Hello All, newbie here!
#21
04-23-2011 | 05:35 PM
I didn't know one needed to get a carfax report for a new car. Hmm I sometimes wonder if by insinuating that one feels a dealer can't be trusted, that one runs the risk of having 'em think, "Fine. If you're going to insult me like that, then I'll burn you for sure on something in this little transaction, you prick"?
Don't be afraid to challenge them a bit. Ultimately, they WANT to sell you a car, so even if you make ridiculous offers, they'll still try to work with you.
Ultimately, the best place to be when you walk into that dealership is where you don't NEED to walk out with a car. If you can walk away easily, and they know it, they're more likely to work with you to meet you somewhere in the middle. If they think you have nowhere else to go, they will try to nail you for everything they can, and then some.
#22
04-23-2011 | 06:32 PM
Thread Starter
|
Member
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 22
From: Reno, Nevada
I'm about the same size as you are and I generally don't have a problem with the seats, but I haven't driven it for long periods of time that much. Shortly after I got the car I did get a little sore where my butt hit the side bolsters at times, but it hasn't been a problem recently. Maybe the seat breaks in after awhile. On long trips after a couple of hours or so I don't know if it would be a problem for you or not because I haven't really driven it for long periods much yet. I can say if it came down to it I would would be willing to go for after market seats because over all I like the car that much.
I also 2nd the suggestion to get consumerreports online. Get the basic subscription then get the new car prices feature (forget what they actually call it) as well. Its about $14 dollars more but it gives you a lot of information like invoice cost, dealer incentives, customer incentives etc. And they give their estimate of what the best price you can hope for in your area. As said before, knowledge is power. You can use it to get info on as many cars as you like. It helped me a lot when I was car shopping.
invoice for Fit Sport AT: $17,077
invoice for Fit Sport MT:$16,261
These numbers represent the cost of the the car only; before the destination charges etc
Plan on spending somewhere between the invoice and the MSRP unless there is a special deal going on. Consumer reports will tell you if there is.
Good Luck!
I also 2nd the suggestion to get consumerreports online. Get the basic subscription then get the new car prices feature (forget what they actually call it) as well. Its about $14 dollars more but it gives you a lot of information like invoice cost, dealer incentives, customer incentives etc. And they give their estimate of what the best price you can hope for in your area. As said before, knowledge is power. You can use it to get info on as many cars as you like. It helped me a lot when I was car shopping.
invoice for Fit Sport AT: $17,077
invoice for Fit Sport MT:$16,261
These numbers represent the cost of the the car only; before the destination charges etc
Plan on spending somewhere between the invoice and the MSRP unless there is a special deal going on. Consumer reports will tell you if there is.
Good Luck!
A little less than an hour ago, I spoke with a friendly sales lady at this other dealership I've alluded to on this thread, and she's going to see what she can do. We had a constructive conversation and she strikes me as someone that's fair-minded and knowledgeable, sooo a guy can't ask for more than that!
If and when I test-drive one, I'll have to be sure and remember to be cognitive about the comfort of the seat, as it could be a deal-breaker, as comfort matters to this old geezer!
#23
04-23-2011 | 06:41 PM
Thread Starter
|
Member
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 22
From: Reno, Nevada
I was skimming too quick, forgot that you were looking at a NEW Fit. Sorry! I bought mine Certified Pre-Owned (to use Honda's speak here), so the Carfax was pretty important for my purchase.
Don't be afraid to challenge them a bit. Ultimately, they WANT to sell you a car, so even if you make ridiculous offers, they'll still try to work with you.
Ultimately, the best place to be when you walk into that dealership is where you don't NEED to walk out with a car. If you can walk away easily, and they know it, they're more likely to work with you to meet you somewhere in the middle. If they think you have nowhere else to go, they will try to nail you for everything they can, and then some.
Don't be afraid to challenge them a bit. Ultimately, they WANT to sell you a car, so even if you make ridiculous offers, they'll still try to work with you.
Ultimately, the best place to be when you walk into that dealership is where you don't NEED to walk out with a car. If you can walk away easily, and they know it, they're more likely to work with you to meet you somewhere in the middle. If they think you have nowhere else to go, they will try to nail you for everything they can, and then some.
At the moment a lady at another dealership is checking into what she can do for me based on the particulars mentioned in a friendly conversation I had with her an hour ago. So here's hoping it all works out!!
#24
04-23-2011 | 06:58 PM
Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 516
From: new jersey
1. the seats are subjective. they bothered me a little the first couple of weeks...... and then they were fine for me. that was 2.5 years ago.
2. the paint does seem to chip easily but it's not a huge deal. my car has been thru 3 snowy/cold winters.... 1 really hot summer... 1 ordinary summer. the paint still looks really good to me. having said that, you might have issues i don't... being in NV.
#25
04-23-2011 | 07:57 PM
Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 373
From: Vancouver, BC, Canada
just skimming thru this thread... a couple thoughts.
1. the seats are subjective. they bothered me a little the first couple of weeks...... and then they were fine for me. that was 2.5 years ago.
2. the paint does seem to chip easily but it's not a huge deal. my car has been thru 3 snowy/cold winters.... 1 really hot summer... 1 ordinary summer. the paint still looks really good to me. having said that, you might have issues i don't... being in NV.
1. the seats are subjective. they bothered me a little the first couple of weeks...... and then they were fine for me. that was 2.5 years ago.
2. the paint does seem to chip easily but it's not a huge deal. my car has been thru 3 snowy/cold winters.... 1 really hot summer... 1 ordinary summer. the paint still looks really good to me. having said that, you might have issues i don't... being in NV.
1) Like spin out, the seats bothered me a little the first month as well because FIT seats forced me to sit up straight. I like to slouch into my previous Accord and had to be forced to make a posture change in my sitting position when upgraded to my FIT. The pros for me after the FIT sitting position change was my chronic neck ache that I had been suffering while driving the previous accord was gone out of the sudden. I am not sure how much of this neck healing is attributed to the sitting up straight position of the FIT. It may have played a role for me.
I agree with spin out that seating is subjective as our body shapes and sizes are different and you have to test drive. To be honest, I have not had a chance to take my FIT for long road trips yet and not sure if the straight sitting position that seemed to help my neck may turn out to back-fire on me on longer trips :-) I will report more after my road trip
2) Air con and heating works perfectly for me... cold enough during the summer and hot enough during the winter. I can't comment on the paint because I have using my FIT for city driving so far so, no experience paint chip experience there
3) Sorry I can't comment on pricing as my Canadian pricing is different from that of the US.
AlvinTostig, my last thoughts - I echoed with other posters that YOU are in control, YOU decide who to purchase the FIT from and the sellers/dealership have to respect you as a customer. If you don't feel good about the dealership or sales person etc, and if you feel you are not being respected, walk away because you are the one having the CASH and CASH is king.
Even if the dealership folks were nice to me when I bought my FIT last year, I did not make any same day decision. I told them their pricing was too high and I had to shop around. Guess what, a week later, they called me back and gave me a lower offer because they had to meet their sales target.
My 2 cents
Last edited by Ric01; 04-23-2011 at 08:00 PM.
#26
04-23-2011 | 08:54 PM
Thread Starter
|
Member
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 22
From: Reno, Nevada
just skimming thru this thread... a couple thoughts.
1. the seats are subjective. they bothered me a little the first couple of weeks...... and then they were fine for me. that was 2.5 years ago.
2. the paint does seem to chip easily but it's not a huge deal. my car has been thru 3 snowy/cold winters.... 1 really hot summer... 1 ordinary summer. the paint still looks really good to me. having said that, you might have issues i don't... being in NV.
1. the seats are subjective. they bothered me a little the first couple of weeks...... and then they were fine for me. that was 2.5 years ago.
2. the paint does seem to chip easily but it's not a huge deal. my car has been thru 3 snowy/cold winters.... 1 really hot summer... 1 ordinary summer. the paint still looks really good to me. having said that, you might have issues i don't... being in NV.
#27
04-23-2011 | 09:03 PM
Thread Starter
|
Member
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 22
From: Reno, Nevada
after scanning this thread, my thoughts for you AlvinTostig are:-
1) Like spin out, the seats bothered me a little the first month as well because FIT seats forced me to sit up straight. I like to slouch into my previous Accord and had to be forced to make a posture change in my sitting position when upgraded to my FIT. The pros for me after the FIT sitting position change was my chronic neck ache that I had been suffering while driving the previous accord was gone out of the sudden. I am not sure how much of this neck healing is attributed to the sitting up straight position of the FIT. It may have played a role for me.
I agree with spin out that seating is subjective as our body shapes and sizes are different and you have to test drive. To be honest, I have not had a chance to take my FIT for long road trips yet and not sure if the straight sitting position that seemed to help my neck may turn out to back-fire on me on longer trips :-) I will report more after my road trip
2) Air con and heating works perfectly for me... cold enough during the summer and hot enough during the winter. I can't comment on the paint because I have using my FIT for city driving so far so, no experience paint chip experience there
3) Sorry I can't comment on pricing as my Canadian pricing is different from that of the US.
AlvinTostig, my last thoughts - I echoed with other posters that YOU are in control, YOU decide who to purchase the FIT from and the sellers/dealership have to respect you as a customer. If you don't feel good about the dealership or sales person etc, and if you feel you are not being respected, walk away because you are the one having the CASH and CASH is king.
Even if the dealership folks were nice to me when I bought my FIT last year, I did not make any same day decision. I told them their pricing was too high and I had to shop around. Guess what, a week later, they called me back and gave me a lower offer because they had to meet their sales target.
My 2 cents
1) Like spin out, the seats bothered me a little the first month as well because FIT seats forced me to sit up straight. I like to slouch into my previous Accord and had to be forced to make a posture change in my sitting position when upgraded to my FIT. The pros for me after the FIT sitting position change was my chronic neck ache that I had been suffering while driving the previous accord was gone out of the sudden. I am not sure how much of this neck healing is attributed to the sitting up straight position of the FIT. It may have played a role for me.
I agree with spin out that seating is subjective as our body shapes and sizes are different and you have to test drive. To be honest, I have not had a chance to take my FIT for long road trips yet and not sure if the straight sitting position that seemed to help my neck may turn out to back-fire on me on longer trips :-) I will report more after my road trip
2) Air con and heating works perfectly for me... cold enough during the summer and hot enough during the winter. I can't comment on the paint because I have using my FIT for city driving so far so, no experience paint chip experience there
3) Sorry I can't comment on pricing as my Canadian pricing is different from that of the US.
AlvinTostig, my last thoughts - I echoed with other posters that YOU are in control, YOU decide who to purchase the FIT from and the sellers/dealership have to respect you as a customer. If you don't feel good about the dealership or sales person etc, and if you feel you are not being respected, walk away because you are the one having the CASH and CASH is king.
Even if the dealership folks were nice to me when I bought my FIT last year, I did not make any same day decision. I told them their pricing was too high and I had to shop around. Guess what, a week later, they called me back and gave me a lower offer because they had to meet their sales target.
My 2 cents
I just talked to the sales lady and we're going to get together on the 27th to test-drive a Fit and see where things go from there. I'm looking forward to it.
It's good to hear that these Fits have adequate air and heating units, as I'd probably throw a fit if they didn't.
Thanks for the support regarding the issue of taking care to not get intimidated. This lady I'm dealing with sounds as sharp as a tack, so I'd best remember to take plenty of fish oil before heading out the door to square-off with her!
Last edited by AlvinTostig; 04-23-2011 at 09:07 PM.
#28
04-23-2011 | 09:08 PM
Fish oil is good stuff... Arctic Krill oil is even better... I think there is helpful information here that will better prepare about anyone regardless of how many new car purchases they have made....http://www.edmunds.com/confessions.html
Last edited by Texas Coyote; 04-23-2011 at 09:23 PM.
#29
04-23-2011 | 10:12 PM
Member
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 568
From: Puerto Rico
Thanks my Friend for the kind and friendly comments, I do appreciate them!
I love many things about the Fit. The looks are great, the dash is nice, the windshield is cool, the folding seats and all that room is wonderful, the stereo is sweet, ... and on and on it goes!
Btw, can you please tell me if these Fits have temperature gauges (and not a mere light that goes on when it's over-heating)? And do they come with real-time gas consumption indicators?
Thanks for your time!!
I love many things about the Fit. The looks are great, the dash is nice, the windshield is cool, the folding seats and all that room is wonderful, the stereo is sweet, ... and on and on it goes!
Btw, can you please tell me if these Fits have temperature gauges (and not a mere light that goes on when it's over-heating)? And do they come with real-time gas consumption indicators?
Thanks for your time!!
.YouTube - 2011 Honda Fit - 2011 10Best Cars - Car and Driver
YouTube - 2010 Honda Fit - 2010 10Best Cars - Car and Driver
This review is my best
YouTube - Honda Fit Sport Review
Check out this Fit....Dammm!!!It looks sick.I love the slim look rear bumper.
YouTube - Fit (GD6)
If this car is still in sale i will buy it.I will only change those wheels.
YouTube -
Check this one.I like those wheels.
YouTube -
#30
04-24-2011 | 09:26 PM
New Member
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 8
From: Maine
Try this site for pricing: http://www.truecar.com/
It might give you a baseline to work from, although when I put the zip code for Reno in the best deals were almost 200 miles away.
That being said, I have had my Fit Sport with AT for six weeks and have 4620 miles on it. I'm getting around 33 mpg in mixed driving. I have an 80 mile daily commute and have done quite a few ski trips so far. One of my favorite things about it is the amount of stuff I can fit into it.
We did a ski trip today, from Portland ME to Sunday River, (around 140 mile round trip) and gear for all three of us including skis inside it.
I can also fit a mountain bike inside, with the front wheel off, mounted to a fork mount screwed into a piece of wood.
Actually you should be able to get deals on the 2011 Focus. The model change is on the 2012, which will be hitting the showrooms soon.
It might give you a baseline to work from, although when I put the zip code for Reno in the best deals were almost 200 miles away.
That being said, I have had my Fit Sport with AT for six weeks and have 4620 miles on it. I'm getting around 33 mpg in mixed driving. I have an 80 mile daily commute and have done quite a few ski trips so far. One of my favorite things about it is the amount of stuff I can fit into it.
We did a ski trip today, from Portland ME to Sunday River, (around 140 mile round trip) and gear for all three of us including skis inside it.
I can also fit a mountain bike inside, with the front wheel off, mounted to a fork mount screwed into a piece of wood.
Actually you should be able to get deals on the 2011 Focus. The model change is on the 2012, which will be hitting the showrooms soon.
#31
04-25-2011 | 04:17 AM
Thread Starter
|
Member
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 22
From: Reno, Nevada
Fish oil is good stuff... Arctic Krill oil is even better... I think there is helpful information here that will better prepare about anyone regardless of how many new car purchases they have made....Edmunds Confessions Series
Also, thanks for the link. I read the article in there about car thieves and will file it to Favorites and read some of the other stuff later.
#32
04-25-2011 | 04:38 AM
Thread Starter
|
Member
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 22
From: Reno, Nevada
Hi Alvin.About temperature gauges of the Fit...The Fit has a light indicator when the car gets HOT and the real-time gas consumption indicators are a issue that many here had talk about it.It look that is not to real-time...But.... the car is Good with MPG and that is REAL.I can said that.Here are some nice videos from You-Tube about the Fit.See you with a FIT soon my Friend.....
YouTube - 2011 Honda Fit - 2011 10Best Cars - Car and Driver
YouTube - 2010 Honda Fit - 2010 10Best Cars - Car and Driver
This review is my best
YouTube - Honda Fit Sport Review
Check out this Fit....Dammm!!!It looks sick.I love the slim look rear bumper.
YouTube - Fit (GD6)
If this car is still in sale i will buy it.I will only change those wheels.
YouTube -
Check this one.I like those wheels.
YouTube -
.YouTube - 2011 Honda Fit - 2011 10Best Cars - Car and Driver
YouTube - 2010 Honda Fit - 2010 10Best Cars - Car and Driver
This review is my best
YouTube - Honda Fit Sport Review
Check out this Fit....Dammm!!!It looks sick.I love the slim look rear bumper.
YouTube - Fit (GD6)
If this car is still in sale i will buy it.I will only change those wheels.
YouTube -
Check this one.I like those wheels.
YouTube -
It's not a deal-breaker but it's too bad that they did things half-baked with the temp gauge and milage indicator. Oh well.
Those YT clips of the Fit are cool. Thanks a bunch for providing them, my Friend!
I was walking down the road last night and saw a Mazda dealership that was still open, so I took some time and looked around and a salesman I spoke with there said he'd give me a great deal on a Mazda 3 (I can't recall if it was an '10 or '11) and so he's going to get back with me via email and let me know the OTD price. (Oh how I wish these dealers would just cut to the chase and say what's the least they'll take for a vehicle instead of all this game-playing, I've got better ways of spending my time than to unnecessarily sort through a bunch of numbers.
) The Mazda 3 looked real nice and the reviews I've read about it seem to indicate it's a sweet car, but with gas going up the way it is the salesman would have to offer me one whale of a deal to get me into one, as the Fit and Focus destroy it in the miles-per-gallon department!Another thing about this Mazda dealership that has me a little confused is that on one website people that have dealt with them tear them up, saying they're "crooks" and making comments like "I'm reporting them to the BBB" and so on. And yet, another outfit that let's customers spout-off has folks giving them mostly 5-stars. Go figure!
Last edited by AlvinTostig; 04-25-2011 at 05:17 AM.
#33
04-25-2011 | 05:09 AM
Thread Starter
|
Member
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 22
From: Reno, Nevada
Try this site for pricing: http://www.truecar.com/
It might give you a baseline to work from, although when I put the zip code for Reno in the best deals were almost 200 miles away.
That being said, I have had my Fit Sport with AT for six weeks and have 4620 miles on it. I'm getting around 33 mpg in mixed driving. I have an 80 mile daily commute and have done quite a few ski trips so far. One of my favorite things about it is the amount of stuff I can fit into it.
We did a ski trip today, from Portland ME to Sunday River, (around 140 mile round trip) and gear for all three of us including skis inside it.
I can also fit a mountain bike inside, with the front wheel off, mounted to a fork mount screwed into a piece of wood.
Actually you should be able to get deals on the 2011 Focus. The model change is on the 2012, which will be hitting the showrooms soon.
It might give you a baseline to work from, although when I put the zip code for Reno in the best deals were almost 200 miles away.
That being said, I have had my Fit Sport with AT for six weeks and have 4620 miles on it. I'm getting around 33 mpg in mixed driving. I have an 80 mile daily commute and have done quite a few ski trips so far. One of my favorite things about it is the amount of stuff I can fit into it.
We did a ski trip today, from Portland ME to Sunday River, (around 140 mile round trip) and gear for all three of us including skis inside it.
I can also fit a mountain bike inside, with the front wheel off, mounted to a fork mount screwed into a piece of wood.
Actually you should be able to get deals on the 2011 Focus. The model change is on the 2012, which will be hitting the showrooms soon.
).I checked the link out and saw that it's so good that I filed it to Favorites. Nice tool to get a baseline, as you stated.
All that cargo room is immensely appealing! I bet your friends were impressed that you have such a nice vehicle. I hope it all works out for me to get one 'cause there's so much to like about 'em.
With regard to the Focus, I did learn via the Internet several hours ago that there's some nice ones out there to be had at good prices for the reason you mentioned, the '12 arriving on the scene. Up until now I'd been targeting one particular Focus but am happy to see that others are out there too, like low-hanging fruit.
One thing about doing all of this car research that's both troubling and, in some ways amusing (in a sick way), is reading about all of these folks out there that say they were treated like gold, being offered cookies and coffee as salespeople licked on their butts to get their business ... but then did a 180 immediately after the deal was sealed, "... they treated me like crap."
Humans are such curious animals, especially when it comes to money.
#34
04-25-2011 | 12:15 PM
Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 393
From: Akron/Canton, OH
Today, 04:09 AM
AlvinTostig
Today, 04:09 AM
AlvinTostig
AlvinTostig - My fellow Fitfreaks are going to bash me for this, but as a happy Fit owner I recommend you also give the new Ford Fiesta a look. I drove one as a rental this weekend and of all the small cars I've driven it's the only car that I feel gives the Fit some good competition. It's not Japanese-made, and can't match the Fit's cargo room, but otherwise I think it deserves the good reviews it's gotten. I still wouldn't trade my Fit though because it has the best mix of features overall, including proven reliability, for me.
AlvinTostig
Today, 04:09 AM
AlvinTostig
AlvinTostig - My fellow Fitfreaks are going to bash me for this, but as a happy Fit owner I recommend you also give the new Ford Fiesta a look. I drove one as a rental this weekend and of all the small cars I've driven it's the only car that I feel gives the Fit some good competition. It's not Japanese-made, and can't match the Fit's cargo room, but otherwise I think it deserves the good reviews it's gotten. I still wouldn't trade my Fit though because it has the best mix of features overall, including proven reliability, for me.
#35
04-25-2011 | 04:55 PM
Thread Starter
|
Member
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 22
From: Reno, Nevada
Today, 04:09 AM
AlvinTostig
Today, 04:09 AM
AlvinTostig
AlvinTostig - My fellow Fitfreaks are going to bash me for this, but as a happy Fit owner I recommend you also give the new Ford Fiesta a look. I drove one as a rental this weekend and of all the small cars I've driven it's the only car that I feel gives the Fit some good competition. It's not Japanese-made, and can't match the Fit's cargo room, but otherwise I think it deserves the good reviews it's gotten. I still wouldn't trade my Fit though because it has the best mix of features overall, including proven reliability, for me.
AlvinTostig
Today, 04:09 AM
AlvinTostig
AlvinTostig - My fellow Fitfreaks are going to bash me for this, but as a happy Fit owner I recommend you also give the new Ford Fiesta a look. I drove one as a rental this weekend and of all the small cars I've driven it's the only car that I feel gives the Fit some good competition. It's not Japanese-made, and can't match the Fit's cargo room, but otherwise I think it deserves the good reviews it's gotten. I still wouldn't trade my Fit though because it has the best mix of features overall, including proven reliability, for me.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
