Hey all, I am currently the driver of a 4Runner V8 and as you know gas is rediculous right now. With my insurance and the cost of gas nowadays I am forced to get rid of my truck. I have a buddy who drives an 07 Fit and having driven I love it. This car is my first choice over anything else on the market for a commuter car.

Now my question is should I go ahead and get an 08 Fit or suffer for a while with gas prices the best I can and wait for the 09?

I have looked and read all about the 09 with i-vtech ect. ect. but also the price is going up too which I can't really afford at this point since I want to trade in my current vehicle (paid off) but if I have to pay the extra I guess I will. I just don't want to get an 08 and the 09 be that much better you know.

So any input/feedback would be appreciated, thanks!

 

get the '08.... looks much better IMO

 

From what I've seen the body styling of the 08 is much better IMO too lol.

My main concern is will the 09 be that much better in MPG and other features that the current model doesn't offer. IDK I guess I really shouldn't be too worried about features with a commuter but I do want to be comfortable. Going from a fully loaded 4Runner to a Fit is quite a change. Even just not having a center console and armrest sucks pretty bad lol. I know that's a small thing but it makes a big difference in the comfort department.

 

Looks much better if you like the chopped off mini-van look, otherwise get the 09.

 

welcome to the forum! Please use the search options. 99% of your questions are most likely already been posted and discussed. there is also a million subforums here, so take a look around.

the 09 is coming out in oct at $1000ish more. It is slightly bigger and only like 22lbs (or 28) more. improvements: seat material, small rearseat head rests, navi opt, arm rest, dead pedal, little bigger with supposably same mpg and white will be available again. also has 10 cup holders and second glove box for the ipod, in which I think both are ridiculous. the majority of the forum hates how the 09 looks.

you can get a 08 mt sport otd for 16-17,000 and then upgrade with seat covers, dead pedal, armrest, and portable navi system (garmin or something) if you want. zetaproducts is widely used here.

you will not be able to test drive the 09 until oct. no one here has test drove it as well, so don't ask, we get grumpy that noone has. take a look at the 2009 thread at the top and start at about page 50 for info, pics, and arguments.

I myself am choosing the wait for the 09 because waiting suits me best, mostly because I cannot afford and 08 now among other things.

Since you are being raped with gas now, I suggest you buy an 08. take a look at the engine break in thread at the top.

of course, test drive an 08, and test drive the competition: nissian versa, toyota yaris, scion xB or xd, and kia spectra. and then buy the fit.


Remember, buy whats best for you. the FIT was called "best bang for the buck" by some big magazine, I forget which one.

good luck!

postscript: when you do decide to buy, go to chris at rock honda. he is jdmchris here.

 

I would tend to agree if you can find a '08.
I would not pay too much. I was on CarMax web site and saw how they are jacking the used price.


The problem with the '09 is many details that will make or break it are just not known.

I mean basic stuff like cost and EPA mpg

If I had to make that call I'd find the best price on a new one and get it coming today.

I est. the time remaining to order a new '08 to less than 2 months.

 

I have driven pretty much that whole list of cars. My g/f has a yaris which is ok but the Fit prices better with more options. I am a past nissan whore and still own a boosted SE-R Spec V at the moment but I will never buy another nissan again. And scion well.....I just don't like scion's lol.

I think I will just buy an 08. The more I look at the 09 the less and less I like it. Now if I can only find one

 

Honda themselves says the '09 has the same MPG, don't worry there.

In a nutshell: The new model will have 9 more horsepower, but it will weigh slightly more. i-VTEC will give it a bit broader powerband. The ride will be smoother/softer. NAV will be an option. There should be a built in foot rest if you need one.

The only negatives I can see, aside from the looks of the new one, which is purely subject to opinion, is that the new ones will be hard to get at first and will cost a bit more and I hear they may have no spare tire. I also hear they are going to be built in South America? I have no evidence that will make a difference but Japanese plants have the best record for QA on the planet so I'd take a Honda built in Japan over one built anywhere else first.

Hope that helps

 

or if your like me you can drive a sport manual off the lot for 15,100... if your wanting out opinions i say 08... i just think they made the 09 look like a red-headed stepchild

 

You were able to get a Sport Manual off the lot tax and license for $15,100??? That seems uber cheap to me I couldn't get near that price when I was aksing at dealerships even with the wonderful Costco Discount

 

^location...

i was quoted at various dealerships for an unbelievable 17k for a sport manual for no options...

 

I see you are in cali like me so I guess that's about what I'll be paying maybe a fit is a bad idea lol. I paid $14,900 OTD for my spec v back in 05 and that had more options (minus MP3 plug in) than the Fit does. $17K for a fit is pretty rediculous.

 

Hmm... brand new sport manual with tags, tax and everything off the lot for $15,100 huh?

If you say so.

 

It's good that your Toyota is paid off. So many people these days are making emotional decisions based on the gas prices (and housing situations), and not taking into consideration what it's really costing them to trade in their car for something that gets better gas mileage. This is a good read:

Part 1: ConsumerReports.org - Should you downsize your car now?

Part 2: Downsizing your car – when does it make cents?: Consumer Reports Cars Blog

Part 3: Downsizing—The long-term implications for trading in early: Consumer Reports Cars Blog

One of the most quoted pieces from the article:

"To flip this around, if you asked, "What could I do to waste as much money as possible on a car?" My answer would be to buy new, finance it longer than you plan to keep the car, and then trade it in on another new car. This is exactly what we’re cautioning you against now."

I know you're not in this boat, but I know there are a lot of folks who are. I was, and decided to bite the bullet, trade down, and pay the damn thing off.

-Mike

 

i dont understand why people have to buy a new car if they want to
save money.

just get a used beater with a 4 banger and drive that. if you want to
save, save like you mean it.

 

Because I don't want to buy a piece of crap for a couple grand and then 2 or 3 months from now have to pay a few grand to fix what starts breaking. I've been down that road and will NEVER buy a "beater" again that's more of a waste of money IMO. Why not buy something new that will save money in the long run.

 

Get an 09, don't buy a last year model, IMO its just a waste of money. If you like the current gen fit just buy a used one for thousands less and you'll get the same experience.

 

IMO, there are more advantages to buying a last year model over a first year model. Each year after the first year, companies start adding to the feature list and any possible issues that get reported...get resolved!

When I first saw the current style...I immediately liked it...when I first saw the USDM 2nd gen Fit...it made me appreciate my first gen even more.

 

i'll break it down simply: 09 is a better car, 08 looks better and will be rarer than the 09 model, and thus more highly desired later on.

 

I'm sure used Fits are sold for a few hundred less than a new one. Supply and demand. Sell a new one for MSRP, a used one for $500 or so less.

Waiting for an 2009 can be a mistake. He needs out of this 4runner and waiting will only make getting rid of it HARDER! Others will be in the same boat. What will dealerships do with excessive used Gas guzzlers nobody wants?

Any added features in a 2009 won't be worth anything. 9 more HP can be gotten with many aftermarket items. You know what, the car will still be SLOW. Your buying it because it's fun to drive and cheaper to drive. Buy a Garmin on your own and it's navigation will be much better than anything Honda is going to stab you with if your into having a Nav.