[rouxsterre]

Bought it today.
2002 CVT w/under 30K. Bright red. Air, Power evything. Car cover.
HOV-ready ( stickers ).
Brand new tires ( still got the nubs ).
The guy was a complete techno-geek. Makes PeeWee Herman look like Rambo. . . . car was always covered, waxed, religious oil-change schedule.
* Once at Webshots, click on "Full Size" ( upper right ) *




This little car is SO wicked cool. . . .

 

[b1shmu63]

Yikes, maybe he is going for a cold fusion or zero point energy powered vehicle. 8)

Congradulations on your purchase. Good thing you didn't go for Rambo's old beater.

 

[jgessling]

HOV sticker value

You didn't mention the price you paid, I wonder if you would share that? On a related note, how much more did you pay because the car came with HOV stickers. Now that California isn't issuing any more, I've been wondering if the value of a vehicle with stickers would increase.

Regards, Jim
'01 #191

 

[rouxsterre]

I paid $14250 . . . after having made every effort to grind him into the 13's.
He was a brick wall. . . the Immovable Object. Would have made a glacier take a dirt road.

The HOV stickers were a big factor for me. I just took a new job, and although the commute is only 12 miles, it is through the teeth of the dreaded "Costa Mesa Slot" ( 405 freeway from the 55 to Warner ). . . . Anyways, ever since I first spied the Insight, I have been looking for an excuse to buy one.

The car truly is JUST LIKE NEW.
I tried the CA DMV website for some personalized plates. "RLLR SK8" ( taken ). "GAS HOG" ( taken ). "GOT GAS" ( taken ). . . . .
For anyone interested, "MPG HOG" is available in CA.
I'm just sticking with regular plates.

The Insight is just a complete GAS to drive. I'm hooked. . . . tomorrow I spring for some low CoD wiper blades.

 

[HB]

Re: HOV sticker value

Now that California isn't issuing [HOV stickers] any more. . .
Regards, Jim
'01 #191

Jim, How sure are you of this?? I sent in an application/fee a couple of weeks back and just noticed yesterday that my $8.00 check cleared -
sooooo, I'd like to think that stickers will be arriving in my mailbox soon!

 

[rouxsterre]

As an Insight driver, I notice all those lemmings in their Pious's.

I can drive for weeks and not see another Insight. I am an individual. I am unique. I rule.

Today I drove behind a Prius. I drafted him. . . . friggin gas hog. I was gonna "surf" him, but the HOV is only one lane.

 

[jgessling]

HOV stickers etc

I may have jumped the gun on California running out of HOV stickers. Still very curious to place a value on having them.
Regarding Prii owners, they are such poseurs...

We are the real hybrid owners.

Regards, Jim
'01 #191

 

[merigayle]

lol! I NEVER see another Insight. Maybe once every 3-4 months I feel special, yet so lonely.

Congrats on your new purchase. Enjoy your insight.

 

[rouxsterre]

Honest to God . . . I live in So Cal, and you see EVERY kinda car. Except the Honda Insight. I probably < honestly > see 100 toyota pri's for every Insight.
It's so cool.

My next investment is the window tinting.
I own the "Orgasm Red" Insight. It will look awesome with a way illegal DARK tint. < pix to follow >. . . . .

 

[rouxsterre]

Original MPG, as inherited from previous owner - something like 46's . . . crept down into lower 40's over my commute.

Reading techniques on InsightCentral, and practicing . . . I am now at 51's and climbing.
Best of all, I'm not obstructing the flow of 'unenlightened' traffic.

I do, however, occasionally use neutral as part of technical driving in my CVT. I have read that deceleration is better, but I don't see it. What am I missing ?

 

[Insightful Trekker]

I do, however, occasionally use neutral as part of technical driving in my CVT. I have read that deceleration is better, but I don't see it. What am I missing ?

Fuel cut-off at the injectors on decel vs. idle consumption :shock: and regen on decel (IMA recharging).

HTH!

 

[rouxsterre]

I do, however, occasionally use neutral as part of technical driving in my CVT. I have read that deceleration is better, but I don't see it. What am I missing ?

Fuel cut-off at the injectors on decel vs. idle consumption :shock: and regen on decel (IMA recharging).

HTH!

It seems that the MPG soars in Neutral, not so much in deceleration. Plus I slow down faster in de-cel than in Neutral. Is this not correct ? Should I be looking at L/M for reinforcement ?

 

[Lee]

I have no idea if the newer cars are different than the older ones but once you lift your foot off the accel pedal the IMA charge is about 50% of the max charge level with the brakes on. If the FCD is in metric units you can see that the fuel cut comes on in this condition.

Driving home tonight I played with it a little trying to find a balance point holding the accelerator on enough to prevent charge but not so much as to feed fuel to the engine. I could not find such a balance point.

Dropping a CVT in to N and coasting is a reasonable thing to do for longer segments where you can maintain speed (down hill). The fuel used to idle the engine is minimal. Also you can cycle the defroster on with little impact to FE (I try not to run the AC if I can help it but I make an exception when idling). For level segments it may be an advantage to lift off the accel pedal at a point where you slow almost to a stop and gain a little charge in the process. However on a CVT the SOC is maintained with in 4 or 5 bars from the top. In this situation (full battery) it may be better to pop it in to N. However this is seat of the pants intuition, no test results to point to.

I would not recommend a forced auto stop with a CVT. The belt tension is dependant on the driven shaft turning (the side next to the engine). Unknown things could happen and I am not willing to test this on my car.

 

[rouxsterre]

Thanks Lee . . . I'm still learning.

Gettin better, day by day. It's a good day when I pull in the driveway showing over 50 . . . that'll change with time, as I am steady improving.

My window tinting helps < see pics in 1st post > . . . I go stealth past gas stations.

 

[Resist]

Bought it today.
2002 CVT w/under 30K. Bright red. Air, Power evything. Car cover.
HOV-ready ( stickers ).
Brand new tires ( still got the nubs ).

In your pics the HOV stickers were on the side windows. It was my understanding that these stickers had to be on rear quarters and not on the windows. So how did he get away with that?

 

[Insightful Trekker]

So how did he get away with that?

Hasn't got caught yet :?:

 

[rouxsterre]

In your pics the HOV stickers were on the side windows.

"ARE" on the side windows. Took the photos yesterday in my driveway. I'm not moving em, unless ordered to by a Judge ( extraordinarily HIGHLY unlikely ). . . . I like them right where they are.

Of greater concern is being ordered to remove the way illegal window tint.

 

[SeanW]

Stickers, tint, front plate..., I think it all depends on where you live in CA and how much the local PD/CHP really cares about enforcing it at the time!

As for the HOV stickers, even though they come with specific placement instructions, it amazes and amuses me when I see all of the creative locations and applications hybrid drivers come up with. I'm sure the biggest concern if you're toolin' down the HOV lane alone is whether or not you have the sticker on at all! 8)

 

[rouxsterre]

Well, I have been driving this Insight now for over a month. Every day, on a million-car commute.
I drive the HOV every day. Have yet to see another Insight. Not even ONE.

And this is Southern California.

* * * * * * * * *
BTW - I ANNHILATED a Corvette today. We were both going 65, and he couldn't have been getting more than 25mpg. I was getting mid-50's. . . I probably beat him by 30mpg. . . . poor guy.