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Real-World Maintenance and Repair Costs of a 2007 Honda Fit Sport - And What We Learned

We tracked the real-world costs to maintain and repair a 2007 Honda Fit Sport over 13 years and 129,000 miles. Here is the outcome and a lesson learned.

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We tracked the real-world costs to maintain and repair a 2007 Honda Fit Sport, and learned some important lessons. We've done two prior stories of this type. One for a 2006 Honda Accord V6 EXL, and one for a 2007 Toyota Highlander. Both proved to be pricey to maintain and repair. However, the Fit was unexpectedly costly, and we learned a lesson as you will read. Unlike our other two vehicles where dealers did the work for the first 60K miles, the owner of this vehicle used mainly low-cost local repair shops and oil change chains to keep costs under control. Only a couple of recalls and a few early oil changes were done by the dealer.
Honda Fit Images by John Goreham Background On Honda Fit
The Fit was purchased to be a commuter car in the Boston and Providence areas. It is the perfect vehicle for such duty. In fact, we often joke that it is the "Official car of Providence Rhonde Island," because we see so many. In its early years, most of its miles were on Rt. 95 heading North and South to and from the Boston area to the Providence area in daily commuting. During its early years, it proved to be fun, comfortable, and a very reliable vehicle.

Honda Fit Images by John Goreham
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Later, it spent a few years as an in-city car mostly running around the city of Providence. Again, it proved to be a car one could rely on for inexpensive and reliable transportation.

It changed roles along with our changing family. It moved to the Boston Suburbs and began to be used mainly as a "nannie car." Our child care providers used it for mostly short drives in-town to shuttle a toddler and grade schooler to and from school. The nannies also used it to run into and out of Boston, just a 15 minute drive from our home in the Boston Metro area.

Here is a quick summary of the costs, work done, and some insights on why that work was done.

Honda Fit Costs - 0-30K Miles
The Fit didn't need any special repairs or any costly maintenance in its first 30K miles of operation. We spent about $420 in total on all of the specified oil and other maintenance intervals. Plus, we needed a new windshield after it was broken. That cost our insurer $188.

30K - 50K Honda Fit Costs Increase
The next 20K miles proved to be more costly, but it was not really the fault of the Fit. We spent about $1,137 on four tires, brakes, and minor repairs and routine maintenance. At one point a lugnut was found to be missing. Huh.

Honda Fit 50K - 70K
We spent about $575 on another pair of tires and fluid changes during this period. New England winters proved tough on the Fit's tires. None of the tires we replaced on this car were ever taken off with minimal tread. They usually suffered bubbles on the sidewal, blowouts in one case after hitting a monstah pothole, and a few were taken out early by punctures.

Honda Fit 70K - 89K
For the next almost 20K miles things remained pretty calm. we did about $225 in fluid changes. No surprises, but the calm before the storm had arrived.
Honda Fit Images by John Goreham Related: Restoring Cloudy Yellow Headlights On A Honda Fit Is Easy - How To Do It Right Under $25

Honda Fit 90K-100K - Trouble Brewing
Over the 10K miles after we passed 90K miles, the Fit began its decline in health. We spent about $1,505 on normal maintenance, plus failures. The engine began to throw codes and we repaired the VTECH engine system, and we also started a coil replacement campaign that didn't stop until we had eventually done 6. And this is a 4-cylinder car.

The Fit trim we own is a Sport tirm, which came with a lot of plastic add-ons along the lower front, sides, and rear of the car. That plastic junk was susceptible to impact damage and the nannies ended up rubbing it all on a lot of curbs and other street type objects.Our mechanics were kept busy putting screws and other impromptu fixes in the plastic decorations we wish Honda had not fitted to this car. (Note that all our subsequent vehicles have been crossovers).

Honda Fit 100K - 110K Miles- We should Have Sold It!
Three experienced mechanics struggled to figure out why the Fit was eating coils. In the end, a mechanic in his 20s looked on the internet and discovered that the Fit will throw a "coil code" when what it really needs is a valve adjustment. Aha! So we did that and it solved the problem.

The Fit also needed CV joints at this point. And Struts. And a lot of other things. To the tune of $3,334 over the 10K miles after 100K. Boy, do we wish we had sold the Fit after 90K miles! Honestly, we would have been happier if we had just lit the thing on fire at that point, but you don't know what's ahead with a used car until you get there.

Honda Fit 110K - 129K
In the last 20K miles of its life, the Fit has cost us $2,383 more in repairs and maintenance. That included an AC compressor, serpentine belt, starter, alternator, battery (we have had 5 total since it was new by our count) and more brakes and tires. Looking under the hood, we are pretty sure that other than the pistons and connecting rods, the entire thing is new.

Living with a used car comes with a hard choice. Buy new and suffer $3K per year in depreciation plus higher excise tax and insurance costs? Not while "if you ain't rubbing, you ain't driving" nannie is behind the wheel. Anyone who gives a nannie a new car to drive is crazy. Also, we saw light on the horizon. Our Highlander was about to be freed up when a child went away to college. So that's where we are now. The Fit is about to be sold. We hate to see it go. Pretty much every part of it is new now and it runs like a charm. Around town, this car is more fun than 90% of the new test vehicles we get to test. We plan to sell it for below market value and wish the next owner much luck.

UPDATE! We sold the Fit! Click here to see how much we got for it and how long it took to sell. You will be shocked by one of the answers.

Bookkeeping: The Fit had a price new including destination of $15,565 (we paid a bit less). The total cost to maintain and repair it same to about $11K. That is based on our tally of all the receipts, and may not match the totals above exactly. We also have not included the cost of some upkeep we did ourselves, such as the headlight restoration and some minor repairs and things like cabin air filters.

John Goreham is a life-long car nut and recovering engineer. John's focus areas are technology, safety, and green vehicles. In the 1990s, he was part of a team that built a solar-electric vehicle from scratch. His was the role of battery thermal control designer. For 20 years he applied his engineering and sales talents in the high tech world and published numerous articles in technical journals such as Chemical Processing Magazine. In 2008 he retired from that career to chase his dream of being an auto writer. In addition to Torque News, John's work has appeared in print in dozens of American newspapers and he provides reviews to many vehicle shopping sites. You can follow John on the Torque News Facebook Page, and view his credentials at Linkedin

Honda Fit Images by John Goreham

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Comments

Mark (not verified)    August 1, 2020 - 10:19PM

I have a 2005 Toyota Sienna. Using dealer services cost me a ton. Worst thing was a driver side front wheel bearing that cost $2000 as the entire subhead to be replaced along with the spindle and of course the bearings. Spent a month in a shop 900 miles away from our home as it broke on. trip, 125K miles on it then. No problems since except motor mounts at 198K. That hurt also.
My next car will be an EV. At least I won't be buying gas.

rondhol (not verified)    August 4, 2020 - 10:21AM

In reply to by Mark (not verified)

Yes, but you will buy $20k battery replacement at about 10-12 years. Which does not make sense at all since gasoline for 400k miles won't cost that much either minus electricity bill.

Mark (not verified)    August 4, 2020 - 1:14PM

In reply to by rondhol (not verified)

Battery replacement is not a foregone conclusion. That may have been true in the earliest EVs but is generally agreed that the batteries today are far longer lived than earlier ones.
I would also note that no one is charging $20k for a battery. Tesla batteries are between $3k and $7k depending on the model. That is very low cost for a one time service cost after 100-200k miles. Of course no one likes a large cost. Bur it will still be less than paying $1500-$2000K per year after about the 7th year.
Moreover several battery companies have announced progress to the so-called "million-mile" battery. And addition, battery costs continue to decline.

Battery cost scare tactics originate with Tesla short sellers and legacy manufacturers trying to protect their business model.

John Goreham    August 4, 2020 - 3:48PM

In reply to by Mark (not verified)

I take issue with the last statement. A wide swath of writers and auto-related media were questioning the lifespan of green vehicle traction batteries and warning of daunting replacement costs before Tesla was even a thing. Here is one example from Consumer Reports in 2011. Nobody trusted batteries in green vehicles, even 20 years ago. Myself included. Remember, Tesla wasn't a company one could short until ten years ago (because it was private). Tesla had been getting grief about battery life for six years by that point. https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2011/02/the-200-000-mile-question-how-does-the-toyota-prius-hold-up/index.htm

Mark (not verified)    August 4, 2020 - 4:45PM

I should have said "Tesla short sellers continue to promote this false narrative".
Batteries are cheaper than ever, more capacious than ever and longer lived than ever. It is largely a non-issue.

Paula Hope (not verified)    August 13, 2020 - 10:52AM

My 2007 Fit is running strong at 309,000 miles! I appreciate that you praised how fun it is to drive. I wholeheartedly agree.

Chad (not verified)    February 17, 2021 - 12:46PM

Lol, Honda fit last and last. Nothing fancy had it for 10years. Tires and brakes. The key here is to do the work yourself. Ac condenser 40$ and some orings vacuum pump and refrigerant 200$ or less Total. Coil packs on Rock Auto for 35$ ea. Do the research and work then drive. Cheapest best car I ever had. Probs put 1500$ total in 10years. Amazon tires and Rock Auto parts. Bought it for 7500ish. Now it's my winter beater. Surprising good in winter if you have snow tires.

Ed (not verified)    May 22, 2021 - 2:13AM

‘13 Fit Sport owner here, bought new. Also professional independent mechanic.

Stock Fit batteries are laughably undersized, mine lasted a year from new and I replaced it with a larger group 51 battery out of an older Civic. Those last 4 years each.

Any good mechanic should have checked the valve adjustment when you got the first or second misfire check engine light and code. There was most likely nothing wrong with the six (!!!) coils you paid to replace. Been there, done that, these cars have manually adjusted valves that can get tight and cause this problem. Valve adjustment is a scheduled maintenance item on these cars.

If your car eats tires from pothole damage, you buy the good road hazard warranty.

I’d be curious to see how much less you would have spent if you back out the cost of all those unnecessary battery and coil replacements, and if you had decent road hazard coverage for all those tires you replaced out of pocket.

Mikey1 (not verified)    June 14, 2021 - 9:51AM

I just retired a 2007 Honda Fit Sport 5-speed with 357k.

Car needed a clutch and AC compressor at 180k. Until just over 300k, all it needed beyond routine maintenance was 2 CV axles. It got a little trickier after that.

Overall, it was hugely reliable in medical delivery, often running 13 hours per day every day of the week.

Yes, some of them need valve adjustments and coils, the AC compressor is common but inexpensive aftermarket ones are sufficient, and the electric power steering module can go after awhile.

When it was done, it had original struts and shocks, and I never had to replace a starter, alternator, water or fuel pump, window regulators, etc.

These are great cars which have some quirks. If you do the research, a Fit can be yours for over 300k, with far less than average costs to keep it on the road.

Glemon (not verified)    July 17, 2021 - 6:28AM

I am surprised at the maintenance costs posted here. We have a 2007 Fit bought new. Have replaced battery twice (with larger group 51), couple front suspension bushings (less than $100) tires 3 times, idler pulley and serpentine belt (less than $100) adjusted valves, last and biggest A/C clutch (at $250 more than a compressor, but I did it myself so didn't have to purge and refill refrigerant).

Plus fluid and filter changes (don't forget the cabin air filter) That is it, 106000 miles, Has been remarkably reliable and cheap to run. We raved about it so much that couple relatives bought Fits too. They have had similar experiences.

John (not verified)    July 19, 2021 - 1:48AM

This is exactly what typical dealership maintained car cost. I do not like this. In Europe, All Toyota including Supra and Yaris GR get 10 years/100k miles warranty but after the 3rd year we must maintain the car in dealerships. The first 3 years are fine with garage DIY. We lost the point buying Toyota and Honda if we have to pay €200 annual -€440 bi-yearly maintenance for just oil and filter changes and brake fluid flush every 3 years. In facts, most hybrid brake fluid is still in 80% of its life at 100k miles/10 year. We must stop manufacturer doing this dirty policy. Fortunately in USA, we have clear rule, dealership maintenance is not required for all warranty including 10years/150k miles hybrid components.

Todd Anderson (not verified)    January 16, 2022 - 11:00PM

I had a 2009 Honda Fit Sport, best car I ever had. I bought a 2020 Fit Sport & the Dealership would only offer me $500 on trade in. I gave it to my youngest son with 255,000 miles on it. New headlights every year, new tires every 50,000 miles and new brakes and rotors at 225,000 miles. No other issues. Car got totalled last week by a drunk driver crashing into it while it was parked with 300,000+ miles on it. Almost all miles were freeway at 30 minutes to work every week. Like I said, best car I ever owned, that's why I bought a new one with bumper to bumper warranty. 30,000 miles so far & not 1 hiccup...

Todd Anderson (not verified)    January 16, 2022 - 11:03PM

I had a 2009 Honda Fit Sport, best car I ever had. I bought a 2020 Fit Sport & the Dealership would only offer me $500 on trade in. I gave it to my youngest son with 255,000 miles on it. New headlights every year, new tires every 50,000 miles and new brakes and rotors at 225,000 miles. No other issues. Car got totalled last week by a drunk driver crashing into it while it was parked with 300,000+ miles on it. Almost all miles were freeway at 30 minutes to work every week. Like I said, best car I ever owned, that's why I bought a new one with bumper to bumper warranty. 30,000 miles so far & not 1 hiccup... BTW, I set the cruise control at 80 MPH on the freeway. Best mileage was 55 MPG in the Florida Keys in December (cold air) 2020 Fit sport has attaind 47 MPG at 55 MPH.

sam (not verified)    September 1, 2023 - 2:03PM

I bought my 2007 Honda fit 6 years ago. The car has 118000 miles when i bought it. I only paid $2500. It has 178000 on the car now. It is the cheapest low maintenance car i ever owned. Someone hit my car and i spent $100 fixed it myself and i received $1750 from insurance company. So far i have replace radiator $100. two shocks $100. coils from eBay $50 for 4 which is no good. Last me only few months, so i have to spent $37 each one bought them from Rockauto. Alternator i bought from Walmart $90. It lasts me only less than a month so i went to a local auto part store bought one for $200. Serpentine belt and tensioner $40. I have replaced two batteries so far. $80 and $120. 4 news tires $400. I always change engine oil two time a year. engine oil from Walmart $23, $4 filter. I have put a couple of cans of freon in the car so far $20, $11. The most expensive repair bill was $200 alternator. All DIY.