Honda Insight Hybrid

Monokne

Hi all

Just wondered - I am looking to buy an automatic car that is relatively low on petrol and tax and the insight has caught my eye. A quick google has told me that it's a reasonably good car, like a Tesco own brand Prius you might say, that works fairly well and runs cheapish.

However, a quick search on done deal reveals SCORES of these cars, all 2009 or thereabouts. This has given me pause. There are 53 in Leinster alone according to this search(not sure if this'll work for you):
https://www.donedeal.ie/cars/Honda/Insight?mileageType=Miles&area=Leinster&mileage_to=100000&transmission=Automatic&price_from=0&price_to=6500

Has anyone much experience with this vehicle, and if so, how did you find it? And also if anyone has any theories on why so many 2009 models are on the market, let me know!

Floody Boreland

Job lot from Japan maybe.

Monokne

It seems likely they were all imported at once in 09, just curious that so many of them are being moved on at once.

zilog_jones

You can see many of them aren't even registered yet - the majority are Japanese imports. Not sure why there are so many, except that the Yen is fairly weak right now.

unkel

Hybrids are in vogue and not everyone can afford a brand new one. Ergo cheap second hand ones from Japan will sell like hotcakes!

Monokne

Yeah just on this I have spotted a ton of them have reg numbers that are not dissimilar - 09 D 303XX

I test drove one today and it was nice. It's not dissimilar to the Prius which I've also driven, just a bit of a bumpier drive. Will probably buy one.

n97 mini

Monokne wrote: »

Yeah just on this I have spotted a ton of them have reg numbers that are not dissimilar - 09 D 303XX

I test drove one today and it was nice. It's not dissimilar to the Prius which I've also driven, just a bit of a bumpier drive. Will probably buy one.

Compare to the Civic Hybrid of the same era. Drive train is very similar, except the Civic has a bit more poke and a bigger battery, while returning the same mpg as the Insight. It's also available with better trim levels, e.g. no leather in Insight, but an option in the Civic. Last time I checked a comparable Civic was the same price or cheaper.

Monokne

Would I find a civic automatic handy enough?

kennethsmyth

Monokne wrote: »

Would I find a civic automatic handy enough?

All the hybrids are automatic, the civic is a hybrid with 1.3 engine and dodgy flat aluminium wheels. The same civic saloon of the era is 1.8 sohc (very nice engine)

n97 mini

Monokne wrote: »

Would I find a civic automatic handy enough?

kennethsmyth wrote: »

All the hybrids are automatic, the civic is a hybrid with 1.3 engine and dodgy flat aluminium wheels. The same civic saloon of the era is 1.8 sohc (very nice engine)

From 2006 on they're exclusively automatic. From 2003 to 2006 they were manual in Europe, but automatic was available in other markets.

Monokne

kennethsmyth wrote: »

All the hybrids are automatic, the civic is a hybrid with 1.3 engine and dodgy flat aluminium wheels. The same civic saloon of the era is 1.8 sohc (very nice engine)

Shows what I know about cars

Monokne

For what its worth, I've put a deposit down on one of these Insight Hybrids. I'll post again in a couple months with my experience of it, in case anyone else does a search looking for info on it down the line like I had done previously!

emseesquare

Monokne wrote: »

For what its worth, I've put a deposit down on one of these Insight Hybrids. I'll post again in a couple months with my experience of it, in case anyone else does a search looking for info on it down the line like I had done previously!

Hey!
What are you thoughts now?

Monokne

emseesquare wrote: »

Hey!
What are you thoughts now?

Hey

So I picked it up in February. Fair to say it's been a whirlwind romance ever since!

I really love this car. I had been driving an automatic Rav 4 for about the last 5 years and the best compliment I can pay this car is it feels as sturdy, dependable and smooth as that did, only lighter obviously. It's an '09. I have had no problems as yet.

If you are looking for negatives, one thing that I had read before I got it was that it was fairly sensitive to the road and I would say when I drive around small estates with speed bumps I can feel them more so driving this than I could the Rav, but not to the point that it's an annoyance or something that would bother me. I also got a flat tyre about a month ago and had to use the repair kit. I have to be honest, that was one thing that gave me pause about the car, that it came with this kit rather than a spare. However, having used the repair kit, I am happy with it. It's easy to use. Lastly - the boot. Bear in mind I had been driving a jeep! But I find the boot very small. It's the one thing I would change. I think once my youngest is old enough to get rid of her pram this will be less of an issue, but it just seems small.

The thing I like most about the car is how good it is on fuel. I put €50 in it and I get about 600km - bear in mind most of my driving is like 2 miles to work or 2 miles to the kids schools etc - small joureys, constantly turning the car on and off. If I run it on motorways or longer journeys, I tend to get better mileage from it. Either way it's such a vast improvement on the Rav 4, which I loved but guzzled petrol. The dash has a bunch of features explaining how your MPG is and how to drive economically which I like.

Also the tax is just €180 per year and the insurance was €550 with Allianz for the year. €730 a year for tax & insurance combined is really good in my eyes, especially for an older car.

Sorry if that's a mouthful, brevity never was my thing!

corks finest

Monokne wrote: »

emseesquare wrote: »

Hey!
What are you thoughts now?

Hey

So I picked it up in February. Fair to say it's been a whirlwind romance ever since!

I really love this car. I had been driving an automatic Rav 4 for about the last 5 years and the best compliment I can pay this car is it feels as sturdy, dependable and smooth as that did, only lighter obviously. It's an '09. I have had no problems as yet.

If you are looking for negatives, one thing that I had read before I got it was that it was fairly sensitive to the road and I would say when I drive around small estates with speed bumps I can feel them more so driving this than I could the Rav, but not to the point that it's an annoyance or something that would bother me. I also got a flat tyre about a month ago and had to use the repair kit. I have to be honest, that was one thing that gave me pause about the car, that it came with this kit rather than a spare. However, having used the repair kit, I am happy with it. It's easy to use. Lastly - the boot. Bear in mind I had been driving a jeep! But I find the boot very small. It's the one thing I would change. I think once my youngest is old enough to get rid of her pram this will be less of an issue, but it just seems small.

The thing I like most about the car is how good it is on fuel. I put €50 in it and I get about 600km - bear in mind most of my driving is like 2 miles to work or 2 miles to the kids schools etc - small joureys, constantly turning the car on and off. If I run it on motorways or longer journeys, I tend to get better mileage from it. Either way it's such a vast improvement on the Rav 4, which I loved but guzzled petrol. The dash has a bunch of features explaining how your MPG is and how to drive economically which I like.

Also the tax is just €180 per year and the insurance was €550 with Allianz for the year. €730 a year for tax & insurance combined is really good in my eyes, especially for an older car.

Sorry if that's a mouthful, brevity never was my thing!

On my 2nd insight, absolutely delighted with them Uber dependable ,ref spare tyre, bought a space saver on eBay for e69

corks finest

corks finest wrote: »

Monokne wrote: »

emseesquare wrote: »

Hey!
What are you thoughts now?

Hey

So I picked it up in February. Fair to say it's been a whirlwind romance ever since!

I really love this car. I had been driving an automatic Rav 4 for about the last 5 years and the best compliment I can pay this car is it feels as sturdy, dependable and smooth as that did, only lighter obviously. It's an '09. I have had no problems as yet.

If you are looking for negatives, one thing that I had read before I got it was that it was fairly sensitive to the road and I would say when I drive around small estates with speed bumps I can feel them more so driving this than I could the Rav, but not to the point that it's an annoyance or something that would bother me. I also got a flat tyre about a month ago and had to use the repair kit. I have to be honest, that was one thing that gave me pause about the car, that it came with this kit rather than a spare. However, having used the repair kit, I am happy with it. It's easy to use. Lastly - the boot. Bear in mind I had been driving a jeep! But I find the boot very small. It's the one thing I would change. I think once my youngest is old enough to get rid of her pram this will be less of an issue, but it just seems small.

The thing I like most about the car is how good it is on fuel. I put €50 in it and I get about 600km - bear in mind most of my driving is like 2 miles to work or 2 miles to the kids schools etc - small joureys, constantly turning the car on and off. If I run it on motorways or longer journeys, I tend to get better mileage from it. Either way it's such a vast improvement on the Rav 4, which I loved but guzzled petrol. The dash has a bunch of features explaining how your MPG is and how to drive economically which I like.

Also the tax is just €180 per year and the insurance was €550 with Allianz for the year. €730 a year for tax & insurance combined is really good in my eyes, especially for an older car.

Sorry if that's a mouthful, brevity never was my thing!

On my 2nd insight, absolutely delighted with them Uber dependable ,ref spare tyre, bought a space saver on eBay for e69

Regards MPG mine is 60 minimum,drive easy ,I actually went down a year to get back to an insight

corks finest

Monokne wrote: »

emseesquare wrote: »

Hey!
What are you thoughts now?

Hey

So I picked it up in February. Fair to say it's been a whirlwind romance ever since!

I really love this car. I had been driving an automatic Rav 4 for about the last 5 years and the best compliment I can pay this car is it feels as sturdy, dependable and smooth as that did, only lighter obviously. It's an '09. I have had no problems as yet.

If you are looking for negatives, one thing that I had read before I got it was that it was fairly sensitive to the road and I would say when I drive around small estates with speed bumps I can feel them more so driving this than I could the Rav, but not to the point that it's an annoyance or something that would bother me. I also got a flat tyre about a month ago and had to use the repair kit. I have to be honest, that was one thing that gave me pause about the car, that it came with this kit rather than a spare. However, having used the repair kit, I am happy with it. It's easy to use. Lastly - the boot. Bear in mind I had been driving a jeep! But I find the boot very small. It's the one thing I would change. I think once my youngest is old enough to get rid of her pram this will be less of an issue, but it just seems small.

The thing I like most about the car is how good it is on fuel. I put €50 in it and I get about 600km - bear in mind most of my driving is like 2 miles to work or 2 miles to the kids schools etc - small joureys, constantly turning the car on and off. If I run it on motorways or longer journeys, I tend to get better mileage from it. Either way it's such a vast improvement on the Rav 4, which I loved but guzzled petrol. The dash has a bunch of features explaining how your MPG is and how to drive economically which I like.

Also the tax is just €180 per year and the insurance was €550 with Allianz for the year. €730 a year for tax & insurance combined is really good in my eyes, especially for an older car.

Sorry if that's a mouthful, brevity never was my thing!

Join "Insight Central" all the information and tech know how etc etc regarding the insight 2)2/ and now generation 3

corks finest

n97 mini wrote: »

Monokne wrote: »

Yeah just on this I have spotted a ton of them have reg numbers that are not dissimilar - 09 D 303XX

I test drove one today and it was nice. It's not dissimilar to the Prius which I've also driven, just a bit of a bumpier drive. Will probably buy one.

Compare to the Civic Hybrid of the same era. Drive train is very similar, except the Civic has a bit more poke and a bigger battery, while returning the same mpg as the Insight. It's also available with better trim levels, e.g. no leather in Insight, but an option in the Civic. Last time I checked a comparable Civic was the same price or cheaper.

FYI my 2012 insight has cruise/ heated seats/ mirrors/alloy's/ repeater / electric mirrors etc/ FF/ RF/ Auto climate

corks finest

corks finest wrote: »

n97 mini wrote: »

Monokne wrote: »

Yeah just on this I have spotted a ton of them have reg numbers that are not dissimilar - 09 D 303XX

I test drove one today and it was nice. It's not dissimilar to the Prius which I've also driven, just a bit of a bumpier drive. Will probably buy one.

Compare to the Civic Hybrid of the same era. Drive train is very similar, except the Civic has a bit more poke and a bigger battery, while returning the same mpg as the Insight. It's also available with better trim levels, e.g. no leather in Insight, but an option in the Civic. Last time I checked a comparable Civic was the same price or cheaper.

FYI my 2012 insight has cruise/ heated seats/ mirrors/alloy's/ repeater / electric mirrors etc/ FF/ RF/ Auto climate

Parking sensors, so v well specced

Monokne

corks finest wrote: »

Join "Insight Central" all the information and tech know how etc etc regarding the insight 2)2/ and now generation 3

Will do!

corks finest

Monokne wrote: »

corks finest wrote: »

Join "Insight Central" all the information and tech know how etc etc regarding the insight 2)2/ and now generation 3

Will do!

Well worth it,a few Irish or Irish based ppl on it,v friendly, walkthrough advice ref mods/ problems / links to videos etc etc, question did your car receive the 4 software updates and did it get the safety recall sorted? ( Takata air bag)- updates make the car run smoothly,stop force charging and increase MPG

emseesquare

Thanks for all the info folks!
Going to buy one tomorrow!!

Monokne

emseesquare wrote: »

Thanks for all the info folks!
Going to buy one tomorrow!!

Keep us posted!

corks finest

emseesquare wrote: »

Thanks for all the info folks!
Going to buy one tomorrow!!

Be aware of 4 software updates that need to be done ( bargain with the dealer) and the free safety air bag recall ( have to contact honda Ireland etc) might be lucky and your new motor has it done but TBH some haven't ( updates cost approximately e90 and can only be fine at a Honda garage)

corks finest

Monokne wrote: »

corks finest wrote: »

Join "Insight Central" all the information and tech know how etc etc regarding the insight 2)2/ and now generation 3

Will do!

Any hassle/ queries p.m. me and I'll give you my number if you need to- best of luck with the new motor

corks finest

corks finest wrote: »

Monokne wrote: »

corks finest wrote: »

Join "Insight Central" all the information and tech know how etc etc regarding the insight 2)2/ and now generation 3

Will do!

Any hassle/ queries p.m. me and I'll give you my number if you need to- best of luck with the new motor

P.s. Declan Gill motors santry has a lot of insights,good honest guy to deal with