[masscommuter]

I'm talking to a dealer about buying a new 2006 Insight w/ Manual 5-speed.
And ... I have no shortage of Questions

12-week lead time - actually less?
Are there ever any Insights "in stock"?

Is there any chance of haggling a lower purchase price or "destination charge"?

tinny radio
- setup an earphone jack?
- replace radio & speakers ?
- actually not so bad?

Headlights-in-mirrors from SUVs: a problem?
- polarized sunglasses - do they help at night?

Silver body - is this safer, i.e. more visible?

Used Insights w/ Manual tranny on cars.com: one far away.
Is there a place on the web to find them?

Noise at 70 mph - any cure? drive w/ earplugs, earbud headphones?

other -????

Thanks.

 

[hawkGT647]

A year ago it took 5 weeks for mine to come in.
No test drive, none at the dealer.

They discounted the shipping fee only, I paid MSRP.

Change the door speakers, it'll help the sound.

Road noise is no more than what is expected from a light weight sub-compact car.

Turn the music up after you upgrade those speakers!

Regards,

 

[kari]

I had to really pressure the dealer to get mine, and it took about 3 weeks to locate and transport the car. it was a pain but worth it. There was a red 2005 insight in stock at the honda dealership I spoke to, but I didn't want a red car.

I didn't negotiate the price at all, but I only paid MSRP. I think they wanted me out of their hair b/c they didn't try to sell me any accessories or anything. like, floor mats. ?? they did try to get me a 2005 silver first, and they would have given me a break on the MSRP, but that one was sold out from under me.

for the sound questions I have to disclaim: I was driving a very noisy 93 civic before. I think the factory speaker is fine, but I'm going to swap it out b/c I have another stereo with an aux input (I have a mp3 and a minidisk player). I think the speakers sound great, but before I didn't have any rear speakers and I'm sure that after 12 years the civic's factory instal speakers weren't at their best.

I don't think road noise is an issue at all. I'd read articles saying the ride was rough and extra noisy, but I didn't notice it at all. It is a little more noisy at low speeds in the rain, but only b/c of the rear wheel covers.

road safety - I have the blue, and I drive on the NJ turnpike in the truck lane to and from work every day. I haven't had any close calls or narrow escapes so far (about a month on the road).

good luck!

 

[jbrasure]

To answer your questions:

1) It's difficult to find Insights in stock. However, keep your eyes open on http://www.autotrader.com. Sometimes you'll see a new one out there.

2) I paid MSRP for mine.

3) Yes, the stereo sucks. Replacing the factory speakers will help, but in my opinion it still sounds pretty bad after doing that. I'm about to install an amp and sub in mine.

4) Headlights from SUVs can be blinding. However, flipping the mirror into night mode works well. Once you do that you won't notice it.

5) Supposedly silver is the safest car color. I like red and blue the best though.

6) The Insight is a little noisey at highway speeds, but no more than most other small cars. I never found it to be a problem.

 

[james]

"4) Headlights from SUVs can be blinding. However, flipping the mirror into night mode works well. Once you do that you won't notice it."

Yes, but they're no worse in the Insight than in any other car that's not jacked up several feet.

Night mode helps with the inside mirror, but it's the side ones (driver's side particularly) that get me. That's one reason I keep thinking of CCD cameras with some image enhancement software. Or maybe a rear-mounted CO2 pellet gun, with automatic light targeting...

 

[kari]

I like your last idea James! the side mirrors are the worst - my old civic was just as short, but I never had a problem with the sides! I guess b/c the insight is so narrow?

 

[james]

I don't know about it being narrow. I've been bothered by side-mirror glare in most if not all of the cars I've owned. Even in my 4WD Toyota pickup, which while nowhere near as high as some of the monsters out there, still sits much higher than passenger cars.

 

[flunkysama]

Silver body - is this safer, i.e. more visible?

This is just my oh-so-humble opinion, but any car that's the same color as the concrete road its sitting on is not "more visible". Gray's also hide better in fog.

When I was buying, my color preference was "anything but silver". I ended up getting a CYM, now that's visible.

 

[Cap'n Ron]

I just purchased a 2006 Insight this afternoon!!! I test drove one in 2003 and fell in love with it, but couldn't justify it. My tow rig is now paid for and I have some extra cash laying around /month...it's about time I did the right thing.

I submitted a request on Carsdirect.com and three dealers replied via e-mail within about an hour! They were all within about 50 miles of my zip code (so cal) and two had an Insight in stock. One is blue CVT and the other is Silverstone 5sp with A/C. I bought the latter and pick it up on Saturday. It has 5 miles on it! So, I'm calculating that it has used around 10 ounces of gasoline so far!

I did some math on buying a used one...10,500 for a 2000 with 52,000 miles. I gave a $.10 penalty for each mile for "use" and went from there.

10,500 asking price
5,200 mileage penalty
1,800 install A/C (didn't have it)
1,500 replace battery module
200 travel cost to go get it
866 sales tax
500 misc do-dads you always do on a used car...tires, floor mats, etc
___________
$19,700
-$4.000 resale value after 5 years and 150,000 miles on the clock
___________
$15,700 Total cost of ownership for the used one.



23,070 Cost new with taxes, licence fees, docs
-$10,000 resale in 2011 with 100,000 miles
___________
$13,070 Total cost of ownership for the new one.

So, I figured it's cheaper to buy a new one than a used one and I didn't even figure in the warranty value or that great new car smell!!!

If you can't tell, I'm excited. Oh, and I got 5.99% financing!

Cap'n Ron. . .

PS: I've been reading this board for the last two months...it's been inspirational!

 

[Willie Williford]

2006 insight

What about the 5.99999% interest fee.?

23,000 plus another 20,000?
:roll:

 

[Cap'n Ron]

I'm not financing anywhere near the full cost of the car, so the total interest over 5 years is not that much...($2400 total). I just wanted to pay the least amount of money on my money as I could and was happy I got it. I did this all over the phone with the sales guy and I told him that I should qualify for the 5.99% and I wanted to make sure that an extra percent wasn't thrown in the day I picked up the car. The finance guy called me an hour later and said , "Yep...you're all approved." and kept on about when I'm picking up the car and all. He then slips in the monthly payment at the last minute and it was $8 more /month than I calculated. I said, "How did you get that amount...what's the percentage?" "Oh, I was able to get you 6.75%." Honda's lowest rate is currently 5.99% and If I don't qualify for that...I don't think anyone would. It's just another profit area for the dealer and I called him on it. When I said I wanted 5.99% or I'm walking, he asked if I wanted an extended warranty for $1100 added in. I told him to get me the 5.99% and then we'll talk. The sales guy called and apologized and said that I was always at 5.99%...and "Oh, did you want me to remove the extended warranty?" "REMOVE IT???" I never agreed to buy it. Sheesh.

All in all, it was a good buying experience...took under an hour and no haggling short of some math with Mr. Finance. That calculator is finally paying off!!

 

[james]

Congrats on the new Insight! But now that it's too late, I have to tell you that I think you left out a factor in your calculations: the income you could have received on the $10K or so difference in price, if you'd invested it instead. In an index fund or such, that should average out at at least the 6% you're paying on the loan.

 

[The Citrus Smoothie]

:sigh: Why does it have to always be about the bucks! You guys would have a nervous breakdown if you had to pay European prices...
(OK I have just answered my own question). $375,000 for a SMALL house anyone? :wink:

Congratulations on a great purchase, Cap'n Ron I am envious

 

[james]

"$375,000 for a SMALL house anyone?"

Sounds like a bargain to me My neighbors just refinanced theirs. Built in the 60s, not exactly small, but a long, long way from a McMansion. Appraised at $505K.

OTOH, location, as they say, is everything. A small house where I work (Lausanne, Switzerland) might go for somewhere around $800K, but a friend of mine has a place in northern Louisiana (well above sea level!), small house on several acres, cost a whopping $35K a few years ago.

 

[Cap'n Ron]

Yeah, it's not always about the bucks...I mean, this is my third car, so I certainly don't NEED it for transportation... It's clearly cheaper to just keep driving my SUV tow rig because $23,000 will buy a LOT of fuel. But it came down to this... Although I have to keep my SUV to tow things around with, I find it pretty crazy to have 3850 lbs and 250HP to get my 200 lb body back and forth to the office. I was using up over 1300 gallons of fuel a year!!! That's just not right.

Even considering that, it would have been cheaper to buy a used Civic...or even a new one...non-hybrid...than buying the insight. I just love the little thing...I'm in technology, so I like having something to read while I drive :mrgreen: , I like the bragging rights of the highest mileage car in the country, I've been a huge Honda fan for years, I get to drive in the car-pool lanes (yay!), chicks dig it...Okay, that might be a stretch. Anyway you look at it, it's a good choice for what I'll be using it for...getting from one side of Los Angeles to the other while breathing everyone else's smog.

Once I made that choice, I just tried to wrangle the best deal I could. I pick it up tomorrow afternoon! Yee-frickin'-hah!

Cap'n Ron...

 

[Cap'n Ron]

:sigh: Why does it have to always be about the bucks! You guys would have a nervous breakdown if you had to pay European prices...
(OK I have just answered my own question). $375,000 for a SMALL house anyone? :wink:

Congratulations on a great purchase, Cap'n Ron I am envious

Yeah, the least expensive house currently for sale in my zip code is $600,000, a 1bd, 1ba, 850 sq ft built in 1959 (a bit old for around here). I can't afford to re-buy the house I already own. A bit crazy. An old girlfriend of mine is selling her house in the UK and moving back to the states. It'll be interesting to see how she makes out.

Anyway, thanks for the kind words Smoothie...I can't wait to pick it up tomorrow! I'm a bit of a fabricator and live for the "Oh, that just can't be done" sort of projects. My first will be to convert the center section of the dash to double-DIN size for a Pioneer AVIC-D1 NAV system!!! I might have to polish up my fiberglassing skills!

Cap'n. . .

 

[Cap'n Ron]

Well, I got the '06 Insight from the dealer yesterday!!! There are a few to be had around here so if anyone's looking and wants to fly out...I can probably track one down pretty easily. Color and transmission might be a roll of the dice. I was told that there were only three Silverstone, 5 speed, A/C insights in the state.

Anyway, I'm learning how to drive it for mileage...it's a blast. I got 78.9 MPG on the 62 mile trip back from the dealer! I love it! i have 120 miles on it now...in one day.

I told thedealer NOT to wash it and spent the day today doing that...Clay bar to pull the small amount of "rail dust' out of the paint and a full three-steps of Zaino. Yow, that thing shines! Checked the oil and the tire pressure...all good. I'm excited to commute to work in the morning.