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Honda Fit Prices Paid and Buying Experiences
Current Honda Fit prices paid: 2015 Honda Fit Prices Paid & Buying Experience
For the latest leasing info, check out 2015 Honda Fit Leasing Questions
You can also research local dealer inventory and pricing, reviews, features, and specifications on Edmunds 2015 Honda Fit page.
For the latest leasing info, check out 2015 Honda Fit Leasing Questions
You can also research local dealer inventory and pricing, reviews, features, and specifications on Edmunds 2015 Honda Fit page.
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I could be mistaken since I've never purchased a new car before, but here's my thinking:
From an economics/negotiation perspective, putting down a deposit now, indicating my immense demand in the vehicle, or signing up on a waiting list (if one exists) seems like it would compromise my negotiating position.
Should I assume that I'll be paying full price if I want a Fit right away?
With a new vehicle, do you think dealers will be competing on Internet bids / have a sense yet? I had hoped to get a quote through the Internet as Edmunds and other sites have suggested this is the best way to get a good deal.
Thanks!
I plan to purchase the fit to tow behind my motor home. I like the fact it's small and light. One of my problems is ground clearance. The Sport with the cladding seems to have a lot less clearance even though the tires are bigger. I would rather have the features on the Sport but fear it would end up with damaged cladding. I'm not like most of the younger buyers that want the car to look cool, I'm going to take the car to Canada and Alaska this summer. Does anybody know if I can raise the body by upgrading to bigger wheels and tires?
Usually when a new model comes out and you want to be the first to get the car, you pay list or above. The waiting lists form beginning now. You may try the internet and request quotes. You can also call Dealers and make an offer. Supply and demand is the name of the game. I'm going to offer list early and not worry about it. Let us all know what happens.
My dealer didn't leave my credit deposit outstanding - it showed up as an active charge - the next day :surprise:
I certainly forsee a backlog right out of the gate with this car.
If the bigger dealerships are only getting a few per month, then the chance of getting the model, transmission and color you want within a reasonable timeframe from their initial release date are not looking good.
I just want to make sure I get one that was made in Japan, and not one from the initial startup of Fit building in the US.
Amen to that - Give me 4th year proven Japanese production over all new US product any day! :surprise:
I talked to my dealer today and he said that 3 would be arriving in April and 8 per month after that.
Regarding the "compromise my negotiating position" as bostonjazz originally pointed out, is all a question of what you want.
If you are looking at the small car category in general, and you really have no idea what you want exactly, then wait until it arrives and you can test drive it along with the other models in the category. Upside is that you haven't compromised negotiating capability, and you have a chance to see what else is around. Downside is you will have a limited selection of vehicles, and you might have to settle for "not the perfect Fit" or otherwise go on a waiting list. With 8 cars per month per dealership, it's not hopeless, but that could mean a lengthy delay.
If you are looking at getting the Fit, and you know all about it and that you really want it, then I would suggest putting down a deposit. I really want to make sure I get a manual in base trim line. I have found that manuals are not exactly "popular" in the US, so getting your hands on what you want could be slightly difficult. Upside to the deposit is that you are already in line for what you want. Downside is that you can't test drive (if you don't know already what a Fit/Jazz is like in person) and you have pretty much kissed any chance of negotiating away since the dealer knows you want it.
It's all a matter of priorities.
Colors
Apologies to fiticeland! You were correct about the Lunar Mist interior. Anyway, these are the exterior/interior colors. Some of you may know already, but all kinds of information is flying around the Internet, so I thought some clarification could be useful.
Base model:
Beige interior: Taffeta White, Lunar Mist, Milano Red
Black interior: Storm Silver, Nighthawk Black, Vivid Blue
Sport model:
Beige interior: Taffeta White
Black interior: Taffeta White, Storm Silver, Nighthawk Black, Vivid Blue, Milano Red, Blaze Orange
In the 70's I bought a then newly introduced Honda Accord for list price. I think it was $3495.00 plus tax and Lic. Within weeks Dealers were selling them for 15% over list and or loading them with every Dealer installed option there was. People were on wait lists even at the inflated prices. I wanted to get another one and add a turbo. I waited six months to get another one. When it was ready I was able to sell the one I had for $3,800 just because people couldn't get them. I think it was about 8 months old by the time I got the second car. God, what a ball it was. I used to drive from LA to Mammoth Lakes ski area and did I surprise some cars, including one cop that was at the head of a line of cars that I tried to pass all of them at one time.
It also happened with the 240Z and many others over the years. If you are really interested in getting the car, I would suggest that you get on a list (or more than one) with the written agreement that you can cancel for any reason and you can buy the car at MSRP. You will also want the doc fees spelled out, taxes and any other fees. You are then in a good position.
1, You can test drive and walk for any reason and get your money back.
2, You can offer less if you want and you will walk if your not happy and get your $ back.
3, With a couple of deposits down you can get the first one that arrives or play one off against the other.
It doesn't weaken your position it strengthens it. I predict that there will be a lot of people that will want your position.
You will not regret buying this car if your expectations are for a versital, spunky fun to drive, bigger than it is inside than out - Honda.
By the way I'm #2 in line at my dealer and it took $200 NON REFUNDABLE to reserve an early delivery....
...and how much earlier is your delivery?
I would NOT put a deposit down unless you ABSOLUTELY MUST have this car the DAY it arrives on the lot. Don't let them fool you into thinking that if you don't buy the car ASAP you'll never get it. We're not going to see Miata-esque or VW New Beatle-esque backlogs for this car.
The second they smell any kind of desperation on your part, they're going to take you to the cleaners. And make no mistake about it, there WILL be glitches in the initial product. They may not be severe, but they will make mistakes as they did with the 2006 Civic (check the board).
Granted if you're strong of will and enjoy a good tete-a-tete with a sleezeball dealer, you will not be disappointed.
But Fit is NOT an all new car like the 06 civic... it is going on 4 years production in Japan and that's where my car is coming from...
You're forgetting something though. The Civic is an ALL-NEW product for the 2006 model year. The Fit was introduced in Japan in June of 2001. It has been refined every year since. This will almost be a 5-year old product when it arrives in the United States. I can't say there won't be any problems, but I would have to think the chances are extremely slim. Most of the issues have already been worked out. In fact a magazine in Hungary did a survey of 10 000+ car owners back in December. Which car won the "Most Reliable" title? The Honda Jazz, and that's basically the car the US is getting.
There might be some "glitches" with the 5 speed automatics, being that Honda has had some trouble with the in the past and they are all new on the Fit, but the 5-speed manual is the exact same. OK, some of the ratios are different on the US market Fit, but mechanically it is identical to the one sold in Europe and Japan.
Also, most (if not all?) US Civics are made in the US and while I don't want to get into a geopolitical discussion on car manufacturing, I have found the Japanese products to be of superior quality.
When you are comparing the 2006 Civic to the 2007 Fit, you are comparing brand new US manufacturing to a nearly 5-year old Japanese product. The first year of a new generation always has problems. When was the last time a fifth year Japanese-built Honda had issues?
This car should be bulletproof.
The truth is this car will not "FIT" many American since the tiny size, may be 20 to 30 % of the people in the U.S. will fit comfortably.
This is the main reason Honda and others delay introduce econo box to the U.S. Now they have been force to. But due to the size constraint to many people in the U.S. People will feel stupid later who over paid the car and regret. It is a nice car, but many people will not "FIT" in, then the market will be limited to the "FIT" people.
So please don't help dealer on price! Dealer is going to milk out as much as it can with every new model.
Also sorry but if someone wants to make a deposit now I don't see any issue. If you don't want to fork out the $ for a certain car just don't buy it.
Keyless Remote and Foglights should be available as accessories. I say should with some hesitation. Cruise Control...I couldn't say one way or the other. That being said, it will be hard for the dealer to have your accessories by the time you FIT arrives, especially on a new vehicle. It usually takes a couple of months before all of the accessories have filled the pipleline so to speak.
Do you plan on doing a Pre-Order with a dealership or waiting until the units start hitting the ground?
Shneor
$1000 fully refundable deposit.
I can't wait to be number one off the lot in April !
Similarly, this dealership was in the process of putting their orders in today. They are receiving 2 models - 1 base and 1 sport. Apparently each dealership (not sure the region this applies to, but it came from a Honda memo) is being allotted 3 Fits, with certain combinations - 1 manual, 2 auto, or 2 sport, 1 base, etc. They also suggested the car would be available in APRIL.
Thanks for the recommendation on putting down a deposit ASAP, on my earlier post about how this would affect bargaining position. The assumption I needed to make was that I would not be bargaining - we want this car, and we do not want to wait for it, so that means we're willing to and will expect to pay the "market" price for the first buyer - MSRP.
It could be that I know nothing about buying cars (the Fit will be my first new vehicle, so Honda's strategy is working) - but for some reason I guess I assumed Fits would be available on a J.I.T. basis; the car comes out and people go to the dealer and order them. If one city needs 7 Fits, 7 are shipped there.
Of course, when I recalled based on the posts that there are only 50,000 units to go around for the year, across the whole country, and I want one right away... well, that led to the deposit.
I do wonder though if we could get any sort of a break on dealer-installed options by noting we're not eating into the dealer's profit on the car itself by haggling. That's a minor point...
We're going for the base and hoping to add keyless entry, the ipod thing, maybe cruise control or fog lights.
So, to all of our Fit-watching bretheren here, this is a very happy day for me and many of us. We are "in line" and have taken the first step to buying a Fit! We started out wishing for this car to be imported; suffered through months of mystery and speculation... and plenty still more to learn, not to mention when we get to drive it (I had a chance to in Europe over the summer).
I placed my deposit today from a Dealer who told me he got his allocation today and it was exactly one. The good news was he could order any style and color he wanted. That's going to be mine.
I've heard that Honda plans for 33,000 to 50,000 in the first year. That means about four thousand a month or less. It won't take much to cover that. In my State we have about one Honda Dealership for every 250,000 people. If Honda has 1000 dealerships that means four cars per month, on average. Sometimes you can be to tight for your own good. Buy some junk from Detroit, you'll make a hell of a deal. The lots are overflowing, take your pick.
Give them your deposit and go about your life until the build date for your FIT, re-contact the Internet Manager to see if you are on schedule.
Ordering for a later date isn't rocket science for any dealer, just make sure it's spelled out.
Hope this helps.
1) Does anyone know if the cruise control will be an option on the base model?
2) Does anyone know if the tacky underbody spoilers on the Sport model can be easily removed without leaving holes, or unpainted trim showing?
3) Does anyone have any thoughts on the 15 inch tires? What would they do to the cars fuel economy, ride, and road noise vs. the 14inch tires? (btw much cheaper to replace)
I am leaning towards the base model but those 3 items (in particular the cruise control) may force me into the sport.
One post I read stated that there were some holes in the sheet metal to attach the skirts. Also adhesive tape.
About the tires you might want to call Tire Rack and ask them for advice. They told me last week they were ordering some special wheels for the Fit.
Good luck. :shades:
The difference between the Sport and Base is reported to be under 2,000. It's not going to be possible to just choose any options for the Dealers to add on at the Dealerships. Examples are cruise control. The steering wheel on the Sport have the cruise control built in. They won't have that option. If you want automatic, only the Sport has the shift paddles located at the steering wheel. On the Ipod radio there is a booster and two extra speakers. I don't think the Dealers will change that out either.
The bundled option choices are usually a good value. The Sport has, the remote, fog lights, cruise control, alloy wheels, bigger tires, radio upgrades and the skirt package.
I would usually order the upgraded package every time. This time I plan to haul the fit behind my motor home. I need the manual to pull it four wheels down and the fit's ground clearance is effected by the skirt kits and where I'm going I would damage them. If I take the lower ones off I'm afraid I would have to do some filling and repaint so I'll pass on them, If I were you, I'd look very hard at the upgraded package in the Sport. Buy the Best and only cry once.
:shades:
Plus get the rims now. hub caps are weak and look ugly. but the steel rims are more durable. taking off parts will always leave holes. They are not meant to be removed. You could but holes and marks will remain. It looks like cruise will not be availble on the reg. car. GL :P
The rest - they want to not get beat in that segment and boost their CAFE numbers and nothing else. They really want everyone to buy the next model up. Take Toyota - their smallest "normal car" is the Matrix. It's engineered to actually be an all-in-one car without any compromises other than size. The Yaris or even the Colorrl - feel like a compromise from a design standpoint the second you sit in them. NIce, but budget.
Compare a Mini. It's exactly the opposite "feel" - it's small, clean, and fun. Too bad it's smaller than a teacup. Families and students won't actually but a Mini, because they need what the Fit offers - a true microwagon that's under $15K.
I think the Fit will sell like crazy, myself.
In my shopping, I have had some very particular specifications: Less than a foot longer than my current car (an older Miata), MPG over 30, and a back seat area that can be used as air-conditioned cargo space if necessary. Doesn't sound hard, right? That knocked my list down to the Mini Cooper, Aveo, Xb, Yaris, xA, and Fit. (I think there's a Kia, but it's not on my "how long are they" spreadsheet at the moment.)
Mini Coopers are costly for what you get. Aveo feels like it's made of legos. xB, I admit, lost due to its aesthetics. If the Yaris is more cheaply made than the Echo, I don't trust it to hold up. So that left the xA and Fit. I'm not a huge fan of the center instrument cluster, but the xA is an option. But the Fit's magic seats and safety features brought it out on top of the list.
Will I buy it when it comes in? I hope so, but if I don't care for it when I test drive, there's a Toyota dealership literally across the street with plenty of xAs in stock. The internet sales manager I worked with had a moment of not knowing what to say because he kept trying to say I had bought a car, and I kept pointing out that I had not purchased anything but had secured opportunity to buy a car once they showed up if it suited me.
So we will see what little blue Honda shows up in April. I hope it's worth the wait, but nothing is set in stone.
Viva San Antonio!!!
http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060125/FREE/60123014/1041
Also, I have a question - and suspect I might get some differing answers When I put down a deposit on the Fit last week, there was nothing in the agreement about price. My assumption is once pricing is known, we can revisit this - and I'm assuming MSRP, and/or the opportunity to negotiate (but fully expecting I'll pay around MSRP). We still need to add options, for instance, which will affect the price. The deposit puts me in line to get one of those first orders... why were some people emphasizing getting agreements with dealers to buy the car at MSRP? How would I spell that out?
Thanks
I specfically asked about the price and the dealer said the deposit guarantees me the first spot for the Fit of my choice (base 5-speed manual in Storm Silver Metallic). Final price will be determined at delivery.
About the article...
Interesting that the US Yaris will be built in France.
He is asking for a $200 refundable deposit, but also for a faxed copy of my driver license and my Social Security number. Is this normal? I never put a deposit on a new car or, in fact, bought a new car before.
For the most part, dealers don't really want to sell out of their local servicing area.
How close is the dealership to you?
The deposit is reflective of your commitment to the purchase. $200 is pretty low, we have in the past with pre-orders get $500.
I received a rather curt (rude) reply from the Internet Manager at the "President's Award" winning largest dealer in my area when I inquired about a refundable deposit!
Thanks for any thoughts on this. I appreciate your comments on this list.
I hesitate to send a ss# via fax. Phone call to a person whos name you have is safer. Fax licence is OK. Most dealers want a copy if you test drive the car; again, they are running a credit check to see what they can get.
As for dealers 'not wanting to sell outside their area', :confuse: you can usually get lower prices out of your area, since this is a "marginal profit" for that dealer. See internet sales manager, Cars.com, etc.