2006 Honda Insight MT Build Thread

[Vman455]

Low numbers don't make a vehicle collectible. Scarcity + demand + buyers willing to pay make a car collectible, and the Insight doesn't have those.

It's a car. Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.

[mpg_numbers_guy]

Originally Posted by Ecky

Just wait until it warms back up. You'll gain 25mpg when summer hits.

And if I don't get 25 MPG better when it warms back up, I can just blame you, right?

By the way, how did you modify and attach brake reduction clips on your Insight?

Originally Posted by Daschicken

Yes, there were a little over 17,000 made, ever. Less than that made it to America. These cars are downright rare, plus the fact that the manufacturer went all out with them instead of trying to make a family car, makes them collectible.

Originally Posted by Vman455

Low numbers don't make a vehicle collectible. Scarcity + demand + buyers willing to pay make a car collectible, and the Insight doesn't have those.

It's a car. Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.

I suppose it will be collectible for the novelty when I die after having taken Dreamsight past 500K miles.

[Ecky]

Originally Posted by mpg_numbers_guy

And if I don't get 25 MPG better when it warms back up, I can just blame you, right?

By the way, how did you modify and attach brake reduction clips on your Insight?

I had to bend them a little but the Napa ones fit fine. Personally, I wish they had more spring to them, I don't think it's enough, but it's certainly more than nothing.

[mpg_numbers_guy]

Quick update: IMA still working fine on 2nd day of delivery - that makes about 140 miles worth of perfect IMA! CEL came on again for P0420 - cat converter. Will either clean it or put in a spacer. Any issues with leaving a dying cat on?

Originally Posted by Ecky

I had to bend them a little but the Napa ones fit fine. Personally, I wish they had more spring to them, I don't think it's enough, but it's certainly more than nothing.

Were these the ones you went with?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B5PII1M/

Looking back, is there another kind you would've gone with for a stronger spring? Thinking of ordering a set to try out on the Insight.

[Ecky]

If that cat is clogged it could hurt mileage, but most likely it isn't. A catalyst can be a few percent degraded without being dirty or crudding up.

Those look like the same clips and sadly I'm not aware of any stronger ones.

[mpg_numbers_guy]

CEL went away today, came back on for a minute, and then went away again. Might try cleaning the cat when I have time.

Got the tow hook cover replaced. About 4π square inches of space closed up.

Will probably order the brake reduction clips tomorrow.

Figured out how to maximize regen while not having a regen switch yet. What works best for me is when approaching a stop, bleed off speed down to 40 MPH (easy 120-150+ mpg driving), then hold the brake just enough to give full bars of regen from 40 MPH down to 30 MPH when regen stops in 5th gear, then put it in neutral and coast, then put it in 2nd at 25 MPH and hold the brake just enough to give full bars of regen from 25 MPH to 20 MPH when regen stops in 2nd gear, then finish coasting or brake and go into Autostop.

Battery never went below 70% today over 100+ miles of stop-n-go delivery runs (65.5 MPG, no hypermiling besides early upshifts and regenning). New trip record of 76.1 MPG on my drive home tonight, mostly from relearning how to hypermile my drive back in the Insight.

[mpg_numbers_guy]

Had the day off today so I began to contemplate more mods to do to the Insight. Scott's belly pan arrives the 27th and I'm guessing Daox's shift knob will arrive sometime around then. Once it arrives and I figure out how it works, I'll PM Natalya and see if she's still selling the FAS setups.

The view out the side mirrors isn't that great, especially with the driver's side one bondoed on at an angle designed for a shorter driver. There are two 2" diameter circular mirrors glued to the mirrors that I was thinking of taking off, removing both side mirrors, and mounting the smaller mirrors in their place. Would also be buying a panoramic rearview mirror, which should hopefully improve rear visibility. Going to get both of the following mirrors and then return the one I don't like:

https://www.amazon.com/Yoolight-Univ...dp/B078YP2MMW/

https://www.amazon.com/Broadway-BW84...dp/B0040DXAWI/

Brake reduction clips are in the shopping cart: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B5PII1M/

Also ordering LED reverse lights, since the factory ones aren't bright enough for all the backing out of driveways I do at night during delivery runs. The bulb size is 921, and I've read good reviews about the Sylvania ZEVOs. $25 most places but found them for $16 shipped on Ebay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Sylvani...e/332967866684

[Ecky]

I have a FAS you can probably have. It doesn't work the same as the latest version, but I wouldn't say the new version is any better or worse, just different. Shoot me your address and I'll pop it in the mail.

I might give those LEDs a try if you find them to be bright enough. They're only 2.5w, I have 3w LEDs in my backup light spots right now and they're definitely disappointing, but the light distribution might be much better with the Sylvanias. Please leave feedback! Do you have LEDs all around for your other lights?

[mpg_numbers_guy]

PM sent, thanks!

If your 3w bulbs aren't that great then I can't imagine 2.5w bulbs being that great either. The whole point of the upgrade was to improve brightness and visibility.

Superbrightleds.com has 350-lumen white LEDs for $16 each, but I'm not sure if they'll fit (2" long). Need to measure the socket first.

https://www.superbrightleds.com/more...1427&year=2006

Stock lights everywhere else. Might replace headlights with projectors when they die; don't want to deal with heat issues from resisters for turn signals, and I've read that LEDs for brake lights mess up regen. Interior lights are a consideration though.

[Ecky]

I still have normal incandescent turn signals for the reason you described, but I have LED brake lights and appreciate the power reduction. Before I replaced the fan in my aftermarket DC-DC converter, I could hear the cooling fan spin up to high speed in rhythm with the turn signal lights coming on, so it's definitely significant power draw. I think the brake and tail lights have similar draw and tail lights are always on a night, unlike turns. I want to say "CK" style brake lights should not break regen; they're reversed polarity from normal style. At least, that's the case in my 2000 model. Something like these:

https://www.superbrightleds.com/more...77&scc_id=1428

Looking at the wattage, those are only 3.4 watts but I know they're quite bright, so maybe the reverse lights I have are just Chinese junk.