Albuqurque, NM
#1
06-19-2004, 01:08 PM
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Gainesville, GA
Posts: 808
Hi all,
I need some help from someone in the area. I am looking at an Insight for sale in the area...but need someone to look at it for me (I live in Georgia). If anyone could help..pm/email/post.
Cheers,
Steven
I need some help from someone in the area. I am looking at an Insight for sale in the area...but need someone to look at it for me (I live in Georgia). If anyone could help..pm/email/post.
Cheers,
Steven
#2
06-19-2004, 02:21 PM
Hi Stevo12886:
___I haven’t seen that you have asked anyone from InsightCentral.net yet? I tried using their sort by area selection on the member list and it was a nightmare as it sorts by town name. Albuquerque was in there somewhere I am sure but it will not be an easy find …
___One item I would caution you on is that Albuquerque has a few thousand foot climb leaving the city in any direction. That is the way I remember it anyway when driving through last year … It is great going down but I can guarantee that the pack was used more then once for climbing and that is the exact wrong item to use for that particular purpose. Just a heads up given it is not exactly the coolest place to live and the possibility of pack abuse is relatively high.
___Have you considered looking for Insight’s in the more northern as well as flatter states such as North and South Dakota, Illinois, Indiana, LP of Michigan, Iowa, or Nebraska instead? Remember what I said about purchasing in the winter period(s) w/ gas prices being lower and people tiring of their slick little 2-seaters in the harsher weather (especially in the North)? The going prices will reflect the above.
___There are local service shops that you can tap for inspections ($$’s) as well as CarFax for a general overview. One item that doesn’t cost a dime would be to have your local Honda dealer run the VIN on their computers. It should give you a nice list of what was performed on the car and hopefully you will have seen any anomalies like “Customer complained of Recal issue”, “Low Mileage suspected”, “Poor performance”, or “non-smooth operation” … items like that speak volumes and hopefully your local Honda dealer can help you find them. Let alone if the car was serviced at a particular dealership for routine oil changes. I know it could have been serviced anywhere but this is one time when the seller would be best served with records of the local dealership performing the routine service(s).
___Finally, when driving home, that is a long way for a new Insighter and I can guarantee that your right foot will be ready to fall off within 500 or so miles. Might I suggest the throttle strap as a substitute? A long Velcro strap attached from the seat bracket at the rear to the top of the accelerator pivot will work wonders. That way you will drive with your calf/upper ankle instead of your right foot for the few thousand mile drive home.
___Good Luck w/ the hunt.
___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Hunt Club Farms Landscaping Ltd.
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net
___I haven’t seen that you have asked anyone from InsightCentral.net yet? I tried using their sort by area selection on the member list and it was a nightmare as it sorts by town name. Albuquerque was in there somewhere I am sure but it will not be an easy find …
___One item I would caution you on is that Albuquerque has a few thousand foot climb leaving the city in any direction. That is the way I remember it anyway when driving through last year … It is great going down but I can guarantee that the pack was used more then once for climbing and that is the exact wrong item to use for that particular purpose. Just a heads up given it is not exactly the coolest place to live and the possibility of pack abuse is relatively high.
___Have you considered looking for Insight’s in the more northern as well as flatter states such as North and South Dakota, Illinois, Indiana, LP of Michigan, Iowa, or Nebraska instead? Remember what I said about purchasing in the winter period(s) w/ gas prices being lower and people tiring of their slick little 2-seaters in the harsher weather (especially in the North)? The going prices will reflect the above.
___There are local service shops that you can tap for inspections ($$’s) as well as CarFax for a general overview. One item that doesn’t cost a dime would be to have your local Honda dealer run the VIN on their computers. It should give you a nice list of what was performed on the car and hopefully you will have seen any anomalies like “Customer complained of Recal issue”, “Low Mileage suspected”, “Poor performance”, or “non-smooth operation” … items like that speak volumes and hopefully your local Honda dealer can help you find them. Let alone if the car was serviced at a particular dealership for routine oil changes. I know it could have been serviced anywhere but this is one time when the seller would be best served with records of the local dealership performing the routine service(s).
___Finally, when driving home, that is a long way for a new Insighter and I can guarantee that your right foot will be ready to fall off within 500 or so miles. Might I suggest the throttle strap as a substitute? A long Velcro strap attached from the seat bracket at the rear to the top of the accelerator pivot will work wonders. That way you will drive with your calf/upper ankle instead of your right foot for the few thousand mile drive home.
___Good Luck w/ the hunt.
___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Hunt Club Farms Landscaping Ltd.
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net
#3
06-19-2004, 02:31 PM
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Gainesville, GA
Posts: 808
Wayne,
Thanx for the insight (lol..no pun intended). I still have to figure out how to sell my current car and buy the new one...its really confusing. There is that green one up north....still looking around. I'll probably end up waiting till winter...prices will be lower.
Cheers,
Steven
Thanx for the insight (lol..no pun intended). I still have to figure out how to sell my current car and buy the new one...its really confusing. There is that green one up north....still looking around. I'll probably end up waiting till winter...prices will be lower.
Cheers,
Steven
#4
06-19-2004, 04:42 PM
Hi Stevo12886:
___I don’t remember your marital status or daily commuting regiment but I want to add that you really want to make sure the Insight is right for you and your habits. I see a lot of interest in the performance aspect from some of your recent posts and if you drive an Insight like you stole it, low to upper 50’s is what you may receive? If you drive it to maximize fuel economy, 100 + mpg tanks are possible with a very intense study of the gauges, terrain, slower speeds, and perfect setup. I suspect that you will end up somewhere in the middle?
___Will an Insight fit your lifestyle and/or needs? In my case, the Insight is almost a pure highway commuter given my monster commute. I don’t really like driving it around town, to the store or mall and back, to the library, or to friend’s homes. It just doesn’t feel right in this environment (to me) even though I exceed highway EPA estimates while tooling around locally. Many others love it for this so take my thoughts with a grain of salt. If you have a growing family, forget about using it for that as well. It would simply be a toy and one that you may come to dislike after too few miles if you do not go in with your eyes wide open.
___I am sure you have read of my interest in the Honda Fit arriving in mid 2005 or thereabouts. Although the 5-speed Fit has a lower fifth and final gear ratio (to lower fuel economy? or allow trailer towing
), it will receive very close to HCH EPA estimates in the city/highway (~ 20% less city, 10% less on the highway). With that, it will include some type of HCH game gauge cluster/package which all of us are interested in. That and it should be available for purchase in the $11 - $14K range brand spanking new depending on how it’s equipped. It will more then likely only be a LEV as far as emissions are concerned. With seating for 5 and almost equivalent room of the HCH (it is a taller but has a thinner width in the 5-dr. hatch format) and being a much more practical automobile then an Insight with the possibility of losing a small amount of performance (1.5 seconds to 60 and 20 - 25 mpg in the fuel economy department), it will be a huge gain in utility and TCO in comparison to the 2 hybrids by a large margin imho.
___I hope you see where I am headed with this. A 2006 Honda Fit will not only be a brand new vehicle but you will never have to worry about the IMA/pack. You will also receive a new car warranty; you will have a vehicle that is much more practical, and be much more reliable over the long term for a small family in particular.
___Let me pass on a few quick data points picked up from the UK Honda website and a few in Australia in regards to the Honda Fit, HCH, and the Insight. Sorry about the format but UBB forums are not like typing into word. There are also a few errors below but you will weed them out as they are quite glaring and I have not had the time to correct them myself.
From the UK Honda Website and others …
************************************************** ****************
Honda Fit 5-Speed SE ** Civic Hybrid 5-Speed ** Insight 5-Speed
Engines
1,339 SOHC i-DSI ** 1,339 V-Tec IMA (same i-DSI + IMA) ** 995 SOHC V-Tec IMA
Max Power (BHP): ** 82@5,700 ** 90@5,700 w/ Assist ** 75@5,700 w/ Assist
Max Torque (Lb.-Ft.): ** 88@2,800 ** 117@1000 w/ Assist ** 83@1,500 w/ Assist
Max Speed: ** 106 ** 111 ** 112
Acceleration (0 - 62 mph): ** 12.0 ** 12.8 ** 10.6
Final Drive Ratio: 4.111 ** 3.600 ** 3.208
Fifth Gear Drive Ratio: .805 ** .710 ** .710
Dimensions and Capacities
Fuel Tank Capacity: ** 42L ** 50L ** 40L
Curb Weight (Kg): ** 1,013 ** 1,189 ** 850
Towing w/ Brakes: ** 1000 Kg ** 0 ** 0
Towing w/out Brakes: ** 450 Kg ** 0 ** 0
Boot Capacity: ** 353 L ** 341 L ** 182 L
Length: ** 3830 mm ** 4480 mm ** 3945 mm
Width including mirrors: ** 1878 mm ** ???? mm ** ???? mm
Width excluding mirrors: ** 1675 mm ** 1695 mm ** 1695 mm
Height Excluding Ariel: ** 1525 mm ** 1435 mm ** 1355 mm
Wheel Base: ** 2450 mm ** 2625 mm ** 2400 mm
Turning Circle: ** 9.4 M ** 10.7 M ** 9.6 M
Tires: ** 175/65 R14 ** 185/70 R14 ** 165/65 R14
European Spec Fuel Economy (not EPA) using British Gallons
Urban: ** 40.9 mpg ** 47.1 mpg ** 68.9 mpg
Extra Urban: ** 57.6 mpg ** 65.7 mpg ** 94.2 mpg
Combined: ** 49.6 mpg ** 57.6 mpg ** 83.1 mpg
Cd: ** .28 or .31? ** .28 ** .25
************************************************** ****************
___Take a good look at the std. features of the Honda Fit SE and it outclasses both of the Honda Hybrid’s in a few areas but for multiple thousands less if you were to purchase new and ~ the same if you were purchasing a used, newer MY, low mileage Insight as one example … The following might help: Internally adjustable headlight height, ABS, EBFD, and Brake Assist, Side air bags for the Fit Sport w/ CVT (I am sure this will make it over here in the Fit SE 5-speed), 5x3 Point seatbelts, Tonneau cover, Electrically heated mirrors, Glass electric Tilt/Slide sunroof w/ sunshade, Tilt adjustable steering, Drivers side seat height adjustment, and a CD player w/ RDS. Hopefully these std. features from the European equipped 5-Speed SE will be duplicated here in the states. It makes the Hybrid’s look pretty ugly in the TCO department given the Fit’s std. features and rather excellent fuel economy. Remember too that the Fit is approximately equivalent in size (volume wise) to the HCH and is much larger in comparison to an Insight.
___Finally, did I mention the Fit Sport looks neat in a Super Mini sort of way? Minus the rear spoiler and body kit anyway
___Or for those that want our vehicles to be a bit more exotic …
___Good Luck
___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Hunt Club Farms Landscaping Ltd.
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net
___I don’t remember your marital status or daily commuting regiment but I want to add that you really want to make sure the Insight is right for you and your habits. I see a lot of interest in the performance aspect from some of your recent posts and if you drive an Insight like you stole it, low to upper 50’s is what you may receive? If you drive it to maximize fuel economy, 100 + mpg tanks are possible with a very intense study of the gauges, terrain, slower speeds, and perfect setup. I suspect that you will end up somewhere in the middle?
___Will an Insight fit your lifestyle and/or needs? In my case, the Insight is almost a pure highway commuter given my monster commute. I don’t really like driving it around town, to the store or mall and back, to the library, or to friend’s homes. It just doesn’t feel right in this environment (to me) even though I exceed highway EPA estimates while tooling around locally. Many others love it for this so take my thoughts with a grain of salt. If you have a growing family, forget about using it for that as well. It would simply be a toy and one that you may come to dislike after too few miles if you do not go in with your eyes wide open.
___I am sure you have read of my interest in the Honda Fit arriving in mid 2005 or thereabouts. Although the 5-speed Fit has a lower fifth and final gear ratio (to lower fuel economy? or allow trailer towing
), it will receive very close to HCH EPA estimates in the city/highway (~ 20% less city, 10% less on the highway). With that, it will include some type of HCH game gauge cluster/package which all of us are interested in. That and it should be available for purchase in the $11 - $14K range brand spanking new depending on how it’s equipped. It will more then likely only be a LEV as far as emissions are concerned. With seating for 5 and almost equivalent room of the HCH (it is a taller but has a thinner width in the 5-dr. hatch format) and being a much more practical automobile then an Insight with the possibility of losing a small amount of performance (1.5 seconds to 60 and 20 - 25 mpg in the fuel economy department), it will be a huge gain in utility and TCO in comparison to the 2 hybrids by a large margin imho.___I hope you see where I am headed with this. A 2006 Honda Fit will not only be a brand new vehicle but you will never have to worry about the IMA/pack. You will also receive a new car warranty; you will have a vehicle that is much more practical, and be much more reliable over the long term for a small family in particular.
___Let me pass on a few quick data points picked up from the UK Honda website and a few in Australia in regards to the Honda Fit, HCH, and the Insight. Sorry about the format but UBB forums are not like typing into word. There are also a few errors below but you will weed them out as they are quite glaring and I have not had the time to correct them myself.
From the UK Honda Website and others …
************************************************** ****************
Honda Fit 5-Speed SE ** Civic Hybrid 5-Speed ** Insight 5-Speed
Engines
1,339 SOHC i-DSI ** 1,339 V-Tec IMA (same i-DSI + IMA) ** 995 SOHC V-Tec IMA
Max Power (BHP): ** 82@5,700 ** 90@5,700 w/ Assist ** 75@5,700 w/ Assist
Max Torque (Lb.-Ft.): ** 88@2,800 ** 117@1000 w/ Assist ** 83@1,500 w/ Assist
Max Speed: ** 106 ** 111 ** 112
Acceleration (0 - 62 mph): ** 12.0 ** 12.8 ** 10.6
Final Drive Ratio: 4.111 ** 3.600 ** 3.208
Fifth Gear Drive Ratio: .805 ** .710 ** .710
Dimensions and Capacities
Fuel Tank Capacity: ** 42L ** 50L ** 40L
Curb Weight (Kg): ** 1,013 ** 1,189 ** 850
Towing w/ Brakes: ** 1000 Kg ** 0 ** 0
Towing w/out Brakes: ** 450 Kg ** 0 ** 0
Boot Capacity: ** 353 L ** 341 L ** 182 L
Length: ** 3830 mm ** 4480 mm ** 3945 mm
Width including mirrors: ** 1878 mm ** ???? mm ** ???? mm
Width excluding mirrors: ** 1675 mm ** 1695 mm ** 1695 mm
Height Excluding Ariel: ** 1525 mm ** 1435 mm ** 1355 mm
Wheel Base: ** 2450 mm ** 2625 mm ** 2400 mm
Turning Circle: ** 9.4 M ** 10.7 M ** 9.6 M
Tires: ** 175/65 R14 ** 185/70 R14 ** 165/65 R14
European Spec Fuel Economy (not EPA) using British Gallons
Urban: ** 40.9 mpg ** 47.1 mpg ** 68.9 mpg
Extra Urban: ** 57.6 mpg ** 65.7 mpg ** 94.2 mpg
Combined: ** 49.6 mpg ** 57.6 mpg ** 83.1 mpg
Cd: ** .28 or .31? ** .28 ** .25
************************************************** ****************
___Take a good look at the std. features of the Honda Fit SE and it outclasses both of the Honda Hybrid’s in a few areas but for multiple thousands less if you were to purchase new and ~ the same if you were purchasing a used, newer MY, low mileage Insight as one example … The following might help: Internally adjustable headlight height, ABS, EBFD, and Brake Assist, Side air bags for the Fit Sport w/ CVT (I am sure this will make it over here in the Fit SE 5-speed), 5x3 Point seatbelts, Tonneau cover, Electrically heated mirrors, Glass electric Tilt/Slide sunroof w/ sunshade, Tilt adjustable steering, Drivers side seat height adjustment, and a CD player w/ RDS. Hopefully these std. features from the European equipped 5-Speed SE will be duplicated here in the states. It makes the Hybrid’s look pretty ugly in the TCO department given the Fit’s std. features and rather excellent fuel economy. Remember too that the Fit is approximately equivalent in size (volume wise) to the HCH and is much larger in comparison to an Insight.
___Finally, did I mention the Fit Sport looks neat in a Super Mini sort of way? Minus the rear spoiler and body kit anyway
___Or for those that want our vehicles to be a bit more exotic …
___Good Luck
___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Hunt Club Farms Landscaping Ltd.
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net
#5
06-19-2004, 08:45 PM
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Gainesville, GA
Posts: 808
Wayne,
As to marital status...i'm unhitched...im a minor yah know (Jason and I are the same age). Will it fit my lifestyle? That really is a question to be asked...I would say no before I rode in one (not looking at the performance side). I am soon going to college...so I am not completely sure...I will have to ponder on this.
Cheers,
Steven
Oh...anything in the 7-8k range that gets better than 30 mpg in the city and isnt an echo?
As to marital status...i'm unhitched...im a minor yah know (Jason and I are the same age). Will it fit my lifestyle? That really is a question to be asked...I would say no before I rode in one (not looking at the performance side). I am soon going to college...so I am not completely sure...I will have to ponder on this.
Cheers,
Steven
Oh...anything in the 7-8k range that gets better than 30 mpg in the city and isnt an echo?
#6
06-20-2004, 06:09 PM
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Gainesville, GA
Posts: 808
Wayne,
The Fit looks great dont get me wrong...but I'd wrather import a 1Lt Echo HB, LOL. Anyway...suposedly the Fit will be coming to America in a sedan option also (comp for the Echo) and if Honda is smart and equips it with lean-burn (already has the software w/ the HCH) It would be tops on my list for my second car. The only thing that worries me though is the acceleration times...I dont know if it would be safe in my area.
Cheers,
Steven
The Fit looks great dont get me wrong...but I'd wrather import a 1Lt Echo HB, LOL. Anyway...suposedly the Fit will be coming to America in a sedan option also (comp for the Echo) and if Honda is smart and equips it with lean-burn (already has the software w/ the HCH) It would be tops on my list for my second car. The only thing that worries me though is the acceleration times...I dont know if it would be safe in my area.
Cheers,
Steven
#7
06-20-2004, 06:18 PM
Hi Steve:
___Yes, I pulled the online E-Brochure of the Honda “City” sedan from the Malaysian Honda web site the other day. Probably a lower Cd as well … I didn’t hear that they were going to bring the sedan over to the US but I like the looks of it and Honda had better give it lean burn or they are simply playing internal business/politics as I suspected with the gear ratios so as to not make the IMA equipped HCH look to bad by comparison
___Good Luck
___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Hunt Club Farms Landscaping Ltd.
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net
___Yes, I pulled the online E-Brochure of the Honda “City” sedan from the Malaysian Honda web site the other day. Probably a lower Cd as well … I didn’t hear that they were going to bring the sedan over to the US but I like the looks of it and Honda had better give it lean burn or they are simply playing internal business/politics as I suspected with the gear ratios so as to not make the IMA equipped HCH look to bad by comparison
___Good Luck
___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Hunt Club Farms Landscaping Ltd.
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net
