Re: CVT Insight

[John Wayland <dat1200@europa.com>]

Hello to All,
   In response my friend Mitch Oates' post about his recent exposure to the newest model
of the Insight, the CVT version, Rich Weiss wrote:

> 4]your choices are to:
> a]try to deal for the car, without the add ons [you don't get the "piece of
> paper, with the guarantees for those items]
> b]try another dealer
> 6]the Insights are really "neat"

    Nice comments Rich, but on Mitch, I believe you are wasting your breath (excuse me,
that would be finger tips). Mitch has on several occasions, commented negatively about the
Honda Insight, claiming that it is 'butt ugly'...over priced', etc. Back then, he was
probably trying to get me to take the bait, but I felt he was entitled to his opinion and
never did.
    I don't think for one minute, that Mitch's post was about trying to negotiate a deal
on a new CVT Insight, because Mitch has also already expressed his preference of the
Prius over the Insight. What I do believe, is that his main thrust was to point out the
much lower mpg rating of the CVT when compared to the earliest 2000 model Insights, like
mine, rated at an impressive 70 mpg (Insights regularly get way better mileage than even
this lofty EPA rating)....his way of taking more stabs at a car he has always disliked.
Pointing out stupid dealer tricks as if to imply that only Honda Insight dealers do this
sort of thing, was more of the same.
    Mitch has a very impressive EV truck, and that's cool. I still have fond memories of
riding with Mitch in this truck when he lived in my neck of the woods and I first met him
years ago at a car stereo soundoff EVent.
     Some of us also have EVs...some of also have both EVs and a hybrid, and I fall into
the latter category. I will always prefer EVs over hybrids, but my Honda Insight is still
a great car. On my way to work a few weeks ago, I took it easy and cruised a bit slower
than usual at just 60-63 mph vs 75 mph or so, and the car delivered 81.7 mpg on the two
way average of hilly driving on the freeway over a 32 mile run. I had also reported that
this same car made 71.4 mpg after a 715 mile Portland to Vancouver BC and back trip under
adverse 'fuel mileage' conditions....so the car easily exceeds its EPA rating of 70 mpg. I
have also been able to get 100+ mpg at constant speeds of 45 mph, and at around 55-57 mph
on level ground, it gets 90-95 mpg!
    It's perfectly fine that Mitch probably hates the Insight. It's also OK that he thinks
it's 'but ugly', but I can tell you from driving my car for a year and a half now, that he
is definitely in the minority. Most folks absolutely love the car, and think it is rad
looking. I recently completed a photo shoot for a magazine that will feature the car on
the cover, and the photographer who has been taking automotive pictures for most of his
life, pictures of Porsches, Vettes, Hondas, GTI's, SUVs, etc....he pronounced my Insight
as the most gorgeous car he has ever photographed. He waited until the perfect moment to
where the sun was setting and the light started to play with the lines of the car....it
was fun to watch and listen to him as he was drawn into the car's unique shape as he went
nuts over the images he was capturing.
    As to the CVT version of the Insight, no thank you from my perspective. The 5 speed
Insight is a car that begs you to get involved, to have fun, and to play the mileage game
with the car's very accurate computers. For me, the 5 speed Insight invokes that fun,
tossable feeling of my beloved Datsun 1200 sedan, a car that I still never tire of even
after more than 21 years together. I love choosing the right gears in my Insight to get
maximum regen, or to pull a hill with authority, or to pass with ease. I also admittedly,
love to bark the tires on the 1-2 upshift as I pass those pesky TDI Jettas, too :-) The 5
speed itself is one of the nicest-to-shift I've ever encountered, and its stubby shift
knob is right where your hand naturally falls. With a crisp and precise linkage and smooth
synchros, the tranny is a joy to operate....all this is lost in the CVT model.
     I think the Prius is a fine car, but  for me, its CVT is the least liked part of the
car. I've always said that the Prius would probably really pick up mileage points and
accelerate better if it were available as a manual version. Now, here comes the CVT
Insight, loosing a whopping 14 mpg over a 5 speed 2000 model...arghh!!!
    If I were in the market for a new automatic hybrid, I'd be choosing the Prius over the
Insight with its 4-5 passenger room and nearly identical highway mileage. Though I haven't
yet driven a CVT Insight, the thought of losing the fun of shifting and interacting with
the car, the thought of slower acceleration, and the thought of mileage in the Prius
category, are all turn-offs I'll pass on.
    Still love ya Mitch.....

See Ya.....John Wayland

'72 Datsun 1200, 156v & 1200 amps

'72 Datsun 1200, 336v, 1400 amps, & 13.18 second ETs

4 electric scooters, a cordless B&D mower, and an EV garden tractor

Electric toilet in the works for Woodburn (complete with bowl-mounted 12" subwoofer)

2000 Honda Insight, ULEV, 113 mph in 3rd gear, torquey electric motor assist, & 80-90 real
world mpg