Why do I like my insight so much?

[Prince Valiant]

Here's why...

The full commute from home to work:

http://brewcitymuscle.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=5300&stc=1&d=1211308993


My highest reading on the way in...tried to maintain, but couldn't:

http://brewcitymuscle.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=5301&stc=1&d=1211308993

It's not terribly hard to get this kind of mileage though. The new tires I've got are helping, and I do need to get the wheels aligned which should improve things a bit. Tires are inflated to 45psi, and I was trailing a semi (not too close, mind you) and just keeping up (~50-60mph through the city) those were the numbers I ended up with. As it gets warmer, the numbers should improve too. Not too shabby :thumbsup

[VroomPshhTsi]

So in your opinion what are the downfalls of owning a hybrid? I don't know much about the Insight.

Do you have to plug it in at home?
How bad is the acceleration?
Does it have any pull from 50-70 for highway passing speed?

Those are some impressive numbers. I'm a car guy so I want a car with some good acceleration, but at these prices a hybrid will get me my v8 sooner.

[Silver350]

Dont forget your also saving the enviroment. :P

[juicedimpss]

i hear the worst part of owning an insight is when you have to tell your parents you are gay.:rolf


j/k

[Nick]

That is ridiculous mileage.

[Prince Valiant]

i hear the worst part of owning an insight is when you have to tell your parents you are gay.:rolf
Pretty Funny, Funny man :flipoff2: :goof


Do you have to plug it in at home?Nope...although that's coming soon from toyota and honda. It get's it's charge from regen braking, essentially using energy used to slow the vehicle down and converting it electricity. There are kits for plug-in's that people use with a 5th wheel electric motor (called MIMA) in which guys get their insights into the 120+mpg...but they are expensive and dramtically shorten the life of the battery that wasn't designed for those kind of loading cycles.

How bad is the acceleration?Does it have any pull from 50-70 for highway passing speed?In first gear, it's fairly quick and probably feels like a high 16 second car. A full quarter it'd probably squeek in under 18 seconds. Passing isn't too bad, but it ain't fast. It's fair on the hwy...the electric boost gives it a fair amount of torque, so most hills, light passing can be done in 5th gear.

When the battery IS depleted (rare, and happens as part of a recalibration cycle), the car is DEATHLY slow in gears 2-5, or with a passenger in it.

The downfall's for this car are

a) Expensive to buy...put the fit's 1.5 105hp 4 banger in here and no hybrid system and it would have been a 13,000 dollar car new (and it'd be faster...but mileage would probably go down to around 55mpg hwy). I got this for cheap due to the miles.

b) Small..only seats two.

c) Loud...very little sound deadening material. You hear lots.

d) Not great in the winter. Only reason I did okay was due to hardcore winter tires.

As it is, it's a commuter car. I can go get that expensive, Big SUV if I want, as I know I can always mitigate high gas prices with more driving in this thing.

[Yooformula]

I test drove a hybrid accord yesterday and the damm thing spun the tires all through 1st gear...when driving normal it got 46mpg hwy and 35 city which wasnt bad.

[slickwilly]

Admittedly, I'm a bit jealous that $4 can get you that far.

But I still refuse to be seen in one of those things, or on a moped.

[HRSEPLA]

"Why do I love my Insight so much?"

In the wise words of Boss LX, cuz ur a choad.:rolf
sorry I had to:goof

[Prince Valiant]

"In the wise words of Boss LX, cuz ur a damn smart choad.:rolf
sorry I had to:gooffixed ;)

[michelle]

I was looking at one after I got my license, but with my dad being a former mechanic for years, he wasn't comfortable working on a hybrid if he needed to since they were semi-new technology then.

That's very impressive though. I bet you have a big smile on your face when you see gas mileage like that.

[Windsors 03 Cobra]

What a nice deal that is. :thumbsup
Your mpg calculations/claims are made on paper and not off what the dash says tho right ? Or is the "super dash" that accurate in dem dare foreign jobbies ?

[Prince Valiant]

The dash cpu actually goes a tad-bit under what it calculates to be over two-tankfull's by ~0.2-0.5 mpg. Keep in mind, that I now have slightly taller tires than stock, so I have ~ 1% slow speedo reading.

Generally, if I go around 650 miles on a tank, and the dash cpu shows 65.0mpg, I'll put in just under 10 gallons or so.

The Hybrid is fairly easy to work on...except for an extra wire and generator, it's not much different than a normal car. The only issue I've had that was not much different than a normal car was the EGR clogged, so when I went to lean burn, I'd get a lean surge. Some carb cleaner and 15 minutes and it was solved.

[SlowStee]

At this point I just wouldn't wanna be seen driving one of those..



But with all the money you are saving and spending on other things, I guess I'm really the sucker here. :tomato

[BOSS LX]

A Mopar guy that is proud of owning an insight? Yep, sounds like choad to me! :rolf

[USMARINE1108]

Keep in mind, that I now have slightly taller tires than stock, so I have ~ 1% slow speedo reading.
.

Sounds like it's time for a burnout!

[Mr Twigbert]

I still want a smart car.. Although, the first stop would be a window tint shop for 5% tint all the way around so I could not be seen..

[lordairgtar]

Sounds like neat technology. The highest I got in my non-hybrid HHR was 49.8, and that was carefully driving with a very light foot on level ground with the wind behind me. Obviously NOT real world driving, but I wanted to see how high I could get the dash readout to go. Does anyone know who developed the very first hybrid car? Plus what US company experimented with a hybrid using old tech storage batteries (very heavy).

[Crawlin]

the busa's up to about 42-43mpg now with gentle riding habits. gets MUCH more poon than an insight :) hahaha

but with the way things are going, that 80mpg stuff is gonna be the thing of the future. can't beat saving money. we just had a guy trade in his suburban for a ford focus. hell we sold a 4dr ford focus for OVER MSRP!!!! all because of this mileage/gas price crap

[Rocket Power]

I still want a smart car.. Although, the first stop would be a window tint shop for 5% tint all the way around so I could not be seen..

With a GSXR motor swap... maybe:rolf
I am a big boy but I actually fit pretty good in a smart size wise, but a 2 seat car is not really practical for me, Plus I don't need another payment:goof

[88Nightmare]

man I want an insight. I don't care how much gayer I would appear.

[Reverend Cooper]

^ not much really

[moels]

^ not much really

lol

[88Nightmare]

^ not much really

honda insight > toyota prius

[swift steve]

VW TDI jetta or golf. even chipped with a big turbo and capable of mid 14's with full leather interior, 6 air bags, nice azz stereo, etc etc they are 45mpg all day long if not 55mpg. i drove my friends and we went to pennsylvania (750miles one way to York,PA) and we did between 75 and 90 the entire way and got 48mpg, on the way back we were fighting headwinds at 75-80 and got 46mpg.

just my $.10, my $1.02 is free :-D

[Al]

fixed ;)

Do you like the smell of your own farts? (SP inside joke)

[Al]

honda insight > toyota prius

You can fit 10 foot long 2x4s in a prius and close the Hatch. I cannot do that in my wagon.

[michelle]

You can fit 10 foot long 2x4s in a prius and close the Hatch. I cannot do that in my wagon.

Prius owners wouldn't have 2x4s in their car to begin with - that's killing trees!

[Prince Valiant]

A Mopar guy that is proud of owning an insight? Yep, sounds like choad to me! :rolfA 25 y/o who still lives at home and hasn't been touched by a girl? Yep, sounds like a ford owner to me :rolf

[84hurst]

Any tricks to driving it? My mom has an 08 civic hybrid and hates it. It gets about 25mpg. I've told her to take it easy on the gas, not to creep forward at stops (turns the engine back on), but all she does is city driving, so the engine isn't completely warmed up so it's gonna use more fuel. Any easy tricks to getting a few mpg better? Keep in mind its hard to teach an old dog new tricks...

[Al]

Any tricks to driving it? My mom has an 08 civic hybrid and hates it. It gets about 25mpg. I've told her to take it easy on the gas, not to creep forward at stops (turns the engine back on), but all she does is city driving, so the engine isn't completely warmed up so it's gonna use more fuel. Any easy tricks to getting a few mpg better? Keep in mind its hard to teach an old dog new tricks...

I'll buy it from her if she does not like it.

[Prince Valiant]

Lots of tricks to getting that kind of mileage. They are frequently called "hypermiling". On my car, it's near impossible to get 25mpg...even accelerating in anything above first the CPU shows 25mpg even going up hills.

Some are fairly basic but:
1. Keeps speeds at the speed limits exceeding only the 25-35 limits by a few mph.

2. Accelerate moderately too those limits...that'll kick in the electric assist even more. Heavy acceleration doesn't help, and too slow doesn't help make a huge difference vs moderate acceleration.

3. Coast-coast-coast-coast-coast! I'm very familiar with what lights are going to stop me and which ones won't. I anticipate them and coast as much as I can up to the red lights. It will seem at times that I never touch my brakes.

4. Once the car shuts down, I NEVER touch the gas until it's time to go. You are right about not creeping.

5. Make sure the tires are inflated to a 40psi minimum. I run 45psi, and some run as high as 65psi...dealer likes to set them at only 30psi, when 36psi is the recommended setting.

6. Trail behind semi's as much as possible...give about a 1.5 second following distance on the hwy. This is the only time I exceed the speed limits by more than a few mph.

8. Make sure her A/C is on the "econo" setting. It'll shut the car down more frequently.

9. If heading up a hill, allow the car to lose a little speed...it'll get back up to speed on the downside of the hill no prob.

10. Keep the foot light on the accelerator on level ground/slight downhills...when it goes into "lean burn" mode, the mileage will shoot up into the 100's easily. Mine goes off the chart to 150+mpg. If she watches the real time gauge, she'll learn what her car likes and thus change her habits.

The two things you could do would be number 8 and 5...25mpg is hidieous for those things, so she probably is driving rather poorly. Her numbers should improve as summer comes along and what not.

My best in a city/stop n' go situation (and ever for that matter) was 96mpg...with my manual tranny, I can get the car to shut down at ~ 23-24mph sometimes, and most times by 20 and coast. I took 84th to Wauwatosa, then the parkway to 92nd, then 92nd to home...I could coast, roll through some stops, time lights etc.

The best mileage anyone has achieved on a closed-loop "eco-challenge" was something like 165mpg with one of these things.

[BOSS LX]

A 25 y/o who still lives at home and hasn't been touched by a girl? Yep, sounds like a ford owner to me :rolf

I will not even get into this with you, because I really don't care.

[Prince Valiant]

I will not even get into this with you, because I really don't care.It's not because you don't care...it's because you can dish (albeit rather poorly), but not take. It's a joke that falls along your "choad" comment so lighten up dude.

[88Nightmare]

You can fit 10 foot long 2x4s in a prius and close the Hatch. I cannot do that in my wagon.

I can fit 10ft long 2x4's in my truck, so effin what? if someone is buying a prius, its certainly not a contractor looking to haul building material :rolf

[BOSS LX]

It's not because you don't care...it's because you can dish (albeit rather poorly), but not take. It's a joke that falls along your "choad" comment so lighten up dude.

No, it is because I don't care. On with your genius talk.

[T-Bag]

You can fit 10 foot long 2x4s in a prius and close the Hatch. I cannot do that in my wagon.

I supposively can fit a 9' Canoe in my grand prix

Who gives a ****?

[Rocket Power]

I saw them changing the sign at the BP / hwy 100 in Hales Corners to 4.19 on my way home:flipoff2:

[88Nightmare]

http://www.acm.vt.edu/~clint/download/imagedump/gas-prices-lol-omg-wtf-by-helbling-at-flickr-39296197_112fc839f5.jpg

[DirtyMax]

I saw them changing the sign at the BP / hwy 100 in Hales Corners to 4.19 on my way home:flipoff2:

Gearing up for the holiday weekend.... :(

[Al]

I can fit 10ft long 2x4's in my truck, so effin what? if someone is buying a prius, its certainly not a contractor looking to haul building material :rolf

I build furniture. Sometimes, mahogany only comes in 10 foot lengths.

The only good places for this lumber will give me a 60 mile round trip. There is a reason I have a wagon and not a truck. Lately, I have been averaging about 35 mpg in my A4 wagon. I do not think I could do that in any truck available today other than one of those old VW diesel things.

I don't do big stuff. 90% of it will fit in my wagon. If it does not, then I usually design it so that it can be taken apart prior to moving it.

Did you see this photo from a month or two ago?
http://brewcitymuscle.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=5108&d=1203712626

BTW- I think a prius is roomier inside than my wagon.

[88Nightmare]

maybe it is roomier, but I will still take an insight over a prius

[Al]

maybe it is roomier, but I will still take an insight over a prius

I must have missed the point of fuel economy...which is a good point, BTW.