2001 Honda Insight Mk1 - The OG hybrid now joined by a CRZ

Jonnycoupe · 2 Mar 2009 at 19:01

[TW]Fox;13603602 said:
I was addressing your dubious claims of its money saving ability thats all

TBH it is in terms of cashflow. Im paying less a month in fuel, if i stick the price difference in an ISA i get less saving. Its more about cashflow than capital when you look at monthly outgoing.

Jonnycoupe · 2 Mar 2009 at 19:04

Workface

Jonnycoupe · 2 Mar 2009 at 19:08

[TW]Fox;13603672 said:
Are you placing a set amount per month away in a savings account for battery replacement? What is the projected lifespan of the batteries?

Nope.

Life of the engine I guess. Most owners are seeing around 85% new capacity now on the good units that are worked regularly. Its NiMH and run on a non EV car. Theres no reason to really take it below 1/2 which gives a 2Ah cycle rate on a 6.5 cell pack and this battery had the cell SOC's balanced so no cells will be seeing deep discharge for quite a while yet. Honda US do a 157k / 10 year warrenty on the IMA system.

If it totally goes **** up I fabricate a 12v alternator bracket or get the IMA motor driving through a DC/DC to provide 12v from the motors 144v. Its really not a concern. Failing that I throw in some development batteries from work that are due for recycling.

Jonnycoupe · 2 Mar 2009 at 19:10

When has a digi dash looked anything but eighties

Looks no more eighties than the driver mind

Jonnycoupe · 2 Mar 2009 at 19:38

They have sold 10,000 Insight II's in 10 days in Japan. Only carry over part is the battery pack. So thats a good thing for me

Jonnycoupe · 2 Mar 2009 at 19:48

Phil W said:
Can you take those silly rear arch insert things off?

Would effect economy, they are there for function rather than looks.

Jonnycoupe · 2 Mar 2009 at 19:59

Phil W said:
What sort of roads do you drive on? Do you regularly do above 60mph?

Was 80ish on the way to work doing about 70mpg.

I do M69>A46>M40, although soon will be pretty much all M42>M40 so the active management regulating everyones speed will see real dividends for not really giving much up to be honest. Tuck behind a high speed coach in the speed limited 60 areas and i hope to see 90+

Jonnycoupe · 2 Mar 2009 at 20:07

No sorry, the point I was making is the IMA is sandwiched between the engine and gearbox on the IMA cars, its very much part and parcel of the drivetrain and would be nigh on impossible to retro fit really.

19:1 would melt a K20 in a Civic. Its the low drag of this that makes it possible.

Jonnycoupe · 3 Mar 2009 at 07:49

Batf1nk said:
Just read through your insurance thread!! Cant believe all the bs the insurers have done.

I thought sky ins had a good rep?!? Dont think i'll be renewing with them.

Has your claim been settled yet? What was the outcome?

I'm amazed how incompetant the idiots at the companies are. It was within days of mentionion my Mini hire was £162 a day and a cheque for £3400 was out to me (after £300 excess). i wanted to retain salvage though so returned it based on a 22.5% reduction in payout. They just sent a letter with an offer now at 30%, its just comedy how useless they are with consistent information. I renegotiated a 22% reduction though so will be getting my Integra back.

Jonnycoupe · 3 Mar 2009 at 09:28

The fuel economy is why i bought it though.

Jonnycoupe · 3 Mar 2009 at 09:49

I bought it because it was the worlds most fuel economical car, now the bbook figure of the smart derv is higher its the most eco petrol. The cost saving isn't the primary reason, but the economy was if that makes sense. Im more of a petrol head than those with diesels

It has no mass consumer biased compromises, its as much of an engineers toy as a Type R Honda is. Cost was much closer to £5k in the end with 25 litres of oil (enough for nearly 10 changes) and a set of the indexed iridium plugs good for 70k. Shoud be next to nothing to service.

Jonnycoupe · 3 Mar 2009 at 09:52

Muffin` said:
But it's no going to save you anyhing unless you do... how many miles? 3-4k is a lot of savings to achive.

Yeah save my 4k and I can probably still sell it for £4k if I was really interested in municipal return - which Im not really.

Jonnycoupe · 3 Mar 2009 at 09:54

[TW]Fox;13606824 said:
It's a bit like buying a Tesla Roadster to save money on petrol, albeit it on a far smaller scale

Or just save petrol for other people to use. You lot should be thankful

Jonnycoupe · 3 Mar 2009 at 09:54

merlin said:
Residual on this thing is being overlooked conveniently (yet again).

Christ what am I doing defending it?

It took me 8 months, then I bought one!

Im not too sure about small hatch residuals, let alone all aluminium coupes. Gonna be worth its weight in... well aluminium.

Jonnycoupe · 3 Mar 2009 at 10:05

[TW]Fox;13606882 said:
I think its being over-exagerated. Come on, he keeps it for what, 3-4 years and when he sells it it'll be an 11 year old car with what, 180-200k on it? Surely it wont still be worth £5k

3-4 years and we are in positive return land on current prices with an final value of 0. At that point its likely you get £1000 in scrap aluminium once prices restablise.

3-4 years we are at what price with fuel?

3-4 years I may well have people offering me silly money for it. It happened in the states during the $150 barrel peak.

Who cares, ive driven something unique rather than mondeo, I will enjoy that more. Nearly as much as this thread.

Jonnycoupe · 3 Mar 2009 at 10:06

[TW]Fox;13606882 said:
Now I am not afraid of high milers at all, they are great buys, but you dont buy a 126k mile car and then crow about residuals. It wont have any, he will be the last owner of that car to pay anything approaching decent money for it. Thats what happens when you buy high milers.

I thought you bought high milers as the depreciation is already done? Thats your usual mantra. Double standards in this argument? You have so many angles Fox you cant have ever seen a protractor thats 2D.

Jonnycoupe · 3 Mar 2009 at 10:15

Will Gill said:
I give it two months then you get bored and realise all this economy, green, fuel saving jizz is precisely that and you miss having more than a remington sewing machine under your right foot.

Might be right, but then you cant be that familar with the M42 in peak traffic? I get to drive enough decent cars at work anyway without having to pay for the priviledge.

Atleast I tried it out before forming my opinions.

Jonnycoupe · 3 Mar 2009 at 10:33

[TW]Fox;13607024 said:
If you can sell it. Would you buy a 180k mile 11 year old Insight?

American ones are going for $7000 at thet mileage, admitantly not age. Good to see you pursuing points that the OP didnt significantly impress on people though.

Jonnycoupe · 3 Mar 2009 at 10:35

[TW]Fox;13607043 said:
I can assure you that doesn't feature in my plans. I've had a change in priority recently, the 530 is staying for the forseeable future as I've other more important things in life to spend my money on.

This apparently isnt allowed. If you have a DC2 wrote off it seems you can only go on to upgrade your car to keen the E-peen friends with Buzz Lightyear.

Jonnycoupe · 3 Mar 2009 at 10:37

Free road tax is an instant moron selling net anyway

If you think about the actual revs it will have done compared to say a DC2 over its life with the addition of the low friction stuff the wear isnt a large concern. What other cars run 0-20 oil? Low end labour is less of an issue with so little weight and the electric assist.