I bought my VIN etching for $30 US from a mail order company in Canada. Go to VINGUARD VIN Etching Kit - Do It Yourself VIN Window Etching Kit Vehicle Security System

 

If I really want the etching, I'd go with Sherlock which is recommended by the APA (Automotive Protection Agency in Canada). This can be done through Speedy Auto Glass but I'm not sure of cost. Well, I can pretty much guarentee that it would be less than the $399 the dealer was going to charge me! Still can't believe they slid that into my contract and never mentioned it to me. Good thing I noticed it and had the charge removed before the car arrives!

 

Most salesman are evil. That is why you need to be armed when you face one. They like to play the "If they don't know, don't tell them" card.

 

You said it! This is just my second car purchase. My first (2004 Mazda3 Sport GT) I financed through my bank and did not have a trade-in. So, very straight-forward deal. This time I traded-in (for first and last time...what a rip off!) AND financed through Honda. Well, it took ALL day Thursday but the papers were finally signed. Um, ok the CAR isn't here but everything is in place.

So, being very gullible and all, I got swindled into the Final coat package (electronic rust module, paint sealant, fabric protection) for $995 (over $302 in savings...lucky me!) and didn't notice the "security package" at $399 they slid in there. Now, being not STUPID and all, I had the paint sealant, fabric protection, and security package removed from the contract the following day. That left the electronic rust module.

The only reason I left that (cost $699, thank you very much) was due to a friend's recommendation (she owns 2 older Hondas). Well, I've spent a few hours researching this online and, general concensus would be that it is ALSO a scam! I'm much better off getting my car Krown rustproofed yearly. Yes, it costs $125 with taxes, but for the cost of that module that would cover 6 years of Krown applications! AND it is a proven formula, endorsed by the APA.

So, poor guy, have to contact my Honda dealer yet again to get the $699 fee (plus taxes) removed from my contract. That will leave me with ZERO dealer add-ons.... phew! Quite the learning process. Hope no one else falls for these cash grabs or at least realizes they are scams before their cars arrive....

 

I sympathize with the difficulties that you guys/girls in Canada have in finding an honest deal in a car purchase (but I'm also happy to find out that not all of the crooked car salesmen are in California).

A buddy of mine took early retirement from a major corporation, and after a few months became bored. He decided to confirm his own dark suspicions about the nature of car sales as a new career. He applied for a salesman's position at a Dodge dealership here in Northern CA, was hired, and went through a two week training course. This confirmed every negative suspicion, and showed him virtually all of the scams involved. At the end of the course he was congratulated about the successful completion of the course, and was asked to fill out the work schedule sheet indicating what days of each week he would work at the dealership.

Not being a "polite Canadian", he said "f*ck you- I quit!!!!" and left. But now he knows all of the tricks, and never gets screwed when he goes car shopping.

 

...smart guy!

Great. Now considering accessory #15 since I removed the $699 electronic module. Is a car cover adviseable since I don't garage my car? I'm in Canada so you have to figure I can't use it for about 5 months of the year due to snow. What is the pricing on this, if anyone knows off hand?

 

I can only comment on the OEM cover that I bought for my '07. GREAT quality and fit, and is very effective against paint damage from bird droppings, tree sap, and general dust and grit. But it is useless in rain and snow (obviously)- what do you do with your soaked or frozen car cover until it is clear and warm enough to dry it out? I bought mine from an eBay vendor for around $150. and do not regret the purchase.

 

Well College Hill lists the retail value at $235 so I figure my dealer in Canada would sell it for about $330. Yup, accessory list cut off at 14 it is! I'm very meticulous with keeping my car clean so have no worries about bird droppings, etc. being on my car long enough to damage the paint...

 

Sucks for me here in BC. I hear good things about WarrantyDirect, but they are not operating here yet. May just have to suck it up and pay the dealer. You should check it out since it is available in Ontario.

 

If you don't mind the extra time and work, regular washing will save a lot of money and/or damage. Keep in mind that there are also many brands of non-custom/generic covers that will work for your Fit. They can cost much less than the Honda OEM one, but can also cost much more depending upon your choice and your belief in the advertising claims about quality/price justification. Good luck.

 

You guys are a bad influence you know! Yeah so I checked it out and on a 5 year/136,000 km $0 deductible extended warranty cost is $1148. Think my dealer was offering for around $1050 and then offered to take another $100 off when I wasn't swayed. Guess this was a decent price (for once!) I travel about 28,000 km/year, hence the 5 year/136,000 km plan would be best for me....

 

Well, I'm fanatic about keeping my car clean so think I'll stick with the hard manual labor! Removing the $699 will now lower my payments so I'll be content with that and not try to find another accessory to add...

 

Same with me! I cant stand seeing any dirt on or in the car. I have a lint brush for the seats and a micro-fibre cloth for the dash/plastic.

Congrats on your new car. Look forward to seeing some pics!

 

Oh I have a basket full of supplies and have been known to spend 5 hours on a full wash/wax/interior job. That's what was so aggravating. My blue Mazda3 Sport GT (fully loaded, 2004 year) is in MINT condition, perfect working order (run on synthetic, perfect Mazda servicing history) and Honda offered me, get this, $5200!!!!!!! Ok, it does need a new set of 17" tires but that amount was ridiculous given the perfect condition of the car. Needless to say, I returned with my big brother in tow and got that situation rectified pretty quick. End result was Tidewater LX to Orange Sport. Happy camper...

Don't worry, the minute I take ownership (after tinting, installation of starter/block heater, etc., etc.) I'll be posting tons of pictures here. Still no posts from a new Orange Revolution owner so I'm gunning to be the first!

 

Haha, ive been known to take almost that long to fully detail my car. What's funny is that it wasnt really that dirty...im just too picky with my cars.

$5200 is a slap in the face! Definetly should sell yourself. Yours being a top-of-the-line GT...an 04 depending on the kms should range from 12-15 grand. What I would do is find someone to buy your Mazda and use that as a trade-in towards your new Fit. You will save on the taxes since the trade in applies first before they add the taxes. Thats what I always do.

 

I agree. Went in expecting $10,000 (based on realistic Canadian Black Book Values) and was offered $5200! The car really couldn't be in better condition. Anyhow, I did end up trading it in with Honda after my brother had a lengthy conversation with the dealer. Needless to say, the value went up to a more acceptable level and end result was that I got into a Sport! Never really did anticipate buying a Sport until I saw the wheels on the LX THEN saw the pictures of the Orange Revolution . THEN I found out Sudbury had an unsold Orange Sport automatic coming in next week and it was a lock...

 

Yeah, I feel your pain about your trade in. My ordeal is a bit too complicated to describe here, but I ended up trading in my 08 Accord for a lot less than I wanted. Thing is, as a 6MT car and with the holidays approaching, I feared it would take forever to sell and I wanted to jump on the Fit they had rolling off the truck at the dealer. AND I ended up getting 2 security systems, which my insurance will offset the cost, but still, when I saw the actual price of the systems I felt like kicking myself in the face.

Lessons learned, never to be repeated.

Upside - gorgeous 09 Fit Sport. And I'm lovin' it!!

 

Just to confirm that the Honda warranty is bumper-to-bumper because that is what you want. Honda may only be offering Powertrain alone and not include Wear 'n Tear which i believe is just as important if not more so.

 

I look forward to seeing your new Orange Fit! I drove by a dealership today not really expecting anything but they had 7 Fits ranging from DX to Sport all with "Sold" signs on them including 2 Sherbet Blues. It was hard to tell whether it's Pearl but the color is actually very cool. It is a very very light Baby Blue and depending on lighting and angle looks very very light purple too.

Still have not seen the Purple or Orange in person yet.

 

I got the Honda Plus "extended owner comfort" plan. It IS bumper-to-bumper, $0 deductible, and includes roadside assistance for the duration of the plan. I got the 5 year/130,000 km plan (since I do about 28,000 km/year) for $918 ($100 off the listed price of $1018). I have a brochure that shows all that is covered and this includes: engine, engine-electric, engine-cooling, engine-emissions, steering, transaxle/transmission, fuel-system, suspension, cruise control, brakes, ABS, elecctrical, security system, clutch, heater & AC, doors and body. In other words, bumper-to-bumper with very few exceptions. The brochure shows you exactly what is covered under the 3 year/60,000 km and 5 year/100,000 km warranties then what the Comprehensive (i.e. Honda Plus) program extends.