Many of you have given me great advice on this forum and I’ve even bought a few parts here. Since most of you know more about the car than I do, let me know if I made any errors in the listing either factual or grammatical. Its at: eBay Motors: Honda : Fit (item 150336303057 end time Apr-11-09 19:00:00 PDT)

Any comments or suggestions are welcome as well. Thanks for looking.

 

Boy, I should get a +rep for this! What a long listing! But I finally had to use that English degree I paid so much for. Overall, it looked good, mostly just punctuation changes and stuff. I deleted a couple of lines but noted where they were. Sorry, I bolded everything I changed, but that didn't translate to the post, so you'll have to read it carefully. Here goes:

This auction is for a 2008 Honda Fit Sport finished in Milano Red with the two-tone black and gray interior. This car looks absolutely fantastic in this color. If you are going to spend five figures on a vehicle, you should get the hottest color it comes in; you shouldn’t have to settle on just any color that comes along. Sure, black or blue are nice, orange is interesting, and white and silver are O.K., if a bit bland, but only this shade of red really catches everyone’s eye. Remember, as you step out of your home every day, and as you set eyes on your car, nothing but a Milano Red Fit will get you feeling as excited about your day ahead. You’ll probably be driving this car for a few years, so just ask yourself- would you rather wake up every morning to a Milano Red Fit, or just some other color you “settled” for?

The Fit is powered by an all aluminum 1.5 liter 16 valve VTEC engine and is one of the smoothest power plants in its class. It’s mated to a slick shifting short throw 5-speed transmission that has an exceptionally light and precise feel, and the feather-light clutch action is identical to that of a Porsche costing 5 times as much. It goes without saying that the car is a blast. Weighing in at under 2,500 pounds (that’s less than the Mini Cooper) this is the closest thing to a street legal go-kart you will find. It was one of my personal drivers for over the last 4 months and I put over 3,000 miles on it myself, 2,000 miles of that in just one week driving down and back from Florida. Between its powerful engine, flick of the wrist shifting and the sport tuned suspension, this is one fun car to drive. Whether on a twisting country road or just cutting through rush hour traffic, just point and shoot and almost instantly the car is right where you aimed it. Something a lot of more expensive pseudo-sports cars can’t do as well.

Not only is the Honda Fit the best car in it’s class, it has been on Car and Driver magazine’s annual “10Best Cars” list every year since the Fit was introduced in 2007! (Deleted “Not only that”) It also won first place in a Car and Driver comparison test among seven economobiles including the Dodge Caliber SE, Hyundai Accent GLS, Kia Rio5 SX, Nissan Versa 1.8SL, Suzuki Reno and Toyota Yaris S. The Fit wasn’t just a LITTLE better than those other cars, it’s comparison test scores put it WAY ahead of even the second place finisher, the Versa. The Fit finished first place in (Deleted “the”) important categories such as 0 to 60 mph and ¼ mile acceleration times and it finished in or near the top in subjective categories such as utility and fun to drive aspects. Some relevant quotes from that comparison test are as follows:


(box)

In addition to being a ball to drive, the Fit is also economical to own and maintain and has emissions that are nearly as clean as a hybrid. Last week I drove it 2,000 miles from Washington, DC to Florida and back with the cruise control on 80 mph the majority of the way and my total average gas mileage was 36 mpg. If you can restrain yourself to drive at a more sedate speed, you should be able to achieve gas mileage in the mid to upper 40’s (Deleted “mpg”)! Plus you get a great big grin on your face every time you fill-up when you see you only spent $12 for gas. And it goes without saying that the Fit runs great on just regular gas when some other sporty cars require more expensive premium. And if great gas mileage isn’t enough, and you have a green conscience, you’ll be glad to know the Fit has been certified a Low Emission Vehicle (LEV) by the California Air Resources Board and is BIN5 certified by the EPA. You also won’t have to spend a lot on maintenance with a Fit. Most systems have low or reduced maintenance components. For example, instead of a timing belt that needs periodic replacement, the Fit engine uses a steel timing chain (Deleted “that doesn’t need periodic changing unlike some cars with rubber timing belts”). It also uses iridium tipped spark plugs with 100,000 mile service intervals and extended life coolant with a 10 year/120,000 mile service interval. And the Fit has a Maintenance Minder system that calculates the optimum service intervals based on how the car is driven, as, for instance, a car driven primarily on the highway requires less maintenance than one subject to city use with constant stopping and starting. Other than routine oil and filter changes, this Fit shouldn’t need servicing until the 100,000 mile point. And it you do change your own oil, it’s just a 10 minute job on the Fit, with everything easily accessible underneath.

While the Fit may be an economical vehicle, it doesn’t skimp on safety. It has a total of eight airbags, including dual front airbags with advanced dual-stage and dual-threshold technology with a passenger sensing system, front seat side airbags for protection in side impacts, and front and rear head curtain air bags that protect front and rear occupants against head injuries. The front seats have seatbelt pre-tensioners to immediately tighten the belts before an impact and the rear seats have built-in child seat anchors, aka the (LATCH) system. This Fit also has anti-lock brakes and a low tire pressure warning indicator to let you know a tire needs air before becoming dangerously low. Plus it has fog lights for greater visibility in bad weather as well as a rear window wiper and washer. All these features are in addition to advanced crumple zones, high strength alloy steel and accident avoidance systems (such as?) that Hondas are known for.

The Fit’s style is very unique. From its sharp, sleek lines and sweeping curves on the outside to with one of the best looking factory aluminum wheel designs of any small car, it incorporates elements from premium European cars like monochrome trim panels, a hatchback mounted horizontal spoiler, and a roof mounted short antenna so that it looks handsome from any angle. But if you like high tech design, the interior is a feast for the eyes. Starting with the cool blue glow of the electroluminescent (Deleted “style”) instrument cluster and stereo, to the aluminum color accents on the steering wheel, dash and shifter, to the two-tone interior with unique dimpled pattern surfaces throughout, not only are the colors stylish, but all the textures have a rich feel and look. From the perforations of the leather wrapped steering wheel, to the grain (Deleted “–ing”) pattern on the dash and door panels, to the layout of knobs and switches on the dash, everything looks and feels like it came from a more expensive car- especially since many of the control switches, such as the cruise control buttons and window switch cluster, are illuminated at night, something usually reserved for more upscale vehicles.

This Honda Fit Sport is fully equipped with all the desirable safety, comfort and convenience features and equipment including:

* 1.5 liter 16 valve VTEC engine
* 5-speed manual transmission
* Air conditioning
* Power windows with drivers one-touch down
* Power door locks
* AM/FM/MP3 CD stereo with digital clock, auxiliary input jack, and six speakers
* Cruise control with illuminated steering wheel mounted switches
* 15 inch bright machine finish aluminum wheels
* Dunlop SP31 A/S tires
* Tire pressure monitoring system
* Tilt steering wheel
* Remote keyless entry with panic button
* Reclining front bucket seats with seatback storage pockets
* Unique two-tone sport cloth upholstery and door panels
* 60/40 split-folding rear seats
* Eurostyle roof mounted antenna
* Body-color rear spoiler, front air-dam and side ground effects
* Body-color outside mirrors and door handles
* Center console with cup holders, storage compartments and a 12V power outlet
* Front door panels with storage pockets and rears with built-in cup holders
* Blue electroluminescent style instrument cluster with tachometer, dual trip odometers and Maintenance Minder
* Tinted glass
* Clear lens diamond facet reflector projector beam style headlights
* Fog lights
* Intermittent wipers
* Rear wiper/washer
* Dual power outside rear view mirrors
* Visor vanity mirror
* Engine immobilizer anti-theft deterrent system
* Rear window defroster
* Dual front airbags with advanced dual-stage and dual-threshold technology and passenger sensing system
* Front seat side airbags
* Front and rear head curtain air bags
* Front seatbelt pre-tensioners
* Child seat anchors (LATCH) system
* Anti-lock brakes
* Electrically assisted power steering

In addition to the above listed original equipment, this Fit also has over $500 worth of the following genuine Honda factory accessories:

* HFP (Honda Factory Performance) polished stainless steel muffler
* Brand new stainless steel FIT logo door sill plate trim
* Brand new FIT logo floor mats
* Brand new Honda wheel locks

And since the muffler is a genuine Honda part, it won’t void your warranty the way some aftermarket parts might. If you prefer the original stock muffler, I can replace it and give you a $50 credit back on the car for it. Just let me know after the end of the auction.

There are over 70 photos ahead and if you don’t have a high speed internet connection and get an “X” where a picture should be, you may need to hit the Refresh button a few times. If that still doesn’t work, CLICK HERE to see the pictures individually.

The car is in excellent condition inside and out. It has a beautiful dent-free body without even any scratches or parking lot door dings to speak of. Other than a couple of small touched-up nicks on the rear bumper at the right side, it has just a few tiny touched-up paint chips you would normally expect on a 24,000 mile car. The paint itself is beautiful and shiny and has just been cleaned with Meguiar’s Smooth Surface Clay System, polished with Meguiar’s Mirror Glaze cleaner polish and topped off with Meguiar’s Synthetic Sealant for a high gloss shine. Even the stainless steel muffler and the back sides of the wheels have been cleaned, polished and waxed to look terrific! How obsessed is that? I checked the car out top to bottom and found no evidence of any previous paint or bodywork. I did have the front chin spoiler refinished (off the car) to take care of some curb scrapes. The interior is also in great shape and it has a brand new set of Honda factory accessory Fit logo floor mats.

This Fit runs and drives like new. The engine runs strong and feels silky smooth (Deleted “both”) at idle, while accelerating, and throughout the cruising range. The steering wheel is on dead center going down the road with no shakes or vibrations at speed; the brakes are firm with no pedal pulsations or pulling to one side when stopping; and the suspension is tight. The A/C blows ice cold. It has its original set of Dunlop SP31 A/S tires size 195/55R15 with about half their tread left. They are balanced with balance weights mounted on the inside of the wheel for a super clean look. The spare tire doesn’t look like it’s ever been used; same for the jack and tools.

This Fit comes with the balance of the Honda factory warranties. These include the 3 year/36,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty, 5 year/60,000 mile powertrain warranty, 3 year/unlimited miles battery warranty, emissions warranty on some components up to 8 years/80,000 miles, 5 year/unlimited miles corrosion warranty, and the 15 year/150,000 mile seat belt warranty. The in-service date on this Fit is November 20, 2007, so it’s not even one and a half years old yet! Read the warranty booklet or contact a Honda dealer for details about warranty coverage.

The car has been fully checked out and serviced so that only your enjoyment (rather than your immediate attention) will be required on delivery. Some of these services include:

New oil change:

This Fit is a one owner Capital One Finance (the “What’s in YOUR Wallet” guys) bank repo car with a clean and clear CarFax. CLICK HERE to see the CarFax. Ignore where the Details section lists OWNER2. That is just the bank taking possession of the car and getting the title in their name. It’s still a one retail owner car. CLICK HERE to see the title. After the car was repossessed it was sent to auction and on the auction block they announced minor undercarriage damage. It could refer to something as small as a dented jack point or bent tie-down loop. The auto auctions announce everything about the vehicle, no matter how small. As mentioned previously, the car doesn’t have any paintwork and (Deleted “so it”) has never been wrecked, and the CarFax is clear of any accidents as well. The auction inspector probably found a small ding in the floor around the left wheel well where somebody improperly positioned a service jack or the repo man knocked the lifting arm of the tow truck into it. CLICK HERE to see a picture of the ding. Regardless of how minor the damage, Ebay policy requires the following notice in this auction: "AutoCheck reports that this vehicle was previously sold at a wholesale auto auction with a disclosure that the vehicle has frame/unibody damage or had frame/unibody damage."

The car comes with all the books including the radio security code card:

I bought the car at a dealer auction last December (the month when used car prices are traditionally the lowest) and I’m passing on the savings in this auction. I’ve priced it just above what I think I could get for it if I sold it back at a dealer auction. CLICK HERE to see a printout of what 2008 Fit Sports have been selling for at the dealer auctions last month. If I can sell it here on Ebay for a similar price and avoid dealer auction fees and transportation expenses, and the new owner gets the car at a true wholesale price, then both buyer and seller make out ahead. ( Deleted What I’m also saying is that for some of you bidders that plan on sending an offer of $10,000 or $12,000, thanks, but sorry, that just won’t get it bought. Spring is just around the corner and that’s when used car prices tend to rise the most so it won’t be any cheaper than it is now.)

The Kelly Blue Book retail price on the car is $15,715 CLICK HERE to see the Blue Book pricing. I have the Buy It Now price at over $1,700 below that amount! And that doesn’t even include all the Honda accessories mentioned previously. If you are serious about buying a 2008 Honda Fit Sport, this is about as low as they go. (Deleted Remember, you can get a great deal on Ebay, with prices sometimes way below retail, but no bidder is going to “steal” a vehicle and no seller is going to give one away either.) I checked all the other similar Ebay Honda Fit Sport listings and I think I have priced mine the lowest overall. When comparing this car to the others on Ebay, keep in mind this is a one owner vehicle, that was never wrecked or has any paintwork, comes with a clean CarFax, runs excellent, is fully serviced and is very clean inside and out. If you are looking for a nice Fit Sport in excellent condition at a good price, then this car is hard to beat. Also remember that we don’t charge dealer processing fees or document fees that many other listings have for $200 or more and bury in their fine print. And don’t be fooled by some other auctions that are advertised as NO RESERVE and start at $100 or some other low price. Since no dealer is going to risk loosing thousands of dollars if their auction doesn’t bring enough money, you can be pretty sure he has some “people” bidding on it for him. Especially those auctions that are private listings where it says “User ID kept private.”

TERMS OF THE AUCTION ARE AS FOLLOWS: Since this car may be advertised locally, auction can be canceled at any time (unless auction ended early with BUY IT NOW) due to prior sale without liability to any bidder. A down payment of $500 (plus any additional delivery charge) is required within 3 days of the close of the auction, balance due in cash or certified funds on delivery if I deliver it or you pick it up, or before it’s dropped off at the transporter if a shipping company is transporting it, but no later than 7 days after the close of the auction without prior agreement. I accept bank or certified checks, money orders, credit cards through PayPal (accepted for down payment only). If paying balance with funds other than cash, buyer to fax copy of monetary instrument no less than 24 hours before picking up vehicle.

I’m selling the car as is; however, it does have the balance of the factory warranties as mentioned previously. Contact a Honda dealer for details. Buyer is welcome to inspect car BEFORE the end of the auction or to have someone check it out on your behalf provided you authorize whoever is checking the car to provide me with a copy of the results. I have tried to accurately describe this car, both mechanically and cosmetically but you can expect a certain amount of minor flaws on ANY used car including squeaks, rattles, nicks, chips, scratches, blemishes and any other marks that are consistent with the age and mileage of the vehicle. There is no possible way to include all minute details and imperfections, however, I believe my listing accurately depicts this vehicle and if there are any issues they are noted in the description.

In fairness to all bidders the reserve price will not be disclosed so please don’t even ask.

Buyer responsible for transportation and car must be paid for in full before it can be released. May deliver. Email or call for delivery quote or for any other questions. atikovi@excite.com Maryland and District of Columbia dealer. Phone 202-246-5201. Do not bid if you don’t intend to buy.

FREE DELIVERY TERMS: Free delivery within 500 miles of the Washington DC area if bidder purchases vehicle with Buy It Now. (35 cents per mile for additional miles as shown in MapQuest.com from zip code 20001 to your address.) That is still the same rate as when I started on Ebay nearly 9 years ago. Remember, the Buy It Now option disappears once the reserve price is met. The Buy It Now price is $13,995.

AUCTION ENDS: 10:00pm sharp, EASTERN TIME Saturday April 11th unless Buy It Now is used.

SPECIAL OFFER FOR QUICK SALE: DOUBLE THE FREE DELIVERY RANGE: Use Buy It Now before the halfway point in the auction, 10:00pm EASTERN TIME Monday April 6th and I will double the free delivery miles to 1,000 miles total.

 

Thanks for the read. Looks like I may have it sold.

 

Holy cow what a l-o-n-g listing! The English checking/changes kindly done by Boba Fitt were good but he didn't comment that there are many, many repetitions making this epistle needlessly long. Been a car freak for 55 years and have never seen an ad half that long! I realize this ad is 8 years old but my advice would have been trim it WAY down. The problem I see is that many potential buyers would be too old to drive after they took the time to read the whole darn thing ;-)

 

Thanks for the blast from the past. Actually, my Ebay listings have gotten longer. Like my last Honda sold there: https://www.ebay.com/itm/2005-Honda-...-/152691243576

 

After checking out your most recent posting, I have only one thing to say: Sell ME your next car PLEASE!!! (Just Kidding!) Or at least advise Fitfreakers of your upcoming auctions! Seriously, what a THOROUGH and informative ad!

 

OK yes I'm late to the party! But I'm curious about your ad here. I couldn't find it by looking for your items sold. Can you provide the item # please?

 

Why do you feel the need to put this much effort and time into writing it up to this extent? Do you really think it will improve the chance of selling rather than an ad 1/4 in length?

Or do you just like writing things up like that?
I am not saying there is anything wrong with what you have done, just curious as to your motivation.

Are there other things in life you do with this meticulous attention to detail?