Opinions: CRX HF, Honda Insight or Keep Suzuki Swift?

[Elysianite]

Personally, I think your swift looks way better than the CRX, but that's purely subjective and, as the owner, you have to be happy with your car.
I don't know your state laws, but here in CA, insurance is mandatory, and I know it would be much higher for the Insight. Besides, as you said, maintenance and repairs would be much higher as well. And how long are those batteries supposed to last again?
As for the CRX; it is a simple Honda... what could be better than that... well besides a sixth gear and a 3-cyl diesel.

[jamesqf]

"I don't know your state laws, but here in CA, insurance is mandatory, and I know it would be much higher for the Insight."

Not so. What's mandatory is liability (pays if you hit someone else). That's actually a few dollars less for an Insight than a CRX. (I had a CRX before buying my Insight.) Collision & comprehensive (which pays for your repairs, or in case its stolen) would be much higher, but is usually required only with a loan.

Maintenance & repairs are not significantly different between the Insight & CRX. Actually less with the Insight, but it's not 20 years old. And the batteries last just fine.

The only problem with buying an Insight these days is the price, which has gone crazy since gas prices started their latest rise. There's one on eBay now that was bid up over $24K last I looked - for a car that cost $20K new.

[dunhamjr]

In WA liability level insurance is required as well. Insurance on the Swift is fairly cheap... I think full coverage (liability, comprehensive, collision) is around $320 for 6 months. Not too bad.

I never looked but insurance on the Insight would be cheap-ish, but I don't know how much so... I do have 2 other cars on my insurance a 2003 VW Jetta and a 1993 Audi S4... the Audi is the most expensive at about $500/6 months... I can't see the Insight having been much more then that, if at all.

Maintenance and repairs could be much higher. But it's a Honda so it should be fairly well built/reliable.

Yeah the gas prices really have spiked the prices of fuel efficient cars.

With all that said... I do still have the Swift. The CRX HF's I was looking at were either fairly well trashed, NOT crx hf's , or the seller was a bit flakey. So for now I am running the Swift. I have swapped out the 14" wheels and winter tires for some 13" steelies and LRR kumhos... been getting about 47mpg with average use of some hypermiling techniques. (EPA combined is 35mpg)

[hunkybizkit]

Originally Posted by dunhamjr

My goal is a little of both... mpg and money, but with a little 'I like this car' thrown in. Which is why both the Insight (mpg) and the CRX HF ($ and like) are considerations over the Swift.

If it were only about getting mpgs and money, I am sure that there is more that can be done to the Swift to pull higher mpgs. In that effort I am swapping to kumho solus kr21 155/80/r13's on OEM steelies vs the 185/65r14 winter tires on alloys that are installed now. I will be selling the winter tires and alloys. Beyond that I am sure I could do some minor aero items... rear fender covers, underbody aero...etc. Maybe even a trans swap to lower gearing.

But the 'I like this car' thing makes me want a CRX HF. Its a CRX and it can pretty easily get 50mpg for fairly cheap. If I want to play with it, its a Honda Civic so there are lots of parts available. If I want more power I can do a VX swap.

As for the picture of the Swift above. Yep, that is my car. Yes it is lowered, the P.O. cut the springs all around to bring the car down a little. Wish it was a little lower yet.

And thanks for the welcome. I have been lurking for a month or two reading threads here and there.

dump the back seat and the spare tire ... do you think it might get you a little mpg back with less weight?

[MetroMPG]

Weight reduction would net a small gain in city driving. EPA estimates 1-2% better fuel economy by removing 100 lbs.

[dunhamjr]

Originally Posted by hunkybizkit

dump the back seat and the spare tire ... do you think it might get you a little mpg back with less weight?

I never have passengers in the Swift, so the bottom cushion of the rear seat was removed (maybe 10lbs) so that the upper seat back would lay flat. I drive with the seat down 100% of the time.

As for taking out the spare, that was done by the PO and replaced with a speaker box in the spare tire well... and it aint coming out. I want it there, but even if I didn't I would have to completely destroy the box to remove it since it is fiberglassed into the well.

[ttoyoda]

As for taking out the spare, that was done by the PO and replaced with a speaker box in the spare tire well.

What is your plan if you have a flat after dark in a bad part of town? Cell phone and a .45?

[dunhamjr]

Originally Posted by ttoyoda

What is your plan if you have a flat after dark in a bad part of town? Cell phone and a .45?

well a couple things.
i am not really that afraid of ANYWHERE i have ever driving no matter the city/state... etc.
i have a cell phone and insurance coverage for towing.

maybe i will just cower curled up in a ball on the passenger side under the dash until help arrives.

and beyond that if there is a part of town you are that afraid of being in... maybe its time to move somewhere safer.