2000 Honda Insight G1: Regular Car Reviews
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- Опубліковано 11 вер 2024
- [I got the barry type wrong. Sorry]
We drive North America's first production hybred: The Honda Insight. It is also one of the few hybrids to come with a manual transmission.
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all those decals add unnecessary weight - NOT A TRUE HYPERMILER
The roof-moulding removal countermeasure WORKS bro.
But now imagine the gains if you removed the roof-mouldings AND you had no stickers. Extra 10MPG right there.
Roof-molding removal increases the coefficient of drag brah. Not a true hypermiler confirmed.
but each sticker adds 10hp
But reduces the MPG
high-bread
Ax Zx
Pot brownies.
Nah, those are cakes. High bread is the dominos pizza you buy when the pot brownie gets you, but you forget about when it gets delivered because you've become one with your couch and because the soothing sounds of the newest R&B disguised as hip hop album are too good to neglect for some greasy cheese and pepperoni.
Oh Hi Bread.
Dammit you beat me to it.
High-bred
"Get upset about winter fuel mixes" as a Gen 1 insight owner, can confirm.
Okay, as a '00 Insight owner, I'd like to add a few things here.
First, you *can* drive the Insight on only the gas engine by flicking a breaker on the hybrid battery, but it's questionable as to whether the IMA motor will properly act as an alternator (the Insight doesn't have one), or whether the 12-volt battery will just die a slow, agonizing death like mine did before I replaced the hybrid battery.
Second, this car can be supremely fuel-efficient if you want to drive it like that, but if you're able to say "fuck it" and use it like it's a sporty car, it'll give you more joy in a man-machine-love way than almost any other front-wheel-drive shitbox. Put sport tires on it. It's a death-trap in the snow anyway. Replace the battery with an aftermarket Li-ion. I did, and the electric motor went from complaining like a high schooler whose mom wants to take them shopping for dress pants, to perky... like a small, excitable dog. It's a rare car that shines when you forget about what the engineers designed it for.
Third, the transmission feel is pretty garbage, but I'm sure there's someone on InsightCentral who's been thinking the same thing and has come up with a working prototype to fix that. Someday, that someone might be me. You're absolutely right when you say the owner's club is DeLorean level. Most of us could troubleshoot a problem with the car from a vague description, and give you ten things that could cause it. Plus, as long as you can bang-shift it and not smash second gear into a billion pieces like a Subaru 5-speed, it doesn't really matter. Don't get me started on the Reverse lockout.
So yeah, the transmission feel isn't that great (but what do I care, I've dailied a Subaru for 4 years), and repairs are more expensive than almost any other Honda... and the cup holders are useless except for holding your phone and little screws that you forgot to put back in the dash... but even with the LRR tires and clapped suspension, my Insight has hung with NA Miatas. And they weren't exactly losing me in the corners.
Queen Athena ever take it to a track day?
I've driven an Insight, coming from a Toyota stick shift I actually thought the shifter feel was nice. I was expecting NA Kei car slow but it's surprisingly peppy, even with the NiCad batteries. I think the Insight is an overlooked platform for performance and dailyability, wish more people would see what you wrote because it's true.
so its like the AE-86 of hybrids?
@@ricerocket_ed6650, the batteries in 1st-generation Honda Insight aren't nickel-cadmium (N-Cd) but nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) (same technology as in most Toyota Prius).
What if they had just given it a better 6 speed manual and skipped the whole electric part, would it have been a more practical car that still got great mpg?
Look at the ending clip starting at 11:02. I read a street sign which told me the location of your video. I found it on google maps and pinpointed where you were. On google street view I saw a speed limit of 25 MPH sign as you were crossing the bridge. You seemed a little fast for 25 MPH. I figured out landmarks in the video which I could gauge a distance you drove. Put the two points on google maps with a total of 167 ft traveled. I then played the video according to the two landmarks I placed, and I measured the time it took for you to cross those two points; 3.25 seconds roughly. Use the simple physics equation v=d/t, distance is 167/3.25 = 51.4 ft/s. Now a simple google search to change it to mile per hour... very roughly (accounting for error) 35 MPH. WHICH PUTS YOU AT 10 MPH OVER THE SPEED LIMIT. I shall call the police right away.
Are you the same guy who found Shia’s “he will not divide us” flag? Because that is some A class detective work for something so random
Weaponised*
The Laptop Lagger Corrected, thanks ;)
@@linkincr17 It actually is spelled weaponized lol
You're a goddamn legend
That awkward moment you realize your CR-Z has a lot more common with the 1st gen Insight than a CRX 😭😭😭
You have a valid point there and that gives me some nice ideas.
The CR-Z is pretty much a modern Insight but with the "sportier" and safer aspect. I think it is really good for that.
But no way you can reach 60mpg in a CR-Z, sadly the Cx is pretty average+
"They're reliable because the owners are reliable." #saab
Those rearwheel covers make it look like a mobility scooter but they are still so cool.
I know right? like "what the future was supposed to look like in the 90's" kind of cool
Definitely gives it its own look.
Have fun reading! ; )
www.carthrottle.com/post/what-are-wheel-spats-and-why-dont-we-use-them-anymore/
"In the year twothousaaand....In the year two thousaaaaaaand"
Thanks, Conan.
As I looked at it wondering about the weight savings from removing the rain gutter/trim, I started wondering why only the rear wheels have skirts and there's nothing around the front wheels that turns with the wheels.
I love how he roasts the drivers of all the cars he reviews. I wonder how they feel when they watch the video.😂
Juan Cruz this is how they feel: *_TRIGGERED_*
Juan Cruz i drive a gen1 insight and aside from the button on the shirt and tucking in... yeah pretty spot on. i love data. mine gets high 40s because i run the ac and I'm not competitive about it, but i have done 70+ tanks before.
I guess it depends on the accuracy of the roast. It is only funny if it is true.
Honda, where are you?
It would be an honor to be roasted by Mr. Regular.
I just found a first-gen Insight last month. 112k miles, and in such a great shape the mechanic I took it to for a pre-purchase inspection commented on it. I now own my dream car and love it.
Do you still have it?(:
I'd still much rather own one of these than a Prius.
ohh so edgy....
Christian Meston how is this edgy.
bibbly bobbly good job Tupac, lol
bibbly bobbly you think you mob?
I like mine, it's a lot more well thought out than a Prius and mechanically is much simpler so there are less things to break
those are not ni-cad batteries, they are ni-mh. ni-cad has the "memory effect" where the batteries need fully discharged before recharging, and is completely impractical for hybrid applications.
also the battery pack is made up entirely of "D" cells
+
My mistake. I should have known.
heh... Memory Effect
RegularCars Also, the description says you got the barry type wrong...
Wonder what kind of mileage gain youd get by replacing them with lipos.
"They're reliable...because the owners are reliable."
Great *insight* RCR!
Deep down, I still want one. Not as my only car, though.
Just got mine! all i care about is mpg fuck the rest
It's one of 6 for me, but is basically my m-f daily. One trip to work in any of my classic cars is like a week of trips in an insight
I bought one 3 years ago as a daily commuter and love it. Much geekier than a Prius (in a good way), manual transmission (even if it’s not very good), and 50+ MPG, at 12 years, 206,000 miles. This is a true enthusiast car, just for much different reasons.
You still got it? How’s it been?
IMO this car looks 5+ years newer than it's age. exterior styling and the gauge cluster made me guess this was a 2005 or newer.
Really? I thought the opposite. Exactly those things would have put the car years earlier for me. I thought that kind of "future!" styling had died out before 2000.
benjamz33 exterior could pass for 1992 for me. Gauge cluster looks like late-80’s Lincoln.
They were pretty much the same until 2006...
But, would the good gas mileage fit in my Honda?
This will Echo in eternity.
"High-bread"
so...weed brownies?
.... and she tells you, " you ain't gettin Insight me."
The Insight motor oddly I think doesn't have variable valve timing. It has an odd VTEC system where below 3K Rpm~ it keeps 1 intake valve closed to create a swirl for better fuel combustion, above 3K rpm~ it opens up both intake valves.
Sounds like his synchros might be bad, they really do suck in the gear box. Really wish Honda offered a different gear box though, it is so tall.
I definitely wouldn't suggest the car to someone who doesn't want to tinker with the car. But for someone who like to modify on their own and wants to beat on a car and still get 40mpg, this is a pretty sweet car for the price. Cheap to pick up honestly.
Just get a manual CR-Z and enjoy driving a 2-seater hybrid. My wife had one for about 3 years. It was awesome.
Depends on your priorities. CR-Z doesn't get nearly the same fuel economy.
CR-Z should never have been a hybrid, it deserved the Fit's lighter drivetrain and the Civic's as an option. (And maybe the Accord's as a type R)
I have 2004 Insight 251,000 miles. Replacing the battery this week myself for $600. I bought the car for $1000 and it runs and drives perfectly. Ive been driving without the battery and it still gets 50MPG. It is an AWESOME COMMUTER CAR THAT LITERALLY IS SAVING ME FROM DRIVING MY DODGE THAT GETS 10MPG.
I used to drive one of these. The initial impression is horrible (very little power, rumbling 3cyl engine) but the thing grows on you and it became one of my favorite cars to drive because it's insanely light! It weighs less than a Miata! I also only needed about 5-6 gallons of gas to get from the SF bay area to LA.
Fairly certain these had Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) cells, not NiCAD. I've only reconditioned a pack or two.
it got S2K steering wheel, Sold!
The S2K has an insight steering wheel
I love these cars. Up here in Canada, Honda sold 369 of them from 2000 to 2006. They sold 155 of those in 2000. I've owned 3 2000's. All Canadian Insights are 5 speeds. The CVT ones don't have lean burn. This review is pretty much spot on. But fuel prices here are now $1.78 per liter (where I live anyway). That's $6.72 a gallon. I'm glad I kept one haha.
I like your take on that Korn song, Roman.
I wonder what the beat box part would sound like lol
Wanted to make an awful freak pun, but your post talked me out of it. :D
Would also have accepted "MPG on a leash".
I can see I can see I'm going blind...
came here to say this
This review is so spot on, especially for someone who doesn't own one. It's like he drove it (a few hours?) and knew everything there was to know about Insights and their owners mentalities. Good job.
I couldn't help but have a laugh near the end of the video when you said "Imagine owning a Packard or a Studebaker or something" I own one of each, a 1954 Packard Clipper super and a 1964 Studebaker Wagonaire, and while the Packard has tonnes of parts support from Kanter Auto in New Jersey, there's virtually nothing for the Studebaker. Whatever does pop up is expensive to buy and ship as it's all stateside and I'm further north. However, I would argue that it's very much worth the wait for me to get parts for the Studebaker. It's my favorite car for sure.
I've always been interested in Studebakers, as I watched The Muppet Movie quite a lot as a kid. They had some really iconic designs, and though I like the look of some of the older ones more the Wagonaire is a super cool wagon. I mean, you can carry a fridge in them-vertically!
I'm just waiting for a one-seater with 1cyl 350cc engines. 200mpg? Yesplz
Like... a roofed moped?
chbrules Gut a kei car and throw any motorcycle engine in it
So which 350cc motorcycle engine gets 200 mpg?
You want a turbodiesel for those kinds of numbers. Ask Volkswagen.
I'm all in favor of a modern go at the kind of adorable mini cars of the 50s & 60s, like those Messerschmidt bubble cars.
because of this, I'm learning an accoustic version of Freak on a Leash, but my only audience is my 10 month old baby. thanks Roman
I wanna see you review the CRZ.
He can use mine
I'd be intrigued and horrified at the same time.
-From an owner of a CRZ
The CR-Z seemed so similar to this car, but lost out on efficiency. The Geo Metro could match it.
i dont think any car has ever made me as dissapointed as the CRZ, it looks great, handles great, but is worse in pretty much every single way than a CRX - slower, less fuel efficient, and less fun
@@maggotball I guess it depends on your expectations. If you're expecting a CRX then absolutely you'd be disappointed. Also I suppose if you're expecting a good hybrid you'd be disappointed as well because it doesn't even get amazing gas mileage for a hybrid. Such a strange car.
I've got one of these, the one he's driving here is knackered. The transmission on most are as good as other Hondas. The car wants to be up shifted early but it won't fight you if you redline it.
"Hi stranger, I just met you, guess how much mileage my car gets?" Every TDi owner. Ever.
Guilty. I am guilty of that.
I want one, so I can put a turbo K20 in it. Ultimate sleeper.
fun fact.. you CAN turbo them haha and someone already made a K20 verison of it, look up K-sight Insight
Switch the batteries out for lithium ones if you plan to swap the engine
Blaze 125 I know that's why I want to do it, thanks to them I know it fits.
Camhin1 You mean LS engine swap.
Good luck fitting that in the engine bay.
SLAM IT, STRAIGHT PIPE IT BRO
Our 2013 Insight EX averages 50 MPG running non ethanol 87 octane gas at approximately 60-65 MPH. The lifetime average of our Insight is 48.5 MPG...not bad for a vehicle that was only rated at 44 MPG from the factory.
travisp11 meanwhile my Lexus CT200h averages 43 mpg in the summer and 40 mpg in the sub 20 weather. But you're right. That's 16% less gas.
Oh. 48.5. Actually 13% less fuel consumption then in actual numbers.
I once hit 60 MPG steady doing 55 MPH 68 degree summer day with AC off, windows up, fan on a bit, stereo off, perfectly flat, cruise on, slightly over inflated tires. It was glorious! In comparison, the best I ever got in a CR-Z was 48MPG.
The battery is not Nicd. Nimh. Its Nickel Metal Hydride. Big difference. Nicad, yup, those suck. Dead on right about that, but that's not whats in the Insight.
Same sort of batteries used in Toyota Prius since forever. They're very reliable, and actually a pretty good EV battery solution, except the patent for them is owned by Chevron...
these actually make a good drag car because they're so aerodynamic and light, once you rip the hybrid stuff out and put a k series in it. they make swap kits.
During my master's thesis I constructed and tested nine 32 foot long concrete beams. I attached strain gauges to the longitudinal reinforcement and had load cell sensors at the three supports. I ended up with so much data that I filled all the rows in an excel spreadsheet. So that data hardon joke hit a little too close to home.
Oh, btw I made the same mistake in calling them Nickel Cadmium, but these are Nickel Metal Hydride. Pretty much most Hybrids till mid to late 2000's used Nickel batteries since they are pretty tough and easy on charging.
I love my Honda Insight! All aluminum! My battery pack is 14 years old and still producing power. I love the design! 68 mpg! Top that.
I own a first gen Insight and make spreadsheets for fun and I was laughing my ass throughout the intro because you got it all spot on.
say what you want but this is an enthusiast's car. plus, it's good because it's light, which is the holy grail in 2017
That steering wheel is awesome. I almost thought it didn’t have an airbag til I saw SRS on it. That’s an early version of aesthetically integrating those big balloon bags.
"Because the owners are reliable" as someone who just got the rear drum brake shoes replaced in their 08 civic coupe this makes my heart warm.
"I'm in 5th gear, by 30", best part
I've had my 2000 Insight 16 years. The average fuel milage is 50.9. mpg. It looks and drives like new. I put in a Bumblebee battery pack, have a grid charger, upgraded speakers and radio, drilled and slotted front brakes. I've replaced one oxygen sensor and a hatch strut. It's way cooler than an Prius, no comparison.
Roman channeling Linkin Park and Korn in the intro and outro.
[Buttons top button]
Does that insight have the factory gear oil in it? It's not great feeling due to the somewhat poorly implemented shift cables, but not that bad
[Unbuttons]
Yea, I think the car feels a lot like a prototype, but if a person likes to modify a car, it's a fun platform for DIY mods and not breaking the bank. Thing is so cheap.
YES, these cars get better and better
#GranTurismo4
understeer simulator 2004
Yep im Playing it right now
i'm playing it on an emulator right now
ya know, I thought a PT Cruiser could handle corners at 35 mph. Boy did this game prove me wrong. Every car I tried would go slamming into the sidewall no matter the speed like the roads were covered in ice all the time.
because youre steering too much, making the front wheels burn. try using the analog stick instead of the d-pad
Hybred
SMG gaming Hybird
o0julek0o Inbred
SMG gaming air Jordan 11 hybreds
I recently got into a car crash in my Pontiac G6 (I rolled it in fact) and I now have an insight. My step dad gave it to me for $200. It gets me where I got to go, slowly, yes, but it does get there. The hybrid system is broken, so I have about 60 horsepower. I think it helps for me that I’ve never driven manual before it. I like getting that perfect shift and slowly advancing forward. As much of a price of shit as it is, I like it. And I’ll probably like it till it dies. It’s at least gotten me to where I can drive a manual, which is integral in being a car enthusiast
7:05
here we see a rare sight of an Audi driver using his signals.
I'm glad I know how many marathons the owner ran
BRRRRRRRT
I thought he was just gloating about his car's 0-60
7:05 Milwaukee and Damen. You AIN'T seen intersections until you've seen Milwaukee and Damen in Chicago.
Ben It's called The Crotch and Six Corners here in Chicago.
Alex Crawford Or any intersections near wacker or millenium park 😂
I either take the blue line or Uber/Lyft (you can let me out here. Enjoy!!!) if I have to go there. Absolute nightmare.
Manual hybrid, props to Honda.
I like the layout of this car. I'd totally buy a sporty two door gt with two seats and a big trunk to carry my sports stuff.
He's completely right about DeLorean meets being repair meets. I'm going to one this weekend!
Lol I can relate on the bad gear box...my '14 Forester 6MT shifted like a bus, occasionally grinding a gear on downshifts...WITH double clutching right out of the box. Great vid as always RCR!
Steven V Bad synchros?
They're Nickel metal hydride batteries. Not Nickel Cadmium. Great car. Had one for ten years. I wish Honda would make it again.
Ahhh, Korn at the end
Robert Smith very fitting given this car is from that time as well.
That last shot of the Insight driving away with the huge porta-potty in the foreground, lmao well played
I still want one. I guess I just am a sucker for these kinds of things.
I'd like to take credit for turning many of my friends on to your channel but really it's all you. Keep it up fellas.
Gotta love that Freak on a Leash parody for the outro.
oh man the hypermiling memes were gold
This is officially the most underrated Honda platform, to build a fast car on. Fuck EG hatches. This has all aluminum chassis!
04dram04 Well...yeah...but...so does the NSX...
Nothing less than excellence from you guys. Every fucking time! I really appreciate what you do.
Thank you-Jim
Takes me back to the South Park 'Smug' episode.
THAAAANKS! 😁
Had one of these, and got over 100 mpg regularly. It actually handled pretty well also.
wait was that last song basically korn's freak on a leash?
You can buy a K-Swapped Insight from LHT Performance in Florida.
They start at $23k, which sounds like a-lot, but that's what a Prius starts at and a K-sight would be much more fun.. Plus the entire car is redone, suspension, brakes etc. They also make a 500hp awd K-sight, but thats just nuts.
Now I'm going to have to listen to some old Korn, because like every week, The Roman got a song stuck in my head.
1st gen Insight are way easier to mod the hybrid system then the toyota hybrids. The BCM used in the insight can easily be fooled with some simple circuit i build in the garage. End product of the 3rd insight is 150mpg avg over 30 miles until it runs out of power from the 4.7KWh Lithium battery that i was able to fit in the battery compartment
I think Mr.Regular should do a video on the Geo Metro.
Yes, please. You can fit seven very unhappy people in one, as my childhood taught me.
akmarksman I just bought one and I really want him to shit talk it
Damn, that freak on a leash bit at the end is next level brilliance.
I would own one, if I could. Solely because of how it looks. Pure y2k futurism.
They are so cheap right now. You could find one with a limp battery for less than $1500.
I just bought a 2000 with 80,200mi on it. The first Insight sold in Madison WI. Chemistry teacher bought it new and a notebook cane wirh it that he recorded every fillup the car ever had, where, cumulative mpg, trip mpg, and gas price. Crazy
Its got the same steering wheel that's in the S2000. You're welcome.
There are no explosions inside an internal combustion engine unless something is very wrong. That is why it is called internal COMBUSTION. (Diesels do have explosions. That is why they are Diesels.)
But great video as usual. Thanks for doing what you do!
The 2000 to 2006 Honda Insight is the best vehicle ever designed.
+1 for the E07A / Honda Beat reference - I let out a little 'squee' at the cutaway illustration when I recognized the MTREC inlet manifold...
Usually I agree with Mr. Regular but this time ... not so much. There’s inaccuracies here. The IMA battery is nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) just like any modern rechargeable AAA, AA, C or D cell, not cadmium. The chemistry is vastly better. Also, the manual trans shift feel is different from car to car, especially if the rear motor mount has worn out. The one he’s driving looks like a beater.
Sports & Exotic Car Magazine pronounced it collectible: www.hemmings.com/magazine/hsx/2016/01/The-GTO-of-MPG/3749297.html The Insight was / is a tour de force of uncompromising engineering: a full aluminum 1800 lb two seater with a .cd of .25 is remarkable. I'd recommend you take Mr. Regular's panning of the 1st gen Insight with a grain of salt.
I find it very frustrating when he reviews a tired or modified car and pans it as if all of them were like that, without acknowledging that it may be the individual car he's driving. Pulled the same thing with the 944 he drove a while back.
I would, as a general rule, take everything he says with a grain of salt. It's not meant for that.
not gonna lie, this and the GM EV-1 are my favorite hybrid and electric cars. Loving those late 90's futuristic design aesthetics of them
Gen 1 Insight batteries = Nickel Metal Hydride = NiMH != NiCd
I know, I made the same mistake before too.
I worked at Honda when these lot paperweights came out. You couldn't give one away, and if you think the manual is bad find an auto. We had a "new" 2001 on lot with under 30 miles in 2003. It ended up donated to some charity.
wasnt there a 300-500bhp Insight on The Smoking Tyre once? i thought that was cool. i'd own that.
BadGoneWorse No, it only had a little more than stock hp.
I graduated highschool in 2001. Was kind of a car guy. A fellow classmate had one if these.
Then in 2013 my boss was a collector/tuner/restorer of these first generation Insights.
So if someone can verify please... he said the reason they dont make cars that hypermile like this anymore is because the EPA changed emissions laws and basically the engine in these ran so lean and produced too much smog in accordance with the new laws. So while the car got that great mileage it was considered too polluting and no one has attempted to produce a car that gets this kinda mileage anymore because of the new EPA requirements.
I also know because I rode with him a few times that he had his getting ranged between 70 and 90mpg. There was a niche culture of people tuning these cars for those numbers.
Love my insight. Beats the hell out of my F150. 😜
I had a Ford Focus EV lease and I did a lot of reading about hypermiling these Insights...I had a crazy idea to take a cheap 1cyl diesel and make a powered "5th wheel" that attaches to the back of the car by the trailer hitch. Gear it with a chaindrive where it turns the tire 60mph at peak power rpms and operate it with a simple on off clutch that bump starts it, hand throtttle and a kill switch. Just puts enough power to the ground to maintain speed on down grades and flats to maintain speed and helps acend hills while burning .5- 1 gallon an hour.
acoustic freak on a leash?
You could easily change the displacement of an engine from 600 to 900 ccm, because you don't only bore out the cylinder walls, you also change the connecting rods (shorten them) and you can even put a different head on it which gives the pistons more room to move upwards. It will rev slower, but it is possible, and not even that much of a change in displacement, compared to other engines that all build on the same block.
YOU'RE LATE REGULAR! WHY MAN!? WHY!?
omg the radio shack battery reference brought tears to my eyes
Real question: VTEC? 😅
That_Sleepy_Snorlax
Yes it does kinda
VTEC-e
That_Sleepy_Snorlax BAAAAP
I drove one with an integra short shift kit and it felt reeaally good actually, gearbox was the highlight of the car. But it was only 115k mileage
55.9 mpg?! Those are amateur numbers! You gotta bump those numbers up!
81 can't be impossible, just not commonly heard of.
With late 90's technology and 2000's safety laws/regulations, that is honestly pretty impressive.
That's assuming the hypermiler takes that car to the max; a boat tail mod is essential and they'll need *everything* they can to get those numbers. Engine Off Coasting + Bump Starting with the clutch is included. (EOCing is *not* a recommended maneuver in all situations nor is it legal everywhere.)
Lmao the hobbies of some people. I guess when you start with a car like this, the only possible thing (without really expensive modification) to try to get it to do well is mpg.
@@SilverScarletSpider Not especially.. I had a Mk III Jetta TDI that got 55 on the highway at 64-65 and it was only slightly more aerodynamic than my Jeep YJ... No batteries or complicated hybrid crap, and it lasted 410k miles.
I've been in a Morgan three wheeler. One of the ultimate road condition evaluators ever! Pothole missile.