[kookmyers]

Hi all. New member here. Just got an Insight this weekend. (2000 5-sp, 38k miles)
i bought it from a honda dealer as a "certified used car." also included was a 30 day 1500 mile warranty from the dealer itself. Several times when in person and over the phone with the sales person, the issue of the battery came up. "Dont worry because its covered for 7 yrs 70k miles" was the answer i alsways got. "If it starts to act up, bring it in and we'll replace it."
I read the manual (which happens to be the '01 yr) and it says the battery is covered for 2 years. What do I do about this situation?
Also, my wife and i went shopping for the car together. I am not sure if we brought it up that we would be commuting together in the car. niether of us are small people, and we are just under the 365lb weight limit. this weight limit was found out when we got home, NOT from the dealer mentioning it to us which may have made us think twice.
Do i need to worry about the weight? we planned on using it to tote out 2 dogs back and forth to the park (about 55 lbs total), putting us at about 420lbs.

 

[Foxpaw]

The weight limit isn't a limit of what the car will tolerate, it's basically the weight to which the performance figures are intended. With less load it may perform above the quoted figures. With more weight in it it may not perform as well, but it shouldn't hurt anything.

As for the battery, the IMA battery pack is guaranteed for 8 years to my knowledge, but the 12 volt battery is only guaranteed for a couple of years.

 

[Holicow]

Agree with Foxpaw. The 2 years probably applies to the "little" battery. Not a big deal. At least not as big a deal as the "big" battery... :wink:

Do your dogs fit in the back?? In carriers or "loose"?

I personally don't think the weight thing is a big deal, at least not the numbers we are talking about here. Just don't try to carry that new big screen home and you'll be OK.

 

[kookmyers]

thanks

thanks you guys. i appreciate the responses. the way the weight thing is addressed in the manual makes it sound a little more detrimental. i guess i just wont be getting 65mpg +!

 

[Rick Reece]

I weight 240 and almost always have at least 100 lbs or more of stuff and accessories and have no weight issues. Once I had 700lbs of equipment inside. Have fun, RIck

 

[cakley]

edit..

 

[Insightful Trekker]

The main battery is PRO-Rated . That means that if they replace the battery at 60k miles then they'll only cough up 20k miles worth of money.

Not to start an argument but what do you base this statement on?

The IMA battery is warranted 100% for 8 years or 80,000 miles against failure (IMA Pack failure code), not performance degradation.

The 12v battery may have had a pro rated warranty.

 

[cakley]

I had thought I read it somewhere.

 

[Yves M.]

Hi,

The weight thing is real. Once the car is filled (driver, passenger and stuff) go look under and you will see that the rear wheels can probably move up by only 1 inch or less. The distance between the body and the rubber cone attached to the axel. That is inside the coil spring.

Meaning that if you hit a hole or a bump, the car could bottom out (bang). So be carefull to the pavement to prevent suspension damage.

Personnaly, my wife and I are 375 pounds (160+215). I have added a spacer between the body and coil to add an inch of travel. Easy job and spacer is plastic. And the car is fine now.

 

[Guest]

Hi Kookmeyers:

___As everyone has pointed out, don’t worry about the warranty. The main and very expensive traction battery pack is warranted for 8 yr’s/80,000 miles. The cheap 12 V isn’t warranted beyond whatever the dealer offered given you are beyond the 36,000 miles already. If it goes, it goes just as with any other automobile. In fact, it will probably need replacement within a year anyway. Your drivetrain warranty is good for 7 Yr’s/100,000 miles under the Honda Certification which although doesn’t cover any of the electrics (unfortunately), it does cover the ICE and all lubed systems up to that time or mileage. You can pick up the Honda Certification pamphlet from your local Honda dealer with all the particulars if the selling dealer didn’t place one in the glove box for you already.

___As far as exceeding the Insight’s weight limit, just about anyone that has loaded up 2 adults and gear has. I am a 205 #’er and my oldest son is ~ 165 #’s himself. We loaded up the Insight with enough food, clean clothing, his PC, and college junk that you could not fit another blanket in it for a trip back to the U of I a few weeks ago and she did fine. Exceeding the limits by a few pounds won’t hurt but as Yves mentioned, there isn’t much suspension to begin with and every nasty bump bottomed out the little girl when loaded beyond its capacity quite easily.

___Good Luck with your new used Insight.

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Hunt Club Farms Landscaping Ltd.
___[email:1crkrqwp][email protected][/email:1crkrqwp]

 

[AZCivic]

The distance between the body and the rubber cone attached to the axel. That is inside the coil spring.

In the US, that rubber cone is called a bumpstop. In Europe they're called jounce bumpers. Engineers sometimes call them supplemental springs, which is perhaps the most accurate description.

 

[Yves M.]

Hi,

IMHO Bumpstop might be a better name as they do not give supplemental support, they are there to prevent the metal to metal 'bang' that would happen without it.
Can you imagine removing those 1 inch bumpstop, the impact on the car would mean repairs to be done somewhere.