2010 Insight with 192,000 for $3,000 (28 days old)

[Xist]

For all that I know they already sold this and were too lazy to take it down. It looks nice, except for a small dent in the corner of the bumper, and a scratch in the bumper.

They seem like easy fixes. I just thought it was hilarious they brag about almost getting forty miles to the gallon:
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...2863891872167/

[RedDevil]

Getting them down below forty mpg takes a lead foot or adverse conditions (mountains, short trips). My commutes are about 60 mpg year round, but I also do the occasional shopping trips etc. around town so I end up about 5 mpg worse than I would if just commuting ecomodder style.

A 192.000 mile insight probably needs 8 new spark plugs soon, which are expensive and cumbersome to change (the back 4 are only accessible when you remove a cover under the windscreen). The 12V battery may be bad, it is a known weak point. Changing the CVT fluid if you have no guarantee that has been done recently with the right fluid is important too.

For the rest these are reliable cars, of the 'I don't love it but it does the job' kind. There are Insights around with a way higher mileage. It should be good for quite some years and miles, so $3,000 does not seem overpriced.

That he had to swap the hybrid battery worries me. The Insight generally tends its battery well. What can damage it is prolonged exposure to temperatures over 55 degrees Celsius (131 Fahrenheist), like if you park in the full sun. Bear in mind these cars vent their battery with air drawn from the passenger compartment, so if it is blazing hot and you start the car without first letting the hot air out it will start frying its battery initially. Especially because the dash has the tendency to get blazing hot too, and the first two minutes you run the fans it spews out extremely hot air.
In such conditions I lower the windows and let the fans blow until the air gets better. If I have time I won't start the car yet, otherwise I drive off with all open until I hit the highway, then I run the A/C until we're down to normal.

Could be this owner did not take sufficient care with the battery? Then in what condition will the replacement battery be?
The Insight will run without the IMA battery power, but it is a regular pig then, especially slow on initial acceleration.

The 2nd gen Insight shares its chassis with the Fit. If you want a practical, reliable and reasonably economical car without having to worry about the hybrid battery get a Fit.
Pity the manual Fits have short gearing.

[mpg_numbers_guy]

Going off of what RedDevil said, a Fit with an Insight manual transmission would just be golden for fuel economy, maybe complete with a Kammback, grille block, and full belly pan.

That Insight does look pretty beat up. There are several Insights with similar mileage for only slightly more in the Midwest area that are in much safer condition. Would expect the same nationwide....unless you're in Florida or California...cars seem to be much more plentiful and cheaper there for some reason.

[Xist]

Has anyone put an Insight manual transmission in a Fit?

[mpg_numbers_guy]

I haven't, but I might someday. A taller geared Fit or a HCH1 w/ battery removed seem like the perfect high-MPG gas-only practical vehicles for more than two people.

But that's if a Prius or the latest gen Insight aren't options.

Future, future, future.

[RedDevil]

The CVT maxes out quite tall though. 2000 RPM at 100 km/h (62 mph) or 1200 RPM at 60 km/h. It bottoms out at 1100 RPM.

Would be nice if it had a direct drive option to bypass the CVT at that ratio. Honda missed a golden opportunity.

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by RedDevil

The CVT maxes out quite tall though. 2000 RPM at 100 km/h (62 mph) or 1200 RPM at 60 km/h. It bottoms out at 1100 RPM.

Would be nice if it had a direct drive option to bypass the CVT at that ratio. Honda missed a golden opportunity.

I wonder how much gains there are to be made at the tall end.



Recent CVT innovations seem to be at the bottom end - like Toyota doing a fixed 1st gear for "conventional" feeling launches, and the JATCO CVT in the Mirage/Spark/Versa with the 2-speed sub-gearbox that shifts at low speed so the pulleys have 2 ranges.

[RedDevil]

It works at both ends. A separate 1st gear allows for a much longer gearing of the CVT.

[Fat Charlie]

Totally missed the beginning of this thread. Wow, a Fit with taller gearing.

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by RedDevil

It works at both ends. A separate 1st gear allows for a much longer gearing of the CVT.

True enough! Though I suspect Toyota's motivation is consumer (and reviewer) acceptability ... familiar driving characteristics.