[realeyz]

Hi Gang!

I just bought a brand new 2005 grey CVT Insight this evening. This is my first hybrid. I sold my last car - a Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo as I rarely ever drove it, plus I don't have a lot of enthusiasm for that car now that I know about peak oil and what we are facing in the coming years.

We went out this evening only intending to test drive a Prius and an Insight to get a feel for hybrid cars after doing a ton of online research the past few months. The Prius felt ok I suppose - love the central computer gizmo and bluetooth, but the prius felt a bit cramped for a 6'4" guy and the braking/acceleration felt strange as well. The waiting list is still 60-90 days for the Prius. When I got to the Honda dealership and test drove their only Insight I was blown away at the difference! WOW! The Insight just feels so much more natural and tight. It's MUCH more comfortable for a tall guy like me and adjusts perfectly for my girlfriend who is 5'2".

So because the Insight had only 90 miles on it and I knew they are hard to come by I paid cash for it right there.

I have noticed there are a lot of modifications and people here getting well over 70-80 mpg. I would love to do some mods to increase the fuel efficiency in my Insight as well. I look forward to learning more.

Cheers!

 

[b1shmu63]

Welcome to the club! I'm glad you shared your test drive experience. The Insight was based on a sports car prototype.

The CVT will not get the outrageous 100+ mileage that some fanatics report, as it does not have "lean burn" mode. Many of the "hypermileage tricks do apply however, and some report excellent results with the CVT too.

Get it broken in, switch to synthetic, pump up the tires, try the hot air mod etc.....

 

[realeyz]

Welcome to the club! I'm glad you shared your test drive experience. The Insight was based on a sports car prototype.

The CVT will not get the outrageous 100+ mileage that some fanatics report, as it does not have "lean burn" mode. Many of the "hypermileage tricks do apply however, and some report excellent results with the CVT too.

Get it broken in, switch to synthetic, pump up the tires, try the hot air mod etc.....

Thanx for the welcome! Whats the hot air mod? What is the break-in time for these cars? Besides the fact that they have 5-speeds, are people who are reporting 80,90,100+ LMPG using mods more for this kind of mileage or driving technique? I did a test drive out and about for about 15 miles (highway and city) and got 62 MPG fairly easily for the trip. I imagine I could probably get more after break-in and with more practice.

Here are a couple pics from the garage:

http://www.realeyz.com/misc/insight1.jpg
http://www.realeyz.com/misc/insight2.jpg

 

[ericbecky]

Here's a link to my previous description of making a hot air mod.

http://www.insightcentral.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=865

My post is the seventh one down from the top of the page.

You'll notice it's sometimes called a warm air mod as well.

 

[Scott]

Welcome and congrats!.....I wouldn't be too optmistic about averaging 60+ MPG with a CVT. My CVT's LMPG is "only" 52 and I'm not complaining as winter here in the northeast is murder on MPG. In warm weather, I can get 60+ on some trips, but cold weather and A/C use keep the average down. On the Insightcentral mileage database, I believe the overall average for CVT's was around 52, so anything higher should be considered good. Enjoy!

 

[jack9994]

Welcome realeyz

I have a stock 5 speed the only mod being 45psi in the tires. My record is an average 104mpg for my 90+mile commute and my worse is no less than 60 (which is at 80+mph). The acceleration in 3rd is amazing for a 1 litre car and I have had 109mph. Hope you like your new car. I would have thought you could get 80mpg once run in even with a CVT but keep your speed down to 50-55mph and feather the throttle so to keep the instantaneous mpg display above 100mpg (takes practice)

Regards

John

 

[Insightful Trekker]

Als check the link in my sig for another hot air mod picture tutorial.

HTH!

 

[realeyz]

We were driving around today doing errands in the Insight and I finally realized the Insight is not just a car, it's a video game where you can win money the better you do! 8)

I feel like I am taking little mini trips to Las Vegas every time I take the Insight driving challenge. I love it.

 

[b1shmu63]

Ah yes, the Insight video challenge, known by many names is an expensive toy, but it comes with a free car! :lol: Just don't take your eyes off the big 3D screen above it for too long! :wink:

The break in period is 6 to 8 thousand miles. Some have suggested that their mileage continued to improve to the 10 thousand mile point. Switching to synthetic after the break in period will effectively stop engine wear, and shounld give you a little mileage boost. (Something to look forward to)

 

[realeyz]

Ah yes, the Insight video challenge, known by many names is an expensive toy, but it comes with a free car! :lol: Just don't take your eyes off the big 3D screen above it for too long! :wink:

The break in period is 6 to 8 thousand miles. Some have suggested that their mileage continued to improve to the 10 thousand mile point. Switching to synthetic after the break in period will effectively stop engine wear, and shounld give you a little mileage boost. (Something to look forward to)

Yes I know all about Synthetic - in fact I have visited personally a couple of the highest end synthetic labs where they are engineered. From my experience I give the highest recommendation to Amsoil and Neo oil for synthetics. These are truly the best. Forget the synthetics you find in Pep Boys.

You mentioned the break-in is 6k - 8k miles. Makes sense to me although strangely the manusl says the break-in period is 600 miles - maybe they left off an extra zero eh? Must be a typo cuz I hever never heard of a car break-in being only 600 miles, but then again, I have never owned a video game car either. :wink:

 

[Resist]

The Prius felt ok I suppose - love the central computer gizmo and bluetooth, but the prius felt a bit cramped for a 6'4" guy and the braking/acceleration felt strange as well.

You must be kidding! I'm 6'1" and I found the new Prius to have more room than the old Prius body style and the Insight. I didn't notice any difference in braking the Prius over the Insight braking.

To me the new Prius was more like driving a mini van and the Insight was like driving a little sports car.

 

[Insightful Trekker]

In Las Vagas the only *sure* way to double your money is take it out of your wallet, fold in over and put it back in your wallet.

Your "gamble" with an Insight is much more of a sure bet :!:

 

[realeyz]

The Prius felt ok I suppose - love the central computer gizmo and bluetooth, but the prius felt a bit cramped for a 6'4" guy and the braking/acceleration felt strange as well.

You must be kidding! I'm 6'1" and I found the new Prius to have more room than the old Prius body style and the Insight. I didn't notice any difference in braking the Prius over the Insight braking.

To me the new Prius was more like driving a mini van and the Insight was like driving a little sports car.

Yes the prius definitely fely like a mini van - I dunno, it just didnt feel nearly as comfortable as the Inisght does - more about lack of ergonomic s than interior room. Also your height isnt really the factor in determining head room in a car - it's the distance from your butt and top of your head when you sit down that determines it. Two different people the same height might have very different head room in a car depending on this.

 

[b1shmu63]

The 600 mile point is where you can start to push the car without doing damage. The 6,000 mile point is where the car gets loose enough to give you your best performance and mileage. You could start the synthetic oil sooner but might have to wait 1000,000 miles before achiving your best mileage. On bikes they used to have complicated break in proceedures for the first 500 to 1,000 miles, like varying the engine speed for cetain ratios of time and not going above certain RPMs. I remember how frustrating it was when I bought my first new bike (mtorcycle). That was decades ago and I think oils have improved dramatically.

 

[Resist]

Yes the prius definitely fely like a mini van - I dunno, it just didnt feel nearly as comfortable as the Inisght does - more about lack of ergonomic s than interior room.

With the Insight it's more a reclining style of seating. Which isn't bad but, after a several years of ownership with mine, it's kind of a pain getting in and out of. I can't just step into it, like with other cars, it's to low. So I have to do the "back in and flip around" entry.

 

[james]

Which goes to show that it's all what you're used to. After the CRX and a number of British sports cars over the years, I don't think the Insight reclines quite enough to be comfortable. And the bolt-upright, knees at a right angle seating of your typical SUV reminds me of nothing so much as grandma's prim Victorian parlour, and being admonished to "sit up straight, dear"

 

[dorline]

The Prius felt ok I suppose - love the central computer gizmo and bluetooth, but the prius felt a bit cramped for a 6'4" guy and the braking/acceleration felt strange as well.

You must be kidding! I'm 6'1" and I found the new Prius to have more room than the old Prius body style and the Insight.

New to the forum. My Insight comes in a few weeks but of course they announced the discontinuation mid-order for me. Parts are a concern as is the size of the driver this car can accomodate. Nice to hear you're 6'4" as I'm 6'2"! Leg room isn't a prob?