2003 Honda Insight

Hatchback

Manual

JHMZE13583T000528

Clear

Hybrid-Electric

This auction is being held for a 2003 Honda Insight with a 5-speed manual transmission. It was bought in late 2013 as a work commuting vehicle while another car was upgraded. It has just over 350,000 miles on it with a lifetime fuel economy of 62.0 mpg (see the odometer picture). It now needs a new IMA battery to run properly, and while it can be made to run temporarily without one, attempting to do so is not recommended.Proceeds are 100% to charity to offset costs of building new facilities for the Wildlife Rehabilitators’ Association of Rhode Island, a 501(c)3 nonprofit. They will supply a vouching receipt for tax purposes if requested. Visit them at RIWildlifeRehab (dot org) or on Facebook using their acronym (“WRARI”). The opening bid is $750 with no reserve based on donation amounts offered for the car. Prices on these cars have dropped with falling gas prices, so this may be a good time to buy one. Read everything below and then ask any questions you may still have before bidding and preferably in a timely fashion before the auction ends. AutoCheck shows a loan/lien record which must be ancient history - there's no outstanding debt on this car or claims against it.More details: · This Insight has a Rhode Island registration valid through the end of August 2016 and is inspected through the end of February 2016. · It was bought for just under $3,000 over two years ago, and over $3,000 was put into it for improvements listed below and maintenance. · 0w-20 fully synthetic motor oil and Bosch filters were always used. · Like most 1st generation Insights, it has the typical grind/synchro issue downshifting into 2nd or 1st gear at speed. Double-clutching avoids the issue almost all of the time on this car. · The IMA battery needs replacement. The spent IMA pack is included in the auction, since it’s needed for core charge refund when getting a new IMA battery. Many new aftermarket IMA batteries offer more power than original ones. This particular IMA battery failed when one or more of the battery sleeves smoked out while the car was parked and off. After interior detailing, the car still carries some of the smell, which some say is like “hot Chinese mustard.” It’s tolerable but could use another detailing. · For any buyer unfamiliar with disassembly/reassembly of the IMA battery, instructions with pictures can be included. · It comes with two keys and one remote fob. Neither key works in the manual trunk lock, but the fob trunk button works correctly. · Also included but not pictured are all floor mats, trunk mats and liners, formed aluminum hatch brackets, foam hatch inserts for holding the IMA components in place, undercarriage airflow smoothing components, all interior fastening hardware used in the IMA removal process, the original owner’s manual, new jumper cables, a tool set from the previous owner, fresh unused 0w-20 synthetic motor oil left over from a recent oil change, and an ice scraper & brush. · Oxygen sensors need replacement. It runs with the ones installed but is less efficient. · Confirming the need for the IMA battery and oxygen sensors, CEL codes are P1166, P0141, P1130, and P1644. · The car and wheels have wear marks, curb rashes, and wear commensurate with 350,000 miles, though none were put there by the current owner. It got repeatedly washed, waxed, tires cleaned, headlight restorer treatments, and Wipe New treatments for the black exterior plastic. However, it was not repainted or touched up. It still has a screw that the previous owner used to secure exterior roof trim that was not yet removed or patched. · The side skirts on the rear wheels need to be finessed into their tabs, which is common with these Insights. · The previous owner had an ultrasonic “deer horn” installed. The emitters are near the front license plate, and the switch is in the glove box. The current owner did the following: · January 2014: Replaced and adjusted parking brake cables, which can be troublesome on Hondas from this era. · January 2014: Installed new right tie rod end and performed alignment. · January 2014: Installed new cabin air filter and detailed the interior twice. · January 2014: Added IMA battery grid charger balancer (eBay Item #161063441466), costing over $350. See the pictures. The previous owner had a harness installed for the other common type of grid charger but kept the charger itself for his other Insight. · January 2014: Installed a new Boss 752UAB CD Receiver from Crutchfield. · February 2014: Added a regenerative braking circuit, which adds a black button on the rear of the shift boot, allowing the driver to force the regenerative braking system to charge the IMA batteries even when the brake pedal isn’t being pressed. See the pictures. Instructions are included. · February 2014: Added a clutch interrupt circuit, which adds a toggle switch to the left of the steering wheel that can shut off the whole regenerative braking system. See the pictures. Instructions are included. · February 2014: Added a throttle smoothing circuit in the passenger-side foot well, which ties into the car’s circuitry, improving both fuel economy and acceleration. Instructions are included. · April 2014: Installed new Iridium spark plugs. · April 2014: Installed a new ignition coil. · July 2014: Installed all new engine mounts. · September 2014: Installed a new trunk cover. See the pictures. · January 2015: Installed new ground and sub-ground cables and bolts. · January 2015: Installed new air cleaner housings. · January 2015: Installed new ceramic brake pads. · April 2015: Installed 4 new brake lines/hoses/fittings (flushed brake fluid), new front ceramic brake pads, new windshield wipers · June 2015: Installed a new Duralast 12V standard automotive battery. · June 2015: Installed a new 12V battery cutoff switch in the glove box. Two keys for this are included. See the pictures. · June 2015: Installed and balanced four new General Altimax tires (185/60R-14 – same outer diameter as OEM but better handling and no loss of mpg). These tires are nearly new with only a few hundred miles on them. Open issues: · The driver’s side window rocker switch is “sticky” – it always responds, but it sometimes takes a several seconds of being pressed to begin raising the window. All parts which physically raise and lower the window are fine. · In very heavy rains, the hatch will sometimes leak very slightly from the spoiler/rear window interface. · The headliner needs to be glued down in a few places, which is clearly visible in the pictures from the back with the hatch open. · The horn was very recently disengaged by a mechanic who was changing the oil – apparently it began sounding and wouldn’t stop. · When driving straight, the steering wheel is not “centered” at the 12-o’clock position. It never bothered the owner. It steers and handles fine. · The headlight beam angles should be adjusted upward, since an aggressive driver will over-drive the headlights at night with the high beams off. · Various console and interior pieces are disassembled from the recent IMA battery failure and other upgrades that were in progress… though all parts and hardware are present in the car. See the pictures. If you need more pictures, just ask in a timely fashion. As for the boilerplate stuff: If I don’t like your feedback, I’ll cancel your bid. This is an as-is sale, but check my feedback and bid with confidence. A $250 deposit by PayPal is due immediately at the end of the auction, and the balance is due by certified check or cash within 3 days of the end of the auction. The vehicle must be taken within 10 days of the end of the auction. If you live within a six-hour drive of Rhode Island, I may be able to beat any shipping quote you might get, so please ask if you’re interested. Thank you and good luck bidding.