13 things to look out for before buying a used G1 Honda Insight
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- Опубликовано: 19 июл 2020
- Really enjoying this restoration project. I thought I'd share what I've learned and go through the 13 most common issues (particular to this car) to consider before investing in one of these cars. In my case the car was a very clean used example and the issues from the list below, all of which I've since addressed, were 1, 2, 9, 12, 13. It doesn't have OE tires but the tires are in great shape and mpg is great so I'm going to use them.
Much much more info over at insightcentral.net at this thread:
www.insightcentral.net/thread...
1 IMA battery dead or dying
2 Cat converter clogged or breaking up
3 EGR valve clogged
4 Grounding straps/cables disintegrating
5 Manual tranny synchros going bad
6 OE tires absent
7 OE underbody aero panels absent
8 Corroded/rusty fuel and brake lines
9 Motor mounts x3 broken
10 Rear shocks dead
11 Rear hatch latch and auto down window button broken
12 Leaks near B pillar
13 Trip odo button broken 
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I don't know why I want an Insight. I just want one. So here I am. Thank you for making this video!
Maybe you are a crx fan? Similar look
Same dude
As someone who is probably about to buy an Insight I'm glad you're making these videos. Thanks!
Me too !!! Thank you for this very helpful video.
We also … these vids are eally helpful
Did ya get one?
@@sandasturner9529 I did! Three years ago!
I was dying for this car back in 1999/2000. When I saw one for sale at the park & ride in 2017 I grabbed it for $1800. yes - its impossible to find parts or a mechanic that will work on them. I am grateful for your videos, which I recently discovered. Please don't stop!!
You can't take it to a Honda dealership?
Most underappreciated vehicle I've ever owned.
Just bought a 2004 CVT, I am an old hot rodder and I am astounded at how fun and cool this car is.
Is the insight with the cvt solid and worth getting?
I loved my silver 2004 Insight. I just sold it today after 17 years of service. Sad to see it go, but now I have a CRV.
@@WTC7 hi that gen of Honda transmission wasn’t CVT however. Hondas Auto transmission was not problematic throughout the range, I’ve had an auto civic manufacturers in 94 to date with zero issues….touch wood 🪵 I’m interested in an auto Insight
@@Curi0u50ne thanks. I really want to get an automatic insight but I reckon they're hard to find
@@WTC7 I cnt find a manual - and yes my 2001 is CVT
I bought the exact Insight 5 Years ago. Fuel savings vs. my SUV and Truck is appropriately $1800 a year x's 5 Years of owning is $9000 in savings minus $2700 Price bought $1300 in maintenance fees. This car pays me $1000 a year to drive. All 13 issues are True and I get comments on the car not compliments, until I share my MPG at 49.8 MPG and Total Miles 228,000. I highly recommend this car to any one who wants a practical car and would like to save money. At current gas prices, pride has no $ signs :)
Rob
exactly right, and now gas is $7 ish/gal
I own a 2000 silver one and it’s great. The car has paid for itself. I say a dollar a day for gas. I’ve replaced the battery twice. Great mpg with those re92s. Get the rear shocks and aluminum aero plate from Scott Jue motors in CA. HE IS A LEGEND. watch out for the wet seat belt syndrome!
There is one in my area for sale. I am thinking about buying it. It is a 2000 model with a 5spd and 2nd gear is wonky. He said it runs good and want $2700 for it.
@@MyLifeThai371 did you get it?
@@Newo48 No. I ended up buying a 2008 Honda FIT for $3000 instead that gets 36 mpg! Parts are cheaper for the FIT.
@@MyLifeThai371 great choice, that gen of the fit is amazing. it'll last forever too
@@MyLifeThai37136mpg? This car gets 70
OEM rear shocks are up tp $600.00 NOT installed , I went after market Gazmatic at half the cost plos $75 install price ,my rear hatch button does not work,I simply use the key , my trip reset button is failing , my brightness button for dash has failed , cat was replaced at $325.00 plus local garage installed for $50 , main battery failed Green Tech Auto was best price at $2200 for a 8 amp battery instead of 6 amp stock,, yet I cant beat the 55-60 MPG,, a do it yourself oil change is $17 (0-20 Mobil one with a Honda filter) its a great commuter car
Sometimes word takes a while to get out to the masses, man. That's the problem with education... it starts at the home and it ends at the application, so it takes a while for people to catch up with you. You're not unpopular, you were ahead of the curve with a lot of us. Thanks for making these videos.
I just bought a g1 this past weekend. Glad to see a video with some pointers. Mine has a dead ima battery as well as the grinding synchros and a noisy bearing in the trans. Also my auto down switch and trip buttons don't work. I did however pay $500 for the car and I'm a very competent mechanic so this little thing will become my commuter car. Mine is rough on the outside but I'll be restoring it as I go. Thanks again for the video!
Wow. Ive owned my insight for 1 year. It has every single problem listed except catalytic converter. You nailed every single talking point. Ill be sending this video to explain to the very few friends who actually want one after i got mine.
Just advice to future owners, Manual trans 2nd gear grind isnt end of the world, mine has been rebuilt twice in 275k mi, but still grinds. Just learn to double clutch it and its good to go. IMA battery makes a huge difference and like you said, its.. unsafe without it working, honestly.
You nailed everything after 1mo of ownership. Jealous of the blue!
Awesome! I have a grey now, I like the grey better. Enjoy yours!
Car people like you are hard to find. People who buy a cheap car that isn't worth much and restoring them to their former glory. I've always been fascinated with cheap old cars that have been forgotten about. Keep up the great work man!
Also, if you want more views on this video I'd suggest renaming the video to "13 things to look out for before buying a used G1 Honda Insight" :)
@@garretrocha8 I took your suggestion, thanks. The original title was part of my cynicism coming out. Yeah I am a rare breed but who would sink money into an old car that could keep breaking? Not the best money decision...that said I've always been able to make a bit of money on my restorations so we'll see. The trick is getting a good one to start with for a decent price.
@@gray25xt If restoring old cars is your hobby, don't let money get in the way. Hobbies always cost money, I don't care what it is. As long as it makes you happy then there's nothing wrong with it. Yeah I do agree with you also. Thanks for taking my advice :))
Count me among your tiny but appreciative audience. ☺️ (Fellow owner of a 2001 Monte Carlo Blue Insight)
Ha ha thanks Mike. I was being a bit tongue in cheek and making fun of myself there but the truth is very few people care about these cars. I'll keep the content coming!
Please keep the content going!^
me too!!
I think that is one of the coolest cars ever made, the higher the gas prices go up the coolest it gets. Thanks for the information.
I love these videos. They are the holy grail to us niche G1 Insight freaks!
Don't worry about your Gen-1 Insight not getting appreciated. I have gotten dirty looks and sometimes the longest finger from other motorists for no apparent reasons! I do not block the fast lane like many other US drivers, use my indicators all the time, and generally respect fellow motorists. Most Americans are clueless about this particular car. Sometimes, a smart individual might comment that its a 'foreign' car. A super smart dude once predicted mine was Citroen (the French car with the rear wheel skirts). Some folks hate this car for totally unknown reasons. A guy in a BMW with invisible windows seemed annoyed with me yesterday for no apparent reasons. I was driving a little fast (~80 mph) in the slow lane while he passed me in the fast (3rd) lane. I smiled at him which seemed to piss him off even more! The beauty is only in the eyes of the beholder. I have now a small "Insight friend group" with 5 people who are simply wonderful! People who like gen-1 Insights are creative, open, caring (care about saving gas => earth, etc.), curious, and kind. I am a human being and happen to suffer from autoracism. I do think certain types of people drive certain types of cars. Of course, there are exceptions.
By the way, your blue Insight is beautiful! You have also done a great job in bringing it up.
Love this comment !! I drive a 90 Suzuki Swift GT and people HATE ME. I swear when I come up on folks they get very irritated with me for no reason!! Lol. Small car anger? Elephant and the mouse?
I loved my silver 2004 Insight. I just sold it today after 17 years of service. Peppy to drive and easy to parallel park. Sad to see it go, but now I have a CRV and don't need 2 vehicles.
I bought a 2002 Honda Insight as my first car back in 2018. Besides doing the usual car maintenance and changing the IMA battery, it's been a fantastic car. Gets great gas mileage, it's reliable and decently comfortable. In my opinion, it's the perfect road trip car.
Wish I had the know how to take a decent shape Gen 1 Insight and give it more MPG & a little more HP by something like modding the battery bank & adding thin film semi flexible solar panels to hood, roof, rear window for 300-400 watts of extra charging power.....Or replace the nickel metal battery bank with a Lifepo4 that could be recharged with wall power, solar panels & engine/braking regen so the electric motor could be used more.
Check to make sure your engine has the right spark plugs. Many owners are not aware of the type of spark plugs from the factory and replaced them with a short thread body instead of the longer thread bodied spark plug which decends further down into the combustion chamber. There was a special tire which helped save 10 miles per gallon and an aluminum faring under the front end to improve performance and prevent undercarriage damage. Some owners installed a mylar foil lke flex hose from the intake to face the exhaust manifold for winter driving as this makes the car think it is warm outside and improves performance.
I was literally looking at buying one of these for $3K and the guy literally said the hybrid battery just needs to be recharged!! Thank you for the video!
Just found out about these in 2024 hope to get one for my commute not only for the mileage but i think they're really cool from an engineering point and seeing they're rare just peaks my interest that much more
Maybe nobody else likes it but I love the Insight. I had a silver '99 and a blue '00. I loved them both and hope to one day find another one.
I’m glad I found this video because there simply aren’t enough videos on this car anywhere. I’m thinking about getting it as my first car.
Thank you! Going to look at one tomorrow, the bit on the ima was especially helpful
Thanks for posting, there is still love out there for these great little cars
Love that blue, enjoy!
Great video! I looked at this before I bought mine and used it during my inspection process. I’ve had it for about three weeks now, and I’ve already made close to ten RUclips videos about it. Fun little car with a lot of quirks.
Thanks for taking the time to post this!! I've thought these were cool since they first came out. I go in and out of wanting one, and then when I do see one out in the wild, I think, "Oh man, I've got to get one!" A silver one with a 5sp just popped up on the local CL for $3,500, so here I am on the YT, looking for info on them. It's too bad they have so many common issues, and that the IMA batts are so expensive. Hard to believe that Honda hadn't figured out how to build a transmission with better bronze synchronizer rings. That issue dates back to their first Civics in '73.
Thanks for posting this video!
I was lucky and managed to grab a beat up one of these from a friend of a friend. It was more or less free as the person wanted to get rid of it and a family member already did some work on it for free.
You hit the nail on the head for the cat, motor mount, and brake lines. Had to tow it to where I was working on it because the brake lines were so rusted they were practically falling off. The rear motor mount was so bad you could shake the engine back and forth by a few inches by rotating the wheel by hand. It is a cool car though, and the aluminum frame means it won't split in half if you live in a rough winter state.
This looks amazing in that color!
Bought my Insight in 2003/CVS tranny. I still have it. Head gasket blew out at 324k miles. Found a used engine with 68k. Had it installed 17k miles ago. Great car to me. Thanks for the video.
These cars are awesome!!!!!!! I've been looking to buy one for a while.
Thank you for this great overview. It was really hard to get past the negative groan of why nobody likes it just because there isn't a social media blow up. You're at 136 comments with mine just now.. and that's way better than 0. I think the people that love these cars are out there but just not on RUclips.
Your negative groan is likewise difficult, however I am happy you liked my video. You must understand I was clear to compare it to other cars on my channel that are less interesting but get far more comments/views and was expressing my disbelieve at how amazing this car is but how few people are even aware of it. That was the point of my comments. Here we are, nothing has changed, the sheeple go where they are told while some of us pick the better fruits and vegetables out in the fields, alone.
thanks for making this video! i just picked one up for 1500 bucks and now i know i got an issue with the egr valve
This vid is so spot on, I've got an '05 CVT and have almost all of these at one point or another. Reliable af but she's not pretty anymore! The one in the vid looks like it just drove off the showroom floor, really impressive for a car this old.
Awesome review. I have one since 2015, manual, with air and truly will keep for life. I had the valves adjusted once, and replaced the IMA battery with 800 ma cells for about $1800. I' ve replaced the rear shocks with Monroe's per a tip on a G1 blog site. Not going to pay $250 each. I get about 52 to 54 and never see 70 mpg with 225k miles. I change the gear box fluid about every 2 years again per blog tip. I had the silver repainted by MAACO with white enamel and very happy with the looks since and having dark tint windows that help the projector beam lights in rear view and side mirrors. I put the 0-20 synthetic WM oil and silicone spray the bushings on under chassis. Also I've installed LED side and parking lights that seemed to fail quickly. Your're again right about engine mounts that I've replaced. Oh, one other is I've replaced rear springs that were under spec'd (only poor engineering on this car, it is peerless in all other areas), Again, bought springs per insight blog site and custom bought springs. Cheers and thanks again for a well presented video on a car that is one of the best engineered hybrids of all time, 1800#'s and thoughtfully built.
Everything you pointed out, except battery, on mine has issues. Inspiration to get mine fixed. Great video nice car.
I have one and drove it for 4 years. Outstanding car and the mpg was unbelievable but I put it in storage for 12 months and the ima is now shot. Cheapest replacement in the UK is £2k so not happy. Great video though and appreciate your info
You car rejuvenate the battery by balancing it with a grid charger. There are video on youtube on how to.
Think of that 2K Euro expense as four or five car payments, and the rest of the year is FREE! Whee!
I'm with you on the beautiful blue color! I have a 2006 Accord V6 Hybrid (my 'Hotrod Hybrid'), but my interest in IMA cars began with these little jewels, and I might have to have one someday. I also have a Prolong (not the only option) battery reconditioning setup to keep the IMA battery healthy, something all NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) hybrid owners should seriously consider.
Love my 01 for many years and after bypassing the ima I will love it for many more. Yes at 4200rpm the inverter quits working but quickly comes back after you go under that rpm. Buying a ima battery wasn’t an option for me. I’ve been charging my 12 volt and only doing about 30km trips before car dies. Not anymore. Did over 350km the other day with no issues. 2 plugs and the big panel coving the ima system. Easy as heck to bypass. Won’t pass a safety this way but if it’s already insured abs registered you don’t need to at least here
I have the affliction. Shopping now. Can't wait to park one next to my MCBP S2000 (hope I can find a MCBP or a Citrus). Really wanted to say thanks for producing these videos!!
You're welcome glad they inspire. I actually almost pulled the trigger on an S2000 recently but a CR-X caught my eye instead. Will probably own an S2000 at some point though...it's on the list...on another note be very picky before buying an Insight...most are beat to death and people are asking a fortune. Pay more for one that's in good shape.
@@gray25xt CR-X looks great in the videos, that would be a tough one to pass up! S2000 is definitely a fun one. I'm on S2000 #3 and hoping I'll hang onto this one. The market is nuts but still an occasional deal to be had! I'm looking for a bit of a fixer-upper Insight on the cheap...maybe that's a bad move but looking forward to working on it!
I think this car is the most amazing thing! I own a Gen 2 insight which is a totally car, but the first generation is just so cool.
Obviously I'm late seeing your vid. I've often looked at early Insights online; always seemed overpriced for age and condition.
Thanks for laying out these key functional things to look for!! Living in the salt belt, I'm not too optimistic that I'll find a decent condition Insight like you did, but now I have a better idea of what to be on the lookout for.
Thanks again!
I'm glad you made this video
I'm considering buying one
Great Video! Thank you! Ive got a 2000 which isn't running at the moment. Bought for a 1,000, have $500 in it and still not driving.
Prospective Insight buyer here. Perfect video!
Wow, a lot of the same issues in the 06 - 11 Honda Civic Hybrid. I think there are some reasons.
Engine mounts and rear shocks seem to be unaware of the added weight of the IMA system (front and back).
Considering the rarity of car and payback from mpg... the car is priceless. I have three and would say that I love this car so much, that’s it’s worth a great deal.
I'm having a tough time considering a swap for all-electric. I love my 5 speed.
We definitely care even after the list, haha!!
I just picked up my first 00 insight yesterday.
We're big fans. Thanks for sharing!
I too feel the need for an early Insight
Very nice color!
Your insight is so clean, I’m looking for one atm but haven’t come across any nearly as nice, paint-wise. Anyway, I’m a fellow Fiesta ST owner so definitely just subbed. Keep it up!
Thanks, it was a fun project. I'm looking for another one to keep longer-term. Good ones are very hard to come by that's for sure!
Haha I have a black Fiesta ST and am looking at a Insight today in the same blue color
@@krakdaus5442 Epic...the two cars make a great pair. I love driving the ST on some days and the Insight on others. So different. I sold the blue one but bought another grey one recently, which I plan to keep.
@@gray25xt I found one for cheap but I'm sure it has battery problems
I drive my friends often , fast as hell hitting 60mph in second gear ! Just had a new battery but has done 320000 miles !
Thanks for the video. I will save my thousand and continue towards my electric adult trike covered velomobile with pvc pipe lattice structure. To protect from rain I plan on using the plastic used to cover mattress before they are sold. A painted roof will provide protection from sun.
About to go check out a 2002 Insight today... thanks!
My 2002 runs great. Those underbody covers are long gone. 153K miles. Bumblebee was my latest battery purveyor. It's been excellent. Stick shift. I can't part with this car. Thanks for the video.
Hey man! When making videos of you are always looking at numbers and view count it can take the joy out of it. Make videos about stuff you want to make :) I do really enjoy the videos so keep ‘em coming! Don’t stress the bs!
i don't care about numbers, I was just commenting that i was surprised how few people care about these amazing cars as demonstrated by the low numbers compared to other cars I've reviewed
@@gray25xt I agree with John but also understand you'd rather reach and guide a wider audience. It isn't about the cred, respect to you for that. Anyway, thanks for doing this review and adding links, it was the perfect intro to buying my first insight.
Super clean car, for its age. well done indeed.
I love the insight. I want one.
I love these videos!
Great video. Useful information.
Good stuff bro
Thanks for the video. I am looking at one and this helps tremendously.
Be very picky, it will pay off. I just bought my second one after selling this blue one. I called on/looked at about 30 before I found a good one.
Great tips I have 2 a blue one like yours and a red; the blue has 350,000 miles the blue 180,000 they run forever and with a decent battery they will not give problems even up tall passes; I've been from Yosemite valley over Tioga pass (10,000 ft) no problem. Air conditioning is one tip you forgot it isn't particular to the Insight so much but the only problem I've had.
One of the best looking cars, it reminds me of a Citroen DS
I am drawn to this Insight, G1, and love it. Don't have the time to actually buy and restore it so love watching videos of people doing it. Yours is the best video advice for someone who wants to buy it. This is a true niche cult and I'd highly recommend for you to continue working on it. Whether you get a lot of traction for these videos at this time or not, you are ahead of your time. Just continue uploading even the smallest jobs that you do. I am not sure if you noticed, there is not even one dislike on your video!!
Wow, thanks! That is super encouraging. If you like this video, check out the newer ones I've made on my grey 2000 Insight. The repairs won't be as interesting but the "top 10 mods" and "why it's a special car" videos might interest you. Cool that you love the cars. But no they are not for everyone. I sold this one (the blue) and got a better one (the grey) that I currently drive and plan to keep.
@@gray25xt Awww, I loved the blue one, but no worries, I am sure the other is even better. I will check all your videos, one by one. How much did the blue one go for and how was its battery? Watched the LASIK one also, simply lovely. You are a hidden gem!
@@akhaqan Blue sold for $6000. I made about $1000 profit. Battery was dead, I installed a new one before sale. Long story short I bought it specifically to rebuilt/sell to fund a book I was writing. But once that was done and it drove away I realized I wanted another to keep. Everyone loves the blue and citrus but I really like the grey color. So I looked for a few months and found one in amazing condition, and am taking it further than the blue one went in terms of mods and restoration.
@@gray25xt Very nice! I am going to follow you, just subscribed to your channel. So nice ones, excellent condition, are still available? What would be a fair price $6k with how much battery life and how much on the odometer?
@@akhaqan You have to look. Find the video on my channel called "true cost of a G1 Insight", it explains everything. Cost/prices are all over the map since these are so rare, really depends on a whole bunch of factors - part of the country, mileage, IMA battery, and luck too.
Thanks for the info
Thank ya brotha 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
I bought a nice blue one for $1000, CVT was bad but that doesn't matter for me because I'm swapping it. These cars are so underrated.
I am looking for one too. This is George your buddy in Pa with the Fiesta and now F150👍
I saw several for sale up north, several good ones. If they were in the southeast I'd own one of them, but I will keep looking for another to rebuild! If you have Insight questions holler at me, I learned a whole lot in my short season with the car!
Thanks fella
I bought a 2001 Insight brand new on way home from the dealer I got a flat ( ran over a nail) Had some warranty issues with the IMA system but after that it was fine had the car till 2011 when my daughter borrowed it and totaled it. Miss that car. Bought a 2011 insight but they had changed. The 2011 has seating for 5 and gets around 43MPG have 143,000 miles with no issues.
Bought two of these as part of our fleet...both batteries went bad within 100k miles and cost $2500.
The reason why people are not interested in this car is simple: Google search shows from 1999 to 2006 it was ONLY 17.000 units produced GLOBALLY. That's nothing! I want want one now to drive from San Diego to Patagonia in SA.
A low production Honda is guaranteed to be worth a stratospheric amount at some point in the future✅
Bumblebee batteries 🔋 is hands down a wonderful aftermarket company! I live in Portland, Oregon and just got my IMA battery installed last winter. I live super far away from work and I can’t believe how much I save on gas. I run ethanol-free (pure) gas with a bottle of sea foam on every fill up and the power is constant. I bought the citrus green one from a father that passed it down to his son which makes me the third owner. Unfortunately the son trashed it. But anyways I bought it about 10 years ago at ~180,000 miles while I was in college. I use it as my daily driver and right now I’m at ~320,000 miles. My goals are to tackle the suspension and synchros. Replacing the ground straps with bigger, thicker, insulation works well for me. Parts in general for this car is super expensive. I “diy”most of my repairs and for super technical/mechanical ones I’ll conduct an interview with a mechanic before I let him touch the Insight, I stopped trusting auto shops after I got a tire repair and the tech put the right wheel well cover on loose and I ended up having to retrieve it from the side of a highway at night lol. Anyways, thank you for making the video!
They did me right. My roomie and I installed it ourselves in 3 hours, from a RUclips install clip.
thanks for the video I drive 100 mile a day this will save me 1500 a year over my focus. thats a vacation. fueleconomy,gov compare cars to it
downside to crash is death. its one step up from a motorcycle.
It is a fantastic car that we should all be driving .Honda is at the fore front of technology,i need one mpg not mph.
Always admired this gen of this model, but was always so worried about how much it would cost to replace the batteries, so I never bought one. Saw my first one when I went to the dealership to buy my ‘99 EX Civic… which I still kick myself for selling. Lol
I HAD NO IDEA YOU DID A FIERO VIDEO TOO I JUST BOUGHT MY INSIGHT TONIGHT SO I COULD PUT MY FIERO AWAY FOR THE WINTER
All these things are fixeable/replaceable for cheap. The good thing is no matter what you put into the car, you will get back eventually with great mileage.
You are completely incorrect. IMA batteries start around $1100 plus shipping plus installation and that's for a cheapo. Transmission rebuild is four figures also. That is not cheap to the average person.
I care enough for a few hundred folks.. I love this car..have two of 'em
Very Cool!
I read about some of the buyers guide on Insight central website but searched here and was good to see some visual. It's a tough decision to buy one haha. I'm looking at a 2000 Manual trans over 200K with a dead IMA for $1,800. I was thinking of just driving it like that and K swapping it.
K swap is overrated imho. For the money you spend on that you could just get a car meant for the K engine....a G1 Insight is special and again imho should be enjoyed as it was designed by Honda, and that's with 91hp and a 1.0 liter engine.
@@gray25xt I'm an EF owner. The usual D and B series engines are hard to come by these days and a K swap is easy to come by and cheap. I know that finding a replacement engine for the Insight must be more difficult. The IMA swap. So I see the K swap as a good alternative.
@@TheJohnnyef9 You can get a replacement stock engine, you just have to hunt the insight forums or facebook, but there are plenty out there. Probably comparable in price to something else. I really feel strongly about enjoying these cars as Honda intended. Good luck!
@@gray25xt Thank you for your "Insight" haha. Idk I messaged the guy a few hours ago with no reply so idk. I totally get what you mean by having the full experience how Honda intended. I have a 90 Civic I am restoring and have had the thought of doing a k swap but am just going b series to keep it era correct.
You MUST have a (2000-2006 Honda Insight Hybrid EL-1 IMA Battery Grid Charger) Ebay item. Cost about $250. I been using them about every 2 months in the past 8 yrs . Restores IMA battery perfectly well. The author of this clip should have been telling you about this.
Way ahead of you boss. I spent the first half of the video talking about the IMA battery. Yes grid charging is an option but the people need to know they are on borrowed time without a warrantied IMA battery. I've owned 4 of these, had warrantied battery, grid charged battery, lithium battery, and no battery/gas only. For newbies the simplest and first rule of G1 Honda Insight ownership is this: "If the battery has no warranty assume you'll be replacing it before long." Too many people are out there selling Insights with a grid charger claiming it "just has to be topped off every so often" when in reality they're buying a paperweight because the battery is at the end of its life. A grid charger can only do so much. Too many dishonest people out there selling these cars with a grid charger as if it's the holy grail. Buyer beware.
Why do people say it's ugly? I think it's incredibly well designed it's so beautiful
Swap a K series engine in there! Good video man, I’m looking for one of these bad boys.
but that would kill fuel economy
@@thekernel69 I enjoy feeding trees, to hell with mpg, that’s why I bought a Corolla
I wish they put this car in production again, with the same look and feel as g1 and not what they did to g2 and g3
I want one!
I want one of the green ones with a bad IMA and toasty engine so I can convert to all electric. That is what I want.
I love these cars. Keep up the insight content!
Gas Caps are 14. Rubber around the doors can get sticky in hot weather and crinkle up for #15.
The issues you list, for the most part, would be common of any car this age.
We have been enlightened.
Add me to your niche fan club! We need each other! I bought my 2003 red 5-speed Insight from a friend 2 years ago with 130k, have enjoyed 30k+ trouble free miles so far at 57-58 mpg, but then the IMA light came on this past December. Not even close to giving up on it, I'm now researching grid chargers and aftermarket IMA batteries. My car suffers from #6, 12, 13, maybe 10, recently 1, plus I had to replace the hatch supports last year. It also tends to accumulate rainwater at the bottom of the spare tire cavity...for unknown reasons, and I sponge it dry whenever I think of it. Strangers often ask me about my "toy car", and I love it!
I bought a 2002 honda insight paid 6,000 dollars but it's n great shape had to replace a senior an Val cover gasket I hav got 70 mpg it's a automatic
I like it
Great video so to those who own this car would u say yes get it and just watch out for these issuers prototypes n during?
Only buy/own one of these if you're prepared to do much of the work yourself and possibly not be able to find parts for it.
This car is awesome! And not 1 for sale in europe
The road to Automotive Heaven is also NARROW 😊
I'm about to buy one tomorrow with out a battery. The owner stated they had installed a jumper wire at the inverter. Does anyone know if this can cause damage? I don't believe it was done for a long time
Was interested when someone was selling a 2000 stick shift nearby. Except they wanted 10k for it.