VW Passat 2000 Crapping Out. Need a small car - Honda Fit or Toyota Yaris.

[ab]

So along with many other things going wrong this month, my car now has electrical issues.  Somehow water got under the driver seat under the carpet into the electrical system.  Some small leak somewhere where I can't see it.  Most likely culprit sunroof.  Had to tow her.  All this happen a month after I get all the belts changed.  At 106K, I was hoping to get another 100K out of her.  But it is not looking good.

Looking for small car now.  Ideally fiat would have made me a happy man but I can't afford another car that MAY need expensive maintenance later.  But that car would have made me a happy happy man.

Anyhow, have good experience with Honda Fit ?  or Toyota Yaris.  I am just shocked at how much expensive a used Honda Fit is.  They really f'n hold their values.  Got to start saving for this stuff again. 

[lethe]

Never drove a Fit.
Didn't care for the Yaris, felt really cheap.
At that time, I ended up with a Mazda 3, which needed nearly zero maintainance over the 4 year/250k mile time I had it.

[live2ride]

where r u located?  i might be interested in the passat

[ab]

where r u located?  i might be interested in the passat

OH col

[pennyrobber]

Here's some good info (link below). I know two people with the Fit. Really roomy interior for a smaller car. Also the Fit is fairly decent on gas for a non hybrid. Don't know much about the Yaris.

http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/chevy-sonic-vs-honda-fit-hyundai-accent-kia-rio5-nissan-versa-toyota-yaris-comparison-tests

[1KDS]

Never drove a Fit.
Didn't care for the Yaris, felt really cheap.
At that time, I ended up with a Mazda 3, which needed nearly zero maintainance over the 4 year/250k mile time I had it.

My experience pretty much mimics this post. 
Never driven a Fit, had an Accord that was excellent, Honda is a great brand.
Toyota is also a great brand but... the Yaris feels horribly cheap, I had rental in LA for a few days and it was the worst quality new car I'd ever driven.
My gf has an '07 Mazda 3 and it is an excellent car, around 70k on it and it feels so tight and new.  Never an issue (although it is still fairly new).

[Bun-bun]

Considered the MINI?

[ab]

Considered the MINI?

Nope.  Mini out of my affordability range.  If i had a choice, in the mini category, FIAT would win.

[DucNaked]

My wife and I looked at both. We decided to spend a little more and got the Civic.
Great little car! It gets 40mpg the only complaint I have is road noise is kind of loud.

[the_Journeyman]

FWIW - My wife currently has a Mazda 2.  It's about the same size as a Yaris, and cheaper.  We also got 0% financing because they're pushing their new eco car.  She gets 27 city, and about 39 highway.

JM

[DesmoDiva]

I picked up a Mazda 3 about a year ago. 

I looked at and drove all of the car mentioned plus most of the hybrids out there.

It worked out to be the cheapest and the most fun little car to drive.

The Fit was whinny at highway speeds, the Mazda 2 felt top heavy and the seat are too soft, the Yaris..cheap, cheap, cheap...

If I was purchasing now, I would definately check out the new Elantra.

[zooom]

ahhh...wet floor syndrome eh?....most likely due to a lack of servicing of the drains for the crud that builds up in the battery and brake power booster well....sunroof drains need to be serviced annually also...but the front cowl area is much more likely....so you need a comfort control module and maybe a TCM if it is an automatic due to water flowing through that box and down the harness into the car...which during that process means terminal pins are corroded and in need of replacement also...and more than a few of them are gold plated that turned green...

but I am just speculating based on what I have seen from customers here at our dealership when they short change themselves trying to save a buck or few in the servicing of their vehicle when things that we do are left unattended and cost them more money down the road....

[ungeheuer]

Honda makes car called a fit?? 

[The Mad King Pepe']

Honda makes car called a fit?? 

Specifically marketed for Americans!


Bought a used Civic Si earlier this year. Love it. My mother had the previous generation Civic (LX or whatever) and I hated it. Fuel efficient and reliable, but it handled like a boat, little torque (had to stomp on the accelerator to get it going). The Si is still a little bit on the cheap side, but handles much better (stiffer suspension) and the engine is fun to rev.

[orangelion03]

Bought a Hyundai Elantra in April.  Nice car for the money, good mileage too.