Is finding an insight close to Bluebook value a "good d

2939 Views 19 Replies 8 Participants Last post by Jandro, Oct 2, 2004

Jandro

Discussion Starter · Sep 21, 2004

Hello all, I love what little I know about the Insight. In fact I may be buying one tommorow. I found one for 10,900. It is a 2000 model (crazy green color) and 26,000 miles on it! It has a clean title and carfax report. It is also manual and has the climate control A/C. It is supposedly in "excellent condition." According to Kelly Blue Book it is worth 10,300. From my research it seems everyone is selling their Insight's for WAY higher than book value (at least this side of the country). Not to mention there are so few for sale (Duh, great cars, high gas prices, a honda...etc., etc.)

I have seen pictures of it. It seems to be in GREAT shape and I am dumbfounded by a five year old ECONOMY car having an average of about 5k miles a year! So what do you think!

Thanks for having me on your board guys.. it is extremely informative!

1 - 20 of 20 Posts

b1shmu63

· #2 · Sep 21, 2004

The green ones are rather rare and so may actually command a higher price! If you buy it, expect to be asked a lot of questions as an owner. The Insight is already a bit of a crowd gatherer, and that color is sure to get noticed even more.

If you can get an Insight driver in your area to check it out it would be cool but if this really is a great deal you might not have the luxury of waiting.

Hope things work out for you. Keep us posted.

Jandro

Discussion Starter · #3 · Sep 21, 2004

Oh, THANKS!

That's why I'm up right now, I thought I'd check this before I left. I hope this is as good as it gets! Wish me luck, I may be an official owner by the end of the night!

EDIT: Just talked to the owner, says it's been on the market 2 weeks! haahahahha..... please let me love it when I see it!

Bye!!!!!!!!!

Tim Maddux

· #4 · Sep 21, 2004

If you let us know where you are we might be able to give more specific advice, or as b1shmu63 noted, take a look at it. Definitely get the car inspected by a trusted mechanic, like you would any used car. You don't particularly need to worry about the IMA parts. Just have it inspected like any other car.

Kelley Blue Book or its equivalents (like Edmunds) provide estimates of market pricing, so if their estimates are accurate then you could say a price near their estimate is fair, if the vehicle is in excellent condition. I wouldn't say it is a "good deal" unless the price is less than the estimate.

I noted a few months ago in a different thread that these price estimates (from Edmunds) have gone up in the past year for my car, even as I have continued to put miles on it.

redgiki

· #5 · Sep 22, 2004

"Good Deal" pricing

In general, I go by the Kelly Blue Book trade-in value for purchasing a used vehicle. If I can get the car at the trade-in value, it's probably a great deal (assuming it's mechanically sound and in excellent condition).

It's tough to find deals that match it, but I bought my 2001 Insight CVT with 24,000 miles in December 2003 for $10,800, which, at the time, was bang-on the dealer trade-in value. And I just picked up a late-model Honda Odyssey for $1,000 more than trade-in... not quite the great deal that I wanted, but on such a popular vehicle, it was reasonable. We're pleased.

Use that KBB trade-in value as your estimate of the low-end price of your car, and you're not far off. Nadaguides.com will generally quote more consumer-friendly pricing than KBB, though. It's really weird. Many people swear by Nadaguides (and swear AT kelly blue book), but it sure seems that they're just beholden to different groups. KBB really seems to favor dealers, with high dealer resale prices, low trade-in values, and indifferent private party sales prices.

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Jandro

Discussion Starter · #6 · Sep 23, 2004

Thanks everyone. I just got back from Alabama today. I bought it and love it

Thanks for your help I will post pictures later.

Jandro

b1shmu63

· #7 · Sep 23, 2004

Hey, a big congradulations! I've had mine two and a half years, still love it, and the novelty hasn't warn off.

jsanford

· #8 · Sep 24, 2004

Re: Is finding an insight close to Bluebook value a "go

Jandro said:
Hello all, I love what little I know about the Insight. In fact I may be buying one tommorow. I found one for 10,900. It is a 2000 model (crazy green color) and 26,000 miles on it! It has a clean title and carfax report. It is also manual and has the climate control A/C. It is supposedly in "excellent condition." According to Kelly Blue Book it is worth 10,300. From my research it seems everyone is selling their Insight's for WAY higher than book value (at least this side of the country). Not to mention there are so few for sale (Duh, great cars, high gas prices, a honda...etc., etc.)

I have seen pictures of it. It seems to be in GREAT shape and I am dumbfounded by a five year old ECONOMY car having an average of about 5k miles a year! So what do you think!

Thanks for having me on your board guys.. it is extremely informative!

There are (okay) reasons why cars have below-average mileage. My cars have typically had below-average mileage as I put about the same number of miles on my bicycles as I do on my car. We sold my mother's '88 car with 38,900 original miles...in 2002 (it had ONE trip longer than 100 miles in its life; just an around-town car). A friend of mine bought a low-mileage Golf from a guy who'd had it in storage for three years while he was working outside the country.

Get this car's story. Carfax can be limited; run your current car's VIN through to give you an idea. If it's through a middleman, there's a chance that they may be reading the odometer incorrectly in the digital dash; that could be the trip mileage.

But hopefully you found a gem!

Jandro

Discussion Starter · #9 · Sep 24, 2004

actually

It now has 26,300 miles on it

Because I drove 300 miles in two days (230 of it picking it up in AL) Yes those are true miles. Yes I bought with NO hessitation or haggling because it is in my opinion 98-99% perfect inside and out. I am happy to have bought a car that takes close scrutiny to find imperfections considering it is four plus years old.

okay here are some pictures! I'll get better ones. I've had the tint put on it so those pics will be later.

WARNING BIG PICS
http://www.we-todd-did-racing.com/wetoddimage.wtdr/wNTc0NTU2NnM0MTNkZmQzMXk1NDE=.jpg

http://www.we-todd-did-racing.com/wetoddimage.wtdr/wNTc0NTU5NnM0MTNkZmQzMXk1NDE=.jpg

http://www.we-todd-did-racing.com/wetoddimage.wtdr/wNTc0NTYwNnM0MTNkZmQzMXk1NDE=.jpg

http://www.we-todd-did-racing.com/wetoddimage.wtdr/wNTc0NTYxNnM0MTNkZmQzMXk1NDE=.jpg

a small vid of me driving it home. I think the music on the radio is appropriate.

http://www.we-todd-did-racing.com/wetoddimage.wtdr/wNTc0NTU4NnM0MTNkZmQzMXk1NDE=

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Yves M.

· #10 · Sep 24, 2004

Yes, congradulations.

Personnaly, my car is Red as it was the only one the dealer had in stock in 2000, I wished for Blue (Montecarlo) but it was not offered.

But I think that the Citrus is the best color for an Insight. Going a little fast there (86)

Jandro

Discussion Starter · #11 · Sep 24, 2004

Yes... and enjoying every minute of it

b1shmu63

· #12 · Sep 25, 2004

Looks like a jem to me! Take good care of it and you might find its value goes up. Get some synthetic oil in there but read the posts about the magnesium pan and plug issue and the correct level.

Jandro

Discussion Starter · #13 · Sep 25, 2004

okay I will! I promise I'll update new pics with the Tint soon

looks goooood.

BillClark

· #14 · Sep 25, 2004

low mileage

would not especially worry about the low mileage as I bought mine in Jacksonville last month, 2001 blue boy with only 10500; was in perfect shape! ran it hard all the way to Phoenix and am now commuting with it about 105 miles round trip. Various reasons for low mileage such as second or third car; buying it and not liking it after a while; it is not a car for everyone as rides rough at times and is loud on some pavement surfaces.
Enjoy it and keep us posted!

jsanford

· #15 · Sep 26, 2004

Wow, what a beautiful picture.

Oh, it was of the car...not the gasoline prices!!

Just kidding; you got a beautiful car.

Jandro

Discussion Starter · #16 · Sep 26, 2004

jsanford said:
Wow, what a beautiful picture.

Oh, it was of the car...not the gasoline prices!!

Just kidding; you got a beautiful car.

Thanks! I did that intentionally so that I may look back at the "influence" I had to purchase my beauty

want_an_insight

· #17 · Sep 29, 2004

What a coicidence!

Jandro,

Congrats on your new insight! That is a heck of a coincidence. There are very few insights in my neck of the woods (Fort Smith, Arkansas). As I was driving home from work the other day I saw one in someones front yard for sale and almost got in a wreck trying to turn around to go look at it.

It is exactly what I was looking for. 2000 model, manual, ac, with 22,000 miles, garage kept by a maticulous owner. He is asking $10,300 for it. I drove it and loved it.

I went to the bank and got the financing and am planning to go make him an offer in the morning. I am hoping it is not gone by then! I am going to offer him what he is asking and rush home and detail it. I cannot wait! Assuming it all works out, I will post pics.

Giddy Up!

Mike

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Yves M.

· #18 · Sep 29, 2004

Good luck Mike!

Tim Maddux

· #19 · Sep 29, 2004

Hopefully Mike will be forced to change his username.

Jandro

Discussion Starter · #20 · Oct 2, 2004

Re: What a coicidence!

want_an_insight said:
Jandro,

Congrats on your new insight! That is a heck of a coincidence. There are very few insights in my neck of the woods (Fort Smith, Arkansas). As I was driving home from work the other day I saw one in someones front yard for sale and almost got in a wreck trying to turn around to go look at it.

It is exactly what I was looking for. 2000 model, manual, ac, with 22,000 miles, garage kept by a maticulous owner. He is asking $10,300 for it. I drove it and loved it.

I went to the bank and got the financing and am planning to go make him an offer in the morning. I am hoping it is not gone by then! I am going to offer him what he is asking and rush home and detail it. I cannot wait! Assuming it all works out, I will post pics.

Giddy Up!

Mike

I just saw this.. GOOD LUCK...fill us in! BUY IT BUY IT lol... four year old "economy" cars with 20,000 miles on it are gems in my eye

1 - 20 of 20 Posts

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