I think I made a mistake buying the Prius

Well if you have to buy a V10 lambo, now is the time to do it. Sell it in a few years when the knobs and dials start to fall off and de-chrome. Gas will probably have trickled up significantly more by then, and you get buy a Tesla or something to offset the stupidity.

 

My family would need two Insights to equal one Prius.

 

My wife nixed the classic Insight as too small when we went hybrid shopping in 2004, but we both like the look and I have always preferred small manual transmission cars. Now that our children are out of the house the next car will be no larger than the Insight, but I am having trouble convincing her to let me buy a standard transmission.

The Insight was a *great* car, I am sorry I missed owning one.

 

prius and insight are night and day. if you're only getting 60-70 in the prius, how do you think you're going to get a hundred in the insight? why not an electric scooter?

 

I just took delivery on a sick 2000 Insight, 160K miles. It has all of the typical Insight problems: HV battery has a problem (out of warranty but cells from a Civic Hybrid will work), the input shaft bearing is shot (will do that and the clutch), and the trunk release motor doesn't work (but will open manually with the key). It's a nice project and doing the work myself I've got a 70+ MPG car for cheap.

 

If the temperature is above 60F, the lean burn on a 5-speed original Insight will get you 100mpg cruising at 55 or slower easily. On stop and go, I get at least 70mpg - 60 in the more extreme cases. On freezing and colder weather take off 20% - more for snow and ice.

 

I won't rule out doing an Aerocivic - Honda Civic modifications for maximum gas mileage - aerocivic.com boattail on my Insight, or adding a turbo that would boost the hp from 70 to 105....speaking of turbos, I think the Ford EcoBoost is simply a non-hybrid alternative to do what the IMA does.

 

First, the original Insight is one of the lighest modern cars sold 2000-on at 2000lbs. Only the Lotus Elise and Ariel Atom share that weight class these days. It shares aluminum unibody technology with the (legendary) NSX, so that comes as no surprise.

If you're serious about buying a Lambo, I'm told by a few people that they have 0% financing deals going on if you have good credit. Funny story: A dealer tried to sell my mother a 2004 Gallardo for ~$120,000 the other day. Needless to say, we didn't take the deal.

 

Your mother should have taken the deal!

Nah, I won't buy a new lambo. Ze German's ruined it. What's the point in a Lamborghini if there are actually quality parts in it? To me it is supposed to be a wild, poorly built yet excellent drive. Many mind numbingly stupid design decision that favour looks over drivability, quality, comfort, or anything else really.

That's why I am saving to buy a Countach. Quite possibly one of the worst cars ever made, but I'm ok with that.

 

I've always thought the original Insight was a really unique car. There are two silver ones in my area that I see driving around every now and again (to spot any kind of hybrid around here is rare). Seeing them puts a smile on my face and I usually offer a friendly wave. If I ever catch one of the owners in a parking lot, I hope to get some "insight" into how much they like their car.

 

So you're saying you want it to be typically Italian? You could buy a Ducati or Pinarello/Colnago with Campagnolo and have the same experience for a fraction of the price.

Good luck with the Insight. If you ever decide one day to do an engine swap, I think they make mounts for K20 engines now You could get 50mpg AND get to 60mph in 4 seconds (like LHT Performance in Tampa)!

 

Oh yes.
Bring The Pain...and the masses will learn!
Someday our smugness will be revealed as wisdom! When the SUV driving soccer moms are forced to scramble to get a bus pass.

When the earth is wrung of it's last petrol economy sustaining drops of oil...and the Mad Max series of films are studied in Universities, then they shall know the truth!

Oh let them come knocking on our collective doors begging for rides to the Ice Rink. Because only The Smug will survive! To endure the comedic ridicule of Will Ferell, the accusing glances of fellow men who wonder why I would drive a car that is advertised with folk music and felt.

Oh let the pain come...then it shall be payback time!

Yes, I'll give you a ride....but only if you kiss my ring..and only because I cannot refuse a request on this my daughters wedding day.

Prius...it's Latin for "Neener Neener I told ya so!".

 

Bah. I'm waiting for the Volt TBH.