Good evening all,

Although not the exact same cars, I test drove a used Mazda3 hatchback and Ford Focus SE today and am almost convinced on purchasing a Fit Sport. My forum search skills may have failed me and wondered if you could answer a couple questions. Certified used Fit ('09-11) prices near Omaha, NE are close enough to sway me toward a new purchase. I would really like a manual, but inventory suggests an auto if I need a car by the end of the year.

Can the remove engine start by the dealer? Is it worth the price compared to an after market kit?

How do the factory tires perform with low amounts of snow (3" or less)? Just wondering if I need to budget for an alternate set of wheels with blizzaks or other winter tire.

Edmonds suggested there is only a $104 difference between the '12 and '13 Sport. As we close the year, do you think there will be more negotiating leverage for in stock '12 models?

Thanks again and appreciate all of your feedback.

 

"Can the remove engine start by the dealer?"
This, grammatically, makes absolutely no sense. I'll take a stab despite that. Remote start can be installed by the dealer.

If you frequently encounter 3 inches of snow, you should buy snow tires. This will be the same in all three cars you are considering. Also, don't be fooled into thinking 4WD would be better than snow tires; you need them.

No special predictive powers on my end, but I think the 12 and 13 will be similar prices; they haven't really changed. If your local dealer has a bunch of 12s, then perhaps he'll want to clear them out.

 

Tell the Dealer to find you a Manual if you want a manual. '12 models will have a little more negotiation room but not much. You may have to Flex on Color vs transmission so you can get what you want. (which is more important, color or Trans?) The fit is not a highly marked up car so they can't discount it much, even when the new ones arrive. The dealer might be able to do remote start... check with them. As for Aftermarket, they usually have more features and you'll have to see if that is worth it to you.

I ran my stock tires for the first winter up here in Vermont with no issues. A few inches isn't an issue if you take it slow. after that, I recommend snows if you get regular accumulation.

New Fits usually have Better APR ratings so if a new fit is pretty close to a Certified used one, you will likely pay less in the long run going new and you'll have a vehicle with a higher resale value if you choose to go that route.

For negotiation sake... How long do you usually keep cars? If it is 5 years, look at the difference in price between an 07 and 08 Honda FIT on kbb.com. Tell the dealer that you keep cars for 5 years and then trade them. To compensate, you want that additional amount of money off of the top of the '12 because it'll drop that much more than a '13 when you drive it off the lot.

~SB