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You are bidding on a two-door 2003 Honda Insight hatchback that has approximately 73,056 miles on it (see picture of odometer) with a recently replaced IMA battery. The car features an upgraded sound system, including a limited edition custom-made subwoofer designed specifically for this model of Honda Insight. Except for ordinary wear and tear, and a few bumps and scratches, the car is in very good condition, with a clean interior and exterior, as shown in the pictures of this listing.

I am the original owner and bought it from the Honda dealership in San Francisco in 2003. Maintenance has been performed exclusively at Honda dealerships in Hollywood and North Hollywood. Most of my driving has been back and forth from work on local roads which is why the mileage is so low. My wife and I are starting a family and I am selling the car because I need a four-door with more space room for babies, pets and stuff.

This is a first generation hybrid that has obtained a lifetime average miles per gallon rating of 39.9 mpg (see picture). It is a Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (SULEV) and includes a regenerative braking system and other features to maximize its fuel economy. Were it not for years of bumper-to-bumper commutes in Los Angeles, the fuel efficiency might be even higher. On highways and road trips, the fuel economy hits 60 miles per gallon.

Included with the car are three keys, one of which is new and has yet to be programmed by the dealership, plus a valet key and two original keyless entry fobs (never used or tested).

NOTE: The picture of the driver's seat is washed out due to the Southern California sun. Without the glare of the sun, the driver's seat looks the same as passenger's seat (see picture). Apologies for the bad picture.

TERMS OF SALE
The car is being sold AS-IS, with all faults, including but not limited to those described herein, as well as any other faults or defects, whether or not presently known or discoverable with or without inspection and operation of the vehicle. Should the motor vehicle be found defective following its purchase, the buyer is fully responsible for any and all servicing, repair and all other expenses. I hereby disclaim any and all representations and warranties in connection with this sale, expressed or implied.

The car is being sold WHERE-IS. The car is located in North Hollywood, California and the buyer assumes all responsibility and costs for pick-up in North Hollywood from my home. I will cooperate with you in your efforts to have it shipped anywhere in the Continental US at your expense.

Buyer is required to pay the sales tax on the winning bid amount to their respective county and state they reside in. You will also be required to pay the registration, transfer fees and other DMV fees whatever they may be.

Payment criteria is a $500.00 deposit upon winning the auction (within 2 days) via PayPal with the balance to be paid by certified bank check within 7 days following the deposit. The sale will be final with no refunds. Payment in full must be received and cleared by my bank before I make the vehicle available for pick-up.

You can reach me at 510-393-2781 with questions from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. PST. I cannot allow test drives but you may request to schedule an appointment for inspection in North Hollywood during the bidding time period (keeping in mind that I have a day job).

VEHICLE DETAILS, SPECIFICATIONS AND ADDITIONAL PICTURES

The remainder of this listing provides details about (1) the recently replaced IMA battery, (2) the upgraded sound system and (3) additional pictures.

RECENTLY REPLACED HYBRID BATTERY
The main battery pack for the Honda Insight hybrid system was replaced with a new battery on November 12, 2010 at the North Hollywood Honda dealership. I can produce maintenance records to confirm that, if requested by buyer.

UPGRADED SOUND SYSTEM
The vehicle includes an aftermarket sound system installed by professional audio experts. I upgraded the speakers, added an amplifier and installed a custom-made subwoofer. In 2011, I installed a modern stereo/CD player that integrates with iPhone/iPad for hands-free phone use, playing music and turn by turn directions with Siri.

Speakers
I replaced the two factory speakers with a MB Quart QSC 213 Q-Series 5-1/4" Component System which includes two additional tweeter speakers that are installed in the driver and passenger doors. Pictures of the tweeters are included with this listing. The upgraded speakers fit under the speaker cover of the factory speakers without changing the look of the door (except for the small tweeters).

Amplifier
As part of the upgrade, I added a JL Audio Slash Series 300/4 75W amplifier to power the sound system.

Stereo/CD Player/Bluetooth
In 2011, the Insight was broken into and the stereo was stolen. I replaced it with a updated Kenwood KDC-X995 eXcelon In-Dash USB/CD Receiver. The stereo plays CDs; permits hands-free phone use with Bluetooth; integrates well with iOS and Siri (music, turn by turn directions, dictation to Siri, Siri reads text messages, etc.); and features Pandora and HD Radio. Some features require a smart phone which doesn't come with the car.

Custom "Shoebox” Subwoofer (Pictured)
The crown jewel of the upgraded sound system is a custom-made subwoofer that was designed and made by Honda Insight enthusiasts specifically for this generation of the Honda Insight. The Japanese model of the 2003 Insight had a navigation computer option. That option was not available in the U.S. version of the car but the cavity for the nav-computer is still there. The subwoofer takes up NONE of the precious cargo space because it occupies the nav-computer cavity. It is in the back of the car to the right of the small "trunk space" on the other side of the liner for the storage space. See the shoebox sub picture. Feel free to do Internet searches for "shoebox sub" and "Honda Insight". You will find that an enthusiast named John Wayland made a limited run of Shoebox Subs that fit in the cavity left for the missing navigation computer. This car has one of those subwoofers!

I'm no audiophile or expert but the upgraded speakers and custom sub give a very rich sound without taking away from the cargo space of the car.

ADDITIONAL PICTURES

DISCLOSURES

In 2011, the car was broken into. In the process of trying to take the stereo, the thieves destroyed some components of the dash. I had those components replaced with new parts at the dealership. And it was a good excuse to replace the stolen stereo with a new and better model (see upgraded sound system section above).

When the car was broken into, the front VIN plate was either stolen or not replaced by dealership when they replaced the dash components. So the car is missing the VIN plate on the front window (all other VIN stickers and engravings are on the vehicle). The California Highway Patrol has verified that the VIN number for the vehicle is correct and valid and I will provide the original signatures and documentation from CHP to the buyer together with the title.

The car has a slight dent on the right side above the rear wheel cover (pictured). There are some paint chips on the door frame from getting in and out of the car. The vehicle has other ordinary wear and tear which I have tried to show in the pictures.

The AC works very well but it has an odd glitch where the fan will on occasional stop blowing. The AC continues to cool but the fan does not blow. The Honda dealership was unable to determine the cause. In any event -- and this is NOT a joke -- if I bang on the dashboard above the AC control panel, the fan usually starts blowing again. If that doesn't work, hitting a pothole or any real bump in the road fixes the issue. I gave up trying to get the dealership to figure it out because I have a practical work around. It has worked every time.

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2003 Honda Insight With Custom Subwoofer And Recently Replaced Ima Battery on 2040-cars

Honda Insight for Sale