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Honda Fit Sport 5AT sticker was $16,705 (including dest of $635). This is the price of the car alone...I got it for $16,000.00...(including $635 destination). Nobody around could or would do that number.
Then I got taxes (in NJ 7%) plus in NJ you pay $1.50 x 4 for tire disposal..I know the car is new but that is how the state makes more money....dealer doc fee was $199.00 (reasonable considering others want up to $400) and then registration for $ years $232.00 ( another NJ trick to get their hands on more money quickly).
I am getting Honda's mats and cargo cover over the internet for almost 50% off the dealer's price.
All in all I am satified with the selling process,which was done over emails
Cathy A
Thanks for responding.
Cathy
To make things even better,the first Red Fit Sport that I tested from the lot had a squeak under the dash and I cut the test drive short and told the salesman (he heard it too) that I will NOT take this car, immediately "he said I will get another one from one of our lots in the county"....to top it all after all the paper work was done and after the new one was prep he asked me to tested "just in case something else is wrong,we can get another one nad changing the paper work will take me a minute"...what else can one ask for?
What do you think?...
Cost = 190 RMB = 28 USD including oil change.
The car was veering to the right. Steering was reset and now is OK. right front power window is still weak but works better after some cleaning up. Engine runs noticeably smoother. Service took about 90 minutes and was done well (Honda Haikou/ Hainan Island / PRC)
in feedback to earlier posts, I meet no stability issue running at 80+ with the Fit. My tires are the standard 175*14 which are doing well. If one is experiencing stability issue at this pace, may I suggest a dealer check.
I am also looking forward the new 09/10 FIT, while I won't be a short term buyer as I simply don't have the cash to handle it. It looks very desirable thought.
Some comments about equipment
my Fit already has Sunroof, Driver seat height adjustment, simple board computer and a CVT that is working very well. I simply can't encompass why Honda would not offer those options for the N/A market. Really no R&D to invest, everything is there already.
I read somewhere that the US fit would not have full spare tire. I may be misunderstood, but I thought all Fit could accomodate a full spare tire. Mine has one.
I think the Fit could be a fair competitor to the mini if it had access to more upscale
options such as GPS, Leather and a richer interior trimming. But the highest on my wish list would be, like for BMW, a turbocharged version of the 1.5. With a few Direct injection gimmics, I am sure we could keep similar mileage with 150HP. I am convinced the Fit has enough road handling ability to manage such a power.
In China, many people like to have big car to show off. The Fit is very popular too. With the increasing congestion and parking space issue I am always satisfied by my choice.
as you can tell, i'm impressed with how detailed your reviews are.
However I worked in London and Dublin 10 years ago, so I really have no merit at all. This car is well engineered and makes talking about it easy. I even considered shipping it back to Europe when I leave China. but this does make little financial sense
5AT - base car-not a Sport, with 5 speed shiftable automatic transmission?
Sport - Sport with a manual transmission?
Sport 5AT - Sport with a 5 speed shiftable automatic transmission?
Anything else I should consider dealing about?
The floor mats are the same for both Base and Sport. The OEM mats are about $100 if bought directly from a dealership, but you can find them on the 'net for much less. Try here, for instance:
http://www.collegehillshonda.com/honda_fit_accessories/07_08_fit_interior_access- ories.htm
eBay is another good place to search for the OEM floor mats.
You can get the Honda mats and the trunk cover (very handy) for close to 50%...I paid $67 for the mats and $110 for the cover)
Here is the place..www.bernardiparts.com
They got all Honda products including extended warranty...
Please note that the Honda mats will requiere you to do some work installing the hooks for the anti-slipping mats..
manual or auto?
..from what I found $16,000 inc destination is about $123 below invoice...good luck...you will love the Fit...I do....
Problems NONE. Complaints NONE. I LOVE MY FIT!!
Overall this has been an enjoyable experience with little trouble-most of them not relative to the car quality. If we don't use A/C, even in city, we managed to get about 7L/100 (35 MPG I think) .
The car was regulary used up to capacity (5 people inside and full boot) and did not disappoint. If I did not move out , I would have kept this car for a long time.
mileage stand at 37K KM, that is about 25K miles. the car is looking nearly new, except from peeling varnish from the alloy rims and very minor scratches on the bumper. The dealer installed leather trim is wearing off for some areas. It costed about 400 USD to setup so I don't really care that much. All the rest is doing OK and engine looks well broken-in.
When I am back in Europe, I wonder what I could buy for this same amount of money. there will be some micro cars like Citroen C1 or Hyundai Atos or Daihatsu Sirion with 1L engines. Those cars have only city abilty and offer only a fraction of the enjoyment, power, interior accomodation and comfort, so I guess i may go for a second-hand car.
If so, don't they sell Fit's in europe? :confuse:
This is representing nearly half of its second hand value and for this price I can already buy a modest car in France.
The other point would be maintenance. The Chinese FIT is sold by Honda in Europe, but not the 1.5L model. What would happen if some 1.5 specific parts needed to be exchanged. I guess the honda workshops won't have 1.5 repair reference guide /manual so I speculate that there is a potential long term upkeep issue.
I already have some old cars handy in France. a 1978 Citroen ami 8 (602cc , 32 hp)
and a 1997 Peugeot 605. if really in trouble, I can borrow my mother's 1999 Nissan primera SW. I have wheels, so everything is pretty OK. I just need to work harder to spoil myself again with a car made in this century.
548 miles in 2 days.
The Fit is not my designated "freeway flyer" - the larger, quieter, albeit lower gas mileage Versa fills that roll. But I headed out the door with the wrong keys in my pocket and so the Fit got to "fit" that role this weekend.
I got 39.44 mpg on the first refill, in Truckee, at about 254 miles (I had about 40 miles on the tank from my work commute when I left). My second refill was this morning at 330 miles and I got 36.67 mpg. I think the Truckee refill might have been a little light, and the Oakland refill a little heavy - there is a very slight variation on how aggressively the automatic shut off nozzles work. I think the Truckee one shut off a little easier, and the Oakland one a little later, than the pumps at the stations I usually use. I have a pretty keen sense of how long it should take for the needle to start coming off the "full mark," and after the Truckee fill it came off a little earlier. whereas I drove 40 miles to work this morning and the needle is still on "extra full." I suspect my next refill, at my normal station, will be a little higher than average mpg based on the fill variation.
That having been said, the mileage is remarkably consistent - 38 mpg average for the two days, vs. 36-38 per tank from my commute plus side trips to the gym.
What's remarkable is that the Fit delivered the stellar mileage of the past two days despite these "negatives" affecting fuel economy:
1. High speed up to Truckee - traffic was flowing 75-80 mph, vs 65-75 on my commute with some 50 mph flow. Higher speeds tend to burn up more gas, which is generally disguised by the fact that a constant high speed usually returns better gas mileage than lower speeds which more speed variations.
2. Hill climbing the 6,000 feet up to Truckee.
3. The next tank, loading up the car with my friends (220 pound guy, his 100 pound wife) and using throttle much more aggressively to maintain performance with the much heavier load. Also some aircon, since they complain about the temperature more than me. Also back up the grade from Reno to Truckee with them and the aircon.
4. 20 miles of thunderstorms and hail.
5. Back down on the flat lands, a lot of heat to the point where even I needed a lot of aircon, cycyling it on and off. (The aircon on the Fit is very strong, much better than my Echo or Scion xA.)
6. High speeds on the return too.
So my 38.055 average mpg is pretty darn good. Don't forget Cali uses 10% ethanol (during winter months only? not sure) which cuts down available mpg. I really wonder what kind of mpg this would get on the flats, at 65 mph, no rain or wind, no air con. My guess is close to 40 mpg.
Ok. The more interesting question. Is the Fit "freeway worthy?" How does it handle a 3 person plus shopping goodies plus trip stuff load?
First, the Fit is much more freeway worthy than I thought. Here are my observations:
(i) The car is very stable. It might FEEL twitchy, but that is because the steering is VERY responsive. Once you learn to have a more stable hand on the wheel, you discover a lot of the car's freeway twitchiness is due to the driver's inputs, not due to any inability of the car to hold a straight line.
(ii) The car is susceptible to cross winds. Yeah, we all know when there is a lot of wind and a gust hits a light car, you will have to input a steering correction - feels like you are "bumped." But with the Fit, you often don't feel "bumps," but the car suddenly feels - twitchy. So there is that twitchiness again - and if you feel the car is skittish, check the foliage on the side of the road and see is there are some cross winds.
(iii) The car runs easily at 80. It runs more easily at 80 at 2,000 miles than it does at 500 miles. The engine is small, tight, and high performing, and the engine noise and any residual "boom" go away as it wears in. It is NOT "buzzy" as was the Scion xA. You don't feel like you need to shift it up a gear, although looking at the tach you probablyl think you should.
(iv) The car feels VERY solid and stable with passengers and light cargo load. It ISN'T limited to singles or light duty. I can't guarantee it will be so good with four football players in it, but two adults and a kid would be a breeze. It also has plenty of space - although this is incredibly small from the inside, I didn't feel "crowded" by my 6'2" friend. His wife was comfortable, with plenty of space, in the back seat behind him OR me (I'm the short one).
(v) The single largest source of noise in the car, at freeway speeds, is the roar of the tires. When I hit a patch of newly resurfaced freeway, the noise level dropped significantly - very significantly. I would upgrade tires in a minute if I could be certain the replacement tires were quieter, but I'm afraid the tire noise is only partly due to the tires, most of it is coming in due to "light" sound insulation (I say this based on comparing, in memory, the noisiness of the factory Dunlops to the factory and after-market tires I put on my other cars). But the wind roar is minimal, and the engine noise is minimal.
In absolute terms, I'd rate the noise level in the Fit, compared to other cars I've owned, like this:
2 Ford Focus, old version, also PT Cruiser, VW Golf (2001 and 2004)
3 Caliber, Scion xA
4 Fit
5 Versa, Cobalt
6 Impala
7 Odyssey
Where the higher number is better.
Ironically, the biggest single negative on my extended road trip was the lack of speed control, to give my right leg a periodic opportunity to stretch out and rest.
How do I compare the Fit to Versa (I've already taken the Versa to L.A.)? The Versa is quieter and the cruise control is wonderful, but the car doesn't feel any more "solid." The Fit gets about 6 mpg more than the Versa, which is significant! The Versa cost about $3k less than the Fit, which is significant! So it's a toss-up at this point.
However, if the 2009 addresses some of the current Fit's minor shortcomings (firm ride, freeway "twitchiness") it should hit the proverbial ball out of the park.
Great post, I may be transferring to a job with a 30 mile commute and the Fit is at the top of the list for my commuter. 98% of the commute will be hyw miles so a vehicle that is comfortable and gets great hyw mileage is key.
The Fit is perfectly suitable for long highway stretches. However I guess its taller size is cause for lower MPG from 80 mph on, compared to flatter cars (Civic I guess)
cruising at 80mph /130km/h is done with just above 3000rpm, which makes it good to live with. I guess the manual is much shorter.
as a side note, my 1997 Peugeot 605 3.0 V6 with its outdated 4spd Automatic has its tallest gear at 25mph/1000 rpm, which is comparatively short and makes high speed highway journey not so relax.
The replacement for my MDX has to be able to perform this function.
ALERT: Honda plans hybrid version of Fit
TOKYO -- Honda's fuel-sipping Fit will turn an even deeper shade of green with new plans to launch a gasoline-electric hybrid version of the popular subcompact in the early 2010s.
The hybrid Fit, announced here early today, will be the fourth hybrid from Honda Motor Co. by 2015, as the Japanese automaker chases rival Toyota Motor Corp. in the low-emission car race.
Honda already was planning to roll out an all new dedicated hybrid vehicle early next year, to challenged Toyota's Prius, followed by a sporty hybrid and a redesigned Civic hybrid.
The greener Fit's arrival dispels Honda's earlier skepticism about the viability of mounting pricey hybrid systems on small, low-priced cars that already get great mileage.
You may have to register to view the whole article, but here's a link:
http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080521/ANA02/384600549/1186- - /emailblast02&refsect=emailblast02
The best part is their target cost is under $2000.
Hopefully sooner.
By that time, Honda will have released at least four (4) distinct hybrid models. One (1), Civic Hybrid, is of course already out. No. 2, an all-new hybrid small car (not Fit), will be released in early 2009. The Fit Hybrid is planned for an early 2010 release, per Mr. Fukui's speech.
with folded seats, I could move really a lot of stuff, and I think the Fit is class leading in this respect.
I went to 4 or 5 dealers, and just out of curiosity I looked at the m5, the price impressed me it's a mini van with all you can get and in 2009 gets better, adding more features which will really cause a rise in sales. Consumer Report rates it # 1 overlooked vehicle - because of the out of state territorial taxes this vehicle at base is a $20,500 deal, the grand touring is a $23,500 deal. Just to give you an idea my honda fit sport manual with the extended warranty comes out to $23,500 plus the $460 I paid for the perm a plate treatment. The price for it was $18,995 (Puerto Rico) and the Virgin Islands is even worst. Now the 2009 addresses and correct the flaws reported by consumer reviews and the fit will be perfect. With 119 horsepower and more rear seat space no other carmaker will catch up with it. The 2009 fit is go. Now the 2010 is expected to be a hybrid, so for those who have a fit can make plans to sell, trade and upgrade. And those looking for the pound by pound champion vehicle nail their perfect new purchase. My wife wants the 2009 M5 Mazda and it's obvious we are a family of 5, I'm happy because the 4 cylinder 2008 Rav4 sport ($28,500) is no longer what she wants. Besides theirs always space on the m5 for our friends or my 10 yr old son team mates. It's a mini van which averages 31 mpg, and it's practical for all purposes. So for now I'm going to wait out the 2010 hybrid fit, trade in my 2008. And my wife get's her zoomzoom 2009 m5 which I suggest you guys with a small family don't overlook because it's the best deal out there. If you go to a Mazda dealer you might see the 2008 m5, and just like we did you will fall in love with it. Hold on though, the 2009 corrects rode noise, adds automatic sliding doors and just like the 2009 fit will have GPS. The engine is a 4 cylinder 153 hp it will also be improved to save more gas in 2009. Our previous vehicle's; 2 1999 Rav4's, I had the 2 door base model with a manual transmission and she had the 4 door automatic (24 mpg average). Now she's holding on to a 1999 tercel auto her mother sold us untill the 2009 m5 comes out. We sold both Rav4's and banked it for her next purchase. Good luck on your next purchase.
BTW, my car is a Forester so it's nice to have Juice show up here in the Fit room.
I basically concluded that it's the perfect city car. Room is amazing for the exterior size. We had 5 people (3 adults, 2 kids) in it the whole time and never felt squeezed.
Cargo room is only decent, though, if all seats are in use. To bring luggage home from the airport we had to use trunks from other cars. It's also a little buzzy on the highway compared to my brother's Civic, but I'd say it's actually smoother than my sister-in-law's Citroen Xsara Picasso, which seems worn out.
It's just about the easiest car to drive that you can find, too. Good visibility, light controls, small and light.
In Brazil the trim is very, very basic. So cheap plastics, peach fuzz headliner, no lining on any bins or anything like that, but everything is well finished and had held together nicely.
Hers is the 1.4l engine and she says it doesn't use any more fuel that the Fiat Palio 1.0l it replaced. It's obviously much quicker, though.
Overall she's quite happy with it and it's a far superior car vs. the Fiat.
Took it to the dealer, at first they told me that's how they are suppose to work without even checking, I showed them the page in the manual. It took 2 guys to check a variety of things (like I did) with the same result, they don't work intermittently. I went to the waiting room, they said they checked another 2008 Fit and the rear wiper works the same way, no intermittent mode ... "so that's the way they are suppose to work" ...
How does yours work?
At 21CuFt of cargo space behind the back seats, it has more cargo space then the trunk of most full-sized cars.
Basically you have to fold the seats to carry any large items at all.
If the items are stackable you might be able to cram it in.
So it's better at carrying multiple small items that are stackable vs. one single large item.
So basically just take two carry-on bags instead of one large suitcase. Given United is now charging $50 for your 2nd checked-in bag, this may not be a bad idea regardless of what you drive.
As crammed as it was, I could still see out the back window (for which our wiper performs intermittently) and we were still averaging 34 MPG.
We stopped in Asheville for a couple of days and I took an early morning trip up and down Town Mountain Road. With the electronic steering and paddle shifters, it was one of life's great thrills!
The only problem is the tires it comes with are 185/55R/16 and we get a ton of snow here and non snow tires are not workable.
The snow tires are 195/55R16 but no one, not the dealer nor the tire stores know if you can put that size tire on the 2009 Fit. I like to use Nokian WRG2 tires which work awesome all year round.
Does anyone have any experience with tires on their 2009 Fit Sport that are other than stock size?
Thanks
You should be fine, but there are no "guarantees."
Try Tyre and Wheel Bible to check the effect on the odometer and speedometer, which is negligible.
You should be fine, but there are no "guarantees."
Well I called Honda Customer support and they were more interested in pawning the problem off on the dealer than being helpful. So I called my former dealers parts dept and they said it should be no problem at all.
The other dealer didn't want to comment on it.
It's only 10mm difference so it's not that big a deal, but lawsuits abound so I guess that's the way it is. I'm going to get the 195/55R16's and they will be my year round tire. $600 with mounting and balancing and they are a 50,000 mile snowflake rated tire. I really like these tires even in the summer.
Thanks for the advice
"Well I called Honda Customer support and they were more interested in pawning the problem off on the dealer than being helpful."
It's because Honda doesn't want to become the dealer of first and last resort. They figure they are paying the dealers to provide services like this, but then the dealers are often inconsistent and erratic.
Personally I think manufacturers should be allowed to open company run stores. Then the public can decide whether they like the franchised dealers or company stores better. Seems to have worked for Apple.
"Well I called Honda Customer support and they were more interested in pawning the problem off on the dealer than being helpful."
It's because Honda doesn't want to become the dealer of first and last resort. They figure they are paying the dealers to provide services like this, but then the dealers are often inconsistent and erratic.
Make no mistake I called them after the dealer was very non-committal and Honda was even worse.
Big mistake offering an oddball tire size! A 205/??/16 would have been far better, a bit wider but so what. Also the new Fit doesn't handle as well as the old model and I'm certain it's the tires. Mine is due in this week or early next.
The dealers should know but who can you call when they don't? No one, because everyone is afraid of lawsuits and Honda will not commit to a change in tire size not affecting the warranty :confuse:
So you're on your own if something goes wrong and they can link it to the tires in any way.
Plan to call the dealer and take it back in, but will be more persistent than just a reset.
You're most likely to rub (if at all) when the front wheel is turned and you hit a bump, so the suspension compresses or rebounds all the way. The tire might rub the wheel well liner, basically.
Still, 10mm and 5.5mm are tiny amounts. Honda must have left a little wiggle room in the wheel well.
I had some body work done on a Miata and they attached the wheel well liner incorrectly, so for a little while it rubbed. They fixed it, and there was no real harm to the tire or the liner, FWIW.
I think it would be OK. Honda is just avoiding a liability, basically, but the industry says a 3% variance is OK on tire diameter when you Plus One, for instance, and that snow tire falls within that tolerance.
I've now had another dealer tell me to buy the 205/50R/16 instead as it's a wee bit wider but virtually the same height. Funny thing is the first dealr said no, use a 195. The Tire calculator says
185/55R16
Section Width: 7.28 in
Overall Diameter: 24.01 in
Sidewall Height: 4.00 in
Radius: 12.00 in
Circumference: 75.42 in
Revs per Mile: 866.3
195/55R16
Section Width: 7.67 in
Overall Diameter: 24.44 in
Sidewall Height: 4.22 in
Radius: 12.22 in
Circumference: 76.78 in
Revs per Mile: 851.0
205/50R16
Section Width: 8.07 in
Overall Diameter: 24.07 in
Sidewall Height: 4.03 in
Radius: 12.03 in
Circumference: 75.61 in
Revs per Mile: 864.1
Ok so the way it looks to me based on the numbers. The 205 is much closer in size to the 185 than the 195 is.
it's section width is quite a bit bigger tho.
But based on the numbers, I might get the 205's.
The tire dealer doesn't want to put on anything other than 185's. :sick: