[FleurFrascella]

Hello
I am thinking of buying a used 2001 insight
it is in excellent condition, and has only had one previous owner.
The orignal warenty has expired
and I have heard they are very expensive to fix
and they must be servied at the dealership.
I could use some advice from current owners
Fleur

 

[Insightful Trekker]

Hi Fleur and welcome to the forum :!:

Did you scan the first few pages of the General Discussion forum :?: This is now one of the most frequently asked questions. Guess it has something to do with the price of gas.

See:

What to look for when buying used?
http://www.insightcentral.net/forum/vie ... php?t=3814

And check out all the cross links too :!:

HTH!

 

[florida_gators]

(Caveat) Just my experience...

From October 2004-present (35,000 - 53,000 miles), the only repair I have had done are new front brake pads and rotors. (I also had a 42,500? mile tune-up done, which in hindsight I could have done most of it myself after getting to know the car better.) The tune-up and brakes/pads cost a little over $600.

Do a search on this forum and you will find out the Insight does not have a lot of the parts other cars do (examples: alternator and spark plug cables). This is a hidden maintenance savings people often forget.

I think I am due for a new 12V battery ($70-100, or $30ish if you go with an oversized Civic battery).

Remember that the main battery pack is still under manufacturer warranty for 7 years, 100k miles [Mod correction the original IMA warranty is 8 years / 80K miles]. And if your mileage exceeds that Honda does a lot of goodwill extensions if it fails (although expect the worst, just in case). I have a hunch Honda will extend this 10 year, 150K in all states soon (see US IMA Warranty Extension under General Discussion forum). I just think it has not been done yet due to financial and tactical issues on Honda's part.

Keep in mind that if you are buying the Insight solely to save $$$ on gas, look for another car. Most Insighters seem to have very few maintenance issues with their cars, but remember the 80s movie Money Pit? It could happen, and you have to be ready for that when buying a used car. Good luck.

 

[bretthans]

Short answers to your direct questions:

Collision damage repair is more expensive than for most cars due to the aluminum body. As a result, comprehensive insurance is typically pricier.

IMA repair cost is high but the warranty is longer than for the rest of the vehicle, and for some U.S. states and Canada the warranty has been extended.

Any other repairs are similar to other cars.

This has been the cheapest car to maintain that I've owned due to the infrequent required maintenance, but it similar to any Honda.

Most Honda dealers have at least one tech trained on the Insight. That doesn't necessarily make them any good, but at least they've seen the car before.

I also had a 42,500? mile tune-up done

What 42,500 mile tune-up? :shock: The first scheduled tune-up is at 105,000 miles or 8 years. What else did they do for $600?

 

[Valiant118]

After giving up on ever finding a new one, I bought a used '04 on Ebay last October with 31k on the odo. It's now up to 37k. I had to do quite a bit of "first owner exorcism" to get it where I wanted it. Replaced all 4 tires, did the front brakes (Autoozone parts) to eliminate judder, and then a lot of cosmetic parts replacement as the kid didn't treat it very well. Fortunately he maintained it ok, although not much is required.

Per Honda archives, to date it's only had four warranty claims, a piece of window trim, a vent and a 12v. battery. Plus, the local dealer replaced the drivers window channels under warranty, even thought the damage had been caused by the wholesaler busting into the car after they'd locked the keys in it.

Despite all that I'm very pleased with the car. It's typically Honda: Dead reliable, drives well and returns about 60 - 62 mpg. Honda dealer service is generally pretty dreadful an on the Insight is no bargain. I'm a former technician, so I can do virtually anything on the car that comes up. Still wish I could get a new one but have given up looking.