Hello fello FitFreaks,
I am a previous owner of a 2011 Honda Fit Sport, who recently got a job working at a Honda dealer in NJ. I also held sales positions on both an Acura dealer and, most recently, a top ten nationwide Lexus dealer. I've been a Honda fan for years and when the opportunity came up to work at one of the best Honda dealership based on customer service, I made the jump and Im very happy I did.
The release of the 2015 Fit has been very exciting and also frustrating, with the delays that we have experienced. My dealership, Mahwah Honda in NJ, has also seen delays of the new Fit, but also have seen some trickle in here and there.
We typically get two or three Fits at a time, and are normally sold within 24 hours. Every dealer has had people come in all Summer looking for the new Fit. By the time one arrives to our dealership that was not reserved or special ordered, every salesperson is calling their list of customers who was looking for one. The first customer that comes in always ends up buying it. It's as simple as that.
So here is my advice to those looking to buy a new Fit:
1. Deposit on an in-transit model: If you have already decided to buy a 2015 Fit, go to your previous or local Honda dealership and put a deposit on one that's in-transit. Every dealership has a list of Fits that have been allocated to them, with estimated dates on arrival. Just keep in mind that estimated really just guarantees that the dealer is receiving said car, not that there is an exact time of arrival.
You may be waiting a few weeks or a few months, depending on the car you selected.
2. Special Order: most dealerships should have the option of placing a special order, which simply means they can tell the factory which trim and color you want, which is reserved as soon as its off the assembly line. A typical Honda special order usually takes about two months to arrive, with the 2015 being a bit longer.
3. Price: every dealership is selling the new Fits for MSRP or higher. There are two reasons for this. The first is that its a new model and the low availability. But more than that, the mark up from invoice to MSRP on the Fits is less than $1000. Look at the example below:
2015 Honda Fit LX with CVT
MSRP = $17,115
Invoice = $16,685
As you can see, the difference is only $430. So if a dealer offers you MSRP, based on the information above, it's more than a fair deal. And here's some food for thought. Honda wants the Fit to eventually surpass the Civic in annual sales. This is one of the main reasons why they have priced the Fit as so.
So if you can find a dealer that will sell you a Fit for MSRP and nothing more, that's a good deal.
4. Dealer Fees: other than price, the only additional expenses should be state taxes and fees, plus dealership Doc fee. Now, plenty of dealers out there have other fees they try to include on a deal. Vehicle prep fee, internet fee, marketing fee, license plate holder free (I kid you not), window ething, etc. You are not responsible to pay these fees. I'm very fortunate to work for a dealership that does not play games like this, but many do.
Here's something to keep in mind. All dealerships buy their inventory from Honda for the same price, which means they can all sell them for the same price.
Some dealerships will give you lower prices than others, but they are excluding fees that they will charge you once you arrive. One of our local competitors always quotes prices excluding destination fee. Customers come in and tell me that they received a price cheaper than mine, which I reply with a," was their price $790 cheaper?"
They look at me surprised and say," how did you know?"
I simply explained to them what other dealers do and show them the exact number on the window sticker. Some dealers use this tactic, taking a chance that the customer wont leave after being explained this when they arrive, while others will get up and go.
Always be clear with what you are paying for.
These are just a few things tips for those looking into a new Fit. If you have an additional question, which was not addressed above, feel free to ask below and I'll answer it as soon as I can.