Efficient used cars (under $7,000 but over $1500)

[Natalya]

SOLD!!

I have a 2000 Insight for sale, asking $2900 168k miles. It'll probably end up on EBay, but I'm posting it here first. I know the price is kinda high for this car's condition; there is a bit of flexibility. Clean title in my name in hand.

https://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/c...837988434.html

I have more photos available and in higher quality than the attached ones here or the ones in the CL listing.

Most info is in the CL listing, but y'all know what Insights are so I'll post more detailed stuff here. There are like 24 photos on the CL ad but I can take more if requested.

- 12v battery is from 2017
- One of the ground straps was broken I replaced it with a new one from Honda
- This car had the driver's side wet seatbelt leak (common to G1 Insights) but I fixed it with silicone. I replaced the tabs holding the trim piece with new ones from Honda.
- Trunk latch did not work, I repaired the actuator with the 3d printed repair piece.
- IMA is on last legs, it should be bypassed, I'm just not sure of the legality of doing that and then selling the car. I just don't want to be held liable for something. I know how to do the bypass it isn't hard.
- One of the photos in the CL ad has a photo of the clutch switch I added, keeping it on most of the time will prolong the time before the IMA light turns on.
- I have grid charged the battery, and it's got a harness that's specific to my home-built grid charger. I made an adapter for it that works with the Prolong grid chargers if you have one of those, or if you were interested I could sell my grid charger.
- Passed emissions in February
- Enters lean burn easily
- No EGR-related herky-jerky problem in lean burn or under acceleration
- Transmission is QUIET
- Exterior looks really really good

Cons:
- Has RE92s but needs new tires pretty soon
- There's a photo in CL ad of where prev owner backed into something
- Has factory-installed audio system (it sucks)
- Probably due for TX fluid change

[fusion210]

Price seems fine to me, but then again I'm biased. Good luck! Please link your ebay thread if you end up going that route.

[Xist]

Is there any chance this is legitimate? https://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/c...842144525.html

[redpoint5]

No chance. They dropped a zero or something, which would be a bit too expensive.

[mpg_numbers_guy]

Originally Posted by Xist

Is there any chance this is legitimate? https://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/c...842144525.html

At that price something's got to be wrong with it. Most C's of that generation range from $6k-$11k depending on condition and mileage.

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by mpg_numbers_guy

At that price something's got to be wrong with it. Most C's of that generation range from $6k-$11k depending on condition and mileage.

Ad seems to have been taken down by the site, as of yesterday. Something was wrong with it!

[jjackstone]

$4000 Leaf? Says it has a clean title and that's good, but that and mileage is about all it says.

https://sacramento.craigslist.org/ct...832475830.html

Here is another for about $5000.

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/cto...832717046.html

JJ

Oops. There is more.
Piece of history. $2000. Needs new batteries.

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/cto...832125584.html

[mpg_numbers_guy]

Saw two blue Leafs for ~$5k locally here in VA. Prices are starting to look nice, but 70 miles per charge vs 700-800 miles per tank on the Insight doesn't make them practical enough.

A Leaf plug in hybrid conversion mated with the Insights 1.0L....hmmmm..

Did the Prism really come as an electric car, or is it just another one of those experimental cars?

[Ecky]

^ Leaf had 70 miles range when new, but early models had notoriously notorious battery degradation. It wouldn't surprise me if many on the road had less than 40 miles range now (in good weather), especially in warmer climates.

[mpg_numbers_guy]

Even if the Leaf were a plugin hybrid it still wouldn't be as practical of a vehicle to me as an Insight.

Most of my driving now is the 700 mile highway commute home and back for break. Even a Volt getting 50 MPG highway would not have the EV savings make up for 80+ MPG with the Insight. Both the Volt and the Leaf are great vehicles, just not the most practical for me.

I would love to eventually to a lithium conversion with an EV battery with 20+ miles of EV range, which could be hypermiled in EV only for those shorter trips, and offer enough EV juice to get through the mountains without draining the battery or using as much gas.

But I digress.

I did find a Volt for under $6k though:
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...9411655010745/