[QUOTE=Ceejaytee]
The comments about winter driving have me a bit worried, but I’m hoping that the 2009 fixes will enhance performance.
[/QUOTE]
Remember that we get a negligible amount of snow compared to what you might get in Ontario, especially considering that we’re south of the Watchung Mountains.
And if it were a snowy day, couldn’t you take the AWD Forester to work?
p.s. It’s so cute! I could totally see you in one.
[QUOTE=susan]
I test drove a Fit today.
I also tried the Toyota Yaris, which handled well (at least with manual transmission), but had a jammed-in cabin that made my partner say she felt like she was in a go-cart.
The Nissan Versa handled well and had good pickup, plus a clean, clear dash, good seats, and a solid feel.
I wound up buying a Versa for the reasons above and the 1.9% financing.
[/QUOTE]
My test drives and readings would go along with yours. Note that CR, usually a big Toyota cheerleader, isn’t very happy with the Yaris either.
However, note that both Honda and Toyota are rated better at reliability than Nissan, which is only average.
Dudes looking for cars like this should also consider the Saturn Astra.
I don’t know how Honda does it, but the inside of the Fit actually looks larger than the outside. :eek:
My fiancee of five years just broke up with me.
Heartbroken, bawling, I stuffed some clothes into a bag and left to find a friend to stay with for a while. Going through Atlanta, tears streaming down my face to my chest, a thought ran through my mind:
“My god this car is a joy to drive.”
Sadly, not a single part of this story is embellished. This car rocks as much as my life doesn’t. I don’t believe I can give a firmer endorsement than this.
I am so sorry Soul. 
On the topic of the thread, I was out car shopping for something definitely in the sub-compact range last year. I ended up with a Toyota Yaris (yes, I am male, shove it), and am very happy with my car. I am 5’8" and frankly I feel the size is just right for me – I DEFINITELY can see where a taller guy would have a problem driving it. On the other hand, a couple of my six-foot-plus friends are perfectly comfortable as passengers when needed.
Okay, so that wasn’t entirely on topic of the thread… the place where it ties in is that the other car I was looking at was the Fit. The only reasons I didn’t get it were (1) it was a little bit more expensive, and (2) I came to the realization and confirmation of the fact that you will never catch me dead driving a hatchback. Otherwise, I found the test drive a satisfactory experience, especially for something in that size class.
I really think it’s not that hard to fit four normal sized people into any of the “new generation” of sub-compacts; they’re all built to frankly be able to do that and carry a week’s worth of groceries. Any cargo past that is at your own risk as to whether or not you’ll be able to fit it in, but these cars all seem to be able to do that pretty well. (And at real world MPGs of 35 with mostly city driving and 40ish with mostly highway, they are absolutely LOVELY, let-me-tell-you.)
It’s because there are now auto engineers who grew up playing Dungeons & Dragons, so the portable hole has become reality.
[QUOTE=susan]
It’s because there are now auto engineers who grew up playing Dungeons & Dragons, so the portable hole has become reality.
[/QUOTE]
That is the only explanation that “fits”. But if I put my Hewards Handy Haversack in the car, will it all explode? 
Ah, Grasshopper, you remind me of the time I was attacked by undead, and used a Raise Dead spell so that they ceased to not exist and became dead live people. But that was long ago and far away.
Damn, this thread has taken some…unusual turns. 
[QUOTE=Dag Otto]
<snip>
What did we get? Honda CRV. Best value for mileage, size, and comfort, IMO. Nissan Rouge would be a close second, but a Ford Focus would be perfect if they made a wagon. They don’t.
Subaru would be in the running, and probably a winner, if they offered 2wd. Everything they make is AWD, and the mileage reflects that. Too bad, I’d like a Subie. The Scion Xd would be great too at $12K or so. At $16K, why not take the Xb?
[/QUOTE]
A Honda CRV would be way more car than I’d want, and it doesn’t get the mileage I desire, which is one of the most important aspects of my car buying decisions. I don’t have kids and am not planning on having any in the future, and even if I did, I wouldn’t need a giant car to haul them around in. Besides, I’m looking for a commuter that I can occasionally use to haul a bunch of plants or potting soil, and I’m not carting about more than me and one rider on a regular basis.
As for why I’m waffling over price, I’m waffling mostly because I am going to have to borrow from a lender for just about every penny on the vehicle I purchase and I hate the idea of having to take out a loan for that much [sub]more[/sub] money.* I’m looking around and contemplating a used car, but at the same time, I realize that, with the specifications I want and what’s available in the area, I’d be shaving off $2,000-3,000 max on a car that’s got a lot of mileage on it. Might as well buy a new car when I feel like the old one can’t hold out any longer. If that means I can wait past August, I will, but it’s going to be another long, hot summer with no a/c.
[sub]*I’m in graduate school, working part time, and I’m simply shocked at the fact that I’ve had to take out student loans, even if they are subsidized. The state of the American economy does not make me feel much better about the idea that I’ll be seeking full-time employment within a year from now, and I have fears that paying back the loans won’t be easy with my future budget.[/sub]
As a current car shopper, I’m watching this thread with great intest.
Personally, I don’t care about this roominess business. I’m 6’ but there’s only one of me.
I just want a flappy paddle gearbox! (that comes with the Sport version).
[QUOTE=Soul]
My fiancee of five years just broke up with me.
Heartbroken, bawling, I stuffed some clothes into a bag and left to find a friend to stay with for a while. Going through Atlanta, tears streaming down my face to my chest, a thought ran through my mind:
“My god this car is a joy to drive.”
Sadly, not a single part of this story is embellished. This car rocks as much as my life doesn’t. I don’t believe I can give a firmer endorsement than this.
[/QUOTE]
We reconciled (you know how those big fights can go on and turn themselves into a bigger deal than they really are) and are now officially back together. We went for a drive today, just talking, apologizing, reassuring each other and generally just enjoying reconciliation. At one point, during a lull in the conversation, she reached forward and lovingly stroked the dashboard.
“I’m so happy you got this car,” she said softly. “It’s perfect for you.”
Look at that, the Fit even helps bring families closer together. The Fit is filled with loving energy. If I had a Corolla, I’d probably be drunk in a gutter somewhere. The Fit Is Go!
Is this some sort of viral marketing campaign? 
I bought a 2008 Honda Fit in March…
Its WAY big on the inside…
One thing, and I am asking other Fit drivers here…
Did you get crappy (way below stated estimates) gas milage the first few thousand kilometers (1750 miles)?
I did… to the point where I was taking it to the Honda dealership every fill up. Litterally had one 13 mpg tank full.
THEN… all of a sudden it seemed to wake up and now I get great, often beyond rated values gas milage.
Just curious if anyone else has had this results…?
(Note: the dealership told me that the milage would improve once the engine got a few 100o km on it… and they were right)
Other than that it is a delightful, fun, economical car to drive… I have had 4 adults in it, plus about 6 bags of groceries and everyone was comfy and happy - (2 hour drive)…
Regards
FML
[QUOTE=Full Metal Lotus]
I bought a 2008 Honda Fit in March..
Its WAY big on the inside…
One thing, and I am asking other Fit drivers here..
Did you get crappy (way below stated estimates) gas milage the first few thousand kilometers (1750 miles)?
I did.. to the point where I was taking it to the Honda dealership every fill up. Litterally had one 13 mpg tank full.
THEN.. all of a sudden it seemed to wake up and now I get great, often beyond rated values gas milage.
Just curious if anyone else has had this results..?
(Note: the dealership told me that the milage would improve once the engine got a few 100o km on it.. and they were right)
Other than that it is a delightful, fun, economical car to drive.. I have had 4 adults in it, plus about 6 bags of groceries and everyone was comfy and happy - (2 hour drive)..
Regards
FML
[/QUOTE]
The first 1500 or so (I have 4300 now) I put on Wario were nearly all highway miles, driving back and forth from Birmingham to Atlanta during off-peak hours. I got less than I thought I would, probably about 25mpg or so. Now I get around 38 highway, 32 city. I don’t know enough about cars to know why that might be, but it’s totally fine now.
Side note: I was in Toys-R-Us today, and it occurred to me that a Lego Fit would be awesome! I wonder who I need to get in touch with to make that happen.
[QUOTE=Full Metal Lotus]
I bought a 2008 Honda Fit in March..
[/QUOTE]
How much were you able to negotiate on the price?
[QUOTE=Dewey Finn]
How much were you able to negotiate on the price?
[/QUOTE]
I did my research, and since we have several Honda dealerships in town, I knew I had options.
I also had the following “aces” up my sleeve:
So, I went in, and picked out my car, listed the options and colour I wanted, and provided a small but thoughtful gift to the very talented sales rep (I bought her a small, adjustable wrench)
Then I smiled and said.. "Well, now we drop the smiles and start negotiating… "and named a price $500 higher than what they paid for the car.
She looked at me and said.. “I can’t take that to the sales manager.. he will reject it out of hand!” I told her I also wanted the rubber mat for the cargo area thrown in, and told her “Take it to him.. tell him its only my opening offer…and I am gonna expect him to realise that I have options, including whom I make my future recomendations to.”
She took it to him and came back saying “He won’t accept any offer that low!”.. I said “I know.. tell him to make a counter offer”
Finally she came back and named a figure about $500 lower than the SRP. I asked about the rubber mat. She agreed to throw that in.. I said fine and told her to take back a price $1500 lower than SRP..
We finally settled on about $900 less than srp, with the mat thrown in, and a Honda Baseball cap..
After signing, the manager said “That is the LOWEST price we are gonna sell one for this year! Period!” and shook my hand.
A week ago, I sent them another customer, and a few days got a box of cookies sent to my house as a thank you gift!
Regards
FML
Whether or not the Fit is a good buy depends on your reason for buying it. The Fit’s biggest asset is its versatility - it gets good mileage, it’s reasonably utilitarian, it’s easy to park, and it’s relatively inexpensive. The Fit scores high in those categories.
But depending on what you’re looking for, you should consider cars slightly out of that category. If you can accept slightly worse fuel economy (but not by much), you can get a big jump in utility/comfort by getting something like a Mazda5. If you can afford the money, but are looking for something with good Mileage, a Ford Escape hybrid is a fantastic vehicle, and gets better mileage than the Fit.
To put the mileage tradeoff in perspective, a Mazda5 will burn about 280L more gas in a typical driving year than will the Fit. That’s around 60-65 gallons a year more gas, or about 12 dollars a month at current gas prices.
I guess the point is, the Fit is a great car, but if you find it a little too small, there are other great options at the next rung of the ladder of price, economy, etc.
Why hello, Favorite Thread!
As a point of interest, I went and conducted a test. I went grocery shopping and fit $150 worth of groceries and a gym bag in the cargo space without folding the seats down or putting anything except my butt anywhere but the way back. I could have probably fit nine or ten more bags of groceries in if I paid careful attention the placement of squishy and non-squishy items. My gym bag is about 1x1x3 feet, I suppose, and was stuffed full of gym things. Also, I got a watermelon!
[QUOTE=Soul]
As a point of interest, I went and conducted a test. I went grocery shopping and fit $150 worth of groceries and a gym bag in the cargo space without folding the seats down or putting anything except my butt anywhere but the way back.
[/QUOTE]
Hell, I can do that in my Saturn SC. Of course, you can fit $150 of groceries* from Whole Foods* into 2 modest sized bags.
Wow, go away for a short vacation and look what happens–Soul gets un-engaged and re-engaged within minutes, to a woman who understands his passion for his Fit. Truly heartwarming.
I really really want this car. I can’t wait until summer is over. Hopefully, my sweet Acura will survive until then.