Free Set RE92s, Newer IMA Batt, Grid Charger Port, Rebuilt Trans, Fully Serviced

You can get up to four new Bridgestone Potenza RE92 tires with this car absolutely FREE! Save them as replacements, se them on your other Insights or sell them for cash. For details and conditions, ee the terms of the offer and the free delivery offer at the end of the listing.

This auction is for a 2000 Honda Insight Hybrid finished in New Formula Red with the two-tone gray and black interior. The Insight is powered by a hybrid gasoline-electric powertrain (hence the name Hybrid) consisting of an all aluminum 1.0 liter 3 cylinder VTEC-E gas engine coupled to a battery powered electric motor known as the Integrated Motor Assist (IMA). Power is then routed to a conventional 5-speed manual transmission that drives the front wheels. This powertrain combined with a light weight body, xcellent aerodynamics and numerous gas saving features, llows the Insight to average mpgs in the 60’s in normal driving and over 70 mpg without much effort.

I sold and delivered this car here on Ebay with Buy It Now, wo years ago to a customer in New Hampshire with 182,000 miles on it, a rel="rel nofollow">CLICK HERE for a screen shot, nd in the next 1 ½ years it was driven more than 20,000 miles. Last December, he buyer needed a car with four doors and a back seat and decided to sell the Insight. Since I knew all the extensive servicing that I had done to it or that recently was done, ncluding IMA battery, ransmission rebuild, lutch kit, tc., etails of which are mentioned further down in the description, bought it back. Subsequently, dditional maintenance and service has been performed before listing it again.

If you are already familiar with the Insight, ou may want to skip over the next few paragraphs that give a comprehensive and detailed overview of the car, nd go straight to the pictures and description. And it’s best to view the listing on a desktop or laptop computer. A smart phone won’t give you the same details.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE FIRST GENERATION HONDA INSIGHT A hybrid powertrain combines the best features of two different propulsion systems into one integrated seamless powerplant. An internal combustion engine produces little power and torque at idle and low engine speeds but greater power as the RPMs increase. An electric motor on the other hand puts out its maximum torque at ZERO rpm. What that means is you can utilize the maximum torque output of the electric motor when accelerating from a stop, nd the greater power output of the gas engine at higher RPMs for cruising at highway speeds, r any combination of both at speeds in between, o optimize both acceleration and fuel economy. Additional benefits of this system are regenerative braking that makes use of energy that other cars waste while braking and coasting by recharging the battery pack, nd engine cut-off at stop lights when other cars are wasting gas idling. The Insight’s layout consists of a 10-killowatt 22-pound thin electric motor sandwiched between the engine and transmission to boost the car’s performance when needed. During coasting and braking the motor also serves as a generator (a.k.a. regenerative braking) to recharge a 144 volt nickel-metal hydride battery pack located behind the seats. Think of this IMA system as a supercharger that provides additional performance without using much energy, nd in fact, ecause it recovers the Insight’s momentum to recharge the battery pack, t’s more efficient than any supercharger could ever be. The engine doesn’t have an alternator. The IMA keeps the high voltage battery pack charged and an inverter powers most 12 volt electricals including keeping the 12V battery charged, hich itself is mainly used just to power up the IMA control modules when you first turn the key. The other key component of this Insight Hybrid’s powertrain is the 5-speed manual transmission. It uses widely spaced gears for maximizing engine output that provides brisk acceleration from a stoplight, hile a high top gear ratio allows for effortless highway cruising. In fact, t 60 mph, he engine is only turning at 2,100 rpm, nd at 75 mph just 2,600 rpm which is very low for such a small engine and which contributes to the excellent gas mileage. The Insight Hybrid has a few other tweaks to save fuel including an extensive use of composite and aluminum body panels and inner structural components, erodynemic rear wheel fender skirts, mooth profile and light weight aluminum wheels, pecial tires that reduce rolling resistance, mini front air dam and rear spoiler along with numerous underbody panels which give the car a drag coefficient of just 0.25 (one of the lowest of any production car), lectrically assisted power steering that reduces parasitic losses on the engine, nd probably the best feature, n idle shutoff mode called Auto Stop that turns off the engine as you come to a stop and provides you with an eerie silence at most every traffic light. Quite soothing after a long day at the office. The IMA automatically restarts the engine the instant you put the transmission in gear. The IMA starts the engine most of the time, nd in fact, ou may go for years without ever using the conventional 12 volt starter. About the only time the 12V starter is used is if the IMA battery is discharged from the car sitting a few months. When you combine all these features with a low curb weight of under 2,000 pounds, he Insight earns an EPA mileage rating of 61/70 MPG city/highway. The highest of any production car out there then, nd 16 years later, ven now. And those numbers are obtained in a lab under simulated driving conditions. You can do a bit better with just a minor adjustment to your driving style. I’ve been getting almost 60 MPG for the last nearly 1,000 miles of mostly around town driving, nd that’s without the use of low rolling resistance tires. When the correct Bridgstone Potenza RE92 tires are installed, ileage can increase up to 10 additional MPGs. And if you practice any hypermiling techniques, ou can get even higher figures, ith some owners reporting continuously breaking the 80 mpg mark and even exceeding the 100 mpg barrier for short distances. (Disclaimer: YOUR MILEAGE MAY VARY.) Combined with the Insight’s 10.6 gallon fuel tank, t’s hard not to get at least 500 or 600 miles between fill-ups. Not only is the Insight economical to drive, t’s also economical to maintain. Most systems have low or reduced maintenance components. For example, nstead of a timing belt that needs periodic replacement, he Insight engine uses a steel timing chain that should last the life of the car. It uses iridium tipped spark plugs with 105,000 mile service intervals, xtended life coolant with a 120,000 mile service interval, nd a fuel filter that never needs servicing. The oil capacity for the small 1.0 liter engine is just 3 quarts so even full synthetic oil changes are under $30. And the Insight has a Maintenance Required indicator system that illuminates a light on the dash when routine service is due. A car driven primarily on the highway requires less maintenance than one subject to city use with constant stopping and starting. While the Insight doesn’t cost much to drive or maintain, t’s also well built and very reliable. It’s not unusual to see these cars going strong with mileages over 300,000 miles. There are a few dozen that have topped 400K miles, handful that hit the half million mile mark and there is reportedly an owner that uses the car in his courier business that has over 600,000 miles. The biggest concern to many new Insight buyers is the battery pack. In reality, here is little reason to worry too much about the battery pack wearing out on an Insight. First of all, nlike other Hybrids like Toyota’s Prius where the battery is integral to the powertrain, uch that if it quits the car is undriveable, n the Insight, hat is not an issue. The Insight battery pack can be disconnected and the car driven indefinitely in that condition. Remember, he Integrated Motor Assist is just an assist, ike a supercharger. In steady highway driving and other driving situations that don’t require lots of power, ou would be hard pressed to tell that there was anything unusual if the battery was disconnected, nd the gas mileage would be nearly identical as with the battery connected. The only situation where mileage might drop is in city driving where the Auto Stop feature would be disabled, nd even then, he reduction in mileage would be minimal. After all, t’s still a 1.0 liter powered sub 2,000 pound aerodynamic car. In fact, t’s quite common for owners of Insights in less than nice condition where it’s not worth spending much money on, .e., ith body damage or other mechanical issues, hat have a bad battery pack to just disconnect it instead of spending the money on a new battery pack, nd keep driving it like always. For those that do want to replace the battery pack, here are now aftermarket replacements available that cost much less than a Honda pack. In addition, ince it’s not the ENTIRE battery pack that goes bad but individual cells within the pack, ou can replace just those bad cells. And this car is equipped with a grid charger port, etails of which are mentioned further in the description, hich extends battery pack life considerably. As to the battery pack in this car, t was replaced by a Honda dealer in 2008 so it should have plenty of life left. If you would like the assurance of a new battery, offer the following three options. 1) If Buy It Now is used, can install a new Honda battery pack for $1,000 before delivery or pick up. 2) If the car is won without Buy It Now, can install a new Honda battery pack for $1,250 before delivery or pick up. 3) Within 30 days after delivery or pick up but no longer than 60 after the end of the auction, can install a new Honda battery pack for $1,500 if the car is brought to my location. Either option requires an additional $500 deposit and the old battery pack is returned as a core. The warranty for the new battery is 3 years 36,000 miles whichever comes first and is obtained from Ourisman Honda Bethesda Maryland. The battery warranty may not cover any diagnostic fees or labor and any additional parts if needed. Batteries are subject to availability from the dealer. These are heavily discounted prices, o no, can’t install a battery in your other Insight at that price. The first generation Insight was a radical new design for Honda, nd one that turns heads going down the road and prompts many questions from passersby as you exit the vehicle. It’s still a fresh design for most people since few have even seen it close up. With only about 4,000 sold the first year (which is about how many Civics are sold in just one week), nd a total of 17,000 made for the entire seven year production run from 2000 to 2006, t’s a rare car to see on the road. If you’re tired of driving the same boring cookie cutter designed car that everyone else is driving, his car may be for you. If you are into being green, hen besides getting great gas mileage, he Insight is also certified by CARB (California Air Resources Board) to be an Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV). And you don’t give up anything in comfort and room with the Insight. Headroom and legroom is plenty for all but the tallest basketball players and there is no claustrophobic feeling like you get in some other small cars. Driving it is also no different as it accelerates and merges into traffic with ease and keeps up with 75-80 mph highway speeds without breaking a sweat. In many states, he Insight may be eligible for numerous perks such as being able to drive alone in the HOV carpool lanes without a passenger, eing exempt from annual emissions inspections, ree or reduced parking rates at downtown or airport parking lots, tc. Check your state or local government for more details. Its exterior style is very unique, ombining sleek form with aerodynamic function. From its stylish lines and sweeping curves, t incorporates numerous design elements to create a look that is like no other car on the road. From the slightly bulging headlights up front, o the bright finish aerodynamic profile wheels and fender skirts on the sides, o a roof mounted euro style shorty antenna up top and to a two window rear hatch in the back, t looks futuristic from any angle without being flashy. But if you like high tech design, ou will really like the interior. Observe the electroluminescent style instrument cluster with displays for instant, verage and long term fuel mileage. Touch the small diameter dimpled grip steering wheel that fits your hands perfectly, nd admire the two-tone sport weave fabric on the seats and door panels. Try the buttons and switches and notice the precise soft-touch feel as they are engaged. Not only are the colors elegant but all the textures have a rich feel and look. From the perforations on the steering wheel, he graining pattern on the dash and door panels, r the layout of knobs and switches on the dash, verything looks and feels like it came from a more expensive car.

This Insight is fully equipped with all the desirable safety, omfort and convenience features and equipment including:

• 1.0 liter 3 cylinder VTEC-E gas engine with Auto Stop mode
• Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) electric motor
• 5-speed manual transmission
• Air conditioning with electronic climate control and cabin air filter
• Power windows with drivers express down
• Power door locks
• Pioneer high power sound system with CD/MP3/WMA and satellite ready
• Eurostyle roof mounted shorty antenna
• Premium Polk speakers
• Remote keyless entry
• Reclining bucket seats
• Two-tone Sport cloth interior
• Passenger seatback storage pocket
• Electroluminescent style instrument cluster with tachometer, igital speedometer, nd multi-function displays for instant and average fuel mileage, wo trip odometers, tc.
• Front center console with two cup holders
• Rear console with storage bin
• 12V power outlet
• Tinted glass
• Clear lens headlights with jewel effect reflectors
• Intermittent wipers
• Rear window wiper and washer
• Dome light with driver and passenger map lights
• Dual power body color outside rear view mirrors
• Body color door handles
• Visor vanity mirror
• Remote fuel door release
• Engine immobilizer theft deterrent system
• Aerodynamic and light weight bright finish aluminum wheels
• Locking glovebox
• Carpeted and embroidered floor mats
• Behind the seats storage pocket net
• Cargo area light
• Cargo net tie-downs
• Child seat strap anchor
• Rear window defroster
• Rear mini spoiler
• Electrically assisted rack and pinion power steering
• 4 wheel anti-lock brakes
• Grid charger harness with extension harness and convenient connection port
• Maximum Regeneration/IMA assist off switch

And many more items too numerous to mention.

There are 180 photos ahead and if you don’t have a high speed internet connection and get an “X” where a picture should be you may need to hit the Refresh button a few times. If that still doesn’t work, ontact me for a link to see the pictures individually.

CLEAR LENS HEADLIGHTS WITH JEWEL EFFECT REFLECTORS:

BODY COLOR MIRRORS AND DOOR HANDLES:

ROOF MOUNTED EUROSTYLE SHORTY RADIO ANTENNA :

FACTORY FLOOR MATS :

POLK SPEAKERS:

NEARLY 60 MPG FOR THE LAST 1,000 MILES:

AUTO STOP INDICATOR LIGHT:

PIONEER SOUND SYSTEM:

MAXIMUM REGEN/ASSIST OFF MOD SWITCH:

SEATBACK STORAGE POCKET:

BEHIND THE SEAT CARGO ROOM:

REAR STORAGE POCKET NET:

DUAL REAR WINDOWS:

FOUR REAR CARGO TIE DOWN HOOKS:

CHILD SEAT TETHER POINT:

REAR STORAGE COMPARTMENT UNDER LOAD FLOOR:

JACK AND ALL THE TOOLS:

INSULATED HOOD:

The car is in great condition inside and out. It has a nice dent-free body with just the normal minor nicks, ings and touched up scratches you would expect on a car of this age and mileage. The only blemishes of note include a 6 inch touched up scratch on the right quarter panel and a 2 inch one on the left, door ding on the right door, ome small fine grain paint chips (aka road rash) on the lower front bumper, nd lastly, he rear spoiler and bumper skirt must have had some bumper stickers that were removed as you can faintly see what they were. The paint itself is beautiful and shiny and this shade of bright red just about glows in the sunlight and would be the envy of even a Ferrari owner. The roof and the hood had faded slightly from the time I first sold it, hich is pretty common with this shade, nd the rear bumper had some scuffs and scratches, o I had those three panels refinished at D & D Auto Body, high end body shop in Rockville MD. The headliner was dropped in order to remove the roof antenna and rear washer nozzle so there would be no ugly tape paint lines. The bumper was removed and painted off the car for the same reason. If you’ve seen other Insight roofs painted by cheaper bodyshops where they will mask a part instead of removing it, nd that have paint covering the bottom of the antenna rubber gasket, ou will understand why I went to the trouble. The rest of the paint has been cleaned with Meguiar’s Smooth Surface Clay System, olished with Meguiar’s Mirror Glaze cleaner polish and topped off with Meguiar’s Ultimate Synthetic Wax for a high gloss shine. The headlights were detailed with the 3M headlight polishing system for a crystal clear look. All the glass, oldings, rim and emblems are excellent, nd of course, put on a new hood ornament after the hood was painted. I checked the car out top to bottom and found no evidence that is was ever wrecked. In fact, t still has the original VIN stickers on all body panels. Remember, t’s hard enough to find a three year old or 30,000 mile vehicle that hasn’t had at least a fender-bender requiring a bumper, ood or fender to be replaced or repaired, et alone a 10+ year old car with over 100,000 miles on it.

Hood:

Front bumper:

Left fender:

Right fender:

Left door:

Right door:

Left quarter panel:

Right quarter panel:

Rear bumper:

Rear hatch:

In addition, his Insight has all it’s underbody panels installed. If a mechanic forgets to replace a panel after an oil change or you run over a curb and break one off, our gas mileage may suffer as the aerodynamics under a car are just as important as above it. If you are looking at other Insights for sale as well, heck underneath and make sure all the following panels are still intact as they are not cheap to replace.

Front aluminum underbody panel:

Front plastic underbody panels:

Rear underbody panels:

Right bumper air deflector:

Left bumper air deflector:

The interior is in great condition as well and included are a pair of factory floor mats. It has excellent upholstery, ashboard and door panels with no cracks, ips or tears or any significant signs of wear. Only some of the light gray fabric shows a little dirt, hich is common with this material. The car doesn‘t appear to have been smoked in. In fact, t’s not even equipped with a lighter. The cargo area is nice and the engine compartment has been fully detailed and is clean enough to eat off of.

Mechanically it runs and drives excellent. The engine runs strong and feels smooth while accelerating and throughout the cruising range and it starts instantly whether hot or cold. The steering wheel is on dead center going down the road with no shakes or vibrations at speed, he brakes are firm with no pedal pulsations or pulling to one side when stopping and the suspension is tight with just the occasional squeaks or noises going over bumps. The clutch is feather light and buttery smooth while the precise shifter action lets you flick off shifts with just your finger tips. The A/C blows ice cold. The battery pack was replaced in 2008 at Ourisman Honda Bethesda Maryland. In 2014 the transmission was completely rebuilt because of a noisy input shaft bearing (ISB). Since the transmission was out and apart I decided to replace all the ball bearings (with OEM Honda parts made in Japan), ncluding the differential bearings, nd to perform the synchronizer modification to eliminate the common 3-2 downshift grind issue these cars have. Before putting it back, he flywheel was dressed, new Koyo pilot bearing, xedy clutch disc, onda pressure plate and Honda throwout bearing (all made in Japan) were installed. It has a set of four identical Goodyear Integrity tires that were installed new before I got it in 2014 and are in fair condition now with maybe another 10,000 miles of tread left. The spare tire doesn’t look like it has even been used.

The car was fully checked out and serviced in 2014 with $5,400 worth of new or recent parts, aintenance and repairs with original Honda or other name brand parts, nd the car was gone over again now to update all the maintenance so that only your enjoyment rather than your immediate attention will be required on delivery. Some of the items checked or serviced include:

• New Honda 0W-20 synthetic oil change in 2014 and now with Mobil 1 synthetic
• New Honda oil filter in 2014 and now
• New Honda air filter in 2014 and now
• New cabin air filter in 2014 and now
• New throttle body cleaning in 2014
• Recent Honda PCV valve in 2014
• New EGR plate cleaning in 2014 and now
• New Honda EGR plate gasket
• New EGR valve cleaning
• New Ishino EGR valve gasket
• New Honda NGK “B” stamped iridium spark plugs to match B cylinder head in 2014
• New valve adjustment in 2014
• New Honda valve cover gasket in 2014
• New VTEC solenoid screen cleaning
• New Honda Long Life Type 2 (blue) coolant flush and change in 2014
• New Honda front brake pads in 2014
• Recent front brake rotors in 2014
• Recent rear hub and bearings in 2014
• Recent rear brake shoes in 2014
• Recent rear brake drums in 2014
• New parking brake adjustment
• New Castrol Dot 4 Synthetic brake fluid flush and change in 2014 and now with Valvoline Synthetic Dot 4
• New Castrol Dot 4 Synthetic clutch fluid flush and change in 2014 and now with Valvoline Synthetic Dot 4
• New Honda manual transmission fluid change in 2014
• New Exedy clutch disc in 2014
• New Honda pressure plate in 2014
• New Honda throwout bearing in 2014
• New Koyo pilot bearing in 2014
• New rebuilt transmission with all OEM Honda bearings, xle shaft seals and synchronizer mod in 2014
• New catalytic converter in 2014
• Recent EverStart Maxx battery
• New Honda negative battery cable in 2014
• New Honda engine ground cables in 2014
• New Honda transmission ground cable in 2014
• New Honda rear wiper blade

Photos of some of the parts replaced, hecked or serviced in 2014 as well as now:

Parts replaced in 2014:

Oil change:

Oil filter:

Air filter in 2014:

Air filter:

Cabin air filter in 2014:

Cabin air filter:

Throttle body cleaning in 2014:

PCV valve in 2014:

EGR plate cleaning in 2014:

EGR plate cleaning and gasket:

EGR valve cleaning and gasket:

Spark plugs with the proper amount of anti-seize on the threads in 2014:

B stamped plugs to match B cylinder head:

Valve adjustment in 2014:

Valve cover gasket in 2014:

Engine SUPER CLEAN internally:

VTEC solenoid screen:

Coolant flushed until water is clear from the radiator in 2014:

As well as the engine block drain plug:

Front brake pads in 2014:

Front brake pads now still excellent:

Front brake rotors in 2014:

17 mm new, 5 mm minimum thickness:

Front brake rotors now still excellent:

Front brakes in 2014:

Rear hub and bearing in 2014:

Rear brake shoes in 2014:

Rear brake shoes now still excellent:

Rear brake drums in 2014:

Parking brake adjustment:

Brake fluid flush and change in 2014:

Brake fluid flush and change:

Clutch fluid flush and change in 2014:

Clutch fluid flush and change:

Transmission fluid change in 2014:

Clutch disc in 2014:

Pressure plate in 2014:

Throwout bearing in 2014:

Pilot bearing in 2014:

Flywheel surface dressed in 2014:

Transmission rebuilt in 2014:

Synchronizer mod:

Axle shaft seal:

Catalytic converter in 2014:

Battery:

Negative battery cable in 2014:

Engine ground cables in 2014:

Transmission ground cable in 2014:

Other than routine oil and filter changes, ith all the above mentioned servicing the car has recently received, ou should be good to go for another 80,000 miles before requiring major maintenance.

Overall this is a super sharp car that looks absolutely fantastic in this New Formula Red color. If you’re going to buy a car in general and an Insight specifically, ou might as well get the hottest possible color they made. Sure, lue is nice, ilver is good if a bit bland, nd Citrus is great but nearly impossible to find, ut only this shade of red really catches everyone’s eye. Remember, s you step out of your home every day, nd as you set eyes on your Insight, here is nothing like a bright red car to get you feeling excited about your day ahead. You’ll probably be driving this car for a few years, o just ask yourself, ould you rather wake up every morning to a New Formula Red Insight, r just some other color you “settled” for. And you’re sure to get many questions and complements about it at the mall or supermarket parking lot from total strangers. If you don’t want attention, r if you are the least bit shy, on’t buy this car, warn you. This Insight is a mid-year production June 2000 model so all the bugs of the early production models have been worked out by the time it was sold. Also, t’s been a two owner southern car when I first got it in 2014, itled in Virginia and Maryland all of its life, efore going to New Hampshire for a brief period which probably explains why it’s so clean. CLICK HERE to see the title. Plus it has a clean and clear Carfax. CLICK HERE to see the Carfax I got in 2014.

The car comes with the owners manual:

Two factory keys and remotes:

A front license plate bracket if you need it:

And a conveniently located grid charger port (charger NOT included):

A grid charger is a device similar to conventional battery charger that can greatly extend the life of a battery pack in a hybrid vehicle. The battery pack consists of 120 individual 1.2 volt D cell size nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries. Over time, he voltage and capacity of the individual batteries will begin to vary and cause an imbalance that reduces the overall performance of the entire pack. A grid charger can restore the balance by discharging the pack uniformly and then charging it back to it’s maximum potential. And this isn’t something you have to do every day either, t’s like a maintenance item that you can perform every two or three months and can be done overnight. In addition to the grid charger itself, he car needs a harness to connect it to the battery pack. This car has a Genesis One or Hybrid Revolt grid charger harness as well as an extension harness that places the plug-in port at a convenient location at the back of the cargo area. (Grid charger itself not included.) The harness with the extension and the labor to install it, hich requires the removal of the battery pack, ould cost close to $500. While the harness was made for a Genesis One or Hybid Revolt charger, n adaptor cable can connect most any brand of grid charger, ven a homebuilt model, o the car.

Rear structure components:

Grid charger extension harness:

Battery pack and modules:

This car also has the brake and clutch switch modification that lets you get maximum regeneration while coasting without having to step on the brake pedal, nd to shut off assist manually. The IMA recharges the battery whenever the car is coasting or you step on the brakes. The amount of regen is greater when you use the brakes and many drivers can achieve maximum regeneration by just lightly stepping on the brake pedal but before there is any actual momentum robbing braking action at the wheels. It can be a fine line between allowing the car to regen with the brake pedal without actually slowing it down by energy wasting braking. The brake switch mod simulates stepping on the brakes but no actual braking action is utilized, y holding down the momentary switch mounted conveniently in the center console where your right hand can rest comfortably on the handbrake. The clutch switch mod shuts off assit from the IMA and can help the engine run smoother and stay in lean burn longer on flat roads, nd it can save battery assist for times when you want to use it most. In other words, ave up the assist for when you climb a long uphill grade by not using it during moderate hills. Press the switch up for this function and it stays engaged until you turn it off.

The last time this Insight was on Ebay in 2014 with 182,000 miles, t sold with Buy It Now within 48 hours of the start of the auction for $5,995. CLICK HERE for a screen shot. While it’s been driven an additional 20,000 miles since then, t’s also had a lot of cosmetic paintwork, ome additional parts including catalytic converter and 12 volt battery, nd the maintenance has been renewed and brought current. Plus with free delivery and up to $500 worth of new tires as icing on the cake, his is an even better deal than before. I’ve sold three other Insights in the last twelve months. I sold this BLUE Insight with 177,000 miles and the less desirable CVT automatic transmission for $5,995 with Buy It Now in March to Detroit. I sold this RED Insight CVT which was a previous salvage vehicle for $4,995 here last November to Nebraska. And I sold this WHITE Insight CVT with over 200,000 miles before the auction ended in May 2015 for $6,295 to Wisconsin.

It’s no secret that Honda lost money on every one of the early Insight models it sold but that was the price to pay for cutting your teeth on the new technology that wouldn’t pay off for years to come. Some have speculated that it cost Honda upwards of $50,000 to build each Insight, hile Honda insiders put that figure at under $30K. Regardless, he price new of this Honda Insight was over $20,000! CLICK HERE to see the original price sticker (from an identical but other Insight I owned), ut because the Insight was a hot new model, ost dealers were adding additional market adjustment markups (read rip off), o with tax, itle and tags, ou were lucky if you got ANY change back from your $25,000 bill!

If you are serious about buying an Insight that is ready to drive, his is about as low as they go in this condition. Sure, ou can find many of these cars that look nice and seem like good deals in the $3,000 to $4,000 range, ut if after getting it home you have to spend another $5,000 for a battery, ransmission, aint and bodywork, pholstery and other common repairs, t’s no bargain. While the eight year old IMA battery in this car isn’t brand new, t works fine, nd the other listings for Insights that have no mention of a battery replacement, r the seller doesn’t know if it was ever replaced, ikely still have the original battery. In addition, ince this car has a grid charger harness, t’s likely the battery will be in better condition than most. Remember, ou can get a great deal on Ebay with prices sometimes way below retail, ut no bidder is going to “steal” a vehicle and no seller is going to give one away either. Also when comparing prices to the other Insights listed for sale, emember the things that you won’t have to spend money on, oon after getting it home. With this car you won’t have to spend $3,000 on a new IMA battery, ou won’t have to spend $2,500 on a transmission rebuild or $800 for a clutch job, ou won’t have to spend $1,000 on a catalytic converter, ou won’t have to spend $300 on a complete front brake service, ou won’t have to spend $300 on a complete rear brake service, ou won’t have to spend $300 on a coolant and brake flush, ou won’t have to spend $300 on a valve adjustment, une-up and filters service and you won’t have to spend $300 on any upcoming scheduled maintenance. With many of the other listings on Ebay, raigslist or on dealers lots, ou’re lucky if they even check the oil before delivery. When comparing this car to the others, lso keep in mind that this car was never in an accident, as a clean Carfax, uns excellent, s fully serviced, asn’t been smoked in and is clean inside and out. Also check if they come with both keys and remotes because a new pair from the dealer, ith programming, s going to cost you $200. And if you lost that only key, t’ll cost three times as much to replace the security module plus the towing charge.

If you are looking for a nice Insight in excellent condition at a good price, hen this car is hard to beat. Also remember that we don’t charge dealer processing fees or document fees that many other listings have for $200 or more and bury in their fine print. And don’t be fooled by some other auctions that are advertised as NO RESERVE and start at $100 or some other low price. Since no dealer is going to risk loosing thousands of dollars if their auction doesn’t bring enough money, ou can be pretty sure he has some “people” bidding on it for him. Especially those auctions that are private listings where it says “User ID kept private.”

Gas prices are already back over $2 a gallon in most parts of the country and over $3 in California and analysts predict it won’t be long before we see $3 a gallon nationwide, ossibly by later in the summer this year. This is in addition to the usual upward rise in car prices during the spring. When that happens, he demand for these cars will skyrocket along with their prices. Back just a few years ago when the AVERAGE national price for gas peaked at over $4, hese cars were selling in the $8,000 to $10,000 range in similar condition and mileage. So if you’ve been putting off a car purchase waiting for a better deal to come along, on’t wait much longer as prices won’t be any cheaper than they are right now for these cars if gas prices rise much higher.

TERMS OF THE AUCTION ARE AS FOLLOWS: Since this car may be advertised locally, uction can be canceled at any time (unless auction ended early with BUY IT NOW) due to prior sale without liability to any bidder. A down payment of $500 (plus any additional delivery charge) is required within 3 days of the close of the auction, alance due in cash on delivery or certified funds on delivery if I deliver it or you pick it up, r before it’s dropped off at the transporter if a shipping company is transporting it, ut no later than 7 days after the close of the auction without prior agreement. I accept bank or certified checks, oney orders, redit cards through PayPal (accepted for down payment only). If paying balance with funds other than cash, uyer to fax copy of monetary instrument no less than 24 hours before picking up vehicle.

The car is sold as is. Buyer is welcome to inspect car BEFORE the end of the auction or to have someone check it out on your behalf provided you authorize whoever is checking the car to provide me with a copy of the results. I have tried to accurately describe this car, oth mechanically and cosmetically but you can expect a certain amount of minor flaws on ANY used car including squeaks, attles, rips, icks, hips, cratches, lemishes and any other marks that are consistent with the age and mileage of the vehicle. There is no possible way to include all minute details and imperfections, owever, believe my listing accurately depicts this vehicle and if there are any issues they are noted in the description. Also remember that a vehicle is made up of thousands of mechanical parts and components and in an older or higher mileage used vehicle a part that is working fine now may go bad the next day, n a week, r a month from now. It’s nearly impossible to tell when a particular part or component will fail as most don’t exhibit prior symptoms, owever, roper preventative maintenance as this car has received, an prevent most problems or breakdowns from happening.

In fairness to all bidders the reserve price will not be disclosed so please don’t even ask.

Buyer responsible for transportation and car must be paid for in full before it can be released. May deliver. Email or call for delivery quote or for any other questions. atikovi@email.com Maryland and District of Columbia dealer. Phone 202-246-5201. Please do not bid if you don’t intend to buy.

FREE DELIVERY TERMS: Free delivery within 500 miles of the Washington DC area if bidder purchases vehicle with Buy It Now. (35 cents per mile for additional miles as shown in MapQuest.com from zip code 20001 to your address.) That is still the same rate as when I started on Ebay 16 years ago. Remember, he Buy It Now option disappears once the reserve price is met. The Buy It Now price is $5,500.

AUCTION ENDS: 10:00pm sharp, ASTERN TIME Monday June 13th unless Buy It Now is used.

SPECIAL OFFER FOR QUICK SALE: DOUBLE THE FREE DELIVERY RANGE: Use Buy It Now before the halfway point in the auction, 0:00pm EASTERN TIME Wednesday June 8th and I will double the free delivery miles to 1,000 miles total.

SPECIAL OFFER FOR FREE BRIDGESTONE RE92 TIRES: Use Buy It Now and I will throw in two new Bridgestone RE92 tires. Use Buy It Now before the halfway point in the auction, 0:00pm EASTERN TIME Wednesday June 8th and I will throw in a total of four of these tires. If you want these tires mounted and balanced before delivery, can do so at no charge in exchange for the old tires.