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Old 04-18-2011, 01:12 PM   #1 (permalink)
MetroMPG
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22,527

Blackfly - '98 Geo Metro
Team Metro
Last 3: 70.09 mpg (US)

MPGiata - '90 Mazda Miata
90 day: 54.46 mpg (US)

Even Fancier Metro - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage top spec
90 day: 70.75 mpg (US)

Appliance car - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (base)
90 day: 65.39 mpg (US)
Thanks: 4,078
Thanked 6,976 Times in 3,612 Posts
Got a new UFO*: 2000 Honda Insight 5-speed (ailing IMA hybrid battery pack)

I only stopped in to ask about the tires (I'm actually still looking for used for RE92's for the Suzukiclone fleet) ... but ended up taking the whole car:


  • 2000
  • 5-speed
  • 269k km / 167k miles
  • ailing hybrid battery pack (the reason the previous, original owner sold the car)
Cosmetically it's good. Recent paint job, after the owner scraped the side last year. CORRECTION: not because of a scrape, but because their temporary winter car tent/garage fell on top of it in a windstorm.

Mechanically, I'm not sure. I haven't really had a close look at it yet aside from making sure the front end was tight before bringing it home. It has had full dealer service since new though, and I have its history.

I need another car like I need another hole in my head, but the price was right, and I happen to have the room to store it. (Frank Lee's prophecy has come to pass: the amount of junk one collects will expand to fill the available space.)

Also, these cars are exceedingly rare in Canada, and that factored into my decision to snap it up. Honda sold a paltry 155 Insights here in its first year. And that represented the best year of Insight sales over the 7-year model run (2000 - 2006). (Source: Jim Kenzie, Wheels Oct. 28, 2006 Honda puts clean pioneer out to pasture | Wheels.ca )

Total Canadian sales of gen. 1 Insights were just 396 cars. (Source: Bill Vance, September 26, 2008 Motoring Memories: Honda Insight, 1999-2006 - Autos.ca )



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* "UFO": Un-Finished Object. Too many projects!

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Project MPGiata! Mods for getting 50+ MPG from a 1990 Miata
Honda mods: Ecomodding my $800 Honda Fit 5-speed beater
Mitsu mods: 70 MPG in my ecomodded, dirt cheap, 3-cylinder Mirage.
Ecodriving test: Manual vs. automatic transmission MPG showdown



EcoModder
has launched a forum for the efficient new Mitsubishi Mirage
www.MetroMPG.com - fuel efficiency info for Geo Metro owners
www.ForkenSwift.com - electric car conversion on a beer budget
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