Mk1 Honda Insight

[ChocolateFrog]

DonaldTrump said:

Thinking this is very much a marmite car. For me it's a no, not criticising your preference just not for me. Hope you enjoy it

You're probably right you either get them or you don't, if you have to ask you probably dont get it.

[Jimmy Recard]

Cool. I really didn't like these when they were new but they've grown on me. I think I get them now!

Honda worked out what I'd want twenty years before I did

[Hrimfaxi]

I must admit, I do like the CRX-ish rear end - just a bit rounder.

[Mr Tidy]

poing said:

I've always liked these for the quirky nature, the thing that always worried me was the early use of the technology but from what I can tell there are no really horror stories. Honda have always been good at this kind of engineering and managing to get it right first time.

I'm not sure Fernando Alonso would agree with you.

I have to agree that there is something special about these first Insights - for some reason I can see them as an ideal car to pootle about in when I am no longer in a hurry to get anywhere!

[Xaero]

I've always admired the engineering in these, but being a 2 seater stops me from buying one really. If it was a 4 seater Honda may have been more competitive with the Prius which walked away with the hybrid cars market.

[peterperkins]

Insightcentral is the resource for all things Insight and most UK owners are on there.

We have a UK FB page.. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1644633919112993/

There are a few other limited UK Insight websites about, but insight central has such a big archive of material it's the fall back/default.

[xjay1337]

ChocolateFrog said:

It's been a while since I polished a car, love a good bead.

Looking at those swirls, I wouldn't say polished at all!

Very interesting car, I've always liked proper eco hybrids, I wanted a Hyundai Ioniq but got messed around so that was a no go.

Glad to hear the economy on this is good!

[AWG]

How was the interior?

[Blackpuddin]

Ran one of these for a while back in the day, loved its concept-car feel and excellent cockpit, less keen on the hard, short-travel suspension (which meant hardly any grip).

[ChocolateFrog]

xjay1337 said:

Looking at those swirls, I wouldn't say polished at all!

Very interesting car, I've always liked proper eco hybrids, I wanted a Hyundai Ioniq but got messed around so that was a no go.

Glad to hear the economy on this is good!

Well the paints 18 years old and possibly never been polished, feel free to come round and do a better job! Or keep trolling the various threads you inhabit.

[ChocolateFrog]

First trip to Honda with a list of bits I wanted, couldn't get the correct 'B' spark plugs as they said they're discontinued. You can get them in the states so once I've found a supplier that charges a reasonable postage I'll get them ordered.

Ouch


The A.C. has that characteristic slight mouldy smell so while waiting for parts to arrive I thought I'd give it the anti-mould/fungus treatment.

Went to remove the old cabin filter to find the dash plastic cross-member still in place. Unless you remove the entire dash this has to be cut out to remove the filter. A certain Honda dealer has been charging for work it hasn't done, naming no names.

This is the piece and below you can see the perforations where Honda suggest you cut it.

[ChocolateFrog]

AWG said:

How was the interior?

Pretty good on the whole. Bizarrely only has a passenger floor mat (genuine) and a house door mat under the pedals. Typically they're another discontinued item so will make templates and get some made up.

Velcro was superglued onto the dash, very annoying, going to try gently soaking it off before resorting to acetone.

What's left after a quick clean



I not anti VAG, I have one, but they could learn a thing or two about actual quality over perceived quality. The buttons for the HVAC are immaculate, but would obviously be dismissed as not soft touch by the journos.

[JonnyVTEC]

Mine at 130k has the same classic untouched pollen filter, I had to break the dashmoulding virginity

[TR4man]

I love the quirkyness of them when so many modern cars are similar looking.

Looking at the last photo - did it have satnav as standard or as an option? That must have been quite something at the time.

[ChocolateFrog]

And this is what 18 years of filtered air looks like. There's probably a bit of Japan in that lot.

[xjay1337]

ChocolateFrog said:

Well the paints 18 years old and possibly never been polished, feel free to come round and do a better job! Or keep trolling the various threads you inhabit.

If you want to pay me, sure

I was just confused, you posted a picture of a DA so assumed you had polished it combined with your post and I noticed some swirls.

Hardly trolling is it especially combined with the rest of my post???

[ChocolateFrog]

Rear wiper deleted. Not only does it spoil the look off the rear end it's pretty ineffective too. The slope of the bootline draws the water off well enough.

Before



During





After





About 15 mins and £1.29.

I'll keep the bits so it can be reversed in the future should the next owner, if there is one, want to.

[JonnyVTEC]

I suppose with a nice coating the wiper function is soon defunct. How much weight do you think it's took off?

Tempted to get the OEM badges back on the boot?

[ChocolateFrog]

JonnyVTEC said:

I suppose with a nice coating the wiper function is soon defunct. How much weight do you think it's took off?

Tempted to get the OEM badges back on the boot?

Not a huge amount, just over a kilo according to my scales. It's got some Rain-x type coating on it so the water beads off quite well.

I removed the rear badges as they were a bit tatty, I've got a new badge for the front on order, see invoice above, estimated delivery is October though. I quite like the clean look but will probably get new ones for originality, or maybe a PH sticker.

[AmitG]

For such an old car I'm surprised that the Honda main dealers are still able to supply so many of the parts.