Hi there everyone! In spite I have been a member for a while I never introduced myself or my car either. My name is Frank and I own a 2003 Honda Insight CVT that I named Pikachu after the electronic pokemon mouse (Yes it is a silly cartoon, I am 38 years old and I love them both - the cartoon and the car).

I got my car used at a local Honda dealer for the incredible price of $12,500 and looking like a brand new one - only 5,000 miles - enough to be posted on Ripley's - ha, ha, ha. It is certified pre owned and had a lifetime average of 46.6 mpg.

I got the honda as a second car trying to minimize the mileage I had on my first car lease as well as to save some money on the gas. Of course it happened was it was supposed to happen. The insight became the first car in my household and the big leased gas sucking 4 runner now it is the second car. Since I can't break the lease, I kept the two cars. The gas expenditure of the 4 runner is greater than the combination of the Honda montly payment, the insurance and the gas expenditure. In fact I am saving money keeping the two cars, and I have a second option with the 4 runner when family and friends are visiting me. I was thinking about trading the 4 runner for a hybrid highlander but I think it is a little overpriced and on the end the gas savings wont be enough to justify the price gap with the regular 4 cylinders. Also in Miami, given the huge demand for hybrids, they put a markup on the prices that sometimes goes up to $5,000 dollars.

My insight looks original - the only real change was the stereo system and tinted windows- I got a dual orange -green aiwa stereo that matches the control panel, and I installed four eclipse (that is the speaker brand) speakers and it sound really cool.

It has been a great learning experience on how to drive gas-conciously after I got the honda- in fact, believe or not, there are sometimes that driving the 4 runner with that gas-conciousness I can get up to 26.5 mpg, however the 60ish mpg I get from the Insight and the driving concept - that for me it is like playing a virtual reality Nintendo - won't ever compare to the regular old cars driving!

 

Welcome to GH.
Sounds like you've made the right choice for your driving situation.
Also, I especially like the pikachu name.

 

Welcome! What color is it? Sounds like you got a deal, I just paid around 10k for a 00' Insight in May. Enjoy the car.

 

Hi there! It is silver and in an excellent condition. I already had it for one year and won't trade it until the first 100% electric car is massively sold