[ethicalpaul]

OK, if you can stand another "hey, Insight People, I just bought an Insight!" post, then here it is.

I took delivery yesterday of #643, a blue MT with air from Melton Honda in Southgate, MI. I had it reserved with a $500 deposit for about 3 weeks.

I found it due to a nice internet sales woman at another detroit area dealer who was nice enough to risk her sales manager's wrath by actually helping a customer without $$$ coming in. Thanks internet sales woman! (anonymity provided to protect the innocent).

I was curious to know how close to the last one I have, so I did an autotrader search for new ones, and this week a huge shipment must have come in because there appear to be about 20 available, just on Autotrader: http://tinyurl.com/n3k92
The largest serial number I have seen is #663 so far.

Notes!
• My trip home was about 120 miles, I got 75.4 MPG just by using the tips I have learned over the years (!) that I have been skulking around this site. Today on the way to work (30 miles highway) I got 77.

• I knew that it had two trip meters thanks to this site, but I didn't know it also has a "segment meter" which basically gives an additional trip meter, very cool. I hate HATE the position of the trip button!! It should be next to the "FCP" button that toggles between the segment meter and the regular meters. I hate reaching through the steering wheel to press a button.

• No remotes!!!! I don't know what Honda is thinking, but apparently the Keyless Remote Entry is a feature that is included on my car (according to the sticker) but Honda doesn't think that means they should include a remote with it! The remote is an accessory available for purchase! I verified this by calling Honda US and they agreed with the sales guy. However, it looks like I can buy them on the 'net and program them myself for $40 each or so.

• No floor mats!?!? I am shocked....SHOCKED to pay MSRP $21080 + $550 + $160 (evil doc fee) and not get a set of even basic floor mats. The sales guy did say he would give me a set if he could locate them. I actually believe him I will have to see what is out there.

• My wife loves the feel of the headrest compared to my New Beetle which has the most uncomfortable headrest ever invented, but she is wondering why I have a vanity mirror and she doesn't!

• It's roomier than I thought in the hatch area

• I'm slightly depressed that there isn't a nice integrated sunglasses holder and a remote holder like my New Beetle has.

• I love it, it's a perfect fit for me. Thank you InsightCentral.net and all its members for everything over the years.

 

[kari]

congratulations!

I was shocked at no floor mats too - but luckily, my dad had a couple of old ones in the barn from his silver saturn vue (they upgraded to serious mud trapping mats, living in the country as they do) that look quote fetching.

it's so satisfying to finally get a car that you've thought about, talked about, and researched for so long, isn't it?

 

[Sherrisue]

Welcome to the "club"!

Congratulations! I've had my new blue insight for 2 weeks now, and I'm still on Cloud 9. My gas mileage isn't as good, but I'm in a rather hilly area with quite a bit of in-town driving. However, I'm still getting 65MPGs...no complaints. Be prepared to answer questions in parking lots, etc. as people are very interested in the little hybrid.

 

[VinceDee]

congrats on the new Insight. I'm still waiting for mine to become available in:

16 days, 8 hours, 48 minutes

(july 30th at 6pm is when we pick it up)

 

[ethicalpaul]

Remote update

As I mentioned earlier, I called Honda to ask about the remotes.

The rep told me that indeed the remotes were an accessory, in agreement with the salesman.

However, I asked her to escalate the issue to her manager so that I could discuss the issue further (I was just trying to understand their policy).

The manager at Honda called me back and said that actually the remotes are standard equipment, and that he had called the dealership and they had misplaced them!

I called my salesman and he said that the prepping tech had put them into the center storage area, but left them in their bubble wrap, and he feared that their cleaning prepper had tossed them thinking they were garbage.

But I remembered that my wife had looked in the glove box on the way home last night and I had looked over and noticed a small bundle of bubble wrap, but hadn't thought anything else about it. So the salesman and I are pretty sure I had the remotes the whole time (the car is outside and I haven't looked yet).

So kind of funny. Also, the salesman is going to order a set of mats and ship them to me gratis. I insisted on paying shipping, and he didn't want to let me, but I kept insisting. Things are rosy.

 

[Fred]

Congradulations! And best of luck with the new Insight!!!

About that AUTOTRADER web site you mentioned, want to have some fun?

Change the search criteria, price wise, to $0-$30000 and watch what shows up.

Fred

 

[Lee]

Ethicalpaul, I hope you don’t mind but I am tacking this on to your string as the subject matter is the same.

I just got back from the steelership with my new Insight. Blue CVT, not my first choices but for the deal I got I’m happy. #319, I ordered it 5/22 and have been wondering if it would ever show up.

I’m not sure about the remote thing, I received 2 of them with my car. The floor mats are a Honda accessory thing and they are sold separately (some dealers will throw them to close a deal, but some times they are not the official Honda ones). Just FYI the Honda floor mats have a snap thing to keep the drivers side mat from moving forward and catching on the accelerator pedal.

After I left the steelership I noticed the cover on the shift lock over-ride is not installed (for ATs you need a way to take it out of park with no battery so there is a cover over a hole, poke the key in the hole and you can move the shift lever). I’ll have to get back to the dealer and see what we can do.

Now, is somebody going to show me the official hand shake?

 

[Insightful Trekker]

Now, is somebody going to show me the official hand shake?

Not until you break 70 MPG average with a whole tankfull.

 

[VinceDee]

Now, is somebody going to show me the official hand shake?

Not until you break 70 MPG average with a whole tankfull.

oh crap, that leaves me out indefinitely...I have a CVT Insight

 

[minako]

Congratulations! I was very :!: when I read that the dealership told you the remotes were an optional accessory. I don't think I've ever heard of that - with any automobile maker! It's like... a given these days that you'll get remotes for your power door locks.

Oooh ooh can I be shown the official handshake? Hahaha I got 72.1 mpg on the first tank that I had from start to finish... and I'm currently getting 74.5 mpg on the second tank.

 

[Insightful Trekker]

OK, Vince (but only since your a CVT) & minako here it is.....




....

Did ya see it :?: Sorry, but to keep it a secret it can only be shown once to each member.

 

[Dougie]

The two main floor mats are good, although mine didn't come with the hook thingy that keeps the driver's side mat from sliding around. Had to spring another $12 for that.

I got the luggage compartment mat also, and I'm not so sure about that one. Some people claim is reduces noise, but it seems to me that all it does is add about five pounds of weight. Also it's the wrong color...

 

[Lee]

OK, a little bit of an update. I let my Dad drive the Insight and demonstrated the auto stop at the end of his street. After listening to my explanation and pointing out the indicator on the interment panel, Dad looked up and reminded me that this was not a new feature of cars I have owned. However, in the past the engine cutting out at the end of the street usually meant we needed to tow the car back to the garage for more work under the hood.

This is not the first less than 2000 pound car I have owned (2 Fiat 850s and a CR-X HF). However this car gives a different impression than the others. The EPS is tuned to give the response of a heavier car at medium to low speed. It seams to feel a little heavier than the CR-X (CR-X steering was light until very low speed than got heavy, obviously the light feeling was a compromise so that the steering didn’t get too heavy when parking) . One of the nice things about EPS is that it can be tuned both ways, to reduce the drivers input as well as reducing the tire input to the steering wheel. Also when you lift off the accelerator pedal the regen kicks in to mimic some engine braking. Honda is notorious for having little to no engine braking and I wonder if this car has the most of any Honda product.

The other small / light car traits are not so easy to mask. In a cross wind it seams to move around a bit and the tires like to follow the groves in the road. The tires have some effect on this and I would guess that keeping to the low rolling resistance tires dose not help this situation (but is needed for the FE).

Over all I think I will like this thing. I am not seeing the 70 mpg at 70mph. Maybe I need to go back and review the high mileage techniques again. OK, OK it’s a joke, old habits die hard.

Edited to read CR-X consistantly (never owed a CR-V, never want to)

 

[VinceDee]

"...Dad looked up and reminded me that this was not a new feature of cars I have owned. However, in the past the engine cutting out at the end of the street usually meant we needed to tow the car back to the garage for more work under the hood."

:lol:

I presume by CR-V you meant CRX?

 

[Willie Williford]

tracking

Lee:
Welcome to the site.

The "following the grooves" you are talking about is not caused by the tires. The main cause is the difference in the "track" of the vehicle, front vs. rear. (rear being a lot less)
Just don't correct the steering when it "wiggles" and you won't have any problems.
The std. BS tires are the only tire to run for high mpg.

Willie

 

[minako]

When I read the part about your Dad saying the auto-stop feature was not new, I was like, "What!?" I had to read that a couple of times to make sure I had gotten it right. Only then did I read on to find out that it was part of a joke. :lol:

I also have that problem with the car following the grooves on the ground. Just the other day, they did some resurfacing on the freeway - leaving about 1/4 of the lane higher than the rest of it. It scared me silly to find out that I had fallen off of the higher portion and was being pushed quite forcefully into another lane. I had to jerk the wheel (just a bit) to make the car straddle the line again. Talk about a scare behind the wheel! :!: hehehe