Newbie Insight buyer.... Help me choose!

[fastfret7]

First off, you guys have a wonderful site/forum with mountains of great info and tips. It looks like I have found another great site to spend hours on instead of moving the grass.

Anyways, i have now taken a job far from my home (35 miles each way) and need a more fuel efficient car and ill be damned if i am getting one of those ugly prius. No sir!

I have used your guys site, edmunds, consumer report and have decided to go with the 1st gen Honda Insight.

I have narrowed it down to two Insights, but i cant make the choice(please help):

1. 2004 silver cvt with 122,000 miles, clean in and out(few scraps on the bumper), no fade on the black painted trim parts, new imh battery from honda (22,000 miles ago, still under warranty until 2014), new regular battery, new belt, 100,000 mile service done, pass emissions, new low resist Bridgestone tires with nitrous, mobil 1 synthetic oil, new brakes front and back, and comes with honda assembly manual, two new front struts, extra brake pads. Clean carfax, two owners, all oil changes or any work Done at the same Honda dealer were originally purchased... Guy said he gets 54-57 mpg. Seems to drive and shift perfect. The guy selling it is a navel sub engineer and really took care of it. $5700.00 private sale. See pics at below link:
http://s316.beta.photobucket.com/use...0Insight%20Cvt

2. 2000 silver 5speed with 94000 miles, not sure of battery replacement, looks clean in and out, 2 owners, clean carfax, from a pic the dash said 58.2 mpg, at a Mazda dealer faraway and would have to go get it or have it shipped. $5100.00 obo dealer sale. See link below:
http://www.mazdaofclearlake.com/web/...er-TX/5647596/

Now, if the first one (2004 cvt) was a 5speed , we would not even be having this discussion. But, i am just wanting to get the best car with the best mpg.

Is there any way to get more mpg out of the cvt model?

i also would like to add that i live in West Virginia and some of the roads can get hilly.

Thanks so much everyone!

[samwichse]

That CVT looks like a real peach, but it'll never get as high gas mileage as the 5-speed in TX.

That said, the TX car has some kind of other tire on it than the Potenza, and since it's not Bridgestone or Michelin, it's probably the wrong size as well. Which will hurt its mileage too. Plus your nearby CVT has factory floor mats and probably isn't missing the keyless entry fobs like the TX car is.

I dunno, seems like a toss up to me, based on whether you prefer MT or auto cars. Do like having the battery warranty, but any replacement from Honda is going to be pretty shaky at this point unless they start hitting up Eli for new cells.

Sam

[fastfret7]

Originally Posted by samwichse

That CVT looks like a real peach, but it'll never get as high gas mileage as the 5-speed in TX.

That said, the TX car has some kind of other tire on it than the Potenza, and since it's not Bridgestone or Michelin, it's probably the wrong size as well. Which will hurt its mileage too. Plus your nearby CVT has factory floor mats and probably isn't missing the keyless entry fobs like the TX car is.

I dunno, seems like a toss up to me, based on whether you prefer MT or auto cars. Do like having the battery warranty, but any replacement from Honda is going to be pretty shaky at this point unless they start hitting up Eli for new cells


Sam

Yeah the 2004 cvt has the keyless romotes with it. Thanks

[Eli]

Originally Posted by fastfret7

First off, you guys have a wonderful site/forum with mountains of great info and tips. It looks like I have found another great site to spend hours on instead of moving the grass.

Anyways, i have now taken a job far from my home (35 miles each way) and need a more fuel efficient car and ill be damned if i am getting one of those ugly prius. No sir!

I have used your guys site, edmunds, consumer report and have decided to go with the 1st gen Honda Insight.

I have narrowed it down to two Insights, but i cant make the choice(please help):

1. 2004 silver cvt with 122,000 miles, clean in and out(few scraps on the bumper), no fade on the black painted trim parts, new imh battery from honda (22,000 miles ago, still under warranty until 2014), new regular battery, new belt, 100,000 mile service done, pass emissions, new low resist Bridgestone tires with nitrous, mobil 1 synthetic oil, new brakes front and back, and comes with honda assembly manual, two new front struts, extra brake pads. Clean carfax, two owners, all oil changes or any work Done at the same Honda dealer were originally purchased... Guy said he gets 54-57 mpg. Seems to drive and shift perfect. The guy selling it is a navel sub engineer and really took care of it. $5700.00 private sale. See pics at below link:
2004 Insight Cvt Photos by fastfret7 | Photobucket

2. 2000 silver 5speed with 94000 miles, not sure of battery replacement, looks clean in and out, 2 owners, clean carfax, from a pic the dash said 58.2 mpg, at a Mazda dealer faraway and would have to go get it or have it shipped. $5100.00 obo dealer sale. See link below:
2000 Honda Insight Houston and Webster, Texas | Mazda of Clear Lake

Now, if the first one (2004 cvt) was a 5speed , we would not even be having this discussion. But, i am just wanting to get the best car with the best mpg.

Is there any way to get more mpg out of the cvt model?

i also would like to add that i live in West Virginia and some of the roads can get hilly.

Thanks so much everyone!

Then don't get a CVT.

Just plan on replacing the battery if you're looking for an Insight and you won't be disappointed. Any drive time before you have to do so is just a bonus.

Keep looking if you don't feel either of these cars are right for you. There will be others.

The one in Texas doesn't seem that bad. Low miles. Unfortunate it has the wrong tires on it though.

[Rainsux]

This isn't a Ho Hum decision. You either want a CVT for some particular reason or you don't. Don't consider one unless that's what you want. Don't necessarily limit yourself to these two. There are others out there. I waited a year for my first one.

Sam

[fastfret7]

Well, these two were really the best choices out there right now. I did not realize the cvt were not considered to be a good buy. I am looking in the $5-6 thousand range for a 2000-06 5spd with 100,000 mile or below. Hopefully with a new battery if anyone knows where one is at close to washington,dc. Thanks

[Rainsux]

It's not that they are a bad buy, just that the CVT doesn't get Lean Burn, so the mileage will never be as high as a 5-speed. Many of the members here drive them and enjoy them. They will still get better mileage than anything else on the road, but if you want the highest mileage you can get, shop for a 5-speed.

Sam

[jime]

Originally Posted by fastfret7

Well, these two were really the best choices out there right now. I did not realize the cvt were not considered to be a good buy. I am looking in the $5-6 thousand range for a 2000-06 5spd with 100,000 mile or below. Hopefully with a new battery if anyone knows where one is at close to washington,dc. Thanks

Cars come on the market in the Washington, D.C. area fairly frequently. Wait to get what you want.

The CVT delivers 10-15MPG less fuel economy than the MT, depending on how the two are driven. The insight is very sensitive to environmental conditions and driving style. If you like the convenience of an automatic transmission, it may be worth it to you.

Please edit your information to give us a general area where you live. Lots of times local folks can offer help or support if they know where you live. Go to "User CP" above and you can provide a location. If you are uncomfortable with the city, then you can just put in a general location such as "Western WVa."

[theaveng]

I bought my latest insight in Iowa and drove it back to California. It was worth the money saved ($250 versus $1500 to ship), and I thoroughly enjoyed driving over the mountains and past the desert monuments. Also gave me a chance to reveal any flaws that car might have had.

Originally Posted by fastfret7

i am just wanting to get the best car with the best mpg.

If you routinely drive 65-70 miles an hour, then the 5-speed will not be using lean lean, and you'll get MPG no better than a CVT (50 to 55mpg). Might as well go with the CVT.

Also if you do any stop-and-go driving the 5-speed will be a hassle to constantly shift. I hate driving it in that situation. CVT will be easier to drive & likely get better MPG (it constantly holds the most-efficient engine speed even when you're crawling).

[Willie Williford]

The manual will get lean burn at those speeds. I have seen lean burn as high as 80 MPH.
(If everything is perfect)
IT will get LB if you drive a constant 65 (If everything is right)
You will have "purge" cycles that last 4-7 seconds.
This is all based on my experience.

Willie