I'll be buying a Fit this year, and am considering buying from a dealer that is in-state but most definitely not local (300mi away).

Is there any downside? I won't be interested in any service contracts (which I'm sure the local guys would sell me anyway..) but is there any concern about getting warranty work done at a different dealer than the one that sold it to you?

Or any other downsides?

 

I bought my Fit about 110 miles north in "the Cities" (Minneapolis St. Paul) because it was $500 or so cheaper there. I get it serviced in town (6 minute drive) by our local Honda dealer. There are no issues in having them do any work under warranty, even though I bought it at another dealership. If anything, the service is better being a smaller dealer. I had a good experience with them when this happened:

2012 Fit AT Fluid Leak

So it is safe to say that you should be able to buy wherever you choose, and get it warrantied/serviced locally with no issues.

 

You should purchase your Fit where ever you choose. If you have any issues with your vehicle, all Honda dealers are required to honor the original factory or Honda Care VSC warranties.

Refrain from purchasing any products which may only be serviced at the dealer delivering your vehicle.

Begin to search your local area for a quality service center to perform your regular maintenance. You're not required to have service performed at a dealership and it's nice if you can find a quality facility staffed with former Honda techs.

 

Some dealers offer freebies for service on the cars they sell, but that's a dealer offer, not Honda. Stuff like free loaner cars (but remember, "tanstaafl" rules)

It makes absolutely no difference where you take it for warranty service after you buy.

 

If you show up and the car turns out to not be exactly what you wanted, then you may feel forced into a purchase you didn't want to do as you are already invested in your travel to get there.
Also if you forgot some paperwork or other thing at home, you might be screwed until that gets settled.

I will suggest to be sure to discuss your plans with your sales rep your plan to ensure all the paperwork is settled and prepared and reviewed prior to you travelling, to ensure it gets done in 1 trip.

I hope though that the savings is significant enough to make your time and travel worth it though...

The Fit is a very simple to maintain; and there is no hassle to do your service at your local dealer-including warranty service. They will actually welcome you as they're winning your business from their peer competitors.

 

Thanks everyone.

If I did this, it would be because the wife of my best buddy from high school sells Hondas in another city. I could get in a visit with them, buy the car from her, and drive it home.

Per your post, raytseng, I'd definitely need to make sure everything is nice and settled before the trip, my relationship with this gal's hubby would pretty much guarantee straight dealing on her part.

 

Straight Talk. Expert Answers. Trusted Dealers.
Factory Vehicle Warranties

It is your dealer with whom you interact when your vehicle needs a repair that is covered by any manufacturer’s warranty. Not all automakers handle warranty repairs exactly the same, but generally here is the way things work.

Although it is a complicated process, I will do my best to make it simple.

Let’s call the car manufacturer Acme Automaker just for simplicity sake. Acme Automaker builds a vehicle and sells it to Roadrunner Auto Sales (your dealer). Roadrunner Auto Sales then sells the vehicle to a consumer. At the time of purchase, it is explained what your warranty coverage is for the vehicle you purchased. One of the main things you need to understand is that it is Acme Automaker, the manufacturer of your vehicle, that is responsible for, administers your warranty coverage, and pays for your repairs, not the dealership.

Given that, what is the responsibility of the dealer, Roadrunner Auto Sales? It is simply to make the repairs as prescribed by the manufacturer of the vehicle. This is one of the biggest challenges dealers face today…how do they make you (their customer) happy, while at the same time get the manufacturer (Acme Automaker) to pay the bill? You can see the problem here for the dealers.

So, you have a problem pop up with your car, either major or minor and you return to the service department of a dealership. You just want your car fixed, but the dealer also wants to be reimbursed by the factory for making the repairs, so there are complex procedures that have to be followed with every repair order that is written on your car. If the dealer does not do everything exactly right, it doesn’t get paid for performing the repair.

Most people think it is the dealership that decides what is a covered repair and what is not, but that is not true. It is all laid out by the manufacturer. On the other side of the coin, the manufacturer opens itself up to abuse by some dealers who would cheat the system if not for the rules set forth by the warranty policy manual.

The dealers are always stuck in the middle on warranty repairs, they have to please you so you will come back and continue to do business with them AND they have to satisfy the entity paying the bill, which is the manufacturer that built the car.

Luckily, for most dealership customers, the process of getting your vehicle fixed and all the “behind the scenes” paperwork and computer entries are transparent, but sometimes the dealership has to call the factory for approval before the work can be done, especially with extended warranties. If the factory declines, the customer will generally get mad at the dealership.

It is also noteworthy to mention that the factory pays the dealership very well for work performed, but only once. If you take your car back for the same problem, the dealer generally eats the second and subsequent repair costs. This can be why cars sometimes have to be taken back multiple times for the same repair. If the technician is not very good, or inexperienced, it can be a real issue for the customer.

Since dealers are paid well to perform warranty work, the dealers welcome you with open arms no matter where you bought your vehicle. That is a little different than it was some years ago.

I hope this gives you a little insight into what dealers go through to repair your car under the factory warranty. It is not easy, but the goal is to keep both the consumer and the factory happy.