I've actually considered these but I rarely see one for sale on the autotrader and I don't think I could get one for under $6k. They look like fun to me.

 

The Insight has a definite break in period that lasts several thousand miles. In addition the engine is built very tightly with a tonne of special coatings. Couple that with an inexperienced driver that has not yet been trained by the car and you end up with poor mileage. So it was not actually a technical problem, but a driver issue. It takes skill to drive an Insight the way it is supposed to be driven, but luckily the dash gauges will train a person and in a few weeks they should be getting decent mileage. Some refuse to learn, others enjoy the challenge of getting every last fractional MPG out of the car.

The only real downside of the car is that parts are very exotic and expensive, and that the dealer won't be much support.

 

Well as an update here is what I picked up:

1994 Mazda B3000, 114k, Auto, brown/tan with a white fibreline cap. One owner, an older gentlemen since new. Newer rad, brakes, power steering lines, and some other stuff. Excellent condition, a bit of surface rust from where the door cap opens and a tiny bit on the fender which hasn't broken past the bubbling stage but other then that seems pretty good to me.

 

Girlfriend and I share a '02 Protege LX , sport suspension package with some ASA alloys and yokohama summer tires that look pretty good and stock rims / hubcpas with goodyear snows for the winter . Its a four door economy car but still a nice handling car, definately some "zoom zoom" appeal .

We also have a '94 Jeep Grand Cherokee that just clicked 333,333.3 km on the odometer on the way back from the lake on the weekend . Not great on gas but has been trouble free and a functional stuff hauler since I bought it with 225,000 km four years ago. May trade in soon and get a newer Ford Escape or GMC Canyon truck .

 

I just picked up a 1999.5 pathfinder SE two owner with only 70 k on it. Not great on gas but no different than my GSL SE.

The 7 is in storage now and will probably stay there for a couple of years until I have the time to enjoy her more.

If anyone is going to be a used or new car, buy in the states. Our car prices or bull **** up here.

I just got my wife a new 2007 santa fe limited awd for $26,807 usd. That truck retails for $36,000 in Canada. The importing process is quite simple. Plus taxes etc. All said and done I saved over $8,000 buying the car in Buffallo (that includes talking the canadian dealer down to about $33,000). And the warrenty is good for north america.

Used car prices are even cheaper, just watch out for water damaged vehicles from the sout.

Bring on the snow!

 

Yeah, Im looking at buying a new econo-box from the states for the wife, in the flavour of a Swift or Versa or somesuch. You literally save $5000 before you even negotiate.