I currently have a 2003 VW TDI Jetta Wagon GL with a 5 speed.

Car runs good with a average 53-54 MPG.

I do like Honda cars and my ex-girlfriend had one of the first of the new 2006 Honda Civics Hybrids in the N/W U.S back in Oct. 2005. I recall that on one trip to Reno Nevada from N/W Oregon it averaged about 53 MPG.

In the news there is a report that in the spring of 2009, which is not that
far off, Honda will have a new model Insight Hybrid that is a five passenger car with maybe over 50 MPG combined (new EPA Figures), and the car will MRSP at $19,000.

This is far less money that a 2009 Jetta TDI or a 2009 Civic Hybrid.

Is there any info on what type of batteries the new Insight will use, hopefully they will be Lithium Polymer.

Anyway, those are the three cars I am looking at

If anyone out there as any outside or inside info on the new Honda Insight please let me know. It will be helpful in my buying descision.

Alster

 

I owned a 1980 VW Diesel Dasher and got 50 to 54 MPG and put 200K on it. It was a baisc auto only A/C option. A good car and no problems, I now have a 2008 HCHII it is much more of an auto, in size and operation and with the differance in #2 diesel and req. unleaded the costs are a wash, it will be seen if upkeep is the same there are more things to go wrong with the HCH then a diesel but making sure that I have clean-dry fuel and adding #1 fuel ( a full tank) before a Christmas trip to Minnesota, The trade-offs appear to be the same as cold battery pack watch out. And the cost of the Honda to a MB is a lot less.
So have a good time with the Diesel its a real workhorse.

 

I bought a used '03 Golf TDI GLS because I lost my local job and had to take one 60 miles away. I had the car about two months before diesel went higher than gas and stayed there. I liked the sportiness of the VW, the solid feel on the road and the unusual amount of amenities included with the GLS package. What I didn't like was the attitude of the dealer or the cost of service. Diesel maintenance costs eat up the inherent economy. There is the higher cost of diesel vrs gasoline, adding Power Service to raise the cetane values for increased mpg and my favorite: changing the timing belt. I hadn't planned on that one, but every 70k or so you have to get the belt changed; along with all the idlers and the water pump. My last one was $800!! And that was from a recommended garage-not the dealer! I'm driving 35k/yr, so every two years.......Then there were the little things: the windshield washer pump quit, the console latch broke, I bottomed the car out and broke the oil pan, the right rear taillight would fail about every three months. I was almost happy when I was involved in a fender bender that totaled the car out.
I bought an '08 Civic Hybrid to replace it. The Civic gets as good or better mileage on regular gas. It was a used car too, but only had 8k miles. It doesn't feel as solid on the road and is not the least bit sporty, but I got 67 mpg on the way home from work the other day, something that never happened with the VW. This is my fifth Honda (over 30 yrs) and I have never been disappointed with them.

 

How do you know that a HCH-II/hybrid forum would have the authority to speak on two vehicles that aren't even in production?

There is an Insight forum here, but no-one seems to know anything beyond what has been released to the press.

Good luck with your shopping.

 

I've been looking at the '09 TDIs.

Seat comfort has been a chronic issue for me. I haven't sat in a TDI Jetta yet, but it has to be an improvement over the Civic.

My Civic is only averaging 43-44mpg and I am sure the TDI can do the same -- although for the higher cost of diesel.

There's something lacking in a family of three, plus a new one due in Feb, plus a small dog. Road trips, Home Depot runs, and pulling a pop-up camper aren't even options.

I'm intrigued by the Jetta SportWagen, but I'm prob fooling myself with the current cost of diesel. I'm sure it'll be back over $4 next year.

Guess I'll try some more padding in the Civic....

nf

 

I was initially attracted to the fuel economy certain hybrid technology vehicles provide, as less money spent on fuel is great. But can you put a monetary value on the quality of the air that you breathe or the health of the ecosystems we cohabit with, and the consequence of man made climate change?

Diesel burns dirty, albeit some insipient clean burning technology offered by Mercedez. Unless VW is utilizing this new clean burning diesel tech, i would stick with gasoline for the aformentioned reasons.

 

With diesel 50+% more than gas--paid $1.989 for regular gas, paid $3.099 for diesel today--I just don't think diesel is a viable option for cars. On top of that, a diesel engine has about the same price premium as a hybrid system. Sounds like a no-brainer!

 

That's just current pricing. Every time I'm on the highway, I pass by the large truck stops and can't help by ask myself why diesel isn't plummeting as fast as gasoline is right now. But on the flip side, as small-scale drivers, there are a LOT of tools out there that will help you make your own diesel fuel, whether from waste deep-fry oil or virgin cooking oils. Find yourself a fast food joint that wants to unload their used oil on you, and your average cost per gallon drops significantly after the initial investment and first production runs.

 

Recycling cooking oil may be a great idea if you don't go far. We do a lot of highway travel, where cooking oil is not a realistic option. Also, from what I read, percent recycled oil should not go over 10-15%, which doesn't take much of an edge off the cost of diesel fuel.

 

What does it cost to replace the BLUE STUFF they use to clean the exhaust? I understand it has to be maintained. H