I'm preparing to buy a Fit and would like some advice. There are 3 options:

1. new 2009 Fit Sport for around $18k OTD.

2. used 2007 Fit Sport with 12k miles for $14700 OTD.

3. wait to see what Honda offers for the 2010 Fit Sport (maybe VSA without the navigation system?).

The question is whether it is worth the extra $3k to get the new redesigned 2009 Fit Sport over the low-mileage 2007 Fit Sport. I actually like the exterior looks of the GD a little better, but the GE seems to have quite a few improvements in terms of safety and comfort. I'd like to have VSA, but I am unwilling to also pay for navigation in order to get it. If VSA would come standard on the 2010 Fit Sport, that would clinch it for me, but that probably won't happen.

Any opinions? Thanks!

 

Drive both and see how you feel. GE owners will tell you to get a GE and GD owners will tell you to get a GD. I own a GE8 and I would rather have a brand new car than one with 12k miles.

Also I dont think Honda plans to offer VSA on the sport. Doubt there will be any changes. Honda is known to change things every 2 years. Theres rumors of a Fit hybrid in 2010.

 

Get the GE Fit, why get used when you can get a new car.

 

^^that's a $3k difference, roughly $60/mo. that's a good amount of money for anyone on a tight budget. $60 is two weeks of groceries for me. not to mention, it's a honda. 12k miles on the GD barely scrapes the surface in terms of wear and tear

i agree with qbmurderer13. test drive both and see which one best suits you.

 

get the GE, you can ask most of the socal misfits guys that have a GD and have either driven or test driven a GE, they would switch if they were financially able to!

iV-tec ftw!!!

 

The 2009.....12K cars make me nervous....some are just good low mile cars....others were given up because of issues.....owner caused or other.

 

between those 2, i would do the new GE with MT.

 

Holy shit man--that makes me wish I had the desire to cook, that's just one week of eating out for me, I'm a pig, haha.

GE doesn't work for me at all. GD3 FTW! Best to just get familiar with both and see what you like...there are some improvements in the GE that I would appreciate but not enough to get it, even though I'm in a position to do so if it was worth it.

 

I'll admit that I think the GD has that "retro" vibe going for it that I like. The GE styling has taken a long time to grow on me, but it has, sort of. I own one, too.

At the end of the day, arguing about the styling of the two cars is a little like arguing about which of two ugly sisters is the "hot" one.

 

I own a GE.

Prior to my purchase to the GE, I wanted a GD. Always wanted a GD - Didn't like the new GE when it came out. I bought the GE because of the noblesse fit in Japan. After the purchase I still didn't like it, I still wanted a GD but said I'd put up eith the GE until I do the JDM conversion......well...it's been 3 weeks and I LOVE my new fit and wouldn't have it any other way. I don't think I'd be as happy with the GD after living with the GE for 3 weeks. To me, that's worth the 3k - $60 a month.

 

Thanks for all of your responses! They are very much appreciated.

I think I'm pretty well convinced to spend the extra cash for the new GE. I might even splurge and go for the VSA/navigation package. The car is actually for my wife, and I would like to have as much safety as possible for her. Also, we intend to drive the Fit for a very long time (e.g. 10-15 years or until it dies). So even though the initial investment will be large, it should payoff over time by allowing me to avoid another auto purchase (I'm not a believer in the "disposable car" strategy). My wife currently drives a 2000 Honda Civic DX hatchback, which I'll be taking over after she gets the new Fit. I'm looking forward to having 2 Honda hatches in my garage.

 

For what it's worth, I just purchased a GE. Two days ago! I found the body style, interior, and drive feel quite a bit better looking than the original. My mother has the original, and while I did like it better than my Scion, it wasn't enough to switch. The GD felt a bit cheaper on the inside than the Scion, though it rode and handled a tad nicer. The GE felt a LOT nicer than both the Scion and her GD.

Plus, the GE saves a bit on insurance (a $400 yearly difference for me from my Scion...I believe it still saves some over the old Fit), and you will have the comfort of knowing that you are the only one to ever drive the car. Plus, with even the old ones in good condition going for a premium, it doesn't make sense, in my book to buy used for this particular car. A used Beamer or Audi?..sure. Not a Fit.

 

Like Kenchan who owns both, I have owned both. 38K miles on my GD Sport MT and switched to a MT Sport GE.
Looks are personal preference, so I'll largely avoid that other than to say the 1 or 2 styling cues I didnt originally like on the GE have grown on my to where I really appreciate the new style.
The new engine has more torque down low and a lot of improvements like USB and rear seats that fold flat without pulling the head rests, to name just 2 of the many. Also of note I loved my GD the whole time I owned it, zero issues, I just appreciate all the updates of the newer model.


as an alternative to VSA, get a 2nd set of wheels with winter tires.

 

YES! As Tork mentioned, I did notice quite a bit more lower rpm torque in the GE from the GD. It has to do with a couple of things, I'm told...114 horsepower in the new one, combined with a different set of gears. That is my mother's one complaint of her GD...it doesn't have quite the pep from the line to satisfy her! Though I got an AT, I would have LOVED an MT. They're just too hard to come by. I only found one at three dealerships...couldn't live with white!

 

Seems like you're hellbent on VSA. You'd have to do something really stupid to take any advantage of VSA. I guess it'll help with traction upon take off in slippery conditions, but VSA is not really needed in this car. If you don't care for the NAVI or radio controls on the steering wheel, save the $2000+.

 

yep, agreed!

snow tires without VSA work hells better than VSA + a/s tires. i know from experience.

 

I am currently driving a company vehicle (which is being eliminated due to cutbacks, hence the need to buy a Fit) and it has Traction Control aka VSA. Driving this vehicle through the winter has made me a believer in this safety techology. It's virtually impossible to make the vehicle slide around, even if I am purposely trying to "kick it sideways" or pull some other bullshit stunt. It just won't happen because the traction control activates and prevents the vehicle from slipping.

I've read some of the posts where people claim that VSA is unnecessary if you have good driving skillz, and there may be some truth to that. However, the Honda Fit that I'm buying is for my wife, and I am certain that her driving skills are not up to that level. In fact, there have been a couple of times when she almost slipped off the road while driving in snow.

It really stinks that Honda has bundled VSA with the crappy navigation system. Many people have complained about this. It is very hard to swallow paying the extra $2k in order to get VSA. But I have to balance that against my fear for my wife's safety. If VSA could prevent her from getting in an accident (and I believe it could), then maybe I should quit being a cheap bastard and just buy it. And who knows, maybe I'll discover that I like the navigation system like that dork reporter for the NY Times.

 

Thanks for the idea of getting snow tires instead of VSA! That's a very interesting thought. Let me research that one a bit...

 

yah, i run W60's on the GE. im going to get the same set for my GD this year.

i had a AWD 06 legacy wgn before the GE. even my wife did not complain at all about slippage on the GE with snow tires, no VSA. i drove it around in deep 4"+ snow once and basically drove like my AWD car i had, but with IMPROVED braking.

 

What I did on my GD, I bought Hankook Winter I-Pikes ($60 ea) a superb directional studdable snowtire, and had them studded for $12 each.
Illeagal in IL but nobody is really ever going to notice.

Flat out amazing in ice and snow! I even towed my snowmobile to the Mich U.P about 7 times in some very nasty Lake Superior snow belt weather.

In contrast, VSA can only work with whatever traction the tires can muster.
Winter tires on the other hand give you an amazing whole new world of winter traction (especially if they are studded)

Back to the big part of your topic, the guys who knock the GE are doing so for the looks, I dont recall anybody knocking the performance or new features.
So styling wise, it is to each his own. You have to please yourself on that aspect