Buying Honda Insight

liyanage1978 · September 6, 2011

I'm planing to buy Hybrid car. My budget fit to by Honda insight. But, I have seen lot of Insight cars selling to 3.6M to 4M. Can any one advise me is there any problems associated with this car? (I mean battery life, engine trouble, power etc) and Is there any service agents in Sri Lanka for this car? thank you.

Californikan · September 7, 2011

On 9/6/2011 at 5:03 PM, liyanage1978 said:

I'm planing to buy Hybrid car. My budget fit to by Honda insight. But, I have seen lot of Insight cars selling to 3.6M to 4M. Can any one advise me is there any problems associated with this car? (I mean battery life, engine trouble, power etc) and Is there any service agents in Sri Lanka for this car? thank you.

Do a search using the search bar. There has been plenty of discussion on the Insight.

The Insight is a very reliable car and since you will be purchasing an almost new Insight, problems are very unlikely. Contrary to what you may hear, the battery is designed to last the life of the car.

Pericles · September 7, 2011

On 9/7/2011 at 2:16 AM, Californikan said:

Contrary to what you may hear, the battery is designed to last the life of the car.

Since you buggers like to throw this bit of marketing out there, exactly how long IS the life of the car? In km or years, whatever.

Californikan · September 7, 2011

There are plenty of first generation (1998-2006) Insights still on the road all over the world. Many have well over 300,000 kms on them.

(the 3rd sentence was more about correcting what probably is the #1 misconception about hybrids, than marketing.)

Pericles · September 7, 2011

On 9/7/2011 at 12:15 PM, Californikan said:

There are plenty of first generation (1998-2006) Insights still on the road all over the world. Many have well over 300,000 kms on them.

(the 3rd sentence was more about correcting what probably is the #1 misconception about hybrids, than marketing.)

Thats not answering the question. What is the manufacturer stated lifetime?

jdnet · September 7, 2011

On 9/7/2011 at 12:22 PM, Pericles said:

Thats not answering the question. What is the manufacturer stated lifetime?

Aiyooo he's going to have to spend hours on google now. See what you did?

Californikan · September 7, 2011

On 9/7/2011 at 12:22 PM, Pericles said:

Thats not answering the question. What is the manufacturer stated lifetime?

AFAIK, no automaker has publicly stated a lifetime for any of their vehicle.

liyanage1978 · September 7, 2011

On 9/7/2011 at 2:16 AM, Californikan said:

Do a search using the search bar. There has been plenty of discussion on the Insight.

The Insight is a very reliable car and since you will be purchasing an almost new Insight, problems are very unlikely. Contrary to what you may hear, the battery is designed to last the life of the car.

thank you!

ShintaroX · September 7, 2011

On 9/7/2011 at 12:58 PM, jdnet said:

Aiyooo he's going to have to spend hours on google now. See what you did?

You mean he doesn't have the 'insight'?

ShintaroX · September 7, 2011

On 9/7/2011 at 1:18 PM, ShintaroX said:

You mean he doesn't have the 'insight'?

Shit, sorry guys....couldn't help myself, my fingers just started typing even though my brain said 'noooooo'.

liyanage1978 · September 7, 2011

I have found following information from Wikipedia. Here is the link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_Insight

In 2009, Honda introduced its second-generation Insight based on an all-new, 5-passenger, 5-door, dedicated hybrid platform, which was also later used for the Honda CR-Z. The concept version of the Insight hatchback hybrid electric vehicle had made its public debut at the 2008 Paris Motor Show.[27][28] and its North American debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show.[29] In the US, the new Insight is classified as a compact car based on its interior volume.

Honda Insight interior

[edit]Fuel efficiency

Estimated fuel efficiency according to the U.S. EPA testing methodology is: City 40 mpg-US (5.9 L/100 km; 48 mpg-imp), Highway 43 mpg-US (5.5 L/100 km; 52 mpg-imp), Combined 41 mpg-US (5.7 L/100 km; 49 mpg-imp).[30]

Honda UK state that the official UK fuel efficiency data for the Insight SE is: Urban 61.4 mpg-imp (4.60 L/100 km; 51.1 mpg-US), Extra urban 67.3 mpg-imp (4.20 L/100 km; 56.0 mpg-US), Combined 64.2 mpg-imp (4.40 L/100 km; 53.5 mpg-US) and the CO2 emissions rating is: 101 g/km,[31] putting it in the second lowest UK road tax band.[32]

[edit]Performance

Car and Driver magazine performed a comparison between the 2010 Honda Insight and the 2010 Toyota Prius.[33] In this test, the Insight achieved 0–60 mph in 10.3 seconds (Prius, 10.0 seconds), the quarter mile in 17.9 seconds at 78 mph (Prius, 17.6 at 79 mph), and 70–0 mph braking in 181 feet (Prius, 182 feet). The Insight's average fuel economy during a 600-mile controlled evaluation was 38 mpg (Prius, 42 mpg). Overall, Car and Driver selected the Insight as their preferred vehicle due to its "fun-to-drive" qualities including superior handling, steering, braking, and paddle-shifted transmission.

Replacement battery pack

As of June 2008 in the U.S., according to Honda, there are fewer than 200 battery failures beyond warranty coverage out of more than 100,000 hybrids sold.[26]

As of October 2009, as part of a class-action suit settlement, Honda had extended the warranty of these batteries on cars with up to 157,000 miles (253,000 km) of use, or 10 years, for cars registered in certain warm states only.[citation needed] As of 1 June 2008, the replacement battery costs US$1,968 and installation is around US$900.[26]

As of 2008, independent mechanics have been known to replace Insight batteries with either Prius sub-packs or Civic Hybrid subpacks. A US$300 used NiMH battery from another more mass produced HEV can be used to build a replacement Insight battery pack. Other independent mechanics have been reconditioning their old Insight battery packs to correct wear and tear issues. Reconditioning allows correction of some issues at lower cost than rebuilding a replacement pack from other used packs.[citation needed]

Pericles · September 7, 2011

On 9/7/2011 at 1:11 PM, Californikan said:

AFAIK, no automaker has publicly stated a lifetime for any of their vehicle.

Then that makes the manufacturer claim of "designed to last the lifetime of the car" utter bullshit. You have to know the life time to design something to last that lifetime. Empty marketing boast, or they don't expect the cars to last. Or they think people will junk them and buy new ones every couple of years like they do in the US, so they can make it with confidence there. It does NOT mean its applicable to be used in local context. This ain't Connecticut.

Dinuk · September 7, 2011

On 9/7/2011 at 4:23 AM, Pericles said:

Since you buggers like to throw this bit of marketing out there, exactly how long IS the life of the car? In km or years, whatever.

Hybrid battery is not for life time of the car...

But the life time of a car is technically 1,000,000kms. Manufacturer recommends an engine overhaul at every 250,000km. you can bore the cylinder only three times. So the engine of the car can run only 1,000,000kms. that's the life time of a car.

Edited September 7, 2011 by Dinuk

Pericles · September 7, 2011

On 9/7/2011 at 5:38 PM, Dinuk said:

Hybrid battery is not for life time of the car...

But the life time of a car is technically 1,000,000kms. Manufacturer recommends an engine overhaul at every 250,000km. you can bore the cylinder only three times. So the engine of the car can run only 1,000,000kms. that's the life time of a car.

Source or reference?

Californikan · September 8, 2011

On 9/7/2011 at 2:01 PM, liyanage1978 said:

I have found following information from Wikipedia. Here is the link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_Insight

In 2009, Honda introduced its second-generation Insight based on an all-new, 5-passenger, 5-door, dedicated hybrid platform, which was also later used for the Honda CR-Z. The concept version of the Insight hatchback hybrid electric vehicle had made its public debut at the 2008 Paris Motor Show.[27][28] and its North American debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show.[29] In the US, the new Insight is classified as a compact car based on its interior volume.

Honda Insight interior

[edit]Fuel efficiency

Estimated fuel efficiency according to the U.S. EPA testing methodology is: City 40 mpg-US (5.9 L/100 km; 48 mpg-imp), Highway 43 mpg-US (5.5 L/100 km; 52 mpg-imp), Combined 41 mpg-US (5.7 L/100 km; 49 mpg-imp).[30]

Honda UK state that the official UK fuel efficiency data for the Insight SE is: Urban 61.4 mpg-imp (4.60 L/100 km; 51.1 mpg-US), Extra urban 67.3 mpg-imp (4.20 L/100 km; 56.0 mpg-US), Combined 64.2 mpg-imp (4.40 L/100 km; 53.5 mpg-US) and the CO2 emissions rating is: 101 g/km,[31] putting it in the second lowest UK road tax band.[32]

[edit]Performance

Car and Driver magazine performed a comparison between the 2010 Honda Insight and the 2010 Toyota Prius.[33] In this test, the Insight achieved 0–60 mph in 10.3 seconds (Prius, 10.0 seconds), the quarter mile in 17.9 seconds at 78 mph (Prius, 17.6 at 79 mph), and 70–0 mph braking in 181 feet (Prius, 182 feet). The Insight's average fuel economy during a 600-mile controlled evaluation was 38 mpg (Prius, 42 mpg). Overall, Car and Driver selected the Insight as their preferred vehicle due to its "fun-to-drive" qualities including superior handling, steering, braking, and paddle-shifted transmission.

Replacement battery pack

As of June 2008 in the U.S., according to Honda, there are fewer than 200 battery failures beyond warranty coverage out of more than 100,000 hybrids sold.[26]

As of October 2009, as part of a class-action suit settlement, Honda had extended the warranty of these batteries on cars with up to 157,000 miles (253,000 km) of use, or 10 years, for cars registered in certain warm states only.[citation needed] As of 1 June 2008, the replacement battery costs US$1,968 and installation is around US$900.[26]

As of 2008, independent mechanics have been known to replace Insight batteries with either Prius sub-packs or Civic Hybrid subpacks. A US$300 used NiMH battery from another more mass produced HEV can be used to build a replacement Insight battery pack. Other independent mechanics have been reconditioning their old Insight battery packs to correct wear and tear issues. Reconditioning allows correction of some issues at lower cost than rebuilding a replacement pack from other used packs.[citation needed]

Dude, this information, as you have presented it, is not correct. The battery pack issue in the last paragraph was with 1st gen Insight, not the 2nd gen Insight.

Californikan · September 8, 2011

On 9/7/2011 at 3:01 PM, Pericles said:

Then that makes the manufacturer claim of "designed to last the lifetime of the car" utter bullshit. You have to know the life time to design something to last that lifetime. Empty marketing boast, or they don't expect the cars to last. Or they think people will junk them and buy new ones every couple of years like they do in the US, so they can make it with confidence there. It does NOT mean its applicable to be used in local context. This ain't Connecticut.

It could also be that there are so many variables in that equation, the manufacturers cannot give a sure answer or will not say because doing so will make them vulnerable to all kinds of problems (liabilities).

What is the lifespan of a pair of leather sandals?

If the manufacturer gives an answer, then all the people who did not reach that stated life span (even through of no fault of the sandals) are going to be pissed off. So like car manufacturers, it's smart not to state a lifespan, but better to give a warranty for a fixed amount of time/usage, and after that the owner pays for repairs.

No matter what the manufacturers may claim however, what we do have with hybrids is about 14 years of real world data involving millions of vehicles in 80+ countries. Looking at this data, a significant pattern of failures of the hybrid battery and hybrid system has not emerged, even among the early vehicles that have extremely high mileages (350,000+km).

Even in the most well publicized problem (Honda's), the battery failure rate is 0.002%.

Californikan · September 8, 2011

An interesting related read...

How does the Prius hold up at 350,000km?

http://news.consumerreports.org/cars/2011/02/200000-mile-toyota-prius-still-performs.html

Pericles · September 8, 2011

On 9/8/2011 at 3:47 AM, Californikan said:

It could also be that there are so many variables in that equation, the manufacturers cannot give a sure answer or will not say because doing so will make them vulnerable to all kinds of problems (liabilities).

By that logic, they shouldn't be saying they are sure the battery will last the lifetime of the car either, for the same reason.

Dinuk · September 12, 2011

On 9/7/2011 at 7:00 PM, Pericles said:

Source or reference?

This was tolled to me by late prof. D. M. M. Dasanayake. Actually this in not for all cars. There are vehicles that has been running 2.8 million miles. But without swapping anything in the car and only overhauling, the possibility of running more than 1 million km is very low.

Dinuk · September 12, 2011

On 9/8/2011 at 3:47 AM, Californikan said:

It could also be that there are so many variables in that equation, the manufacturers cannot give a sure answer or will not say because doing so will make them vulnerable to all kinds of problems (liabilities).

What is the lifespan of a pair of leather sandals?

If the manufacturer gives an answer, then all the people who did not reach that stated life span (even through of no fault of the sandals) are going to be pissed off. So like car manufacturers, it's smart not to state a lifespan, but better to give a warranty for a fixed amount of time/usage, and after that the owner pays for repairs.

No matter what the manufacturers may claim however, what we do have with hybrids is about 14 years of real world data involving millions of vehicles in 80+ countries. Looking at this data, a significant pattern of failures of the hybrid battery and hybrid system has not emerged, even among the early vehicles that have extremely high mileages (350,000+km).

Even in the most well publicized problem (Honda's), the battery failure rate is 0.002%.

I saw this first generation Honda hybrid that was manufactured in 2001 and bought here as recon. The car never had major repares and still running great. With good fuel economy and with a hybrid battery still holds charge and assist well. At the time I saw this car it has 180 000kms on the clock.