With my continued gas savings I bought this! (2001 Insight)

[NoD~]

Originally Posted by cowmeat

Since my Insight isn't technically a Hybrid any more, I have a question. You guys think I should remove it from the Hybrid category, or just leave it where it is? I assume I can do that in the CP.

Right now I'm somewhere in the middle of the top ten Hybrids in the challenge, but I'm wondering if I should move it. I see another Insight over in the top ten of ICE cars, I wonder if that's why he put it there?

Side question: Does your DMV charge you a hybrid fee? Mine did, $82! Now the real question is... how do you convince the DMV your car isn't a hybrid? lol! Yeah, I'm really dreaming now...

[MetroMPG]

Good question.

Most of the time I had my Insight, I drove it with assist disabled. But I almost always used regen when coasting/braking. Did that make it a hybrid?

But when Will and I competed with it in the Sports Car Club of Montreal's economy run, I physically switched off the pack and competed in the non-hybrid class. Zero assist, zero regen.

There are some "non-hybrid" cars with light-duty regenerative braking (smart alternators). Even the new JDM / Euro Mirage has it. Are they hybrids?

[NoD~]

Wait a tick... I just saw a 2000 Honda Insight in the top 10 gas only cars category... #7... Who's is it? *Click* HEY IT'S MINE! lol.

I'm a hybrid. Not sure how I got in there, but it's definitely cheating.

I found that when I edit my car, I left it on "gas" as the fuel instead of "gas/electric hybrid". So I think your answer is to change to gas instead!

[RedDevil]

Remove it from the list, by all means! You are doing far too well in the top economy ranking

No, seriously. It is a hybrid, even if you don't use the hybrid battery.
Like a truck remains a truck even if it carries only the driver.
It only serves to make your achievement greater .

[cowmeat]

Me and the boys got like ten of those Rock Auto sun shades that go on the outside of the windshield for our family Insights and BAM! Perfect fit, Ron Burgundy is looking sharp in the parking lot, and there isn't one square inch of windshield uncovered.

Less than five bucks each shipped in case you other Insight guys are looking for one. Hopefully they last a while, I'm sure I'll find out pretty quick how well they can take weather considering we're in the middle of hurricane season

Accessories Window Windshield Cover Parts | RockAuto

If you drive anything bigger than an Insight I'd get the big one

[cowmeat]

A bunch of people at work laughed at my new sun shade until I told them how much it cooled the car, then they all ordered their own

I figured out a couple of tricks with mine in case any of you guys get one:

Leave your wipers up when you shut the car off, pull them forward like you're gonna change the wiper blade, put the solar shield on and lay the wipers on it for extra holding power in high wind

Also, if the area where you park is theft prone, tuck one of the side mirror flaps into the door frame before closing the door and the shade won't disappear on you while you're in the store, at work, whatever

[nemo]

Originally Posted by cowmeat

A bunch of people at work laughed at my new sun shade until I told them how much it cooled the car, then they all ordered their own

I figured out a couple of tricks with mine in case any of you guys get one:

Leave your wipers up when you shut the car off, pull them forward like you're gonna change the wiper blade, put the solar shield on and lay the wipers on it for extra holding power in high wind

Also, if the area where you park is theft prone, tuck one of the side mirror flaps into the door frame before closing the door and the shade won't disappear on you while you're in the store, at work, whatever

I been using one for a while, does seem to do a better job of keeping the heat out.

Nice tip on the wipers.

You can also bend the end rail so the contour more closely matches the windshield, easier done after setting in the sun for a while.

[Baltothewolf]

I bought 4 of them -shrugs- future proofing ftw!

[Ecky]

I cut and trimmed a $2 walmart sunshade to fit the inside of my windshield perfectly, but you're tempting me to get one for the outside.

[cowmeat]

Yeah, I was considering doing the same thing for my front windshield since it was getting old and saggy, but then I saw Rock Auto's ad on here. Glad I went with the outside one. I still use an old SUV sun shade for my back window.

The car is definitely cooler when I get in it in the evening now. I dunno how much that would affect you up there in the north, but it's made a big difference for me down here. I know you remember that heat down here! I'm considering getting one for my sunroof, I bet I could tuck it in around the perimeter and close the sunroof and keep even more heat and UV off my leather seats

They may end up being crap in the long run, but so far I love the thing


BTW, everybody at work calls it my car condom