Considering a 2000 Insight for $3500, need advice
 

I read through MetroMPG's thread on buying one, but could use some specific advice.

I'm out of town for a month, so I can't see it up close yet, but it's being sold by a small dealer/car lot that got it on auction. I don't have a Carfax sub but might get that before driving several hours to see it. The receptionist confirmed 2000 5MT, 161k miles, IMA light, no CEL. Asking price is $3500 cash. Things to check in person are tranny noises, primarily, and stumbling when going into lean burn, right? Most everything else is a cheap and easy fix.

Edit: I've also read that the 2000 and 2001 need a reflash from a dealer. Is it possible to check if it's flashed with a scanner?

Edit2: Here's a link to the history report: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4C...it?usp=sharing

Will I have any problems with it having a salvage/auction title? I don't have a ton of experience with buying and selling cars.

I think you should pay no more than 3k for it based on what I've seen them going for lately.

Do California 5MT models have lean burn?

Did you get a chance to look at it?

The stumble isn't too difficult a fix. An afternoon's worth of tinkering in my case completely fixed it (blocked EGR passages; sticky valve). Other owners have had to replace the valve.

Not sure about the Cali emissions on the 5-speed.

I haven't. I'm currently traveling, and saw it appear on Craigslist close to home. I'll have a chance to look at it around the 18th of next month.

I've been in communication with someone in their office about the car, mentioning the title issue, and she pulled the ad until she's able to get to the bottom of it. The car in question is not a Cali model but I'm actively shopping around for a 5MT Insight within a pretty large radius.

Can someone post what the stock belly panels are supposed to look like?

This might be what you're looking for:
http://www.fototime.com/0B68DC68715DFC8/medium800.jpg

Car came from Virginia, sold as a total loss at an auction in Florida May of this year. It shows as a non-collision total loss though. So it could have been a theft recovery being resold by the insurance company. Total loss generally means that an insurance claim for the amount of the vehicle was paid out. So if my car got stolen, and only made it 2 blocks before it got ditched, but the police didn't find it before the time frame the insurance company had set to deal with my claim, they would pay me out and when the police did find the car it would now belong to the insurance company, and they would have to sell it as a total loss vehicle. Or it could be 3 Insights glued together to make 1, and the "non-collision" isn't correct. It's an old car, don't buy it until you look at it yourself or have someone look at it for you is my advice. Good luck. :snail:

Ended up finding a better deal, will be starting a thread for it in the next day or so.

Woohoo, congrats. Lets see it. :)