Just put a deposit on a Honda Insight - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

t walgamuth · #1 04-16-2012, 09:29 PM

I have been looking for a frugal replacement for the gluttonous PT cruiser. I put a deposit on a 2010 Insight with 30K miles on it tonight. It is dark metallic red.

the Mrs. two priorities was red color and it had to be easy to get in and out of and be an automatic. the Insight has nearly as much room in it as the PT and drives much nicer. It corners flatly and rides as well or better than the PT.

It needs tires. I plan to put Michelins on it and some Mooneyes spun aluminum discs on the wheels.

TheDon · #2 04-16-2012, 09:35 PM

I was hoping it was one of the original insights. Kind of cool

PaulC · #3 04-16-2012, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

I have been looking for a frugal replacement for the gluttonous PT cruiser. I put a deposit on a 2010 Insight with 30K miles on it tonight. It is dark metallic red.

the Mrs. two priorities was red color and it had to be easy to get in and out of. the Insight has nearly as much room in it as the PT and drives much nicer. It corners flatly and rides as well or better than the PT.

It needs tires. I plan to put Michelins on it and some Mooneyes spun aluminum discs on the wheels.

When do you plan to take it to Bonneville?

t walgamuth · #4 04-16-2012, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDon

I was hoping it was one of the original insights. Kind of cool

I love the original insights but two seats won't work when there are grandchildren around!

I drove a Prius and found it very sterile. The honda has more style and drives like a sporty car (not really fast but good steering and handling).

chilcutt · #5 04-16-2012, 11:30 PM

Is this the first Japanese vehicle for you?

From my experiance, especially Honda, you will not be disapointed.

Can't Know · #6 04-17-2012, 12:07 AM

Bottom Line - New study shows just how 'green' electric cars are

Quote:

The organization bills the new study as a first-of-its-kind, and unlike some more limited reports, it tracked total energy use on a wells-to-wheels basis. In other words, it measures everything from the energy actually used to pump and then refine oil to the energy used to run an internal combustion engine. For electric vehicles, the study also considered such things as the energy used and pollution created while mining coal.

Quote:

In the best regions, savings on energy can add up to more than $1,000 annually – with battery cars cleaner than anything else on the road. But even in the worst regions, those heavily dependent upon coal to generate electricity, the UCS report says battery vehicles retain a significant advantage over traditional automotive powertrain technology.

anghrist · #7 04-17-2012, 01:20 AM

Hybrids are the step in the 'right' direction for energy efficiency, but....

Until someone comes up with a quick-swap battery system, and infrastructure to support it, the battery cars just aren't going to be an option for the family with limited resources.

Oh and congratulations on the new-to-you ride.

Pavka007 · #8 04-17-2012, 03:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Can't Know

Bottom Line - New study shows just how 'green' electric cars are

interesting article, however no one mentioned the initial cost of buying the "green" car. For example Chevy Volt cost $40 000 new and the saving on fuel is around $600 a year. Now if we look at Chevy Malibu (the same size car) the cost for fully loaded new one is under $30K, so I will need to drive almost 13 years to offset the cost difference alone..... I am all about the green revolution but till the time the cars are more competitively priced I will still roll in my 2 Merc and Golf TDI giving me 50MPG every day in and out

t walgamuth · #9 04-17-2012, 05:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chilcutt

Is this the first Japanese vehicle for you?

From my experiance, especially Honda, you will not be disapointed.

Check my avatar.

99 Miata

MTUpower · #10 04-17-2012, 06:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Can't Know

Bottom Line - New study shows just how 'green' electric cars are

This study- as nearly all studies of this kind- omit the total cost of designing, building, marketing, transporting, selling and recycling the car. With those costs included to be be green you would be served with driving a car until it can no longer be driven instead of buying a new car every few years, or even 10 years. Not surprised some scientists are biased towards "green" cars in the study- who is? By limiting the data which goes into the study of course the outcome is predetermined.

MTUpower · #11 04-17-2012, 06:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pavka007

interesting article, however no one mentioned the initial cost of buying the "green" car. For example Chevy Volt cost $40 000 new and the saving on fuel is around $600 a year. Now if we look at Chevy Malibu (the same size car) the cost for fully loaded new one is under $30K, so I will need to drive almost 13 years to offset the cost difference alone..... I am all about the green revolution but till the time the cars are more competitively priced I will still roll in my 2 Merc and Golf TDI giving me 50MPG every day in and out

Exactly in line with my previous post.

t walgamuth · #12 04-17-2012, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulC

When do you plan to take it to Bonneville?

Right after I drop a 392 Hemi into it!

t walgamuth · #13 04-17-2012, 07:14 AM

It has the variable ration transmission. It is a little strange but seems ok.

the Mrs was driving it and after a while said...."its not shifting"....(I am impressed that she noticed)....I said "It never shifts....the ultimate automatic transmission. It has variable ratio so it has an infinite number of gears". She said "OK".

It has a nice launch at full throttle off the line. After that it is not real peppy but will keep up with traffic. she ran it up to 83 mph on a two lane with complete feeling of security even though the road was a lumpy one. there was a bit of engine noise.

At idle it is so silent you tend to miss that it is running.

SwampYankee · #14 04-17-2012, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

I love the original insights but two seats won't work when there are grandchildren around!

I drove a Prius and found it very sterile. The honda has more style and drives like a sporty car (not really fast but good steering and handling).

I've often wondered why the Prius has completely overshadowed the Insight. The Insight feels more stable and solid. It's almost like Honda only makes it because they think they need to. I don't recall ever seeing an Insight commercial but Prius commercials are almost omnipresent.

I'm kind of intrigued by the new Prius v. While by no means attractive, the wagon design has quite a bit more hauling utility (volume-wise) than the original hatchback. While I would still prefer a clean diesel minivan for the Mrs., I would think a hybrid minivan would be a good platform for a lot of people. A lot of them spend most of their time running around town, under 40 mph with lots of stops and go's.

tbomachines · #15 04-17-2012, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SwampYankee

I've often wondered why the Prius has completely overshadowed the Insight. The Insight feels more stable and solid. It's almost like Honda only makes it because they think they need to. I don't recall ever seeing an Insight commercial but Prius commercials are almost omnipresent.

I'm kind of intrigued by the new Prius v. While by no means attractive, the wagon design has quite a bit more hauling utility (volume-wise) than the original hatchback. While I would still prefer a clean diesel minivan for the Mrs., I would think a hybrid minivan would be a good platform for a lot of people. A lot of them spend most of their time running around town, under 40 mph with lots of stops and go's.

Design and now reputation. Honda initially missed the boat with the original insight. Toyota used the same principle but actually made a normal looking, practical passenger car out of the prius rather than a 2 seater oddity. Honda was out of it for a couple years too when Toyota cashed in.