Ask the Car People.SM


Honda Fit Prices Paid and Buying Experiences

2634 messages,  Last post on Apr 29, 2013 at 10:37 PM

You are in the Prices Paid - Buying & Leasing Experiences Forum.

What is this discussion about? Honda Fit, Hatchback, Wagon

Messages Page 259 of 264

#2577 of 2634 Re: Fit vs Insight [204meca] by plekto

May 24, 2011 (5:39 pm)

Replying to: 204meca (May 24, 2011 10:38 am)
Well, if you want a better version of the Fit, there are other options out there. The problem in my mind with the Fit is that while it's cute and all of that, it tries too hard to be a micro-van. Yet, the rear hatch opening is much smaller than the loading floor/cargo area. It really doesn't work very well for actually carrying things. Case in point - you can't fit a 30X30 box through the opening. The rear seats are nice, but it's all a bit too basic for the price. I think Honda is simply charging 2K more because they feel that they can. There should be a few more options such as leather if you really want it and so on. Maybe a premium sound kit for the extra money.
 
But most things that have good cargo area end with "lander" and so on and have massive tires and 4WD. And about 18mpg...
 
- The Matrix is a good choice. The interior is as plastic as a tupperware party. But it is a good alternative. You can get a Matrix for less than a Fit.(truecar or similar) There's no question that the Matrix is a better and more solid car. It's not a fast seller and so you can get them for far less than MSRP now. The manual is better, of course, giving you better MPG and performance in traffic. Toyota makes superb manual transmissions as well. Pretty much on par with Honda, IME.
 
The Fit's problem area is the rear bottom sil is extremely rounded and that gives you geometry that won't actually "fit" a 30x30 box. I mention this as it's a fairly standard size for shipping and a lot of furniture from IKEA and similar places comes with that as a pretty normal dimension on one side. The Matrix has no such issue by comparison. So lots of cargo can actually slide in instead of having to be angled and arranged. Also, carpet sucks for cargo - the Matrix has the right idea for actually hauling stuff around.
 
**Stuff to avoid**
- The Kia Shoe (I mean Soul) is right out, as is the Puke (I mean Juke), just because it's also just too ugly to actually say "I own this!" to your neighbors. There's more pride in owning a panel van than in a Juke. At least you can lie and say "It's for work" or "It's made in the U.S.A." or something... And the Cube, well, you might as well get the original cube - an Element. At least that thing's somewhat useful despite being completely retarded looking.
 
- VW makes great hatchbacks and wagons. But reliability is poor. Pass. Shame, too, since their TDIs do get great fuel economy.
 
**alternatives to consider**
A small SUV if it got high enough MPG might also work. But most are frightfully expensive. (RAV4 for example) Two come to mind, though, because they are cheap, and that is good.
 
- The Equinox gets 22/32 mpg, which is pretty high for a small SUV. It can carry a lot of cargo and people and isn't actually a bad vehicle. You can get a CPO base model for about 16-18K a year or two old, and even in base trim, it's far nicer than the Fit inside. CPO and GM is a match made in heaven as you let some other sucker eat the depreciation and often you can get a lot of nice trim items thrown in as well. GM makes very nice interiors I have to admit.
 
- The other one that I recommend even more, though, is a bit out of left field for many. It's the Jeep Patriot. It has fantastic interior space and feels like an up-sized Fit in many ways (ie - basic box to get around in with lots of glass and space for the money). The only potential gremlin in the mix is that you absolutely must buy it with manual as Chrysler makes decent manuals but their automatics, especially their CVTs, are hopeless.
 
23/29 mpg is pretty decent. With manual, you can get over 30mpg quite easily on the highway. And of course, you also can get a 2WD base model about 15-16K with decent options added. Cheap and tough and hauls a lot of stuff around. Also doesn't look like everyone else's jellybean. The rear seats also recline and the interior is at least as nice as the Fit's(seats are more comfortable for sure). It impressed me. And then I saw the stupidly low prices they are selling for. We're talking almost Yaris cheap for a base model, especially at the end of the year.
 
Truecar has one listed near me with nothing but AC (kind of required, ya?) for $15,300. Jeep is running $1500 in rebates until the end of the month - but they get better when the new models come in. Compared to a base Fit, it's a pretty close call in terms of what it has and doesn't have. Of course, you can load it up, but your best bet is to keep it as bare as possible to save money.
 
The 3-4K difference in cost buys at least the first two years fuel (lower insurance and interest paid on the loan as well as tax and license as well - it's closer to 5K out the door less money. Or about 32K miles in your tank, even at today's silly prices.
 
4x4 might be a good option, though - for $18K, it'd be much better in cold weather. (it actually can do off-roading with the manual and 4x4 unlike most SUVs) (18K with a/c,side airbags, 4wd, and the interior/power group)
 
$18K for this or almost $18K for a Fit... Just saying...
  
At least you're getting what you're paying for, and $18K for a Fit by the time you deal with dealer gouging does beg the question why not get a better vehicle for $20-25K? If economy is your real goal, the Fit is just too close to the price of a good midsize sedan, let alone something like a base Mustang. Base model is $22K(Truecar). It gets 30mpg highway and has 300hp. Worth $4K more? Well, DUH. And that's before year-end rebates come rolling around and make it closer to $20K.
 
Cheap family and cargo hauler? Patriot.
 
More money? Matrix or maybe a small SUV. Or a much better car and forget the cargo area. Honda's loosing sales at this point as they've raised their price over the years (base was $13850, now $15850) and the dealers are still asking MSRP.
 
Note- I do like the Fit, but paying MSRP or more on a car that came out five years ago just simply turns me off.

#2579 of 2634 Used Fit costs more than new by 204meca

May 27, 2011 (12:33 am)

iwls01: I finally found a 2011 Base Fit (last one in W WA I believe) that the dealer was were asking $2,400 over MSRP. I swallowed my pride & paid $1,400 over MSRP (something I swore I would never due). In retrospect, truth be known, I lost my head on this deal after hearing that new Fits may not arrive in the U S for another 6 months or more -- time will tell. So our family has its eighth Honda & I console my bruised ego saying over 5-10 years, it won't be a big deal.
 
The only Fit 2009 & newer that I could find that less than 17,900 was a private party 09 Sport on Whidbey Island with Nav, TC, VSC & AT with 27K miles for 16,600. Sounded good, but my wife quickly quashed any ideas of purchase when she saw that it was purple. If you don't mind purple, it sounds like a "great buy" in today's market. look it up on craigslist

#2580 of 2634 Re: Used Fit costs more than new [204meca] by iwls01

May 28, 2011 (11:26 pm)

Replying to: 204meca (May 27, 2011 12:33 am)
Congratulations on your new Fit, 204meca! I've been calling around and south tacoma, bellingham and everett dealers are all telling me that they have the "only" base Fit in WA. Did you happen to grab the car from one of those dealers?
 
I'll take my chances and wait for the new base to come in, hopefully in a couple months or so. Thanks for sharing the info, enjoy your new car!

#2581 of 2634 Re: Houston Pricing on Auto Sport Fit Needed... [monkeygod] by sisoldier

Jun 01, 2011 (9:27 am)

Replying to: monkeygod (Apr 20, 2011 6:13 pm)
Just purchased a 2010 FIT Sport AT with 8,000 miles for 18,2xx OTD memorial day weekend. Like you said a new one would have been nice but they add on between $600-$1500 in stupid add ons. A new one would have cost me almost $2,300 more. They're are no base FITs in Houston(only 1 at David McCall Honda and its manual) but there is plenty of sport models. Sterling McCall has the least amount of add ons on their vehicles and they're great to deal with. This is my second Honda purchased through them.

#2582 of 2634 Is this a good OTD price for base auto Fit? by oaktosf

Jun 09, 2011 (1:45 pm)

Hi folks -- I'm in the SF Bay Area and I'm about to buy a new base Fit. I have quotes from several different places (though after giving me quotes, several places have told me they don't have anything in stock!). But evidently, there is one coming in two weeks from now at this price:
 
New 2011 Fit Hatchback Automatic--------$16,488.00 (destination charge included)
Delivery Charge---------------------------------$95.00
Sales Tax -----------------$1,622.21
DMV Fees-------------------------------------$325.75
Document Fee-----------------------------------$55.00
  
Total OTD----------------------------------$18,585.96
 
I have asked them to deliver the car, so I don't need to travel and go into the lion's den. Anything I can do better on? This is the lowest price I can find so far.
 
Thanks!

#2583 of 2634 Fit Sport Auto in Silver Spring, MD. Is this a good price? by travelerx12

Jun 11, 2011 (8:11 pm)

A bit of a background first. My very old Tercel broke down so basically been using bus for a couple of weeks while I researched the best one for my buck. So... I needed a car badly enough and I am happy w/my purchase so far. Didn't try to negotiate much since this car was one of the two left on the lot. The other dealers in the area gave higher quotes or were out of stock.
 
Sale price - 17600
Freight - 750
Tax, fee & tags - 1417
GAP coverage (I was not sure about this but figured might need it plus got .5% lower interest) - 699
 
Total = $20,466
 
Thanks!

#2584 of 2634 Re: Is this a good OTD price for base auto Fit? [oaktosf] by 204meca

Jun 14, 2011 (12:02 am)

Replying to: oaktosf (Jun 09, 2011 1:45 pm)
Basically you are paying MSRP. Based practically no base fts in the market in W WA & uncetainty when they will be available, that sound like a deal in todays market. Wish I could have found one at that price.

#2586 of 2634 Re: Used Fit costs more than new [iwls01] by 204meca

Jun 14, 2011 (12:07 am)

Replying to: iwls01 (May 28, 2011 11:26 pm)
I basically did my research via internet & found none in W WA at the time. The one I found in Skagit County was on the lot that I discovered in a drive by, not on the internet. Perhaps I miss some others on lots by not callng.

Messages Page 259 of 264

To POST a message, please Sign In.

Advertisement

Browse by Category

Browse by Vehicle
   View All Vehicles

Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
View All Topics

Edmunds Community

Advertisement