This is one of those "for what little it may be worth" notes ...
Odds are you will get considerabley better gas mileage with an Insight, new or used than with any other car - at present.
It has been suggested that you look into acquiring a used Insight and from what you have described as your needs, car wise, it'd be worth your while to look into going this route; as one man put it, gas milege alone won't make up the difference when it comes to purchasing a new Insight.
If you do elect to purchase a used Insight, by all means, consider using the services of a local attorney BEFORE putting any money down and signing anything, especially when it comes to the warranty/ies (if any) which come with the used car. This will increase the probability that you will get what you, (a) have been lead to believe, (b) want you want and (c) what you might reasonably expect warranty wide during the time you own the used vehicle.
As one who recently purchased a new Insight, I can suggest without fear of contradiction that these little cars appear to be very well thought out.
As for that Federal Tax Incentive - don't ignore it. I offer this as it is my understanding that it's still in play and if you expect to pay federal income taxes over the time you expect to own a NEW Insight, by all means do look into this. I understand the figure is six thousand five hundred ($6,500) dollars but don't take my word for it. Check with the IRS and do this several times - not all of those people who've been hired by the IRS know what they're talking about. Again, as I understant it, this financial incentive only applies to NEW vehicles, not used ones.
If high mileage is what you're after and you settle on a used Insight, get one with a manual transmission not an automatic; i.e., CVT. But make no mistake about it, by current standards these CVTs get very good mileage to - 50 to 55 mpg - unless you have a heavy foot and poor driving habits.
If you purchase an Insight, you'll probably like it, including the up front gas savings, even on those short comutes you mentioned.
Hope this helps - and let us know how you make out.
Fred
Odds are you will get considerabley better gas mileage with an Insight, new or used than with any other car - at present.
It has been suggested that you look into acquiring a used Insight and from what you have described as your needs, car wise, it'd be worth your while to look into going this route; as one man put it, gas milege alone won't make up the difference when it comes to purchasing a new Insight.
If you do elect to purchase a used Insight, by all means, consider using the services of a local attorney BEFORE putting any money down and signing anything, especially when it comes to the warranty/ies (if any) which come with the used car. This will increase the probability that you will get what you, (a) have been lead to believe, (b) want you want and (c) what you might reasonably expect warranty wide during the time you own the used vehicle.
As one who recently purchased a new Insight, I can suggest without fear of contradiction that these little cars appear to be very well thought out.
As for that Federal Tax Incentive - don't ignore it. I offer this as it is my understanding that it's still in play and if you expect to pay federal income taxes over the time you expect to own a NEW Insight, by all means do look into this. I understand the figure is six thousand five hundred ($6,500) dollars but don't take my word for it. Check with the IRS and do this several times - not all of those people who've been hired by the IRS know what they're talking about. Again, as I understant it, this financial incentive only applies to NEW vehicles, not used ones.
If high mileage is what you're after and you settle on a used Insight, get one with a manual transmission not an automatic; i.e., CVT. But make no mistake about it, by current standards these CVTs get very good mileage to - 50 to 55 mpg - unless you have a heavy foot and poor driving habits.
If you purchase an Insight, you'll probably like it, including the up front gas savings, even on those short comutes you mentioned.
Hope this helps - and let us know how you make out.
Fred
