Originally Posted by white_n_slow

It's weird the TSX needed a head gasket, that's like the most reliable motor out there.

My wife has a TSX and my mom has a fit, so I have a little experience with these cars. Personally, I would go with the Fit. Simple reason: your daughter will be driving it and it is cheaper. My kiddo is 18 now (almost 19) and although she hasn't been in any major accidents, she has beaten up both of her cars pretty decently. Just parking in the highschool parking lot is asking for body damage. Head gasket is also a red flag, especially when purchasing from a dealer. You don't know what the issues/sypmtoms were or how long it went before they fixed it.

Other points:
-the TSX has the worst turning radius of almost any car I've ever driven = your kid is going to run it into other cars in the parking lot
-Any honda post-2002 or so will have a pretty good overall safety rating
-Maybe a fit is a little less likely to get robbed by the goons at HS
-I personally think you're spending too much money on a 16yo's car :exnbp: We made our kiddo buy it herself and then pitched in after she had come to grips with the budget. Spent about $2k on my mom's Mazda Millenia. She then got sick of it and ponied up a few grand of her own money for a 2004 Civic EX Not bad for a teenage girl.