Possible new Insight owner - Questions on vehicle I may buy

[Semmes]

I've just gotten off the telephone with an individual who's selling his Insight. Here are the relevant facts

2001 Insight w/ AT, AC, PS, rear defrost/wiper, 6 disc CD & changer, power windows, extended transferable warranty. 38,000 miles

He's asking $11,000 for the vehicle. I expect to test drive it this weekend. He's the original owner, and needs to sell due to a growing family.

My questions are:

1. This seems like a reasonable price, but I expect he would be negotiable to some degree. How good or bad is it?

2. When looking the vehicle over, what should I pay close attention to, beyond the usual things regarding the mechanics that would apply to any vehicle?

3. Given that there's an extended warranty, that does ease my mind somewhat, but I would like to be able to take it to a dealer and have their mechs give it an inspection.

Any feedback would be helpful. This will be a second car, but probably my primary commuting vehicle. (I live near my office, and have only a 2 mile commute.)

Thanks,

Semmes

[countchocula]

First, make sure that extended warranty is transferable without a reduction in the mileage covered, meaning call the company yourself.

Second, I think the price is a little too high.
Kelly Blue book (I used my zip code b/c I don't know yours) quoted (for a private party transaction) $10,320 for the Insight you decribed in "good" condition, and $10,935 if it is in "excellent" condition. Now, factor in that Insights aren't exactly the easiest car to sell, and I think you should be able to get him down to 10k, but that might require you to give him your phone number with your offer and wait a while until he decides to accept.

[Semmes]

Good advice. He's stated that the car is in very nice shape, with no body damage, other than one door ding. I've not seen it yet, so we'll see.

On the price, I was kind of thinking that he would accept $10K once all was said and done.

Thanks!

Semmes

[b1shmu63]

Welcome to the site.

The 6 CD changer is the only thing that doesn't come standard with the car, but it is worth a lot of money, in Canada about 1,000 dollars. The extended warranty is also a nice feature . I got one for $1,500 dollars. If you subtract the value of these two items from the cost of the car, the price sounds good to me. Some people have done better but they have generally had to travel great distances to pick up the car or searched for several moths to find it. I would suggest that the condition of the car would be the most important factor. If there is something wrong with the car or if the body needs work, then it would not be a bargain.

Where I'm living it is a half mile walk to the mail box and a 4 mile drive to reach paved road, 25 miles to the nearest village. Some folk on this site commute over 100 miles per day. The problem with a 2 mile comute is that the engine will barely have time to get to operating temperature. Your mileage will be at the bottom end of the range. I don't want to disuade you from buying the best car on the planet, but you won't be in the group of Insighters who have literally paid for their Insights in gas savings. You would probably have to fill up with gas every 3 or 4 months.

[Semmes]

Thanks for the comments!

He also made mention of some factory aftermarket item which was described as a console of some sort. I'm not sure what he's referring to here, but that may or may not be something important.

At what speed does the gasoline engine engage? On the daily commute, the maximum speed is some 35mph. I envision using this for other errands as need be, but most of this would be driving within a ten mile radius. I don't do a tremendous amount of driving, typically.

Semmes

[ericbecky]

Semmes,
you asked

At what speed does the gasoline engine engage?

The answer is "Any speed greater than zero."
The gasoline engine is always used to propel the vehicle forward, unless you are coasting, of course.
The Insight can not run on the electric motor alone.

The electric motor is simply there for "assist" for when additional boost is needed. Like passing, of starting from a stoplight.

Hybrids like the Prius and Ford Escape hybrid can operate using the electric motor as the sole means of propulsion. (Under low load and low speeds.)

[Rick]

The answers to most of your questions:

http://www.insightcentral.net/forum/vie ... php?t=2002

P.S. If it's a Honda Care Warranty I know there is a $50 transfer fee, and they only allow transfer once.