What do you do when you don't like your appliance (Honda Insight)

Bobzilla wrote: And for people that like city/suburbia life, that's great. But guess what? You're opinion is just that. It's YOUR opinion. Us rural dwellers, we'd spend 3 hours EACH WAY in our cars to keep our way of life. There's nothing in the world that could get us to move back into the city. F that. I did the numbers some time back on the Accent the wife put a bajillion miles on driving for work, grad classes etc. It worked out to ~$.03 per mile of ownership spread out over 6 years in cluding maintenance, repairs, purchase, license and insurance. She put over 130k miles on that car in 6 years. That's just under $4k for 6 years of ownership allowing us to live in a nice quiet, rural setting. You'll drag me into another sub-division/town about the time my heart stops beating. What's funny, this didn't even count the money we made back when we sold it. That would only drive the CoO even lower. EDIT: OK, to be fair, adding in fuel bumps that total to $.11 a mile, the selling price recouped brings it back down to $.09/mile (total expenditure ~$11,700). So I'm not sure how one gets from 9 CENTS per mile to $170 per mile. Sounds like some funky math to me. Is this the math that they used to figure the ACA wouldn't cost us anything?

Calm your tits, Bob, obviously what I said is my opinion. I think that most people with long commutes don't do the math on what it really costs them, most people are terrible at numbers. Just like you can't make the leap from x/mile to y/year without getting confused.

I like people and I enjoy doing things other than sitting in the car. Just today, in addition to putting in 8 hours at work, I found time to exercise, eat dinner with my parents, play video games and drink beer with a friend, hang out with my wife, and even mow my lawn. I don't see how I would enjoy leaving home before dawn, sitting in a car, working, sitting in the car some more, then getting home after dark and going to bed, better than what I've got. Seems to me it's just perpetuating the self-destructive "live to work, work to live" attitude that too many of us have.

Too slow? Downshift and hit the go pedal. Too boring at cruise speed? They are all the same at cruise speed!!! Not enough action in the twisties? You're not trying hard enough!

I really miss my Insight. I've been on the hunt for a citrus green one for a while. Someday I'll have another!

Bryce

dculberson wrote: I don't see how I would enjoy leaving home before dawn, sitting in a car, working, sitting in the car some more, then getting home after dark and going to bed, better than what I've got. Seems to me it's just perpetuating the self-destructive "live to work, work to live" attitude that too many of us have.

And you wonder why people get a little cranky with your post? Just because you can't see it doesn't mean that NO ONE can see it. I still get home in plenty of time through the week to mow (I put in 9 hours of working plus an hour lunch, so 10 hours at work) my 2+ acres. I don't have to deal with the destructive kids two houses down, or wonder every time a car door shuts if they're actually at my house. No association dues (that I'm sure you don't calculate into your numbers), no higher tax rates (also not calculated) and more freedom to do what I want and not bother anyone around me.

OOOOOKKKKAAAYYYY everyone. Deep breath time.

Peace and Love man. Everybody is different and that is ALRIGHT!

I don't feel like adding one of my threads to the "Locked" list.

In reply to Nashco:

Yeah, the problem is that I am trying to drive somewhat responsibly too. Maybe I should abandon that and not worry about mpgs. I literally can't get a better car for mileage than this for the money so driving the wheels off won't do that much harm.

I have gotten the OK from SWMBO to upgrade seats and such so that is definitely the next step.

The drive isn't bad when the stereo is good and the seats are comfy/supportive. But you have to enjoy that type of thing (ex-music major here so ... yeah). If the only thing you enjoy about being in a car is getting out of it, EVERY drive will suck.

infinity speakers, a small 8 inch sub, plenty of wattage to drive it, and a good adjustablly head unit will make any drive suck less....

I already upgraded to some Rockford Fosgate components with external crossovers and an infinity head unit amp (not head unit) that I pipe a BT receiver directly into. It "works" but I am going to add a 6.5" sub (I know, laughable) from Parts Express and put a real head unit in front of the Infinity amp.

Suggests for an inexpensive headunit (single DIN) that has a rear 3.5mm input (RCA will work with adapters) and two decent outputs with the option to add a sub channel later? I already have a pretty nice BT receiver that I want to keep and have routed behind the dash with the control but on the steering column.

In reply to Bobzilla:

I got home last night and went from the Insight to my wife's 9-3 Sportcombi and it was like getting off of a slightly padded brick and into a lazy boy. These seats are getting pulled ASAP and I am going to be looking for a new (to me) set of Buick/BMW/Merc/Jag/Lincoln seats.

Bobzilla wrote: And you wonder why people get a little cranky with your post? Just because you can't see it doesn't mean that NO ONE can see it. I still get home in plenty of time through the week to mow (I put in 9 hours of working plus an hour lunch, so 10 hours at work) my 2+ acres. I don't have to deal with the destructive kids two houses down, or wonder every time a car door shuts if they're actually at my house. No association dues (that I'm sure you don't calculate into your numbers), no higher tax rates (also not calculated) and more freedom to do what I want and not bother anyone around me.

I'm not sure why you're cranky unless my points hit a tender spot or something. I'm telling you how I like things, you tell me how you like them, we're both happy so why get upset?

In reply to dculberson:

BECAUSE INTERNET!!!!!

BLAAAA NO WAY

In response to what you should do with your car, I say stick with it for a bit. I always get antsy and start to give up on a car but once I spend some time wrenching on it I find a new love for it. Spend a bit of money and time working on the Insight and maybe its quirks will be less hateful to you.

I think fixing the seats and stereo and adding some sound deadening will help tons. I just need to find some good seats that don't cost an arm and a leg.

Too slow? Downshift and hit the go pedal. Too boring at cruise speed? They are all the same at cruise speed!!! Not enough action in the twisties? You're not trying hard enough!

You know, i was actually thinking about this last night and your post reminded me to bring this up..

Singleslammer, how ARE you driving it? When i first got my insight, i was pretty annoyed with it, but i learned how to drive it differently and felt a lot better about it.

SO: Dont worry about breaking it. It won't break. Rev limiter is around 6500 rpm.

Because of the inverted powerbands of the gas and electric powerplants, the overall powerband is actually completely flat from 3-6k rpm. This makes it very anticlimactic to ride the gears higher up into the rpm, but you have to remember that even if it doesnt feel like power is CLIMBING, you still have more power to the ground at higher rpm in a lower gear than lower rpm in a higher gear because of the lower torque multiplication of higher gears. So use more rpm!

2nd gear hits the rev limiter at ~72mph, 3rd gear goes to top speed, ~110mph.

So if you are trying to accelerate hard on the highway from 65+, ALWAYS go to 3rd and stay there until you're done. Forget about 4th! If you're speeding up from below 60 and not happy with 3rd, go back to 2nd!

The thing i was doing wrong right off the bat was using 4th on the highway. After i learned to use 3rd for all high speed acceleration, i liked the car much more!

Also, i LIKE Insight seats (body shape?) and would like some more! If you ever find yourself driving to Texas i would be happy to meet up with you with that GM transmission if you want it.

dculberson wrote:

Bobzilla wrote: And for people that like city/suburbia life, that's great. But guess what? You're opinion is just that. It's YOUR opinion. Us rural dwellers, we'd spend 3 hours EACH WAY in our cars to keep our way of life. There's nothing in the world that could get us to move back into the city. F that. I did the numbers some time back on the Accent the wife put a bajillion miles on driving for work, grad classes etc. It worked out to ~$.03 per mile of ownership spread out over 6 years in cluding maintenance, repairs, purchase, license and insurance. She put over 130k miles on that car in 6 years. That's just under $4k for 6 years of ownership allowing us to live in a nice quiet, rural setting. You'll drag me into another sub-division/town about the time my heart stops beating. What's funny, this didn't even count the money we made back when we sold it. That would only drive the CoO even lower. EDIT: OK, to be fair, adding in fuel bumps that total to $.11 a mile, the selling price recouped brings it back down to $.09/mile (total expenditure ~$11,700). So I'm not sure how one gets from 9 CENTS per mile to $170 per mile. Sounds like some funky math to me. Is this the math that they used to figure the ACA wouldn't cost us anything?

Calm your tits, Bob, obviously what I said is my opinion. I think that most people with long commutes don't do the math on what it really costs them, most people are terrible at numbers. Just like you can't make the leap from x/mile to y/year without getting confused. I like people and I enjoy doing things other than sitting in the car. Just today, in addition to putting in 8 hours at work, I found time to exercise, eat dinner with my parents, play video games and drink beer with a friend, hang out with my wife, and even mow my lawn. I don't see how I would enjoy leaving home before dawn, sitting in a car, working, sitting in the car some more, then getting home after dark and going to bed, better than what I've got. Seems to me it's just perpetuating the self-destructive "live to work, work to live" attitude that too many of us have.

Your view towards commuters seems to be geared towards one extreme.

I timed my 36 mile commute this morning and, believe it or not I actually left while it was light out, then took 32 minutes to get to work on my k1300s. Now I'm not a 5 over kind of guy like some of the ones in another current thread, but whatever, sometimes it take longer and sometimes it doesn't. I'll work 8-9 hours and leave while, and this may blow your mind, it's still daylight out. I'll get home, play with our cats and dogs, go out to my shop which also has my home gym and exercise, work on projects, watch tv while doing the other stuff etc. Sometimes I'll get my dirtbike out and ride in our back property, maybe do some target shooting, what the dogs run around...whatever, then I'll go in and eat dinner, spend time with the wife, watch TV, and maybe after she goes to bed play a little GTAv.

Cotton wrote: Your view towards commuters seems to be geared towards one extreme. I timed my 36 mile commute this morning and, believe it or not I actually left while it was light out, then took 32 minutes to get to work on my k1300s. Now I'm not a 5 over kind of guy like some of the ones in another current thread, but whatever, sometimes it take longer and sometimes it doesn't. I'll work 8-9 hours and leave while, and this may blow your mind, it's still daylight out. I'll get home, play with our cats and dogs, go out to my shop which also has my home gym and exercise, work on projects, watch tv while doing the other stuff etc. Sometimes I'll get my dirtbike out and ride in our back property, maybe do some target shooting, what the dogs run around...whatever, then I'll go in and eat dinner, spend time with the wife, watch TV, and maybe after she goes to bed play a little GTAv.

I'm sure, my views are my own as I've said.

My initial (and really subsequent) comments were geared toward someone that specifically said 3 hour commute. To put in an 8 hour day and spend 1.5 hours on each side of it means you'd be leaving home and arriving home in the dark much of the year.

In reply to Vigo:

I like the seats too if I didn't have to spend 3 hours a day in them. They are going into the Starlet once it is back together so sorry, they are sticking around.

However, I am going to a wedding in TX on the 7th in Fort Worth. Not too close to San Antonio. If you want to drive most of the way across TX I would totally meet up for a beer.

singleslammer wrote: In reply to Bobzilla: I got home last night and went from the Insight to my wife's 9-3 Sportcombi and it was like getting off of a slightly padded brick and into a lazy boy. These seats are getting pulled ASAP and I am going to be looking for a new (to me) set of Buick/BMW/Merc/Jag/Lincoln seats.

I'd look to buick couches. The MOST comfy seats I've ever spent any time in are the GMT800 cloth truck seats. Dude.... they hold up well, and your butt never gets tired. If I could put them in anything I drove long distance I would.

dculberson wrote:

Bobzilla wrote: And you wonder why people get a little cranky with your post? Just because you can't see it doesn't mean that NO ONE can see it. I still get home in plenty of time through the week to mow (I put in 9 hours of working plus an hour lunch, so 10 hours at work) my 2+ acres. I don't have to deal with the destructive kids two houses down, or wonder every time a car door shuts if they're actually at my house. No association dues (that I'm sure you don't calculate into your numbers), no higher tax rates (also not calculated) and more freedom to do what I want and not bother anyone around me.

I'm not sure why you're cranky unless my points hit a tender spot or something. I'm telling you how I like things, you tell me how you like them, we're both happy so why get upset?

Mostly because you're acting like anyone that commutes is an idiot and sane people live in town. Your opinion is the RIGHT opinion and anyone else be damned.

Bobzilla wrote: Mostly because you're acting like anyone that commutes is an idiot and sane people live in town. Your opinion is the RIGHT opinion and anyone else be damned.

I think you read too much into my posts. Stick to what I've actually written, not what you think is there.

dculberson wrote:

Bobzilla wrote: Mostly because you're acting like anyone that commutes is an idiot and sane people live in town. Your opinion is the RIGHT opinion and anyone else be damned.

I think you read too much into my posts. Stick to what I've actually written, not what you think is there.

Check.

dculberson wrote: I like people and I enjoy doing things other than sitting in the car.

So are you saying those that commute distance of any sort don't?

dculberson wrote: Just today, in addition to putting in 8 hours at work, I found time to exercise, eat dinner with my parents, play video games and drink beer with a friend, hang out with my wife, and even mow my lawn.

So you're saying no one that commutes can do those things? If that's not what you're saying what ARE you saying? I commute, as does the wife, and we do those same things through the week (minus the parent thing, hers are 1800 miles away).

dculberson wrote: I don't see how I would enjoy leaving home before dawn, sitting in a car, working, sitting in the car some more, then getting home after dark and going to bed, better than what I've got.

That's you. Great. That's not the rest of us. We want to go home to our quiet, rural life and enjoy the low (read: non-existant) crime rates, even lower taxes and the sense of community you get when you know that not only are you looking out for your neighbors, they are doing the same for you.

dculberson wrote: Seems to me it's just perpetuating the self-destructive "live to work, work to live" attitude that too many of us have.

Not at all. Just because we choose to not live in suburgatory or inner city doesn't mean we only live to work. In fact, it's more likely the opposite. We go to our jobs so that we can come home to the quiet and peace we have. We have to work harder to have our little slice of heaven.

There. Better?

Bobzilla wrote:

dculberson wrote:

Bobzilla wrote: Mostly because you're acting like anyone that commutes is an idiot and sane people live in town. Your opinion is the RIGHT opinion and anyone else be damned.

I think you read too much into my posts. Stick to what I've actually written, not what you think is there.

Check.

dculberson wrote: I like people and I enjoy doing things other than sitting in the car.

So are you saying those that commute distance of any sort don't?

Funny enough, I never said that. 8 hour work +3 hours commute = 12 hours work per day 5 days a week. Add in breakfast, dinner, and sleep, and it doesn't leave much time for anything else does it?

Bobzilla wrote: So you're saying no one that commutes can do those things? If that's not what you're saying what ARE you saying? I commute, as does the wife, and we do those same things through the week (minus the parent thing, hers are 1800 miles away).

Obviously not all in one day if you're spending 3 hours a day in the car. But you're not - and you're not the person that I was thinking of with my initial post.

Bobzilla wrote: That's you. Great. That's not the rest of us. We want to go home to our quiet, rural life and enjoy the low (read: non-existant) crime rates, even lower taxes and the sense of community you get when you know that not only are you looking out for your neighbors, they are doing the same for you.

"Non-existent" crime does not exist. I know plenty of rural people that have had their houses broken into and cleaned out, their barns burned down, their motorcycle stolen, etc. (separate incidents) And my very safe neighborhood has many wonderful people in it also keeping their eye out for each other. I'm not sure why it wouldn't, most people are good and will do that. I know a dozen or more of my neighbors by name and we go to each other's cookouts, etc.

Bobzilla wrote: Not at all. Just because we choose to not live in suburgatory or inner city doesn't mean we only live to work. In fact, it's more likely the opposite. We go to our jobs so that we can come home to the quiet and peace we have. We have to work harder to have our little slice of heaven. There. Better?

Better, yes, but you manage to put in "suburgatory" which could be insulting to someone that lives in the suburbs. It doesn't bother me but if I wanted to be thin-skinned like you I might go on about it.

You did somehow manage to find that I never called anyone an idiot or even implied that they were. Everyone can only speak to their own level of experience in life and for me I think spending 3 hours in the car each day would detract from my enjoyment of life. If you need disclaimers on everything someone says that it's their opinion to keep from taking offense, maybe you also need a warning that a cup of coffee is hot.

Some threads remind me of the time a group of us were on a ski trip, and one night someone pulled out the board game "Risk." It was like watching a train wreck, even after telling them that there was still time to quit before they all ended up hating each other, sure enough...

I understand what you mean....

True enough. I will stop crapping up your Insight thread, sorry about that.