[Will M]

So, what's the biggest thing you've carried in your Insight?

I stumbled upon a craft show in 2000 and bought a rocking chair. It wouldn't fit in the back with the lid closed, but I found a way lay it on its side, aim the top of the chair back through the passenger door, then between the seats while aiming the rear of the two rockers above and below the shifter. It fit.

I couldn't shift into 4th gear, but that wasn't a problem getting home. I just went from 3rd to 5th. All doors and windows closed just fine. It's a terrific rocking chair, and a fine car.

 

[The Citrus Smoothie]

I managed to get two people with all doors closed and a loft ladder in mine.

 

[Rick]

I managed to get 3 people in mine for a quick necessary trip around the block. In case your woundering the third person rode in the back of the car pretty much curled up laying down.

 

[Tim Maddux]

just to prove a point

I fit myself, my wife, and 3 surfboards (2 6'6"s and a 7'2") in the car just to prove a point.

In a 10-day cross-country drive we and three birds (2 cockatiels and a medium sized parrot) drove across the country with cages, bird food (including a cooler for soft food), our laptop computer and iPod, and a little bit of space left over for clothes. There was about 2" of space to see over the top of the bird cages to see out the back.

 

[amplifiedmouse]

i got a half stack bass amp with the head and my bass in the back.


also, if anyone has carried big speakers in the back of their car, have you noticed that the battery drains a lot. does this hurt the battery at all?

i've been meaning to ask this question for a long time, but i always forget.

 

[zenartist]

I assume then that my acoustic guitar case will fit then.nm

nm

 

[Hambone]

I've carried several large items in the back with the hatch open, including antique furniture, TV's, my bassamp. When I've traveled, I've had the back almost completely full. Other than feeling the extra drag on the car during the trips when I've had to keep the hatch open, I've felt like the car has performed quite well. In fact, the Insight seems to make a great little trucklet in those times when carrying a load (at least a short distance) is a requirement.

 

[ron]

Drumset

I fit a 3-piece drumset with the Bass Drum in the passenger's seat (buckled up ofcourse) And the rest in the back. I put the cymbals behind the seats - very convenient fit.

I try not to carry heavy loads because it does increase the amount of assist and hence battery power consumtion. Not to mention the bumps are harder and a pothole could be serious trouble.

Oh, and if you decide to overload your Insight you might want to make sure your tires are NOT overinflated.

 

[Thorian]

clothes stuffed in the dvd navigation area. the rear box full of christmas presents the rear hatch was stuffed with a compound mitre (in box 2'x2')saw a afgan (Blanket) 2 large gift bags full of shirts and trousers
and in the area one seat wide on the passenger side my 68 lb samoyed slept the whole way home. Every square inch was packed including some books under the seats and stephs back pack between her legs in the passenger side.

 

[Will M]

Zenartist didn't get a direct reply, so:

I've carried an acoustic guitar, banjo, electric bass and practice amp in the back of the Insight quite a few times. The practice amp fits (on its side) in the trunk well. The bass is a Zeta "transitional" bass, so it has an electric bass tuning head and body, but a standup bass string geometry with a high, arched bridge, etc. so it can be bowed or plucked and it is fretless. It can be played with a strap, like an electric bass or stood up with an extended end pin and played like an upright bass. It fits in a gig bag.

It is longer than a guitar and fits perfectly with the head in that narrow space between the little wall defining the front edge of the rear deck and that protrusion from the side a few inches back from the wall. The other end of the bass has a curve that perfectly fits in the wider, curved area where another protrusion comes in from the other side of the rear deck. The bass really fits as if it were built to go there. Or maybe the car was built to carry the bass?

Even a large acoustic guitar case fits fine in the back of the Insight. You even have the option of using straps or a cargo net to hold it in place so it doesn't slide. There are four "D" loops near the corners of the rear deck just for this purpose.

Sometimes the two rear loops don't show because they get folded up behind the grey felt upholstery instead of tucked out through the slots in the upholstery. Just realize that this grey stuff can be easily pulled back to get to the loops, point them through the slots and push the felt back into place.

 

[bfivelover]

Two bowling bags, each with two balls, (two 16lb, two 14lb), three coolers, (one big one and two smaller ones), and about six bags of groceries. Last week I had a 16ft ladder in the back, the kind that folds. Had to move the passenger seat forward which didn't give my wife much room, but was able to get the hatch closed.

 

[Delta Flyer]

I have carried five 10-ft. landscape piers. It was over the dashboard, sticking well past the open hatchback. Don't do this without blankets to protect the car. The Home Depot was only two miles from the house.

 

[Rick]

I've also had about 300 pounds of salt tablets (for the pool) in the rear of my Insight. It wasn't really huge or anything, but they did weigh quite a bit. I wouldn't have taken them very far in the car, but it was just a mile down the road from Home Depot to home. I think it was a littel bit much stress on the rear suspension for an extended period of time. The guy parked in the F-150 next to me was really impressed I was loading that much weight in a such a small car.