Dear fitfreaks,

I am an avid Honda lover! our family has owned 5 hondas in the past and this will be our 6th, we've had 2 civics ( currently driving an 08 si sedan and loving it) an accord, and an MDX, all great cars and looking for another one to round out our collection.

Just wanted to see what kind of research people have come up with when buying the cars and how it compared to other cars.
ie: scion xd(not my cup of tea), yaris hatchback/sedan ( surprisingly good looking, but quality doesnt' seem too good)

wanted to see if i could get a hand from some fellow owners out there.

We're looking to get a fit sport most likely in the manual form.
questions:
should we go used or new? it seems that the used ones are just as expensive as the new ones so far.
pros and cons?
gas mileage?
best price so far?


thanks for any help!
look forward to hearing responses!

 

anybody willing to help out a future fit freak?

 

I own a 2006 SI. I would wait for the 2009 Fit. Be prepared for a very bumpy ride in the current model. Gas mileage is not great for such a small car (only a few more MPG then the SI) but has great room inside with the magic seats. The new model will have 118 HP, more Torque, bigger wheel base and a much smoother ride.

 

The majority of the forum hates scions and yarises (yarii? yarises?)
1. If you are finding used, and they are the same price as new, go for new. you get to control the break in process. ( take a look at the enigne break in sticky thread at the top).
2. Cons many of them are 'fixed' with the 09
3. I have seen posts claiming 22mpg (break-in process) to 40+. the 22 can happen during the break-in
4. 08 sport MT can be found for $16,xxx, AT $17,xxx

Take a look at the 09 fit sticky thread at the top.

Also, there are about a million subforums here, check them out. Also, there is a forum search engine that comes in handy more often that not.
I assume you live in Irvine, CA. There is quite a bit of the fitfreaks that live in CA, including salesmen for dealers. If you poke around threads, you can find them.
welcome to fitfreak!

 

We just recently got an 08 sport manual new, it was a pretty long search but worth it.
Getting new or used depends on your own preference. Also the new 2009 fit is scheduled to be released around october if you like the new body style and updated features.
my gas mileage is about 37 in city and 41 on highway, but varies with driving style of course.
we got 16 out the door because we did a dealer trade and the other dealer but some kind of protection package on the car we couldn't take off.
don't have really any cons with the car, but we do enjoy the gas mileage and the space we have.

 

07-08 Fit Sport MT - 28/34mpg
06-08 Civic Si - 21/29mpg

+7/+5mpg is not "a few more MPG then the SI". It's a good bit better. And that's just the EPA rating, too! A lot of us MT drivers are getting consistent 30+mpg in the city and 38+mpg on the highway. That's a 9/9mpg difference.
Personally I'm averaging 32.7mpg in the city and I've had the car for almost a year. My worst tank was 29.5mpg. On the only highway trip I've taken with the Fit I got 37.5mpg cruising at 70-75mph (keeping up with traffic, trying not to get run over).

The only cons I find are what JDM items we don't get in the US, like armrest, maplights, passenger-side vanity mirror, LED taillights, auto. climate control, etc. It's the sort of things you can live without. The 2009 Fits will have most of those accessories when it gets here in the fall.

If you're going for the 07-08 Fits, new or used probably won't matter much. They're pricey because of their popularity. I can bet that the 2009 Fits will have a good-sized premium on top of the MSRP because of the demand.

 

I bought a Fit LX for $725 below MSRP... which is meaningless if you're buying in the US . My first tank, I got about 33 mpg with 75% city driving. I'm conservative on acceleration though, shift when RPMs are still rather low (2500), and coast to a stop when possible/safe.

I like buying new when I can, so I got new.

Some of the cons of the '08 are: no dead pedal, front seat height not adjustable, no map light, no centre armrest, no mirror on passenger visor, slightly bumpy ride, hatchback cover is an expensive extra ($250 + tax in Canada; see my cheap-ass $15 solution ) only one intermittent wiper setting (and none on the rear wiper) and the rear defrost doesn't shut off automatically (!?). The M/T shifter is rather light, apparently; it's my first M/T so I can't compare.

Pros: one of the most fuel-efficient cars, deceptively spacious, standard ABS and front/side airbags on all trims, excellent front and side crash ratings, looks great, handles great, built-in aux-in audio (only in Sport trim for US), and of course the Magic Seats.

Except for the light shifter, I bought knowing about all these issues. Most are fixed in the '09, but I don't like the look of the new Fit--its front looks too much like a Yaris. As you might imagine, I didn't consider a Yaris when shopping . I also wanted a car of my own for the summer; I have places I want to see, and want to see them while gas is still "cheap."

I test-drove a Versa hatchback, which had none of the "cons" listed, and cost a bit less, but it didn't grab me, subjectively. One big con with the Versa is that the rear seats don't fold flat to the floor... and it looks a bit like a PT Cruiser.

 

thank you so much guys i've gotten so many tips from you guys and it will definetly expediate the process for me getting a new fit!

Any more tips guys? maybe those of you who have bought in the so cal area could help me out with some of the reserach that you did?

thanks!

 

With gas at $4/gal don't look for any bargains. If you get anything less than MSRP count your blessings. Ditto the 'transaction' fees. Ditto low trade-in values.
You're apparently in Irvine CA so don't be surprised by ADP (added dealer profit) and other add-ons and surcharges. My guess is get it as soon as you can or the line will get veryyyy long. Good Luck.
PS we've owned 16 Hondas since 73 from Don Yenko, 6 of them raced, and 3 now (Fit,HX (no not a hybrid but gets 40+ mpg; last sold in 04), and 91 CRX SiR racer, (the best stock racer ever made)

 

We just got our '08 AT Sport and it definitely is a great investment. Only con would be that it is a little noisy and the engine isn't as powerful. If I were you I'd wait until the '09 and get the on screen nav, more acousting dampening material in the car, and more hp + torque. If you are in need of the car now, the '08 fit is if not the best car, it's up there in the top 3.

We called 3 of our dealerships and all of them were sold out of their fit. We waited about 3 weeks and called again and 2 of the dealerships were sold out of the AT Sport, and only one had an AT Sport. Luckily we liked the color. What you may have to do is go in and put a $500 deposit so that you get your name on the list because over half of these cars are sold before they even get to the lot. If you don't do the $500 deposit you wont get a car in the color you want and trim. Also, haggling is going to be slim to none since C&D, US News, and Edmunds rate this car high and the demand is high.

Good luck on a find and deal!

 

dang i'm really looking forward to bargining with the dealers.
in the past two years we got a MINI Cooper S - my first car for 500 under msrp and i got it ordered and watied 3 months for it. i loved the heck out of that car, and then i got t boned by a drunk driver, so she's gone.
we replaced her with an 08 civic si, and we got that for 2-300 over msrp otd. not the best best deal, but it was pretty good.

i'm looking to get the fit for msrp out the door.

do you guys think this is possible?

 

Good luck.
We called every dealer in the Twin Cities and nobody has a Fit or Sport.
We ended up putting the $500 down, and should be getting ours in three weeks or so. Luckily, we got in the day their order was confirmed, so we had our pick of colors (chose red). I don't expect any dealing going on - they don't need to - this is a situation where the dealer really has the upper hand.

 

Production is efficient over there in Japan. They've made millions of these cars already, and when they ship a gazillion of these here to the U.S. prices, dealer won't have the upper hand, which is a sick way to make money, playing on customers eagerness to buy. I wouldn't offer a penny over MRSP, wait if I have to. After all, it is not a rare car, its just ramping up in popularity here and most are still on ships in the ocean making there way over here. it will be as common as the Civic, before you know. If you can't find a fit and need a car immediately, go get similar MPG Yaris or something. JM2C were not dealing with exotics here, we are dealing with econoboxs, very special econos.

 

Problem is, they're literally getting pre-sold within a day or two of the dealer placing an order. We have about six Honda dealers in town, and not one has had a Fit available for test drive in months.

I wouldn't pay over MSRP either, but I know going in I'm not going to get any deals either. I do need a car (I'm driving my 1978 VW bug convertible every day, and it's a lot of wear on that car), but I'm not going to get ripped off either.

And I'm not buying a Yaris, simply because they don't make a 5-door version.

 

does anybody know if there is a forum on here listing the best prices that people have gotten?

 

I purchased a 2008 Fit after researching the car and market. Went with the base manual - took 3 months from date of ordering. Had the dealer commit to $100 off the MSRP ($13,870) and to include only the delivery charge ($635). Dealer held trus and did not add the fluff such as protection package etc. Will be adding the remote lock (about $70) myself.

Very pleased with the car - even the power. Can cruise up I-70 in Colorado mountains at 75. The engine has a sweet spot around 3800 rpm's. Gas mileage has never been less than 38.3 mpg and has been as high as 42 mpg.

The manual is smooth shifting, very easy in traffic. The handling beats all others in its class and is fun to drive.

It is much bigger inside than you think. Going to pick up three dogs this afternoon - a doberman (85#), a lab (95#), and a mutt (105#). Should be fun. Only down side is the seats collect lots of dog hair.

Hope you pick the Fit - I have 9 other cars and this one is fun and safe.

 

Not gonna happen. Invoice is only ~$500 under MSRP. My OTD price for a MT Sport was $17k and change (6.25% taxes here). You might get a little wiggle room if you mention dealer holdback (google it), but because the Fits are in such high demand right now we as consumers really don't have the upper hand. I got mine for $100 under MSRP, which is fine. In lieu of putting $500 down, I just went forward with the paper work - this way all the details are worked out and I get to just pick up my car when it comes in.

I signed the papers a little over a week ago and just got an email that the car is in Cali and should be here the week after next. So my total wait time should come in under a month.

The two Fits they had on the lot at the time (both AT) sold within a week and the other 4 that came in with them were pre-sold. I just called around to dealers until I found someone decent to work with and could get the color I wanted.

 

sounds good, man i didn't really think that this car was in such demand, but you guys are right i have a few dealers around me and they don't really have any either. so i'l poke around and try to get somewhere between invoice and msrp

 

A guy I work with (who's a member here) bought one last year, and he said even then, he had to call all over to find one.

Personally, I HATE haggling with car dealers, or even speaking to them. My wife just bought a brand new Subaru this week, and dealing with them was more painful than having my wisdom teeth done. At least in this case, I know I don't have much pull, so as long as I can pay the sticker price, I really don't care - especially since the MPG alone, even at retail, is going to save us over $100 a month over the status quo.

 

i would just say invoice pricing man. i got mine at that price. it was simple, walk into a dealer ship and say you want invoice and you will take the car as is.

i mean i did that to one dealership....they said no, so i said thanks for wasting my time, ill go to the dealership thats 5 mins away and im pretty sure they dont want to keep their cars on the lot.


drove over to the other dealership and told them my situation, and said i want the car by tonight, and they said okay.


my supervisor tried to do the same thing to the people who rejected me....no luck.

went over to the dealership i went to to buy my car...and they gave him the exact price i got. and he has an 08



man, where were you like 2 weeks ago haha. i was trying to sell my car for 14.2k with lojack, extended warranty and what not.

i see some killer deals out there for used fits...you can find some. not so crazy priced as mine, but there are some.


i would rather buy a used fit, not worth buying it new to be honest.