bagwell

someone has offered me $14K for my 2000 Honda Insight with 66K miles.

I've been thinking of getting a 4 door car for a while (TT back seat is barely usuable).

So do you guys think I should just keep the Insight and enjoy the great MPG or "upgrade" to the Civic (probably a 2004 or 2005) which offers more room and comfort but worse mileage. I commute about 52 miles 5 days a week, so its not a crazy long commute like some folks have.

Insight upsides:
unbelievable MPG
unique, kinda cool
reliable

Insight downsides:
no cruise control (would be about $350 to add)
2 seats
lack of power

Civic upside:
way more comfort
cruise control (helps with my crappy hip)
4 doors capable of carrying 5 people
doesn't look so funny
probably CVT

Civic downside:
MPG (guessing I can get 50mpg)
have to drive more at lunch

<VENOM>

I would say sell it long as you don't regret it or feel it's gonna cost you more in anyway to drive the civic hybrid, and if the civic will be more comfortable then yes do it, comfort is always the main objective.

14k seems like a lot for that car, how much are they with low mileage/relatively new

Allen K

iTrader: (4)

You could probably get more than 14k

mmarshall

I agree that a Civic Hybrid is a good consideration, but with the curent demand for them, they may be hard to find either new or used.

Hybrids of almost any type are in demand right now.....that is probably why you were offered 14K for an 8-year-old Insight (they sold for around 20K brand new).

I did a recent review of the current-generation Civic Hybrid, if it will help you.....it should also be good for those built in the last few years.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...8+civic+hybrid

Allen K

iTrader: (4)

Just to give you an idea. I just searched autotrader for So Cal. There are two for sale. One with unlisted mileage going for $9,000 and another one with a salvage title and 100k miles on it going for $9,000...

SLegacy99

I can't understand why anyone would spend the money on a Civic hybrid when you can get a more efficient Prius for cheaper.

intrinsic

iTrader: (2)

why not get a yaris or something and save 15K for gas and other expenses. it already gets 35mpg highway

rai

I can not understany why someone would offer 50% more than the car is worth. Espcially if you say 'gas mileage' that's the biggest reason NOT to over pay for a car like this.

Lets say it's worth $9k he's throwing $5K at the car because it gets good gas mileage? That makes about as much sense as wiping your behind before you take a dump.

he/she can buy a Civic or Miata or some other small 4-banger of similar age all day long for $6K to 9K. Plus a conventional CIvic will be even more reliable since it doesn't have 2x the components that can go wrong.

so he's pre-paying (or paying a premium) for what you say is 'unbelievable MPG' which really is anything but unbelievable when you consider how under-powered and slow the Insight is. It's also one of the smallest cars on the planet so gee guess it's a mystery how it gets good MPG (not).

So let's see a regular civic or Escort or whatever will get you mid-30s MGP and you can buy all day long for $7K or pay $14K to get a car that gets what? mid-40's maybe 50 MPG.

Take that $7K extra and buy gas with it and the insight will never pay for itself (at least not at this inflated price).

You need to sell this car before the guy comes to his senses.

bagwell

I've been looking at a few used 04-05 Civic Hybrids, not the new $20K new models - they're priced pretty reasonable - in the low teens. 2G Prius prices are still crazy.

mmarshall

I can. I've driven both cars, both the old and new generations, and the Civic Hybrid, IMO, in general, is less annoying to drive than the Prius, for several reasons. The only significant advantages to the Prius, IMO, are more cargo area in the back from its hatchback design and its smoother start-up from idle without the jerk you get from the Civic Hybrid when you take your foot off the brake. But the Civic Hybrid has a better dash, more conventional gauges/controls, and is much easier for the average driver to get used to......that, IMO, cancels out the small advantage (not really that significant) the Prius has in gas mileage.....in my area the Prius averages around 45 MPG in suburban driving, Civic Hybrids, around 40-42.

bagwell

I owned a 2G Prius for a while and my personal best on my commute to work (25 miles) was 62mpg -- that was driving conservatively, but 5 mpg over the speed limit, no freeways, coasting to the stop lights and stop signs.

Hil

iTrader: (61)

That's a pretty good offer. I would take it

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

Seems to me you need to do a budget comparison of no change vs. change over 1-3 years so see how you come out. Selling/buying is obviously going to cost more plus more gas so for example, let's say you end up spending $5K to get into the new car and $2K more per year on gas (just wild guess numbers here) - in 3 years you've spent $11K more than doing nothing. Is that worth it to get 4 seats, cruise control, etc.? Maybe it is - I've changed cars before when there was nothing wrong with what I had, I just needed a change.

Anyway, only you can decide but budget should factor in somewhat, unless you really can't stand the Insight or its limitations any longer.

mmarshall

Sure. The Prius will do better in some areas. In NoVA suburbs though where I live most of them average 45-46 MPG.

mmarshall

You bring up some good points about projected gas costs vs. the cost of replacing the car itself. That, of course, applies no matter what you are buying or looking at, if the goal is ultimately to save money. Many people, however, sell, trade, buy, or lease for other reasons as well. Some do it out of habit; others just get tired of a car after several years. Others find they just can't afford to run it, etc.....


I myself try to strike a balance between all of the above. I normally get a new car every 4-5 years or so. That strikes a reasonable balance between depreciation, trade-in values, operating costs, and the yearly personal property (car) value taxes we have in VA and some other states.

As far as putting up with an Insight, true, it is the ultimate in fuel miserness among U.S.-market production vehicles, but its miniscule size, two seats, 350-lb load limit (that's barely two small-to-medium-size adults, not counting luggage), rough noisy ride, and sluggish drivetrain does demand some compromises. I reviewed one in February 2000 (before I was with CL) and it was one of the most uncomfortable and confining modern cars I've driven.