Hi Don:

___Welcome to Greenhybrid! It is indeed a pleasure to have another Insighter to post with as we are far and few between around these parts.

___In regards to the accessories, the rear cargo mat cuts down road noise better then anything else you might consider installing. The underlayment for the Jim Holmgren Dead Pedal is an absolute must have given how cool it looks when installed. I have a Red/Black theme that adds a nice touch of class to the gray interior. Do get those driver/passenger mats down as the regular covering will wear quickly unless protected. I have seen pics of Insight’s with as little as 20K miles where someone’s right foot has worn right through the floor covering! The Husco arm rest? I will give you a week and you will find that it is the one must have item that Honda should have included with our little beauties. The Gray Husco was a great color match for the 00 - 03’s with the black/gray interior and hopefully they have a beige match for your 05. It really adds a lot of comfort for the longer drives but its cup holder capabilities are a bit on the slim side …

___Great job inside of your first tank … As soon as you hit 5K miles, dump the Moly loaded junk and get that 0W-20 in there. 45 #’s? I ran 60 cold on the attempt and normally run 53 - 55 #’s now. The rest of my normal stable runs 50 + including the Ranger and Corolla whereas the MDX is running just 36.5 - 40#’s. Most Insighter’s run 50 + given the extra FE it helps achieve. Hmmmm, what else. Slow down and enjoy the ride. Read, read, and read some more. There are a ton of tips and tricks so take your time with the details and practice. You are already pushing Hypermiler stats in a brand new Insight so it shouldn’t be long for another member to be recognized. You will find out what that means soon enough When I do take her out, I drive without shoes as the pedal feel in that condition is a lot better then with. Not every time of course but any of my longer drives is a must for me … Have you ever heard of the Insight warm air mods? Even in temps as high as 60 degrees F, the 2 warm air mods can really help out on the highway. You have to be very careful with the radiator block around town in temps above 32 degrees F but out on the highway, you are good for upwards of 70 degrees if you are really really easy on the accelerator in lean-burn. Make sure you learn about “Driving with Load”. Drafts will get you into low to high 90’s with a slow mover and a very tight straight draft but the 100 - 110’s come from slower speeds then most usually drive while using the “Driving with Load” technique. The 110 + runs are usually wind aided and when they arrive, enjoy them to there fullest! A safety tip … when really pushing the FE envelope, place your right front on the white line in the far right lane. It will give a small warning to those behind and it will smooth out your ride a bit as you are actually running the right tires to the right of where most cars and trucks normally track and the left’s are riding on the centerline where no tires ever run except when changing lanes. The pavement really is smoother in that position. Or just throw all of this out the window while driving like most do and you can still achieve hypermiler status! Oh, and don’t forget to build buffers in traffic and around town. This is very important in traffic jams and can save a tank if you are careful. The FE tools you have in your Insight are the most advanced of any automobile made so learn to use them at a glance and you will be surprised with how great the Insight is in short order … I can tell you have already found this out

___And finally, enjoy your new ride as it is indeed a spectacular Hybrid. As John Travolta said in the soon to be released movie, Be Cool, “It is the Cadillac of Hybrid’s” and I think you know why

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Hunt Club Farms Landscaping Ltd.
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net