Why I sold my Insight and why I regret it.

[Balboa]

Hi guys, regret selling my Insight. I sold it because I didn't think the car was civilized enough to be a good highway cruiser.

I found the suspension jarring at times, and while the Monroe shock mod helped a little bit, it didn't really eliminate the jarring and the interior noise inside the cabin on these rough California LA / San Bernardino County Highways.

My Insight had it's fair issues as well like many seem to have...the transmission grind, and failing IMA.

The Insight also had a lack of power going up long hill stretches. Felt like I was really stressing the engine on those long climbs having to go to 3rd or even 2nd gear at times.

Despite the issues my insight was having I was still getting a whopping 50-60mpg depending on how I drove.

My car now if I'm lucky barely gets 38mpg now, so I'm losing about 17mpg for every gallon. That adds up, especially on the wallet. In a 10 gallon tank I am losing 170 more miles I could of drove! That's considerable!

I did not think about that when I sold the car. Guess I could always buy one down the road. But man, those battery issues are tricky.

Of course I get advantages with the trade off. My car climbs better, rides a lot better, has a quieter ride and cabin, etc. But the 38mpg is just simply unacceptable when you are use to getting 50-60mpg.

Oh and I haven't found forums for my car that is as helpful as this one yet.

My Insight had it's issues but I think I should of kept it. I guess I can always look out for a good deal on one down the road. But as these cars get more and more rare, I'm guessing it'll be harder to find great deals on ones that are in excellent condition.

[Rush]

You'll always be able to find a car more 'comfortable' than the car you have... - the grass is always greener on the other side of the street - syndrome.

But there are trade offs. In my opinion you mentioned a big one - fuel costs... for every tank of gas you use in your 'new' car, you're loosing at least $14, you have to fill up 1.4 times to equal 1 tank of Insight MPG. So you also have to figure in the time 'wasted' spent filling up...

I like the bumps....

[Mario]

I know what you mean with the hills... I was climbing a particularly long hill and the battery went flat. I had to put it in second and floor it, and I was only going 30! Good thing nobody was behind me. 65hp isn't gonna get you anywhere fast.

It is pretty noisy on freeways, but if you're a DIY kind of guy, it's not too hard to add some insulation. I'll be adding some because the sub rattles the driver door.

As for the battery, even if it gets really bad, you could always buy a charger and charge it every night. It'd probably last you the day.

Anyway, sorry you sold the car! Despite the drawbacks, I think it's fun to get such great mileage. Maybe you'll buy another in the future.

[Cobb]

Ive parked mines and been driving my suzuki sidekick. It gets between 27 and 32 mpg depending on how I drive. I fill it up once a week vs the twice a month for the honda. I miss some of the features, but there is something about driving an suv.

[Rush]

If I had the choice between a 2nd gen Insight and an Sidekick, I'd probably chose the sidekick also... but if you put a 1st gen Inisight in the mix, I'd chose the 1st gen Insight for sure.

My understanding is that the 2nd gen isn't anywhere in the same league as a 1st gen Insight.

[GuySmily]

Jarring suspension? I hate how soft the insight is.

I had briefly considered re-selling my Insight (even though I just bought it), but it's ruined the MR2 for me. It feels so wasteful getting 1/2 the mpg, even in exchange for 10x the power, comparatively godlike handling, and... yeah I love my MR2.

[Balboa]

Yes I could feel every little bump in the road. The interior noise didn't help that.

[GuySmily]

Originally Posted by Balboa

The interior noise didn't help that.

lol, there's no arguing that one. I've been driving with a gutted hatch for the last few weeks, so it'll feel like a luxury car when it's back together.

[Cf-105]

Originally Posted by Balboa

Yes I could feel every little bump in the road. The interior noise didn't help that.

Changing the tires to something softer and quieter would help. Better ride, better handling and a quieter interior. Likely tradeoff would be a few less mpg.

[RedJellyBean]

I really think that Insight owners who want a change should really just go out and buy a replacement car without actually selling their Insights. Old, tired Insights aren't worth that much and you'll avoid regrets down the road if the new car isn't as promising as it seemed while you were stuck in traffic in the Insight, listening to rattles, clunks and transmission grinds while being tossed about like a canoe in a tsunami.

Now, to address the issues you had with your car (read: why you might be back)
1) There are some things you can do to help deal with road noise. You can add sound insulation to the interior. It helps.
2) You can add power if you want with a turbocharger, if you're adventurous enough. That's what I will do with mine.
3) The battery is a very sore sticking point but as I imagine it, with a properly-sized turbo and a Calpod switch installed, you can minimize your use of a failing battery to just accelerate you from a stop, or until the engine spools the turbo; switch the assist off once the turbo spools and you can live well with a battery that has only 5 percent capacity remaining, lol.