2000 Honda Insight

Coupe

1.0 3L

Manual

JHMZE1377YT005194

Salvage

Hybrid-Electric

History: I purchased this car in 2003 from a friend who rebuilds cars. It had front end damage that required the bumper and hood be replaced along with various other front end parts. It had 40,000 miles at that time and was all fixed. No frame damage so it was never pulled back into shape. Doors open and close well. After the repairs were completed, I took the vehicle to the local Honda dealer where they went through it and found a few minor things that needed correcting, all of which was done. Although it carries a salvage title, I have never regretted the purchase of this vehicle. It drives straight and wears tires evenly. Always starts, even when I’ve been out of town for several months. Gets 55 to 60mpg when driven gently on the freeway and some city. Cross country driving has often yielded up to 70mpg when going the speed limit. The IMA battery was replaced around 105,000 by Honda… surprisingly at no cost to me. I guess they wanted the computer to see how things are going with a vehicle of this age. The IMA battery light started coming on again around 200,000. My mechanic suggested getting a grid charger which I did. The IMA battery light comes on about once a month these days. An overnight charge/balancing sets it straight for another month. Probably could use one or more discharge/recharge cycles, but I haven’t done that yet. The catalytic converter was replaced last year costing over $1200. So, that is a big gotcha with these cars around that age and so something you don’t have to worry about for a long time. The AC works, but is starting to not cool as much as it did in the past. Possibly a slow leak. No oil leaks and does not burn oil. I’ve never had to add oil between changes so the engine is tight. Experts on this car say the engine is good for up to 500k miles. Would not surprise me considering no oil burn. The intake manifold was replaced last year with a clean used one after power started going down a bit. The original had some buildup and replacing it was easier than cleaning it. The passenger side power door lock works intermittently and needs some work. Also the electric component of the trunk lock needs some service. It still locks securely though. To open does require the use of the key in combination with the button. First dashboard photo shows lifetime mileage of 54.9mpg and 214555 miles total. The previous owner must have driven it a bit more aggressively and had low numbers. I had better numbers for most of the miles on the car, but have driven it more in the city as of late. So, this is the overall average. Second dashboard photo shows last trip of 27.9 miles produced 57.1mpg with several hills. Average mpg on freeways is usually around 60mpg. The interior shows some wear. Headliner is coming down a bit in the front. Outside paint needs some work. The AC air filter was recently replaced. This car is well suited for a techie who knows how to drive a stick and likes the idea of a unique vehicle that is expected to increase in value and likely become a collector’s item in the future. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE