I've been keeping an eye on hybrids since a little after the Insight came out and I'm a tech by trade so I know about as much about hybrids as anyone who doesn't have one could. I went and looked at the only hybrid for sale in the entire town today, a 2003 HCH CVT with 49,000 miles on it. Almost everything the guy said was wrong! He had first told me it was a 2002 for starters. He next told me that the assist gauge meant that the gas engine was helping the electric motor when it said assist, and was running on the electric motor only when it said charging.

I asked if it had a lifetime mileage gauge and he asked if I meant a trip meter. I said "um sure" and he said "No it doesn't have a trip meter" Does the HCH have a mileage gauge, by trip or lifetime? I see a "trip a" in the brouchure.

He tried to get the idle stop to work but couldn't. He said that the 2004 has this idle stop feature but the 2003 must not (he he).

By this point it is getting hard to keep a straight face. We then go under the hood and he shows me the bright orange wires that "go to the 2 motors, one for each wheel".