[slimmm]

Hi, everyone. Today is my one-month anniversary with my new Insight!

I found it via autotrader and drove to Vermont to pick it up. (Gave my 10-year-old Civic to my father, who lives up that way.) The people at Shearer Honda in Rutland were very nice and quite willing to look around and find me an Insight; they came up with two more in the process of locating mine.

After a couple of learning weeks, I took my first long trip last weekend, from North Jersey to Virginia Beach. Got 71mpg on the way home. Thanks for all the practical advice you guys provide to us newbies.

A question: Should I be having trouble climbing hills? From what I've read here, the car should do well, but it doesn't. I've tried downshifting (even though the downshift indicator has never lighted), but that hasn't helped much. I've been driving a stick for 25 years, and this is baffling.

-Susan

 

[jtmco]

Have you only downshifted to 4th? If so, you are still in overdrive. The gearing on the Insight is really tall so try going to 3rd. The downshift light will rarely, if ever, come on if you drive the way you always have - it takes an incredible amount of lugging to get it to come on.

It will climb a hill, but it is not a powerful car - you have to help it by downshifting (or getting a running start )

Good luck.

Jim

 

[redbug]

Ditto on what Jim just said. Coming back from Connecticut to Mass today, I had to downshift into 3rd (and sometimes even 2nd) just to climb a grade while maintaining 50-55mph speeds.

For climbing grades on the highways, it's not worth using electric boost because it will just take the batteries on a rollercoaster ride from hell. The more frequently (and deeper) you discharge the batteries, the shorter their lifespan is. That being said, electric assist is great for getting up to speed, and for climbing really short hills, but it's worth avoiding using it when you can.

Hope this helps .. and welcome to the club!

 

[b1shmu63]

You can hit 113 miles per hour in third gear. No problem using 3rd.

 

[trunkout]

You can hit 113 miles per hour in third gear. No problem using 3rd.

that what I'm talking about Napoleon!
:badgrin:

 

[slimmm]

Thanks to all of you. I've now started downshifting to 3rd, and it's helping a lot.

Also getting better about looking ahead for hills, just as I prepare in advance when there's a red light coming up. Yet another example of how the Insight is a car for thinking people!

-Susan