[Coyote]

Once upon a time, I had a CRX HF. I loved that car.

I love the idea of the hybrid until we get an alternate fuel source set up properly.

I'm really liking the Insight.

However, I keep seeing, all over these boards, stories of parts taking 6 weeks to get in. It's giving me cold feet, as I'm only going to have one car.

I'm looking at the Civic as well, and while I'm not a "looks are everything" type of person, I have to admit that the Civic hybrids have the worst colour scheme of anything I've seen. We have might-as-well-be-white-blue, ugly, uglier, and white. All with beige interiors, even the smog-blue model. Ugh.

Any advice?

 

[Rick]

Well, that was only brake pads. I did get them in like 2 weeks, they just quoted me 6. I still have no regrets about owning this car. There have been several people who have gone from a CRX to an Insight. I neglected to mention that I was able to get every other part for an Insight in only a days time. This was for a 2000 Insight I had which I sold, but I was able to get the ECU and DC/DC on recall's in a days time, and within two days of having the dealer order them they were installed in the car and all ready and going. Floor mats, both air filters, new pedal rubbers. I had them all the next day after ordering them. As far as other parts which may come down the road ok yeah, we might have to wait for them from Japan. Honda traditionally has been good at supporting parts for discontinued models. I'm not too horribly worried. If it had taken that 6 weeks for brake pad yeah I would have been worried, but really I think 2 weeks is almost reasonable.

 

[Tim Maddux]

Honda only sells an average of a couple thousand Insights every year in the U.S. About 10,000 total in the U.S. since 1999. They sell 3x that number of Civics every month! They make less than 7k Insights a year worldwide.

http://www.insightcentral.net/KB/sales.html

So even if the Insight is cancelled soon (and I don't think it will be), I don't see a big hit in parts availability, because they weren't making all that many of these cars to begin with. I haven't heard of people having significant problems in the 2 years I've been reading the Yahoo! insight and hybrid forums.

On the other hand, there are very few of us who have gotten replacement parts so far. I'm still on the originals at 55k miles of things that wear and tear. All of it. Brakes. Tires. etc. I've only changed fluids and filters. So it may be that there really is a parts availabilty problem and we haven't worn out our cars enough to experience it yet. I'm not worried. This is Honda we're talking about, after all.

 

[NJinsight]

Has anyone purchased a set of (front) brake pads just to have, should you need them in a pinch and the Insight is your sole vehicle? If so, anyone have a link to them for pricing and ordering?

Michael

 

[Aaron Cake]

How would you need brake pads "in a pinch"? Worn pads normally give several thousand miles warnings before they are totally dead, and routine inspection will turn up any problems before you wear the pads down to the metal...

 

[Rick]

While I tend to agree with the statment that brake pads give warnings before they are totally dead (that metallic squealing) after I had ordered these pads and shoes and I had sold the car but foregot to cancel my order I took them just to stay on good terms with my hook up at Honda. I have them both sitting here. The front pads are part number 45022-S3Y-A02 and the shoes are 43053-S3Y-950. My price was $34.50, $46.00 list for the front pads and $33.75 my price $45.00 list on the shoes. So if you just walked in to a Honda dealership and ordered them expect to pay around $91 for all around. It only took two weeks to get them, which wasn't bad at all considering I was quoted 6 weeks. All well, if I ever need a brake job I have them already sitting right here. I'd be curious to see if there is still a backorder or not on them. I may have to inquire next time I go by the dealership.