Greetings,

My apologies if this has been asked elsewhere, but a quick search didn't turn anything up.

I purchased a 2013 Honda Fit in March of 2013 and so am coming to the end of my 3 year warranty period. The Fit is the first new car I've owned, and thus the first car I've owned with a warranty. I'm uncertain if there are any recommended actions one should take before the warranty ends and wondered if anyone might have advice to share.

For example, would it be worthwhile to pay the dealership to a "pre-purchase" inspection to try and identify any issues that might not be obvious? If that is something worthwhile to do, would taking my car to another dealership (Carmax?) to get a quote on selling it net me the same service for free?

In my own observation of the car, the only potential issue I'm aware of is what appears to be an unexplained slow drain of the coolant. Over a time frame spanning months, the observed coolant levels in the reservoir can drop by inches (to give you some idea of the speed of the leak, in the roughly 3 years I've owned the vehicle, I've added coolant once to take the reservoir from min to max, and currently at roughly the midway point). Is there anyway to have the dealership look at this under warranty?

Finally, I had a question regarding purchasing an extended warranty (Hondacare?). Reading through these forums, the general consensus appears to be that it's not a particularly bright idea. Nevertheless, I am risk adverse and want to at least know what my options are. How would I have that conversation with the dealership? Just call them up and say I'm interested in discussing an extended warranty? Some forum threads seem to point to finding lower cost Hondacare contracts from online dealerships. Can anyone recommend one?

One last question regarding an extended warranty: my first oil change, prompted by the maintenance minder, didn't happen until after I'd owned the car for a year (which puts me in technical violation of the service manual recommended maintenance schedule (once per year or as prompted by maintenance minder)). Would this be an issue for any warranty service years down the line under a hondacare service contract?

My thanks in advance for any advice you might care to offer.

 

answers in-line

 

And one last thing, don't forget to check to see if your VIN is affected by the Takata Airbag recall. Do that first!

 

Actually if you read it carefully I believe it says to change the oil at least annually AFTER the minder has been reset. When it is new, it is on its maiden voyage and the minder has never been reset. To me, it seems they want you to leave the original fill oil in until the minder says to change, it even if it is beyond one year. AFTER that, then they want it changed at least annually. So I think you are not in "technical violation."

 

The local dealership technician verbally told me something similar shortly after I purchased the vehicle. However, as I did not get it in writing I've assumed that the dealership would read it in the most restrictive way possible.

Revisiting the manual, it actually may be looser even than your reading, since it says that if maintenance minder doesn't prompt you after 12 months you should make sure to get it changed once per year. That might mean you shouldn't let it go more than 2 years between changes, but I am uncertain of that.

 

As it turns out, yes it is. But all I can do about that is wait until the summer and pray no one hits me, as apparently they don't have a fix yet.

Still, my thanks for the heads up.

 

Please let me thank you for taking the time to respond.

To your question regarding why I haven't taken it to the dealership re: the coolant issue. I've not had a car with a warranty before, and wasn't aware that I could simply take it to the dealership and say I suspect there might be a problem, please check it out. My last car was 28 years old before I could no longer repair it, and topping off the coolant now and then was just something you did.

To ask, what procedure would I follow to ask the dealership to investigate issues under an oem warranty? I know that this seems a silly question, but I honestly don't know. When I mentioned something to the dealership during a visit last year they replied with a statement to the effect of they'd be happy for me to pay to investigate any issues. This seems inline with your rule 1, but I'm guessing it may be unnecessary.

A question regarding your advice about oil changes. While the 5k mile is a number I've heard before (and used, with my previous car), I'm not familiar with the 5 month suggestion. Why do you recommend an oil change after 5 months?

My thanks again for your time.

 

A 28 year old car! That's awesome. Well, congrats on your new car.

RE Warranty: Essentially when you get a new car it has a 3YR/36000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. If you suspect a problem, you drive it to the service department, and tell them your problems. They look up the VIN, see it's still under the B2B warranty, no questions asked. Simple as that, you needn't do nothing except go in and tell them the problem.

With oil changes, there is a mileage limit & time limit. Any fluid or material breaks down over time. Back in the day, using standard (non synthetic oil) the recommendation was 3000 miles or every three months or which ever comes first.

Also, the filter is a mechanical device which helps keep impurities out of the oil. Over time, that too will degrade as will the rubber gasket where it screws into the block.

I use Mobil 1 (many have differing opinions on what oil to use and how often to change). I tend to change mine every 5K in all my cars. I hit the 5K before the 5 months, as we tend to drive a lot. Some may say 5K is excessive for Mobile one, and it's true I've gone as much as 6K, but usually not longer than that. I'm just really old school and can't see trying to stretch 10K miles out of oil. I mean what the heck... Oil is the lifeblood of your car, and an oil change is what??? $60 for synthetic? I do my own oil changes and tire rotations so it really costs me about $30.00.

My mileage and oil changes coincide with the oil life indicator. My last oil change was at 40K miles, I reset the oil life indicator back to 100%, and now I'm at 44K miles and my oil life indicator is down to 30%. I will change the oil at 45K miles regardless of where the Oil Indicator is at.

 

I tried to follow the maintence minder but I usually get 12000 miles before it gets down to below 15% to show codes.... Now as its my bad weather car, it can be a year or more before it drops to that level. For instance I got an oil change a year ago... Because I only drove it like 7k miles the MM was still at 50%. I got an oil change and they reset it back to 100%.... so I will probably never see another code in the life of the car.


The MM is pretty much just the same as that little sticker they throw up in the corner of your window. I look to get the oil changed every 10k miles or (1 year) whichever comes first.


btw my 2010 Fit Sport Auto has 100389 miles on her. No major problems. (except the fun airbag roulette game we get to play) I am getting a trans flush today as its been like 60K since my last one. MM never threw that code saying to change it because its never allowed to get below 15%. Catch-22 really. just pay attention to your services and mileage.

 

Extended warranty, absolutely not. You are driving the second generation Honda Fit. Aside from a few suspension components most people consider routine maintenance and, if you are particularly unlucky, a wheel hub, It will drive forever. Your car is, in my opinion, the perfection of last generation technology. Sure things like direct injection will get you a few more mpg and a little more power, but reliability will be lower. Honda didn't take any big risks with the GE8 and it will show in the reliability. The way this car is put together, it's so brilliantly utilitarian. After working on many other cars, It is a joy to work on. The L15A7 motor is the perfection of low displacement, SOHC static valve timing, port injection. It's as if every component of the car (except the catalytic converter, unless you have very small hands) has been designed to be both reliable and easy to service. Even if you are particularly unlucky and need a new fuel injector or a new coil pack, parts are abundant and cheap in salvage yards. Entire motors are still unbelievably cheap. So many people have totaled their fits and sent them to salvage yards, but their is no demand for the parts, because nobody needs them. The best thing you could possibly do is keep this car for the next 10 to 15+ years. It will get you where you need to go and it will carry what you need to carry and for what rare things you can't carry, rent the home depot truck twice a year for $19. Everything else in the car market is just fluff. Motor trend once said, If you ask us what is the best car, not what is the best performance car or what is the best luxury car, or whatever, but which is the best car? We would say the Honda Fit (2nd generation at that time). To this day I still agree.

 

Lyon,

You're back??? Thought you left us for a focus st? Regardless it's good to see you back in a fitfreak.net thread!

 

The Focus ST was awesome when it wasn't busy randomly stalling due to a defective wiring harness that they ultimately recalled after months of problems or blowing a golf ball sized hole in the piston crown of cylinder 4.

I think, in total, Ford payed for more than 2 months of rental cars for me.

Also, I will never bother with a FWD car with near 300ft/lbs of torque ever again.

I ended up buying another GE8, not to mod again, but as the reliable car that I just happen to still have an entire box of parts for still. It helps that I know how to replace, literally, every part on this car.

 

That sucks, sorry to hear it.

I have been creeping the foST and fiST forums because I was thinking of going that route (the GK was a disappointment ) but reliability issues are present and make me hesitate.....thinking of keeping the fit until after I see the new civic hatch....

 

Maybe I'll do a "Why I got rid of my Focus ST and bought ANOTHER GE8." thread if I get bored. I've been checking on the forums off and on but nothing interesting has happened, just lots of 'normal car owner now-a-days' threads like this one. I thought, perhaps, the Sprintex Superchargers would lead to something bigger, but no luck.

 

minigendo- for the coolant if it is actually leaking it should be pretty easy to tell where it is leaking as u will see fluid residue.. might even be evaporating through the cap. but remember too dat there is some level of expansion and contraction so the fluid level changes based on ambient temps especially in extreme temp areas.

ive added coolant to my 09 and 12 a few times during ownership and i considered it normal. i never buy extended warranties and the only issue outside my 3yr warranty on my 09 was a mouse eating through the temp sensor wire for the radiator causing a short whenever it rained. that would not have been covered under warranty anyway. i just fixed it on my own.

if ure only going to keep the car for 7-8yrs, i wouldn't even bother with the extended warranty and just follow your regular maintenance reminder. GL