, I wasn't impolite, or "raging"...I simply calmly explained that they had made a mistake and that I was unhappy....and that I expected some level of remedy as the contract I signed did not match the vehicle I was given...

Evidently it wasn't that big of a deal to the dealership...they tried to offer me some perks..but when they saw I wasn't interested switching vehicles was done relatively painlessly...

 

shady.. that's messed up