Interesting ideas Bill Thanks

Still disappointed on the Eco part.

Has anyone seen what the 09 Fit EPA info will read for the MT. Many of us Eco types are praying they gear it to lower the high RPM's down.
The MT is over 3000 at MPH now

 

We do get the nav unit, and if you don't like the redesigned front end, take it up with the US government (NHTSA?)

 

SAE info says no change.

 

well guys just took the first standard test for the 2009 fit today at work. heres what I learned today and not sure if anyone has..
1. complete new body and interior
2. new subframe that should be more stable but u guys will see how hard it would be for an engine swap.
3.engine is the exact same except for the i-vtec head yielding 117 horses
4. no exhaust manifold...its integrated into the head just like the new civic (yuck)
5. new fuse box under hood but heres the thing, if one fuse blows, u have to replace the whole damn box....$$$
6. fuse panel under dash just pull down tray and and pull towards u and viola.
7. cool thing, a usb cable part in glove box for ipods, mp3, or flashdrives. when hooking up an ipod, u can control the ipod through dash controls (i like that) note: not all ipods are supported
8. exact same transmissions offered with no changes.
9. the last thing i can think of and another thing i hate...it has a reverse gear throttle control....when u put the car into reverse it wont let u slam the gas down in reverse for "safety" issues lol. the test even said were most likely gonna get complaints about that lmfao. if they knew that they shoulda left it out!!

thhose are the few things i figured some ppl would wanna know but if i can think of anything i forgot or learn anything new ill try to let yall know.

 

So if I have this right, you just tested the 09 Fit and you're not going to tell us how it handles besides in reverse? Besides that, it seems like the 09 fit is old/current fit except with a different body and it's harder to modify.

 

He didn't actually drive the 09 Fit.

 

Excuse my ignorance, but is the first standard test a test to be certified to work on the 09 fit? Because if that's the case, you can completely ignore my previous post.

 

Just because fuel-efficient cars are in demand right now doesn't necessarily mean that Honda's got you by the balls. The "S" in "MSRP" means "Suggested," not "Actual." It's a suggestion because you can negotiate a lower price point.

Buying a car is all about economics and psychology. The salesperson wants to create a feeling that he/she is in control of the transaction, when in reality, the buyer has all the power. The salesperson doesn't want to lose a sale to another dealership. They don't want you to go to another Honda dealership and basically give their commission to somebody else. They also don't want you to go out and pick up a Versa or a Yaris.

My point is this: only suckers pay sticker price. Honda knows that a lot of the faithful are waiting for this car, and they're taking advantage of it by locking people into paying MSRP. Sure, you may not get a 4-digit figure shaved off your price, but a few hundred wouldn't be out of the question.

 

I agree with most of what you are saying, in most situations. However, the actual salesperson has very little control over how much they can sell the car for. The real decision maker is the general manager. If the general manager knows that they will sell every single Fit they can get in the door at or above msrp, then the "going to another dealership" tactic doesn't carry as much weight.

You are going to have a tough time negotiating even a few hundred off the msrp of an 09 before they even hit the lots. After they have been out a bit, the dealership has cleaned off their waiting list, and you can find a dealer with a few sitting on the lot it will be easier for sure.

As you said it is all about economics, high demand vehicles with short supply transfers most of the buyers advatage back the dealer until the supply catches up with the demand. e.g. anytime a new Corvette comes out.

 

I do get what you're saying, but they're going to be making a lot of Fits. I really don't foresee them running out. How I've bought cars in the past is this: find out what the dealer paid for the car, then add 4-8%. It's really that simple; it's the mindgame that gets tricky. And the whole "I have to check with my manager" thing...it's all part of the dance. Going back to the psychology element, the salesperson is wanting that commission. They want to sell you that car. They don't want you to leave; not for the good of the dealership or Honda, but for themselves. Even if the salesperson knows the Fits will sell, he/she still wants to BE THE ONE selling them, even if it means negotiating.

You're also right about one's bargaining power when pre-ordering a vehicle. However, I don't intend to be waiting in line at the dealership the moment they're delivered to the dealership. I'll wait a bit, let the fervor die down, and get a good deal.

You're totally right, they'll sell the Fits, but after they exhaust that supply, they'll order more. Product releases like this do such a great job at making you think they'll be in short supply.

Oh, and one last thing, if I intended to by a Fit at sticker price, I might as well spring for the Civic.

 

I am aware of the other side of the sales process, but what I quoted from you above was the point of my post. You will have to wait at least a couple months before you can get a "good deal" that is very much below msrp on the new model. It is not just for those pre-ordering, it is for anyone trying to buy to buy a popular new model in the first few months it comes out.

Not sure if you are aware of the shortage of Fits this past year, but Honda is boosting the allotment by 20,000 units for the 09 model.

Honda boosts 2009 Fit production to 80,000 for U.S. | Automotive News Blog - Wide Open Throttle

Thankfully, I am able to get my cars at true dealer cost through a friend that is an executive at a large multiple dealership group. For me the Fit will be a work car, and an Accord or Civic is not an option unless they brought back the hatch.

 

Want to be my friend .....

 

You need to be friends with my buddy, not me! His company has over 60 dealerships with almost all the different brands. Certainly makes it easy for me at car buying time!

 

oh and no it wasnt a test drive it was servicing the fit. when ur a technician, honda sends out mandatory tests when a new car comesout so we know what we need to know to work on them. so ill keep u guys updated.
all in all im not too sure about the new fit...tehy changed alot of things here and there that are unnecessary. but it all comes down to how it is in person, so we shall see..

oh and another cool thing i forgot is the 09 also has VSA (vehicle stability control) which u are able to turn on or off at anytime. again, ill keep posting more features as i learn about them

 

Hmmm! 4 to 8% is about the same or higher then the normal dealer markup on Fits! 8% would give the dealer more than MSRP.

 

I guess I'm a "sucker" for paying sticker price, but everybody's situation is different. I could've bought an Altima for under invoice, but I opted to pay MSRP for the Fit. My family needs a car soon. If I had the luxury of playing the waiting game for months after the '09's are out, perhaps I could've saved some money. A friend of mine hates Honda because of this issue, insisting that saving 1000's of dollars on his Hyundai makes much more financial sense. When I bought my '02 Accord coupe in the last year before Honda changed the body, I paid thousands under MSRP. At this time, as I write this, no such deal exists for the '09 Fits in my area....

 

SWEET! This is great news, thanks for the heads up! +1 rep for you!

 

You fail to recognize that car dealers, like any other business, wants to show as much income as possible. When there are lots of buyers for the same car the price will be as much as you can get. After I sold my company, which worked by the same principle, I sold cars in dealerships. Sold a new 6 speed Camaro for two grand over MSRP plus the add-ons; sold a new Miata for 3 grand over MSRP plus add-ons, and sold a number of Cavaliers for $200 under invoice. Just because you bought some 'average' car at a few hundred over invoice doesn't mean you should get the same deal when you have a lot of competition for a highly desired vehicle. Think thats amusing? Wait'll the new Camaro comes out. Gas or no gas there will be a stampede for a month or two then things will get quiet, very quiet..

When supply is less than demand the price is always higher. Basic law of economics.
Thats the reason gas is high; there are a lot of countries, people, whatever, bidding for the crude thats available and thats the reason for $150 - $200 per barrel of crude. Which yields 22 gal gas.
When you watch the Olympics on NBC or watch CCTV note that in 5 years just China will be selling 30 million cars a year (normally we sell 15 MM, but this year only 12.5 MM it looks like). So the price of crude, hence gas, will cost about a dollar more each year. Thats why the Fit is so popular; its desperately needed by many.
So tell us how you get that deduction you think you're due?
PS if you check sales you'll find a large number of people did buy Civics instead of Fits.

 

Is VSA standard for all Sport 2009 Fits? Earlier, it seemed as if the only way you could get VSA was if you got NAV. I don't want NAV, but if VSA is coupled with NAV, then I have no choice.

And by the way -- has anyone had experience with Honda NAV? I'm guessing the one that'll come in the new Fit will not be too different from the ones in current Hondas. I tried to find reviews on the Internet but wasn't able to find many...thanks!

- Sung

 

Based on your join date you are obviously a new-comer here and most likely unaware of the events that have transpired over the last few years. I was saying the same thing 2+ years ago that you are saying now, but I was proven wrong. I predicted that by November of 2006 you would be able to get a Fit for less than MSRP. Well that's not been the case. Not just here on Fitfreak, but also reported by auto industry journalists that most Fit sales have been at MSRP or greater.

So put your money where your mouth is. Have you bought a Fit? If so, how much did you pay? If not, try doing the research before you come here and call most of the Fit owners on this forum suckers.