It looks like the 2015 Fits are draining out. And a few 2016 Fits here are quickly sold out as well. I was told at the dealership that I would have to wait until early September for more 2016 ones, and they suggest to put a deposit to safeguard one. So is it a good idea to put a deposit right now? Does it mean that I would have to pay a price at MRSP?

 

I wouldn't put in a deposit, unless you are ordering one outright.

 

If the deposit is refundable if you don't buy, the price is right, and you can afford to have the money tied up.

 

I would fight for a deal below MSRP and get it all on paper before giving any money at all to the dealership. ..There will be a lot of 2016's made and if you are set on a particular color and options just order it. Try to sell your car yourself vs trading it in so you can really shop price!

 

Thanks a lot for the suggestions! I'm set on a particular color and trim. How does the ordering work? Put in a deposit or the full price?

 

A deposit obligates you to the dealer but does not obligate the dealer to do anything. They can sell "your" car to someone else and you won't be able to do a thing.

 

Mj...do some research on the MSRP on the exact Fit you want.I am sure Honda handles the process slightly different from Ford or other dealers. I would let at least 6 dealerships know exactly what trim and color you want and ask for there out the door price and to contact you when the car you want is available. Ask what the time line would be if you order. I think it's best to negotiate the price before you put ANY money down for a deposit . The Fit is not rare or a limited edition like a Dodge Hellcat. If you don't get a firm out the door price you can easily be ambushed by dealer 'fees' and added dealer installed options you don't want. Get a price before you put money down!

 

I just kept searching a 200 mile radius every day looking for my 16. Same day they put it on the net, I called and asked if they would take 500 under msrp....they said yes, so i drove 3 hours to get it. I think you would get luckier searching all dealers instead of depending on one. They are also more apt to deal a little when they actually have the car you want on the lot. Ymmv

 

Is your 2016 a Japanese built unit?

 

There are no JEM Fits out yet. There may be some in October.

 

Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts and experiences!

If I buy a Fit from a dealer a little far away, can I have the car serviced at a dealer nearby for the two-year free services?

 

You can have the car serviced for warranty work at any Honda dealer. However, if your specific dealer "threw in" some other specific services (e.g. free oil changes, car washes, etc), those will only be honored by the dealer you purchased your car from. You may, of course, get these services performed at any dealer, but at your expense.

 

Great advice on this thread. I just received the postcards for my 1yr anniversary as a Fit owner. Back then, the Fit was a hot commodity and hard to find so you had to "order" and wait. By order it meant selecting a car my dealer had on an inbound manifest.

While GeorgeL is correct about a dealer not having to sell you a car in spite of deposit, fortunately the 2 dealers I dealt with were both providing the last 6 or 7 digits of the VIN as the unit number so if you are putting money down for anything, make sure you have a negotiated price and a VIN.

That said, it's been a solid year and my maintenance minder just kicked on telling me it's time for some servicing, aka oil change.