klemmaniac: since I own both, perhaps I can chime in.

1. The Fit is a near bullet proof car. It is very hard to break or destroy. I own the first generation. My daughter drives it because it is too small for me. The seats are not that supportive and it definitely is NOT for long distance driving nor carrying passengers. None of the Fit model years are. You also cannot haul with it. The 1.5 liter engine is way too small to even be toting two bikes on a rack in the back. The car is a blast to drive and again, is as close to bullet proof as any car ever made.
2. The Vibe in its second generation form, is either a Corolla or a Camry. I would opt for the 1.8 liter Corolla engine. It will get you better gas mileage. The Camry engine is more susceptible to burning oil and the engine (2.4 liter) is simply way too large for a small car. The Vibe is more roomy than the Fit and is better for longer drives. Toyota parts supplier quality has dropped significantly over the past 10 years. While the Vibe (deservedly so) gets "best of used cars" from Consumer Reports each year, there are some minor issues that crop up with the car (intermittent steering shaft rattle ((not a safety issue in any way)), about 6 Toyota recalls which will need to be taken care of ((all free, and none that are safety issues except the passenger Takata airbag)), radio knobs breaking off.............The Vibe is a better all around driving car than the Fit the moment you venture out of city driving. If you are only puttering around town/city, the Fit may be the way to go. But if you will be travelling or regularly hauling stuff to the dump, from Home Depot, or towing two bikes to your favorite bike trail, then the Vibe is hands down the way to go.
3. I second the motion to have you also look at more substantial wagons such as the Mazda 3 or the Hyundai Elantra Touring. I own the HET and think it is the best of the three cars I own. While it has a crappy steering response/feel, the car is a lot for the money.
4. Always buy your used car from an owner; NEVER a dealer. The dealer knows NOTHING about the history of the car they are selling. A private owner should be able to look you straight in the eye and answer any tough questions you throw at them. Remember, people make bad liars. And private owners don't want you coming back to their house to throw eggs at them after selling you a bad car. They know that you know where they live and would prefer not to see you again except to thank them for entrusting their family vehicle to a nice person like you.
Good luck with your search.

 

Yes, nothing wrong with a private sale from an Owner. In fact, I saw private owner vehicles on Autotrader that quickly thereafter appeared on Dealer lots, so Dealers are buying them.

I'd suggest some basic due diligence though, to be sure you're not buying a stolen car or a car being sold on the sly by a family member who's not the owner. My state DMV will tell you if the vehicle is stolen and if you offer the DMV the owner's name, they'll tell you if they match the name or not. In other words, the DMV will not tell you the name of the owner, but will tell you if their records match the name you offer. I admit to being rather paranoid about this sort of thing, but I think my concerns are well placed given the amount of money that's being exchanged with someone you don't know.

In my case, my purchase from a small used car Dealer was unhurried and excellent in every way. Today marks only our first month of ownership and time will tell if I made a good choice, but so far our li'l Fit has been flawless.

 

Thanks for the list of cars under $15k. I know about the excel sheet - spent alot of time budgeting and laying out my financial plan for the next year or two so I have to stick to it. I still want the Fit, just can't decide how early a model and mileage limit to consider with my goal of longevity in mind - I'm thinking '09 at the earliest and '13 at the latest, and up to 80k miles, but don't feel confident my parameters are educated and informed enough. I am an inexperienced used car buyer and would feel better about it getting input from more experienced buyers. I can wait for a good deal if I have to...for months if necessary. A vibe or MAtrix sounds like it would do the trick, but I can't shake my concerns about them not being in production anymore for long term repair issues down the road.

 

Someone else more knowledgeable than I can confirm, but my notes show that the 2011+ Fits received Vehicle Stability Assist, remote entry and USB audio interface. 2012 and 2013 added a new front grille and black headlight bezels. None of this matters greatly, but the VSA was of interest to me to aid my young driver.

 

Good points on buying from private owner. I will consider that for sure. Thanks for the info on the other cars as well. When you say the Fit is bulletproof what do you mean exactly? That sounds like what I'm looking for - something that doesn't break and require fixing to keep costs down. What about the interior and gadgets - do they last and hold up over time? Could you elaborate on why you think that it wouldn't be a good car for a road trip? Is it because of the seat comfort primarily? I would be hauling musical instruments like drums etc, and the long road trips would be very infrequent for the purpose of an occasional vacation/joy ride. Do you think the Fit would still be unsuitable for my purposes and I should start considering the Vibe or Scion xB (I would prefer to avoid the box/toaster cars as much as I would find it humorous to own one..I prefer smaller cars). Thanks for your thoughts.

 

What do you guys think of this listing? Carfax looks okay with maintenance checks. Only thing that bothers me is that it was owned in TX instead of Ohio (maybe that's better? No winter or salty roads in TX right?) and the description the seller has for it is a bit nauseating. Other than that looks like a decent deal to me.

2012 Fit Base, 41k mi., $11,865 https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/invent...ting=147063849

Other deals I'm looking at - any opinions on them are appreciated.

looks good, esp mileage, but I'm not sure what to make of the 2nd owner (only had it for 3 days?? ):
2013 Fit Base, 20,500 mi, $12,500 https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/d.../?aff=atempest

This one looks alright too:
2012 Fit Sport, 21k miles, $12,425 JHMGE8H56CC024206 | 2012 Honda Fit Sport for sale in Sandusky, OH

Any thoughts...would you keep holding out for cheaper prices for vehicles like these? they're just slightly above budget for me, but maybe with some financial ingenuity I could swing it, but need to decide if it's worth the effort.

 

Have you been looking on your regional Craigslist?

 

not yet. I need to learn about how to handle the paper work/insurance/registration etc. if dealing with a private owner. I am a newb when it comes to used car shopping and purchasing. Those deals I posted links for look okay to me and are not too far from or within my budget-the cars look in decent shape and have low miles on them, too. I'll start looking at craigslist though and poke around.

 

Carmax too may be worth a try if you want an extra measure of confidence in your purchase. I see stores in Cleveland, Columbus (2), Dayton and Cincinnati. They offer a 5 Day money back guarantee, no-haggle pricing and a 30 Day limited warranty. They'll also bring in cars from other Carmax locations free of charge within 250 Miles if you spot one you might want.

Carmax's prices are not the lowest around, but they're within reason. Just wanted to mention this alternative.

 

thanks I'll check it out. What if you see a car that looks good and have it brought to your area, but then decide not to purchase it?

 

If you are as you say a "noob" in used car buying, then I can assure you of two things: 1: trained professional rip off artists can smell you coming a mile away; 2: both used car dealers (at a dealership or at the roadside) are no better than the Carmax dealer. Carmax is great if you have cash pouring out of your wallet (I differ from Alco's "within reason" comment on their pricing). While it is true that their inspectors miss next to nothing when they look over any used car brought into them, their markup is nauseating high. Moreover, just like the used car dealer, these bozo salesmen have NO idea about the car's maintenance history. Avoid them like the plague. If you really are hell bent on trusting a guy in a suit, and for the life of me I cannot understand why anyone would, then use a car buying service like USAA or Costco, or perhaps another credit union's buying service who will find you the car you want and get you a discount in the process.
Never, ever go into a buying situation when you are desperate. If your current car is running and you have done all your research on cars.com and truecar.com, then wait until you find a price that is reasonable. As someone said earlier, Craigslist is the way to go. I traveled over 4 hours to buy my car. It was well worth it. However, when you find a reasonable price on Craigslist, you have to move fast and call the owner to establish a relationship before the paid used car salesmen trolls call the guy up, buy it, and mark it up $4,000 so they can put it on the lot for those who have to talk to someone in a suit. You will see that many Craigslist car posters put "no dealers" on their add. They would rather have their car go to a nice family rather than see their car sitting on their neighborhood car dealer's lot marked up another $4,000.

 

As I understand it, there's no expectation that you'll purchase it. BUT, you'd want to confirm that.

This may sound like an odd recommendation, but if you see vehicles you might like on any local Dealer lot, go out and take a look on a Sunday when most are closed. If you are attracted to any, visit the Dealer when they're open. You'll learn of details, become more comfortable jawboning without any urgency to buy and can narrow your list depending on the persona of the salespeople.

My Fit was the first used car I'd ever bought and I was amazed at the range of pricing. On the Internet, I found a two-owner 2010 Fit Base 5-Speed w/ 45,000 Miles at a Dealer at $10,000. When I went to see it, the tag in the window was a ridiculous $12,495. I asked the salesguy what was up with that and he replied, 'Oh, our Internet price is always better."

 

That's good advice to go on Sunday. Also good to know about internet pricing being lower than lot pricing. how do I ensure I get the price online? Do I have to purchase it online or just make contact with the dealer and agree to use the online price for negotiations when I get to the lot to check the car out?

I know dealers have a bad rep-my position is not desperate and I don't need a car for several months potentially (would be nice to have one sooner than later though). My strategy is going to be pretty straightforward and insist on getting an out the door price before signing anything. I am willing to walk away if the OTD price is over my budget and won't fuss with a loan paying cash and get third party insurance...do you think I should still avoid dealers with this in mind? Would my strategy and position eliminate or greatly reduce my chances of getting hosed?

 

good for you. It sounds like you are doing your homework and that you are in the "driver's seat" and not at the mercy of those selling a car.

As per your earlier post, there are a range of good "wagons" to consider. I'll try not to retype what I said earlier to avoid carpaltunnel syndrome. The Fit is a small car. It is the smallest of all the cars we've been talking about. It won't fit the most "stuff" in the back, and it is not a car you want to take on long trips or with passengers. HOWEVER, it is "bullet proof." Begun as the Jazz in Europe in 2004, this vehicle has come as close as possible to being a maintenance free car. I''ll explain this way: earlier I told you that I drove 4 hours away to buy my Fit (2007 Sport). I actually bought it sight unseen over the phone from a Craigslist ad. I asked many questions of the owner and he even offered up information I was not asking for. I knew that he was telling the truth. He had two middle eastern salespeople coming to see his car hours before I could get there in my car. After telling him (which he already knew) that the men who called him were used car dealers, I established a rapport with him and he was more than willing to wait 4 hours for me to get there. If I didn't show up, the car would go to the mystery men with a foreign accent. When I got there, I saw that NONE of the fluids other than oil, had been changed in 94,000 miles. While that might alarm some people, knowing that the factory fluid from Honda is super long life, I knew that there was no concern despite the fading red color on the tranny stick, or the greying coolant in the overflow jug. I gave him his asking price of $6500 after looking the car over for an hour. The owner looked me in the eye, answering every question I had without hesitation. I could have taken that car home, detailed it, flushed all the fluids, and sold it days later for $9000. The fact that I beat out 2 dealers and got myself, as my mechanic stated, one of the driest cars he has ever seen, I came away with great satisfaction having put the time into the search and the hunt. Months before, I took a train to the same location "knowing" I was going to drive home in my "new-used" 2007 Fit. After inspecting that car and finding water in the wheel well and under the rear carpets, I took a train home, leaving that car behind. It does take a bit of work to get what you want, but it is well worth it. I know people who take airplane flights across the country as they find cars posted on Craigslist. Not paying that "$4,000" markup at a dealer is well worth my time.
Besides the Fit, the Toyota Highlander is another vehicle which earns a "bullet proof" moniker, with a long history of excellent ratings by owners reporting their findings to Consumer Reports and other outlets. There are very few cars that do earn that reputation. The Fit is definitely one of them. The Corolla, while being the greatest car since sliced bread in the fact that its 25+ year reliability is unprecedented. The Vibe, as a Corolla, is an excellent vehicle; NOT bullet proof, but excellent.
Only you can make the choice of how you will use your car. If you need more room and take friends or family on trips, the Hyundai Elantra Touring is a great choice. If you do a little travel and a lot of back and forth, then the Vibe is a great choice. If you mostly stay near home and are driving the car yourself, then the Fit is a no-brainer. I think the Fit falls short on long distances for anyone over 5 foot 6. Leg room is not a strong point on the Fit and that fact coupled with less than supportive seats, makes for fatigue on long trips. Moreover the engine is small and the cargo area, while configured brilliantly for a very small car, won't be useful in helping your friend move out of their apartment. Fit, Vibe, Mazda 3 and if you really need more luxurious room, the Elantra Touring, are all good choices. You are being very smart to research each of them as you take your time to find what is right for you. In the end (as you can tell), I cannot emphasize the benefit of learning about your future new-used car from the previous owner. Dealers are useless; plain and simple.

 

Yes I am reading my ass off - hours every day. I need to be prepared and cannot afford to make a big mistake. I do take your points about the advantages of dealing with a private owner over a dealership. I recently read about deals that can be worked out at dealerships under the right circumstances involving financing through the dealer for incentives but paying off the loan to avoid interest ending up with a lower cost on the car. Sounds like it depends on luck and the situation of the particular salesman though.

If I do go through a private owner, how do I handle car insurance? I do not own a car and don't have any. I read you can add a vehicle to a plan, but you need to know exactly what vehicle I think right? What if I add it and set the whole thing up and wind up not buying?

Also, what about registration, etc. - if I travel far for the car and get pulled over on the way back, can I just tell the cop I just bought the car and was on my way to get it registered at my local DMV? I don't understand all the logistics involved and how it all works quite yet...like I said I'm a noob, but I'm trying to remedy that and become educated.

I found a listing on craigslist for a 2013 Fit Sport for $12,900 - it's not close-bit of a drive, but it looks really good and very low miles (15k), as well as within my budget. It almost looks perfect in fact. I'm thinking of calling and getting the VIN for a history report and then I need to figure out how to get a mechanic to look at it if the owner will let me take it to a shop. Here is what the description says: 2013 Honda Fit Sport with only 15,863 miles. Automatic, cruise, daytime running lights, traction and stability control, MP3, Aux. 40 mpg. Excellent condition. No accidents. Non-smoker. Clean Carfax.

Is there a website I could use to look up a good mechanic to inspect this?

 

Excellent questions, one and all. If I forget to answer one, it is because I'm on my way to go fishing this morning and I'm in a rush. Forgive any typos. I won't spell check this one:

1. Yes, that 2013 sounds excellent. I'd go for it if you like the Fit. The 2013 model (as I recall) had some upgrades done to it including added insulation to keep out road noise. Remember, CarFax is a joke, or at best, it is another minor tool for information. Cars can get into accidents and repaired at Bubba's garage and never get reported to CarFax. If it isn't reported, it isn't listed on CF. Don't rely solely on that. As such:
2. you can go to cartalk.com. On the front page, scroll down to the bottom right corner. A Red Box will ask for a zip code to find you a local mechanic. A second web site to use to find a mechanic is repairpal.com
3. I'm assuming you have a car now. Call your insurance company up and ask them what to do about getting a private seller's used car. For us, we took the plates off of one of our cars and brought them with us. That covered us insurance wise for the ride home. Again, if you already own a car, call your current insurance company. That's what they are there for.
4. You will need to bring a certified or cashier's check from your bank to the private seller. The bank or credit union you belong to will guide you through that transaction. Don't go to a dealer just because you don't have a loan. Your bank will take care of that. But yes, they will be asking you for the actual car's VIN number before giving you that loan, so if you don't have the cash in hand to pay for it and need a loan, you'll have to put the horse in front of the cart on this one and see the car, like the car, tell the guy you are going to buy the car (give him a down payment), and then get that loan from your bank.
5. if you have run the $$price through some websites to find out it is a great price, you had better get on the phone right away. Slimy dealers are also looking at that add and will grab it so they can mark it up. Call immediately, establish a relationship with the owner, and ask lots of polite questions; but most of all, let him/her know you are a great guy with a great family and find something in common with him/her. Trust me; they would prefer to sell to someone like you rather than give it away to a greedy dealer.

 

That is great information and advice - thanks for taking the time to help me. I'm feeling a lot more confident about buying from a private owner with your tips.

Just to clarify, I do not own a car and do not have car insurance. I haven't needed a car at home as my contracts are usually overseas and I don't stay at home for more than 2-3 months out of the year, but my situation may be changing soon and I may be making a move.

So I guess I need to figure out how to buy insurance for a used car bought privately (without having current car insurance) - do you know how to do this or have any advice on it? Will I have to "put the buggy before the horse" on this as well and sign up for insurance with the cars specific info before I've bought it?

For the registration, I'm still not sure how to handle it logistically. I would bring a family member with me in their car, and then if I buy the car I would drive it back with my family member following in their car. There is one more family car...maybe I can take the plates off that and use those? But the plates if looked up by a police man will not match the Fit I'm driving, so I'm still confused on how to handle the whole thing. Maybe I should just do that and drive really carefully back home and take my chances and hope for the best? Thanks again for your help and time.

 

Yeah, that is a predicament I am not used to. So let's say you qualify for USAA insurance, or just decide to call Geico; they are the ones who will help you with those questions. Do you have any insurance (renters policy, homeowners, etc.) that you could call that same company and ask your questions?
When I went to pick up my Fit in Richmond, USAA simply had me take the plates off of one of my cars sitting at home. They extended insurance coverage around the Fit the moment I told them the VIN number. Had I driven down to Richmond and found that I did not like the car afterall, I simply would have just called USAA and said: "forget-about-it."
Not that I'm pushing any model car, but I found this one on www.beepi.com
It appears this service is much like CarMax. The car I am posting here appears to be somewhere in the NJ area, since when I put a few different zip codes in, the delivery charge went to $0 when I put in a southern NJ zip. I'm just showing you this one because if you don't know a lot about cars, while the Fit is nearly bullet proof, there are other cars out there that get you a LOT more for the money. Being a HET owner, I'd be sprinting to get this car. Very low mileage, leather and lots more luxury items than what is available on the first or second generation Fit. Beepi seems to do the same no haggling pricing. This seems like an outstanding price to me:

https://www.beepi.com/buy/hyundai/el...dc8ae2bu117927

 

and just to compare to CarMax pricing......here is the closest example I could find in their nationwide inventory on the "same" Elantra Touring. Quite a price difference from what I posted from Beepi.com

https://www.carmax.com/cars/hyundai/.../2012/13376098

 

Ok, I'll just call a car insurance co. and ask about this. The HEC looks great but I am looking for a simpler car with less gadgets that can break and need repair. The 'bulletproofness' and lack of need for anything other than basic maintenance over time are the main qualities I'm looking for in the car. I'd love to jump on this Fit but I should probably get all this info together before I make a move-I don't want to waste the owner's time. Plus I may be getting a contract soon and need to figure out if I should wait until after it to get a car (that's why my window is several months and I don't need one now). If I got it I would need to rent a garage space for storage when I'm gone over the Winter. Do you think it's okay to let a Fit sit for months in a garage without use or will that cause problems down the road?

Thanks again for sharing your insight and experience on all this. That beepi site is interesting too and seems to have better prices. I just can't imagine buying a car without seeing it and driving it in person.