Several times I have read on this forum about emerging automotive technology, and then somebody laments about it being too darn expensive for the average joe. Then someone sagely suggests that it's still a good thing, because eventually, some day, the technology will "trickle down" to us.
Well, it's trickled.
Last week a coworker told me that his girlfriend wanted to sell her 2000 Honda Insight. You can imagine my ears perking up at that. I went and looked at it and test drove it. She hadn't been driving it since last November, but allegedly had started it and let it run for an hour or so every month. I was a little dismayed by how good of condition it was in. I was hoping it would be a little rougher around the edges, but the more I looked at it, the sillier I felt for the low ball offer I had in mind.
Well, she was too smart to take my first offer, and I didn't think I could meet her $2000 minimum. I started thinking that this might be "the one that got away."
My beautiful wife thought otherwise. She really wanted me to have the car, if for no other reason than it would wipe out my motorcycle fund and, at least in her mind, keep me alive longer. She's not a fan of motorcycles. *sigh* Well, we evaluated our budget and re-purposed some money to add to my (former) motorcycle fund, and decided to go for it. So we went and brought it home tonight. That's right; I've got a silver, 2000 Honda Insight in my driveway. Woo Hoo!
183,700 miles
New Michelin Energy Saver tires
Needs new front struts, or maybe just re-tightening.
Driver side window is inop.
Driver side door seal is cut and leaks.
Needs new 12 volt battery, according to former owner.
The headlight lenses are pretty hazy. My coworker claims that the best thing to clean them up with is...avacado?
There's a crease in the right rear fender. About a foot long from the fuel filler opening to the lower corner of the tail light. Can you pop dents out of aluminum-paneled cars?
And the kicker is... the hybrid system doesn't work. No big surprise, but not sure yet why. Dead pack due to lack of use? Possibly. The former owner said that her ex-boyfriend tried to install an aftermarket cruise control and may have messed up some wiring. It will be an interesting challenge, I'm sure. I've got plenty of reading here at ecomodder to help me out. The car came with a factory repair manual. Score!
Special thanks and shout out to Darin for responding quickly to my panicked Private Message last week ("I've got a line on an Insight- tell me everything you know, stat!"), and pointing out the
thread that I needed to read. Thanks, man!
