Just wanted to introduce myself and tell a little about my hybrid buying experience. I bought the Insight as a second car and utility vehicle. My other vehicle is a 2006 BMW 325i sedan. I wanted a car that was easier to drive on San Diego's bumpy pavement, one that recovered the energy from all of the canyons and hills around here, one that would serve me well in our oil constrained future, and it also had to handle well. I've taken my BMW to racetracks and I've done a lot of suspension work to it, so I'm very particular about the way a car drives. The ace in the hole for the Insight is that it weights a lean 2720 pounds that rivals most high end sports cars. Even better, all of this weight is at the bottom of the car in the battery and the deep mounted 1.3L engine. As a result it has a fantastic center of gravity, low enough to rival those Porsches and Ferraris. Believe it or not, a hybrid that handles well will get better mileage because you can safely carry more momentum through turns alleviating the need to accelerate on the way out.

The first thing that had to go was the spare tire, the jack, and the associated tools. Not only is this weight you don't need to carry around, but taking it out gives you a ton of space in the floor for groceries and other items that would otherwise be loose in the trunk area.

The second thing that had to go was the steel wheels and hard compound all season tires. I'm all about fuel economy but I'm all about safety too. Low rolling resistance tires glide over the pavement but also produce poor stopping distances, poor grip in slippery conditions, and poor lateral grip when cornering. I went with a set of 12 pound wheels from TRMotorsports wrapped in 195/50 15" Dunlop Direzza extreme performance summer tires. The results are fantastic. Not only did I shed a bunch of unsprung weight, but my car corners and stops better.

I did the XM Radio install at the dealer for about $470 out the door. XM is accessable via the "AUX" button. Hit AUX once and you get XM-1 preset channel bank, hit AUX again you get the XM-2 channel bank. The antenna is mounted at the top corner of the passenger seat in the windshield.

The car DOES NOT come with floor mats. Those were $99 for two front mats that clip into the floors, and one long rear mat for the back seat.

I paid invoice for the LX model at Pacific Honda in San Diego, CA. It was a no hassle experience. I used a blank check loan from my credit union. I declined all warranty, lo jack, lifetime wax, teflon interior treatment, etc.

 

Welcome, please keep us posted. I'm considering driving my EX from Chicago to Denver and then a week in the mountains. Two things that have me concerned:
1: comfort (thats a lot of time behind the wheel with limited stretch area for a 270 pound guy)
2: Mountain drivability ( I wonder if this would struggle on the climbs)

 

Your tire choice will likely cost you several MPGs, which is quite significant. The technology of LRR tires is improving, and you might find the best of both worlds (better grip + low roll resistance) in some of these new entries which have been discussed here and in other similar forums. Enjoy on your new ride.

P.S. i had a horrible recent sales experience at Pacific Honda – congrats on surviving their shark tactics!

 

It looks like I'm seeing ~41 down from ~42 or ~43. This is an acceptable tradeoff for how I want to drive the car. The lightweight wheels should help the inertia the car needs to overcome from a stop. And I plan on making up some MPG by braking less and carrying more speed into turns, just as spec racecar drivers do in classes with low horsepower "momentum cars".

With Pacific Honda I happened to talk to a salesman that didn't give me any nonsense or kickback when I asserted how the deal was going to go down. Mission Valley Honda was 100% willing to play ball, but Pacific Honda was a more convenient location for me.

 

Awesome. I was considering the LX model but I really wanted the bluetooth on the steering wheel. Their were other reasons too but overal I got the ex with navigation.

Keep us posted on your mpg as this may become an option for me down the road.

Also I have taken a few people ( coworkerz ) in my car and they can't believe this is a hybrid. The same co workers have been in my civic hybrid which they knew since they didn't like he way it rode.

I am pleased so far.

 

I would have ordered a cheaper, lighter model if they sold one. Do you think they'll make an Insight DX with manual windows, manual locks, and no AC compressor? It seems like that's a lot more "purist" and they could prob sell it for $15,xxx invoice.

One thing that caught me by surprise is the size of the gas tank. I'm assuming it has a 9 gallon tank with a 1 gallon reserve. I ran it way past E with the light on for probably 40 miles and it took 9.7 gallons at the pump. I would have liked a 15 gallon tank that would get me a 600 mile range. Gasoline only weighs about 5.5 pounds per gallon.

 

Honda's answer to a DX model will be out this fall under the Fit Hybrid name. Unfortunately I doubt you are going to find features like Manual Trans, Windows, and No AC. The manual door locks, yes since they offer it on the Base model Fit (Acutally it is still auto locks but you have to pay for the activatation).

The reason they provide auto windows is due to the cost, it is ACTUALLY cheaper than manual!!!

The reason behind not having a manual trans is due to where the car is driven (mostly stop and go traffic) studies show people will not buy manual trans under these conditions. The downside, people who belive in nothing but manual have little to no options.

No AC won't be an option either since studies show people will stay away from cars without. Resale value will also suffer.

The gas tank is 10.6 gallons. If you look at Honda's website under ownerslink they show you where the battery and gas tank are located, they are basically next to each other, like a puzzle.

 

I was never a fan of auto-manual-trans but the paddle shifters on the Insight are down right fun!!

When you really need to pass someone or gain speed to merge it really provides you the power you need!

 

Great info. I really need to RTFM and also log onto the owner's website.