I'm starting my search for a used car (preferrably a hatchback) that I can rely on for many years and will give me minimum maintenance issues - the Honda Fit sounds great, but the pricetag for a new one is out of my budget. I've been researching and narrowed my choice to a second generation either 2012 or 2013. I think my preference would be for the 2012 as there seems to be less complaints about it compared to the 2013 on reviews I am reading. The 2013 seems to have more complaints about comfort and I think I read something about possible rust or water leaking problems in the doors and also some people talk about paint chipping easily? What is the general opinion on these forums about the 2013 and common problems to look out for (esp compared to 2012). Also I would be open to other 2nd generation years, but the 2013 seems to be the easiest one to find with low miles and a few thousand dollars less than a new one (don't want to go higher than $13k). my goal is to find the model year with the best chance for lasting as long as possible with the least amount of maintenance - I don't care about color, tech, addons, etc. Reliability and low maintenance are my priorities. I wonder if the Fit is too much car for what I'm looking for. Maybe somebody has some alternative suggestions, but I am looking for cargo space, low mpg, and long term reliability/low maintenance which I know the Honda brand will probably provide. I also looked at a Toyota Yaris, but saw too many complaints about discomfort and back problems from driving it (I have long legs and am almost 6', so it's a concern). Thanks for any advice.

 

I just bought a used 2013 Fit Sport Auto with 55,000 Miles and like it a bunch, though we've owned it for only three weeks. No signs whatsoever of water leakage or rust. Some stone chips on the hood, but that's inevitable.

Consumer Reports shows almost no reliability difference in 2012 Fit vs 2013 Fit -- both show highly, except for the climate system where the 2013 inexplicably shows better. I wouldn't fret much over that questionable contrast.

I also looked at the Kia Soul and Nissan Versa Note, as they are of similar size and mission. You might want to look at these as well. The Kia suffers from lesser fuel economy because of it's boxy profile and it bothered me that it had no factory spare tire. Both the Kia and the Nissan are very well rated.

 

i had no issue with my '12 GE. but make sure before you buy that the airbag has been replaced.

 

+1 . We've been monitoring Honda dealers within a 100 mile radius selling / sold FITS with the airbag not replaced , despite HONDA preferring they don't . $ talks . Go to http://www.safercar.gov/ or http://automobiles.honda.com/ and enter V.I.N. to see if airbag is new . Good Luck

 

This is CBS undercover as a consumer at an ACURA dealer and others . Is your used car dealership selling vehicles with safety recalls? - CBS News or http://www.cbs.com/shows/cbs_this_mo...without-fixes/ .

 

Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions.
I've also considered the Kia Soul and have read mixed reviews about Nissan - I know that those car brands are more reliable than they used to be, but for the peace of mind I really would prefer a tried and true brand like Honda or Toyota. The Kia Soul would be perfect, but I'm worried that it won't last as long or be as low maintenance as a Honda or Toyota. Is this worry unjustified in your opinion?

I've also considered a Hyundai Accent, but I owned one 12 or so years ago and my impression was that it would not last in the long term and I gave it to my family when I moved - they traded it for a Corolla.

It seems like getting a used Fit is a good solution for keeping short as well as long term costs down. That's my hope anyways. I have found some reasonably priced 2013 Fits near my area with what looks like a clean and good carfax. Some are certified, others are just used. I am not a car guy so I'm also trying to weigh the risk of getting a used Fit that looks good but is not CPO.

My goal is to get a Fit with 20-30k miles or less on it. Is this too conservative or too limiting a parameter? My aim is to find one that would last at least 10 years or as long as possible and have minimal maintenance issues in the long run. I should ask if this a realistic goal to have when buying a used Fit? What is the highest mileage limit I should consider with that aim in mind, assuming the carfax is good and no history of rental use or damage?

Here are a couple listings I found that look okay - if I haggle I think I could get the price down to close or below 13k where applicable. I'm in no rush to buy and am willing to walk away. I wanted to ask if these are deals that look too good to pass up, though.

2013 Fit for $14,900, but low miles and good looking history
https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/d...9056/overview/

2012 Fit with low miles for $12,500
Used 2012 Honda Fit Sport Hatchback in Elyria, OH near 44035 | JHMGE8H51CC025473 | Auto.com

2013 low miles for $12,500 - what worries me is the 2nd owner who owned it for 3 days in the carfax - otherwise it looks really good...
http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-s...23748679&Log=0

There are other options I've found for the 2013 model, but with higher mileage, I'm just not sure what mileage limit I should consider with my goal for long term use in mind. Thanks for any thoughts.

 

Thanks all for the advice and tips - esp on the airbag etc. I'll definitely watch out for that if I go with a '12. I've never bought used before and am terrified I'm going to get ripped off and lose thousands of dollars. seems like a lot of dealers are slimy and dishonest...

 

Honda , Toyota and other auto makers are included in the driver side airbag recall and the passenger side airbag . Look up the V.I.N. of all vehicles you are interested in , new too . Many different recalls and T.S.B.s' ( Technical Service Bulletin ) . Be thorough as possible .

 

I shopped my car with the same criteria but a bigger budget in '13 and got a new model ... installed leather (+$1000), tinted all around (+$190), added prepaid oil changes (5 year/60k mi) and wrote a check for just under $20k (incl taxes/fees). The leather looks better, stays clean and I think inadvertany made it a better seat (comfort/support-wise). I have not had any problems at all ... except on a l o n g road trip in blazing sun ... the ac started to weaken. The front windshield makes it a greenhouse. Otherwise the AC has worked well.

I am hard on my tires and the Dunlops had to go at 30k mil. I recommend the Fit MT. The automatic makes for sad pickup/torque.

I looked at the Soul and ruled it out for poor mpg. I ruled out the Versa because it has such low satisfaction ratings. If I had more $ and could live with a little less reliabilty I would've gotten a VW Golf. To me the Fit gave me everyhing I wanted cor the price!

 

thanks for the info - I drove MT one time years ago and I enjoyed it - the thing is I like having both hands on the wheel and there would be a learning curve - I wouldn't want to break anything or get into an accident, but maybe it's worth considering learning for the discount in price. plus there is the question of how to pracitce - I don't know anyone with a manual and I don't have the money to rent a car to practice on.

sounds like the Fit is a good way to go for the price/reliability and quality. $20k is way outside my budget unfortunately and about $13k (~$14.5k OTD) is the max I can afford - I was originally looking at the Yaris and Accent and shooting for $10k max, but thought it might be worth the extra money in the long term to try for a used Fit...that's what I'm trying to decide. Keep in mind that I don't need any bells and whistles..the base model is perfectly adequate for my needs and may even be too much car, but the brand name is what is driving my consideration of the Fit in my search with my goal of long term use and low maintenance in mind. I'm hoping that my goal is realistic. I'm also wondering if I should broaden my search to 1st generation models, but I read somewhere about leaks and manufacturing problems on that generation.

 

Fit all the way. Manual is the wya to go, feel that "power" haha. Tons of cargo room. Definitely verify the airbag has been replaced.

I know its a bit but a buddy of mine in Elkins, WV is probably going to sell his low mileage ge8 tafetta white fit manual trans sometime soon if thats at all an interest. Feel free to PM me =)

 

Manual would be fun, but considering I have no means of practicing I don't think I can bear the embarrassment of peeling out and stalling the car constantly on the test drive. I've decided to stick with Automatic. Thanks for letting me know about your friend's potential sale, but I need to shop local up here in NE Ohio-can't afford to make long trips for checking out a car. I'm starting to wonder if the Fit is a bit too much car for my needs and am looking now at the Toyota Yaris more closely - also I learned about the Toyota Matrix and Pontiac Vibe which were based on the Corolla, but in hatchback form - sounds like that's more what I'm looking for considering the Corolla was my top choice for reliability and low maintenance. The Fit is the more fun of the cars, and if I had more money or can find a steal of a deal I would go with it over the others. I'm starting to think that the Toyotas would serve my needs/wants and fit more comfortably in my budget. Anyone have experience or know people with Vibes/Matrix Toyotas?

 

Yeah no worries. I will say this....the yaris was hands down a bore and didnt fit my needs. I had one for 2 weeks as a rental during the airbag recall. Trunk is nonexistant so storage is a joke. Panels/dash looked/felt cheap. And this was a 2015 4 door hatch.

 

I've been reading more about the Yaris and many people seem to think that the storage space, while not as big as the Fit's, is adequate and the comfort of the third generations have improved (this was my main concern as I have long legs). I am actually looking for a boring car. You might laugh, but one of the attractive qualities of the Yaris for me was that some of the models have hand-crank windows - one less thing to worry about breaking and have an expensive maintenance charge to pay to fix it - that's what I'm looking for: low cost and longevity with minimum maintenance. The Fit is starting to seem too "fancy" for my needs and budget and the simplicity of the Yaris is becoming more appealing to me the more I'm reading about it. I still need to research the Matrix and Pontiac Vibe, but if I can test drive a Yaris and it doesn't seem too uncomfortable, it seems like it would be the most appropriate choice of car for what I'm looking for - plus because it is cheaper I may be able to find one new or certified pre-owned that fits within my budget. The Fit may just be too expensive for me the more I think about it, barring a fluke great deal or if someone can convince me that a used 1st or 2nd generation Fit with higher miles on it would last as long as and require as little maintenance as a new Yaris.

 

I think you should drive both a Yaris and Fit. I have sat in both and the seats are very different shapes. I found the Yaris unbearable with no low back support; my brother liked it a lot. Oddly enough he likes his Fit quite well too. To each his own, but my point is, one of them may not work for your spine.

Honda is a very reliable brand, but every car has some weak points. A Fit AT should have its AT fluid replaced ahead of schedule, and the stock tires don't last that long. Plugs are not required until 100K. Toyotas are hands down the most reliable, but not drastically more so than a Honda. Not sure if there are any Yaris-specific issues. Hope that helps!

I am not aware of any differences between the 12 and 13 model Fits. In fact, there are only minimal differences between the 09-11 and 12-13 - mostly cosmetic. I have a 12, my dad has a 13. Frankly, I have spotted no differences.

 

i think consumer reports was showing the 2010 model being the worst.. but.. that year mine is.. and it hasn't been that bad... besides my MANUAL TRANSMISSION taking a complete crap and I had to replace it myself.

 

You and I are in the same boat. From what the dealers around me in Indy have said, the Honda dealerships are NOT supposed to be selling the Fit's with recalls until the parts come in to repair them. Which puts me in a serious pickle trying to replace the one that just was totaled.

 

Thanks for the tips. I'm starting to go back to wanting a Fit over the Yaris now. I've been combing the internet for deals and it's looking like a lot of Fit and Yaris cars with low mileage are just out of reach of my budget. I'm thinking I might need to start looking at used cars with higher mileage on them, but I'm worried about longevity and maintenance costs. What do you guys think, if I can find one with a good looking carfax and get it checked by a mechanic, could I get a '12 or '13 model with, say, 80,000 miles on it and still have a good chance of getting at least 10 or more years of low maintenance use out of it (w/avg driving 15k/year mostly city)? I'm still just not sure how to guage how many miles the car has on it would be too many given my goal of long term relatively hassle free use. Also, since the Fit has more bells and whistles (i.e. electronics, etc.) than the Yaris, I'm a little worried about some of it going out and having to fix it (like power windows for one - that's why I like the hand crank ones on the Yaris). Maybe I'm worrying too much - I am on a tight budget though and probably will be for the foreseeable future. I'm also starting to look at older Toyotas like the Matrix and Pontiac Vibe, but I'm worried since they aren't made anymore maintenance might be a pain in the long term (I'm not a car guy). I'm seeing some Toyota Prius within my budget, but am not sure about possible maintenance issues and expenses associated with hybrids as well. from what I've read the battery is the main part to worry about replacing, but they last at least 10 years...trying to weigh all of the options and make a decision based on the most financially frugal outcome, but am having trouble juggling all the information right now.

 

2012 Sport NAVI would have the VSA. I believe all 2013 models should have the VSA. (Vehicle steering assist aka Electronic Stability Control.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electr...bility_control Supposedly makes it 30% safer.

 

For what it's worth, in the used Small Car sector, Consumer Reports rates these vehicles the "The Best Of The Best":

Under $10,000
Ford Focus 2009-2010
Pontiac Vibe/Toyota Matrix 2006-2009
Scion xB 2008-2009

$10,000 to $15,000
Honda Fit 2011-2013
Kia Soul 2011-2013
Mazda3 2011-2012

After a multi-month search, I chose my 2013 Fit upon seeing its clean One Owner Carfax, local ownership, nearly all Honda Dealer servicings and almost new tires. I can appreciate your predicament; my Excel sheet expanded exponentially as I studied the market. Although the analysis provided better confidence with my choice, it's hard to escape some subjectivity in the decision.

In the end, I think a Kia Soul might have done nearly as well and used models are plentiful, but Fits are more rare in my area and they have a cool factor I found compelling, plus my trust in Honda remains after owning an Accord many years ago.