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

Ok so here is the deal. I have been thinking that I want to go crazy and get a super fuel efficient hypermiling car.

Both of these cars can get really good miles. Yes, the Insight is a Hybrid so it will get better mileage but with that you get more complexity, more expensive repairs and a much higher purchase price.

The 1988-1991 CRX HF should get about 50mpg fairly easily... and there is the potential to do a budget Civic VX engine swap and get into the 60mpg+ range. The purchase price would be about $3000.
http://hondaarabia.com/images/old_ca...ite_1988_2.jpg

The Honda Insight would be around 2000-2002 and should get about 63mpg. With additional driving efforts and patience people have been able to get lifetime MPG ratings into the 70-80mpg range. The Insight will probably cost $8500-9500.
http://www.engineering.sdstate.edu/~...ndaInsight.jpg

The other wrench in my decision. I recently bought a 1998 Suzuki Swift. Its the 1.3liter manual and is in pretty good shape. As far as a commuter goes its a pretty good car. My thing is that if I am going to have a commuter I would rather have it be a car I like visually more then I like the Swift. This car has been getting 40mpg with winter tires on winter fuel... I just ordered up a set of LRR 13's that will go on the car and I hope will get me up to 45mpg.
http://www.teamswift.net/gallery/ima...image_id=13017

Also FYI...
The Insight at 62.5mpg will save me $650/yr over the Swift at 40mpg.
The CRX HF at 50mpg will save me at least $220/yr over the Swift at 40mpg.

There are 3 CRX HF's that I have my eye on between $2200-$3200...
I have seen one, very very clean but $3200.
One needs body work at $2200.
One unfortunately has a d16 engine swap, but that will just speed along the VX engine swap ... for $2900
All prices before trying to 'deal'.

Where do you live? 2200 is ridic for a CRX...:p

Welcome to ecomodder! I would get the insight if I could afford it, sweet ride.

Seattle area. Everything is expensive in Microsoft land. ;)

$3k is about the going rate for ANY CRX or Civic, much less an HF model in good shape.

I'd second the Insight. Especially if you don't want to really work your car to get great mileage out of it. The lean burn just hands good mileage to you.

I'd say it depends whether your goal is high MPG or saving money. I'd wager you're capable of doing the math and figuring out the payback time of the Insight vs. either of the other vehicles. I think you'll find that it's cheaper to stick with the Swift over any reasonable time period, but the Insight is definitely one of the hypermilers' hotrods, so to speak. And not everybody makes vehicle decisions for purely rational reasons.

Is that an actual pic of your Swift? It looks lowered.

Welcome to the forum!

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.

Then I take it you don't find the ride too harsh? (I'm considering it for my car.)

No its not really what I would call harsh... its really a bit more floaty than harsh. It rides fairly nicely. I think that the general thought on the swift boards is to cut 1/2 coil all around and see what you think. Its trial and error since cars all have different weights and people have different tastes.

As a disclaimer my past five cars were lowered as well...
1991 Acura Integra, skunkworks coilover sleeves on tokico blue struts
1999 Jetta, h&r cup kit
2001 Golf, h&r coilovers
2003 Jetta Wagon, b+g coilovers w/adj damping
1993 Audi S4, abt springs on bilstein struts

Thanks for the info. You put it in context with your past 5 lowered cars. :)

In my opinion, the CRX HF w/ d15z1 is the ultimate conventional car as far as fuel economy goes. One person on GS'ers sporting a gutted version was getting 80mpg without any significant aeromods. With very extensive aero/mods, 100mpg should be within reach in conventional driving (i.e. no P&G).

Personally, I'd follow MetroMPG's advice and work out the budget before you buy. It all depends on your goals, but it will probably be cheaper to keep the Swift.

If you have the difference between your Swift and the Insight in the bank, I'd invest it in a CD or something similar. If not, then I would use the money you save by driving the Swift and build up a similar investment. When the Swift finally becomes uneconomical to own, you should have a nice sum of money to fully purchase the car you really want.

The more you change cars and/or stay in debt, the less you'll save. There's no sense in torturing yourself over a couple bucks, but if a new(ish) car is just a "nice to have" type thing, I'd hold the urge. Easier said then done, though...right? :o

- LostCause

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.

"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.

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 :mad:, 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)

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

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

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.

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.