Free Factory Floor Mats, Grid Charger Port, Fully Serviced, Clean Carfax!

Condition: Used
Make: Honda
Model: Insight
Type: Hatchback
Trim: with FREE DELIVERY!
Year: 2001
Mileage: 148,159
VIN: JHMZE13521T001364
Color: Silver
Engine size: 1.0L 3 cylinder
Number of cylinders: 3
Fuel: Hybrid-Electric
Transmission: Manual
Drive type: FWD
Interior color: Gray
Vehicle Title: Clear
Interested? Contact seller!

2001 Honda Insight with FREE DELIVERY! Description

You can get up to four new Bridgestone Potenza RE92 tires (in addition to the four already on the car) and a pair of very hard-to-find factory embroidered and carpeted floor mats with this car absolutely FREE! Save them as replacements, use them on your other Insights or sell them for cash. For details and conditions, see the terms of the offer and the free delivery offer at the end of the listing.

This auction is for a 2001 Honda Insight Hybrid finished in Silverstone Metallic with the two-tone gray and black interior. The Insight is powered by a hybrid gasoline-electric powertrain (hence the name Hybrid) consisting of an all aluminum 1.0 liter 3 cylinder VTEC-E gas engine coupled to a battery powered electric motor known as the Integrated Motor Assist (IMA). Power is then routed to a conventional 5-speed manual transmission that drives the front wheels. This powertrain combined with a light weight body, excellent aerodynamics and numerous gas saving features, allows the Insight to average mpgs in the 60’s in normal driving and over 70 mpg without much effort.

If you are already familiar with the Insight, you may want to skip over the next few paragraphs that give a comprehensive and detailed overview of the car, and go straight to the pictures and description. And it’s best to view the listing on a desktop or laptop computer. A smart phone won’t give you the same details.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE FIRST GENERATION HONDA INSIGHT

A hybrid powertrain combines the best features of two different propulsion systems into one integrated seamless powerplant. An internal combustion engine produces little power and torque at idle and low engine speeds but greater power as the RPMs increase. An electric motor on the other hand puts out its maximum torque at ZERO rpm. What that means is you can utilize the maximum torque output of the electric motor when accelerating from a stop, and the greater power output of the gas engine at higher RPMs for cruising at highway speeds, or any combination of both at speeds in between, to optimize both acceleration and fuel economy. Additional benefits of this system are regenerative braking that makes use of energy that other cars waste while braking and coasting by recharging the battery pack, and engine cut-off at stop lights when other cars are wasting gas idling.

The Insight’s layout consists of a 10-killowatt 22-pound thin electric motor sandwiched between the engine and transmission to boost the car’s performance when needed. During coasting and braking the motor also serves as a generator (a.k.a. regenerative braking) to recharge a 144 volt nickel-metal hydride battery pack located behind the seats. Think of this IMA system as a supercharger that provides additional performance without using much energy, and in fact, because it recovers the Insight’s momentum to recharge the battery pack, it’s more efficient than any supercharger could ever be. The engine doesn’t have an alternator. The IMA keeps the high voltage battery pack charged and an inverter powers most 12 volt electricals including keeping the 12V battery charged, which itself is mainly used just to power up the IMA control modules when you first turn the key.

The other key component of this Insight Hybrid’s powertrain is the 5-speed manual transmission. It uses widely spaced gears for maximizing engine output that provides brisk acceleration from a stoplight, while a high top gear ratio allows for effortless highway cruising. In fact, at 60 mph, the engine is only turning at 2,100 rpm, and at 75 mph just 2,600 rpm which is very low for such a small engine and which contributes to the excellent gas mileage.

The Insight Hybrid has a few other tweaks to save fuel including an extensive use of composite and aluminum body panels and inner structural components, aerodynamic rear wheel fender skirts, smooth profile and light weight aluminum wheels, special tires that reduce rolling resistance, a mini front air dam and rear spoiler along with numerous underbody panels which give the car a drag coefficient of just 0.25 (one of the lowest of any production car), electrically assisted power steering that reduces parasitic losses on the engine, and probably the best feature, an idle shutoff mode called Auto Stop that turns off the engine as you come to a stop and provides you with an eerie silence at most every traffic light. Quite soothing after a long day at the office. The IMA automatically restarts the engine the instant you put the transmission in gear. The IMA starts the engine most of the time, and in fact, you may go for years without ever using the conventional 12 volt starter. About the only time the 12V starter is used is if the IMA battery is discharged from the car sitting a few months.

When you combine all these features with a low curb weight of under 2,000 pounds, the Insight earns an EPA mileage rating of 61/70 MPG city/highway. The highest of any production car out there then, and 16 years later, even now. And those numbers are obtained in a lab under simulated driving conditions. You can do a bit better with just a minor adjustment to your driving style. I’ve been getting about 70 MPG with a combination of highway and around town driving. And if you practice any hypermiling techniques, you can get even higher figures, with some owners reporting continuously breaking the 80 mpg mark and even exceeding the 100 mpg barrier for short distances. (Disclaimer: YOUR MILEAGE MAY VARY.) Combined with the Insight’s 10.6 gallon fuel tank, it’s hard not to get at least 500 or 600 miles between fill-ups.

Not only is the Insight economical to drive, it’s also economical to maintain. Most systems have low or reduced maintenance components. For example, instead of a timing belt that needs periodic replacement, the Insight engine uses a steel timing chain that should last the life of the car. It uses iridium tipped spark plugs with 105,000 mile service intervals, extended life coolant with a 120,000 mile service interval, and a fuel filter that never needs servicing. The oil capacity for the small 1.0 liter engine is just 3 quarts so even full synthetic oil changes are under $30. And the Insight has a Maintenance Required indicator system that illuminates a light on the dash when routine service is due. A car driven primarily on the highway requires less maintenance than one subject to city use with constant stopping and starting.

While the Insight doesn’t cost much to drive or maintain, it’s also well built and very reliable. It’s not unusual to see these cars going strong with mileages over 300,000 miles. There are a few dozen that have topped 400K miles, a handful that hit the half million mile mark and there is reportedly an owner that uses the car in his courier business that has over 600,000 miles. The biggest concern to many new Insight buyers is the battery pack. In reality, there is little reason to worry too much about the battery pack wearing out on an Insight. First of all, unlike other Hybrids like Toyota’s Prius where the battery is integral to the powertrain, such that if it quits the car is undriveable, on the Insight, that is not an issue. The Insight battery pack can be disconnected and the car driven indefinitely in that condition. Remember, the Integrated Motor Assist is just an assist, like a supercharger. In steady highway driving and other driving situations that don’t require lots of power, you would be hard pressed to tell that there was anything unusual if the battery was disconnected, and the gas mileage would be nearly identical as with the battery connected. The only situation where mileage might drop is in city driving where the Auto Stop feature would be disabled, and even then, the reduction in mileage would be minimal. After all, it’s still a 1.0 liter powered sub 2,000 pound aerodynamic car. In fact, it’s quite common for owners of Insights in less than nice condition where it’s not worth spending much money on, i.e., with body damage or other mechanical issues, that have a bad battery pack to just disconnect it instead of spending the money on a new battery pack, and keep driving it like always.

For those that do want to replace the battery pack, there are now aftermarket replacements available that cost much less than a Honda pack. In addition, since it’s not the ENTIRE battery pack that goes bad but individual cells within the pack, you can replace just those bad cells. And this car is equipped with a grid charger port, details of which are mentioned further in the description, which extends battery pack life considerably. As to the battery pack in this car, it’s just a little over 4 years old so it should have plenty of life left.

The first generation Insight was a radical new design for Honda, and one that turns heads going down the road and prompts many questions from passersby as you exit the vehicle. It’s still a fresh design for most people since few have even seen it close up. With only about 4,000 sold the first year (which is about how many Civics are sold in just one week), and a total of 17,000 made for the entire seven year production run from 2000 to 2006, it’s a rare car to see on the road. If you’re tired of driving the same boring cookie cutter designed car that everyone else is driving, this car may be for you. If you are into being green, then besides getting great gas mileage, the Insight is also certified by CARB (California Air Resources Board) to be an Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV). And you don’t give up anything in comfort and room with the Insight. Headroom and legroom is plenty for all but the tallest basketball players and there is no claustrophobic feeling like you get in some other small cars. Driving it is also no different as it accelerates and merges into traffic with ease and keeps up with 75-80 mph highway speeds without breaking a sweat. In many states, the Insight may be eligible for numerous perks such as being able to drive alone in the HOV carpool lanes without a passenger, being exempt from annual emissions inspections, free or reduced parking rates at downtown or airport parking lots, etc. Check your state or local government for more details.

Its exterior style is very unique, combining sleek form with aerodynamic function. From its stylish lines and sweeping curves, it incorporates numerous design elements to create a look that is like no other car on the road. From the slightly bulging headlights up front, to the bright finish aerodynamic profile wheels and fender skirts on the sides, to a roof mounted euro style shorty antenna up top and to a two window rear hatch in the back, it looks futuristic from any angle without being flashy. But if you like high tech design, you will really like the interior. Observe the electroluminescent style instrument cluster with displays for instant, average and long term fuel mileage. Touch the small diameter dimpled grip steering wheel that fits your hands perfectly, and admire the two-tone sport weave fabric on the seats and door panels. Try the buttons and switches and notice the precise soft-touch feel as they are engaged. Not only are the colors elegant but all the textures have a rich feel and look. From the perforations on the steering wheel, the graining pattern on the dash and door panels, or the layout of knobs and switches on the dash, everything looks and feels like it came from a more expensive car.

This Insight is fully equipped with all the desirable safety, comfort and convenience features and equipment including:

1.0 liter 3 cylinder VTEC-E gas engine with Auto Stop mode
Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) electric motor
5-speed manual transmission
Air conditioning with electronic climate control and cabin air filter
Power windows with drivers express down
Power door locks
Factory AM/FM cassette stereo
Eurostyle roof mounted shorty antenna
Remote keyless entry
Reclining bucket seats
Two-tone Sport cloth interior
Passenger seatback storage pocket
Electroluminescent style instrument cluster with tachometer, digital speedometer, and multi-function displays for instant and average fuel mileage, two trip odometers, etc.
Front center console with two cup holders
Rear console with storage bin
12V power outlet
Tinted glass
Clear lens headlights with jewel effect reflectors
Intermittent wipers
Rear window wiper and washer
Dome light with driver and passenger map lights
Dual power body color outside rear view mirrors
Body color door handles
Visor vanity mirror
Remote fuel door release
Engine immobilizer theft deterrent system
Aerodynamic and light weight bright finish aluminum wheels
Locking glovebox
Behind the seats storage pocket net
Cargo area light
Cargo net tie-downs
Child seat strap anchor
Rear window defroster
Rear mini spoiler
Electrically assisted rack and pinion power steering
4 wheel anti-lock brakes
Grid charger harness with extension harness and convenient connection port
Maximum Regeneration/IMA assist off switch

And many more items too numerous to mention.

There are nearly 180 photos ahead and if you don’t have a high speed internet connection and get an “X” where a picture should be you may need to hit the Refresh button a few times. If that still doesn’t work, contact me for a link to see the pictures individually.

CLEAR LENS HEADLIGHTS WITH JEWEL EFFECT REFLECTORS:

BODY COLOR MIRRORS AND DOOR HANDLES:

ROOF MOUNTED EUROSTYLE SHORTY RADIO ANTENNA :

80 MPG FOR OVER 100 MILES:

76 MPG FOR OVER 1,000 MILES:

AUTO STOP INDICATOR LIGHT:

MAXIMUM REGEN/ASSIST OFF MOD SWITCH:

SEATBACK STORAGE POCKET:

BEHIND THE SEAT CARGO ROOM:

REAR STORAGE POCKET NET:

DUAL REAR WINDOWS:

FOUR REAR CARGO TIE DOWN HOOKS:

CHILD SEAT TETHER POINT:

REAR STORAGE COMPARTMENT UNDER LOAD FLOOR:

JACK AND ALL THE TOOLS:

INSULATED HOOD:

The car is in good condition inside and out. It has a nice body with just the normal minor nicks, dings and scratches you would expect on a car of this age and mileage, mostly on the rear bumper. The only exception of note are that the car must have been parked under a tree regularly because there are maybe a dozen spots on the sides where it appears tree sap has etched into the paint. While noticeable, I didn’t think it worthwhile to paint the entire car just for that, as it’s not that significant to me. An hour with a bottle of touchup paint should take care of it. The only other cosmetic issue is a 1”x2” dent on the bottom edge of the right door. The paint itself is beautiful and shiny and this shade of silver metallic just about glows in the sunlight. The paint on the roof, hood and tops of both fenders had lost it’s gloss which is pretty common with this color, so I had those four panels refinished at D & L Auto Body in Rockville MD. In contrast, the front bumper now appears a shade lighter, but the fresh paint should fade over the summer to match. The headliner was dropped in order to remove the roof antenna and rear washer nozzle so there would be no ugly tape paint lines. If you’ve seen other Insight roofs painted by cheaper bodyshops where they will mask a part instead of removing it, and that have paint covering the bottom of the antenna rubber gasket, you will understand why I went to the trouble. The rest of the paint has been cleaned with Meguiar’s Smooth Surface Clay System, polished with Meguiar’s Mirror Glaze cleaner polish and topped off with Meguiar’s Ultimate Synthetic Wax for a high gloss shine. The headlights were detailed with the 3M headlight polishing system for a crystal clear look. All the glass, moldings, trim and emblems are excellent, and of course, I put on a new hood ornament after the hood was painted. I checked the car out top to bottom and found no evidence that is was ever wrecked. In fact, it still has the original VIN stickers on all body panels. Remember, it’s hard enough to find a three year old or 30,000 mile vehicle that hasn’t had at least a fender-bender requiring a bumper, hood or fender to be replaced or repaired, let alone a 10+ year old car with over 100,000 miles on it.

Hood:

Front bumper:

Left fender:

Right fender:

Left door:

Right door:

Left quarter panel:

Right quarter panel:

Rear bumper:

Rear hatch:

In addition, this Insight has all it’s underbody panels installed. If a mechanic forgets to replace a panel after an oil change or you run over a curb and break one off, your gas mileage may suffer as the aerodynamics under a car are just as important as above it. If you are looking at other Insights for sale as well, check underneath and make sure all the following panels are still intact as they are not cheap to replace.

Front aluminum underbody panel:

Front plastic underbody panels:

Rear underbody panels:

Right bumper air deflector:

Left bumper air deflector:

The interior is in great condition as well. It has nice upholstery, dashboard and door panels with no cracks, rips or tears or any significant signs of wear except on the carpet in the drivers footwell. Only some of the light gray fabric shows a little dirt, which is common with this material. The car doesn‘t appear to have been smoked in. In fact, it’s not even equipped with a lighter. The cargo area is nice and the engine compartment has been fully detailed and is clean enough to eat off of.

Mechanically it runs and drives great too. The engine runs strong and feels smooth while accelerating and throughout the cruising range and it starts instantly whether hot or cold. The steering wheel is on dead center going down the road with no shakes or vibrations at speed, the brakes are firm with no pedal pulsations or pulling to one side when stopping and the suspension is tight. The A/C blows ice cold. The only mechanical issues to note are the trip odometer button takes a lot of pressure to activate, and there is some occasional shuddering when backing up. I thought it might be one of the mounts but couldn’t tell just by looking at them, and I can back up without making it shudder so I haven’t looked into it further. The car had its original battery pack but at 15 years of age, it was getting tired. If the car wasn’t driven at least once a week, the IMA light would come on. So I took the battery out of another Insight that had a new replacement Honda IMA battery installed in November 2012, and installed it into this car. CLICK HERE to see the invoice. It has a set of four identical original equipment low rolling resistance Bridgestone Potenza RE92 tires. If you are looking at other Insights for sale as well, make sure they also have these same tires, as any other brand will reduce your gas mileage 5-10 mpg. The front ones have good to very good tread and the rears are fair to good and should go for another 20,000 miles overall. They have been balanced with weights mounted on the inside of the wheel for a super clean look. The spare tire doesn’t look like it has even been used. I drove the car down to Florida and back for over 2,500 miles in December and it ran flawlessly. On the trip back, it got 76 mpg over 1,000 miles, and on one flat stretch it got 80 mpg for over 100 miles. Again, your mileage may vary.

The car was fully checked out and serviced with $2,900 worth of new or recent parts (not including the replacement IMA battery), maintenance and repairs with original Honda or other name brand parts, so that only your enjoyment rather than your immediate attention will be required on delivery. Some of the items checked or serviced include:

New Mobil 1 synthetic 0W-20 oil change
New Honda oil filter
New Honda air filter
New NPN cabin air filter
New throttle body cleaning
Recent Honda PCV valve
New EGR plate cleaning
New Honda EGR plate gasket
New EGR valve cleaning
New Ishino EGR valve gasket
New Honda NGK “B” stamped iridium spark plugs to match B cylinder head
New valve adjustment
New Oshino valve cover gasket
New VTEC solenoid screen cleaning
New Honda Long Life Type 2 (blue) coolant flush with distilled water and change
Recent NAPA upper radiator hose
Recent NAPA lower radiator hose
Recent front stabilizer bar links
Recent Bosch front brake pads
Recent front brake rotors
Recent rear hub and bearings
Recent rear brake shoes
Recent rear brake hardware
Recent rear brake drums
New parking brake adjustment
New Valvoline Synthetic Dot 4 brake fluid flush and change
New Valvoline Synthetic Dot 4 clutch fluid flush and change
New Honda manual transmission fluid change
Recent Interstate 12 volt battery
Newer Honda IMA battery
New Honda engine ground cable
New Honda transmission ground cable
New Honda rear wiper blade
New Honda hood ornament
New Honda rear window decals (all three)
New Honda ULEV quarter window decal
New Honda brake and clutch pedal pads
New Honda drivers seat belt buckle (under warranty)

Photos of some of the parts replaced, checked or serviced:

Parts replaced:

Oil change:

Oil filter:

Air filter:

Cabin air filter:

Throttle body cleaning:

PCV valve:

EGR plate cleaning and gasket:

EGR valve cleaning and gasket:

Spark plugs with the proper amount of anti-seize on the threads:

B stamped plugs to match B cylinder head:

Valve adjustment:

Valve cover gasket:

Engine SUPER CLEAN internally:

VTEC solenoid screen:

Coolant flushed until water is clear from the radiator:

As well as the engine block drain plug:

Upper radiator hose:

Lower radiator hose:

Front brake pads:

Front brake rotors 17 mm new, 15 mm minimum thickness:

Rear brake shoes:

Rear brake hardware:

Rear brake drums:

Rear hub and bearings:

Parking brake adjustment:

Brake fluid flush and change:

Clutch fluid flush and change:

Transmission fluid change:

Transmission ground cable:

Engine ground cable:

Stabilizer link:

And finally, the on-board diagnostics were scanned and show no codes stored, and more important, that all available emissions system readiness monitors have been completed. What that means is the CHECK ENGINE light wasn’t reset in order to turn it off to hide an existing fault. If an emissions component or the IMA battery system has a bad part causing the CHECK ENGINE or IMA light to illuminate, the emissions readiness monitors will be incomplete plus the car won’t pass an emissions inspection. Some sellers will reset the CHECK ENGINE light to make it appear like there are no issues at the time of sale, but the light will come back on shortly afterwards. It can take hundreds of miles for the readiness monitors to run to completion, so the fact that the readiness monitors have been completed indicates the CHECK ENGINE light hasn’t been reset and that at the time the car was scanned, it would pass an emissions inspection. (That isn’t a guaranty that the light won’t come on in the future as a fault can occur at any time without warning, but I have put over 2,500 miles on the car in the last two months without the light coming on, and over 7,000 miles in the last 12 months.

Other than routine oil and filter changes, with all the above mentioned servicing the car has recently received, you should be good to go for another 100,000 miles before requiring major maintenance.

Overall this is a very sharp car that looks great in the Silverstone Silver metallic color. You’re sure to get many questions and complements about it at the mall or supermarket parking lot from total strangers. If you don’t want attention, or if you are the least bit shy, don’t buy this car, I warn you. It’s a one lady owner southern car titled in Virginia all of its life, which probably explains why it’s so clean. CLICK HERE to see the title. Plus it has a clean and clear Carfax. CLICK HERE to see the Carfax.

The car comes with the manuals as shown:

A front license plate bracket if you need it:

And a conveniently located grid charger port (charger NOT included):

A grid charger is a device similar to conventional battery charger that can greatly extend the life of a battery pack in a hybrid vehicle. The battery pack consists of 120 individual 1.2 volt D cell size nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries. Over time, the voltage and capacity of the individual batteries will begin to vary and cause an imbalance that reduces the overall performance of the entire pack. A grid charger can restore the balance by discharging the pack uniformly and then charging it back to it’s maximum potential. And this isn’t something you have to do every day either, it’s like a maintenance item that you can perform every two or three months and can be done overnight. In addition to the grid charger itself, the car needs a harness to connect it to the battery pack. This car has a Genesis One or Hybrid Revolt grid charger harness as well as an extension harness that places the plug-in port at a convenient location at the back of the cargo area. (Grid charger itself not included.) The harness with the extension and the labor to install it, which requires the removal of the battery pack, would cost close to $500. While the harness was made for a Genesis One or Hybid Revolt charger, an adaptor cable can connect most any brand of grid charger, even a homebuilt model, to the car.

Rear structure components:

Battery pack and modules:

Newer IMA battery with 5th character P in serial number indicating 2012 year of production:

Grid charger extension harness:

This car also has the brake and clutch switch modification that lets you get maximum regeneration while coasting without having to step on the brake pedal, and to shut off assist manually. The IMA recharges the battery whenever the car is coasting or you step on the brakes. The amount of regen is greater when you use the brakes and many drivers can achieve maximum regeneration by just lightly stepping on the brake pedal but before there is any actual momentum robbing braking action at the wheels. It can be a fine line between allowing the car to regen with the brake pedal without actually slowing it down by energy wasting braking. The brake switch mod simulates stepping on the brakes but no actual braking action is utilized, by holding down the momentary switch mounted conveniently in the center console where your right hand can rest comfortably on the handbrake. The clutch switch mod shuts off assit from the IMA and can help the engine run smoother and stay in lean burn longer on flat roads, and it can save battery assist for times when you want to use it most. In other words, save up the assist for when you climb a long uphill grade by not using it during moderate hills. Press the switch up for this function and it stays engaged until you turn it off.

I’ve sold four other Insights here in the past two years. Plus with incentives including free delivery, free $400 set of new tires and free factory floor mats as icing on the cake, this is an even better deal than before. I sold this RED 2000 Insight with 203,000 miles for $4,995 with Buy It Now in June 2016 to North Carolina. I sold this BLUE 2002 Insight with 177,000 miles and the less desirable CVT automatic transmission for $5,995 with Buy It Now in March 2016 to Detroit. I sold this RED 2003 Insight CVT which was a previous salvage vehicle for $4,995 in November 2015 to Nebraska. And I sold this WHITE 2002 Insight CVT with over 200,000 miles before the auction ended in May 2015 for $6,295 to Wisconsin.

It’s no secret that Honda lost money on every one of the early Insight models it sold but that was the price to pay for cutting your teeth on the new technology that wouldn’t pay off for years to come. Some have speculated that it cost Honda upwards of $50,000 to build each Insight, while Honda insiders put that figure at under $30K. Regardless, the price new of this Honda Insight was over $20,000! CLICK HERE to see the original price sticker (from an identical 2000 Insight I owned), but because the Insight was a hot new model, most dealers were adding additional market adjustment markups (read rip off), so with tax, title and tags, you were lucky if you got ANY change back from your $25,000 bill!

If you are serious about buying an Insight that is ready to drive, this is about as low as they go in this condition. Sure, you can find many of these cars that look nice and seem like good deals in the $2,000 to $3,000 range, but if after getting it home you have to spend another $5,000 for a battery, transmission, paint and bodywork, upholstery and other common repairs, it’s no bargain. While the four year old IMA battery in this car isn’t brand new, it works great, and the other listings for Insights that have no mention of a battery replacement, or the seller doesn’t know if it was ever replaced, likely still have the original battery. In addition, since this car has a grid charger harness, it’s likely the battery will be in better condition than most. Remember, you can get a great deal on Ebay with prices sometimes way below retail, but no bidder is going to “steal” a vehicle and no seller is going to give one away either. Also when comparing prices to the other Insights listed for sale, remember the things that you won’t have to spend money on, soon after getting it home. With this car you won’t have to spend $3,000 on a new IMA battery, you won’t have to spend $2,500 on a transmission rebuild or $800 for a clutch job, you won’t have to spend $400 on a new set of tires, you won’t have to spend $300 on a complete front brake service, you won’t have to spend $300 on a complete rear brake service, you won’t have to spend $300 on a coolant and brake flush, you won’t have to spend $300 on a valve adjustment, tune-up and filters service and you won’t have to spend $300 on any upcoming scheduled maintenance. With many of the other listings on Ebay, Craigslist or on dealers lots, you’re lucky if they even check the oil before delivery. When comparing this car to the others, also keep in mind that this car was never wrecked, has a clean Carfax, runs great, is fully serviced, hasn’t been smoked in and is clean inside and out.

If you are looking for a nice Insight at a good price, then this car is hard to beat. Also remember that we don’t charge dealer processing fees or document fees that many other listings have for $200 or more and bury in their fine print. And don’t be fooled by some other auctions that are advertised as NO RESERVE and start at $100 or some other low price. Since no dealer is going to risk loosing thousands of dollars if their auction doesn’t bring enough money, you can be pretty sure he has some “people” bidding on it for him. Especially those auctions that are private listings where it says “User ID kept private.”

Gas prices are already back over $2 a gallon in most parts of the country and over $3 in some California stations, and analysts predict it won’t be long before we could see $3 a gallon nationwide, possibly by summer this year. This is in addition to the usual upward rise in car prices during the spring. When that happens, the demand for these cars will skyrocket along with their prices. Back just a few years ago when the AVERAGE national price for gas peaked at over $4, these cars were selling in the $8,000 to $10,000 range in similar condition and mileage. So if you’ve been putting off a car purchase waiting for a better deal to come along, don’t wait much longer as prices won’t be any cheaper than they are right now for these cars if gas prices rise much higher.

TERMS OF THE AUCTION ARE AS FOLLOWS: Since this car may be advertised locally, auction can be canceled at any time (unless auction ended early with BUY IT NOW) due to prior sale without liability to any bidder. A down payment of $500 (plus any additional delivery charge) is required within 3 days of the close of the auction, balance due in cash on delivery or certified funds on delivery if I deliver it or you pick it up, or before it’s dropped off at the transporter if a shipping company is transporting it, but no later than 7 days after the close of the auction without prior agreement. I accept bank or certified checks, money orders, credit cards through PayPal (accepted for down payment only). If paying balance with funds other than cash, buyer to fax copy of monetary instrument no less than 24 hours before picking up vehicle.

The car is sold as is. Buyer is welcome to inspect car BEFORE the end of the auction or to have someone check it out on your behalf provided you authorize whoever is checking the car to provide me with a copy of the results. I have tried to accurately describe this car, both mechanically and cosmetically but you can expect a certain amount of minor flaws on ANY used car including squeaks, rattles, drips, nicks, chips, scratches, blemishes and any other marks that are consistent with the age and mileage of the vehicle. There is no possible way to include all minute details and imperfections, however, I believe my listing accurately depicts this vehicle and if there are any issues they are noted in the description. Also remember that a vehicle is made up of thousands of mechanical parts and components and in an older or higher mileage used vehicle a part that is working fine now may go bad the next day, in a week, or a month from now. It’s nearly impossible to tell when a particular part or component will fail as most don’t exhibit prior symptoms, however, proper preventative maintenance as this car has received, can prevent most problems or breakdowns from happening.

In fairness to all bidders the reserve price will not be disclosed so please don’t even ask.

Buyer responsible for transportation and car must be paid for in full before it can be released. May deliver. Email or call for delivery quote or for any other questions. atikovi@email.com Maryland and District of Columbia dealer. Phone 202-246-5201. Please do not bid if you don’t intend to buy.

FREE DELIVERY TERMS: Free delivery within 500 miles of the Washington DC area if bidder purchases vehicle with Buy It Now. (35 cents per mile for additional miles as shown in MapQuest.com from zip code 20001 to your address.) That is still the same rate as when I started on Ebay 16 years ago. Remember, the Buy It Now option disappears once the reserve price is met. The Buy It Now price is $4,995.

AUCTION ENDS: 11:00pm sharp, EASTERN TIME Monday February 27th unless Buy It Now is used.

SPECIAL OFFER FOR QUICK SALE: DOUBLE THE FREE DELIVERY RANGE: Use Buy It Now before the halfway point in the auction, 11:00pm EASTERN TIME Wednesday February 22nd and I will double the free delivery miles to 1,000 miles total.

SPECIAL OFFER FOR FREE BRIDGESTONE RE92 TIRES AND FLOOR MATS: Use Buy It Now and I will throw in two new Bridgestone RE92 tires. Use Buy It Now before the halfway point in the auction, 11:00pm EASTERN TIME Wednesday February 22nd and I will throw in a total of four of these tires AND a pair of excellent floor mats I’ve been saving.

More Honda classic cars for sale