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An Insight into a Honda Insight.

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 12:47 pm
by retepsnikrep
An Insight into the Honda Insight. (Possible article for BVS magazine, comments welcome) :)

As many of you reading this will know I am an avid EV fan, with a passion for electronic and mechanical tinkering built up over 40 years (I am 45 now). I have built three road going EV’s and several electric bikes over the last 20 years, my latest creation, “Solarvanâ€Â

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 10:15 pm
by MB
What a fantastic review, and I'm quite envious of you!

If only it was a four seater - or at least a 2+2. With a young family to cart around, a two seater just wouldn't work for me.

It might have been justifiable when I was commuting 200 miles a day, but as of Tuesday I move to a village just outside Coventry, and my new commute will be done either on bike, on a G-Wiz or perhaps a new electric cycle.

But thank you for the interesting review - as I said, I'm quite envious!

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 10:43 pm
by ChrisB
As with Mike a cracking reveiw there Peter, and I think worthy of the going into the next Plugged In Mag in my view for those that dont have Interweb access.

ChrisB

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 6:48 am
by aminorjourney
Yes! I love it!

I'm not sure it will fit in the September/October mag- but certainly in the winter one? :)

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 6:31 pm
by Tam
Are there any Insigtht owners here in the South-East?? Now I've seen this article it's top of my shopping list, and I'd really like to see one "in the flesh".

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 6:49 pm
by qdos
Tam wrote:Are there any Insight owners here in the South-East?? Now I've seen this article it's top of my shopping list, and I'd really like to see one "in the flesh".


Yes Chris Thomas of RUM Car came and met up with us on The London to Brighton. I've driven his Insight and I must confess I didn't realise it could do that many mpgs otherwise I'd have gone and got one too instead of my Primera! I'm sure he'd be happy to talk to you about them.

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 9:14 pm
by floydster
Don't know much about the Insight but after reading your post the there's no comparison between the Prius and the Honda.

Great post.

Floydster

Granny Mode

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 9:28 pm
by retepsnikrep
Remember you have to drive verryyyyy carefully at low speed about 40-55mph to get my sort of mpg consistently, it's quite an art. A more realistic mpg for a "Normal" driver at "Normal" speeds would be 75-85mpg in an unmodified manual car. (The CVT version does about 10mpg less)

However on a decent run at 50-55mph in good warm weather on flatish roads an unmodified manual car is still capable of over 100mpg :)

The gain to be had from minor mods can be totted up as follows.

1) Slow down by 10mph = +10mpg :D (Everyone should do this IMHO)
2) Add radiator block even in summer = +5mpg :)
3) Pump up tyres to 50psi = +5mpg :)
4) Add hot air intake = +2mpg :)
5) Add MIMA Computer = +5-10mpg :D
6) Add thermos coolant storage system = unknown, bit's are on my bench :P

Peter

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 9:30 pm
by qdos
So you're really talking just a load of hot air then ! :wink:

It helps.

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 9:35 pm
by retepsnikrep
Hot air certainly helps!!! LOL :wink: