someone already said it was noisy. grrr. i was hoping on getting one and background noise drives me crazy.
I guess i'll have to test ride one; it might be a lot better than what I'm used to.
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someone already said it was noisy. grrr. i was hoping on getting one and background noise drives me crazy.
I guess i'll have to test ride one; it might be a lot better than what I'm used to.
We have a Honda Element and a Honda Civic Coupe- both a couple years old.
They both get about 5 mpg less than what is trumpeted in the ads. But still, good mileage.
Great cars.
We fit our two road bikes standing upright in the back of the Element, clamped by the forks. Or, we can just bungy them to the sides, upright inside, without even taking any wheels off. We never have the back seats in at all, since our kids are grown and gone. Great to haul bags of mulch and such...and i LOVE the NO RUGS thing! We sleep in it for camping- the back can hold a 6 foot foam mattress when you push the front seats forward.
My Civic coupe (2 door) is a cool little sporty sleek thing with plenty of power, but because of it's sleek aerodynamic design it's a bit cramped in the back seats, and visibility could be better when backing up or checking backwards.
It's a good car for me. DH drives the Element most of the time.
I've never noticed it. But, then again, it's also the nicest car I've ever driven on a regular basis.Quote:
Originally Posted by Irulan
wow! this is impressive! (honda element)
lisa, can you actually fit a bike (with front wheel removed) behind the backseat? Or is there no seating when bikes are loaded? just curious...
Like I said:Quote:
Originally Posted by Beane
We never have the back seats in at all, since our kids are grown and gone.
I have never tried loading in the bikes with the back seats still in the car. We don't use the Element back seats...hardly ever. The element is either: hauling stuff / hauling bikes / or we're camping/sleeping in it. It's not our 'passenger car'- that's our Honda Civic coupe.
We can put our two road bikes in the back, standing up, both with and without removing bike front wheels.
You could get 1, maybe 2 in with one back seat down. I don't think you could fit anything behind the seats. With the seats out, you could easily fit 4-5 bikes with all wheels on...
Quote:
Originally Posted by mimitabby
hmmmm, ours isn't noisy at all. go take a test drive. i think its a great value.
Mine isn't noisy either, unless you are referring to my kids having the music up too loud.:p
In the Element, with both seats down in their passenger position, you can fit two bikes (front wheels removed) crossways in the back. You have to put the bars on opposite ends. Mountain bikes are harder, but they can be done, too, and you can't put anyone in the back seats unless they don't mind riding ramrod straight up.
With one seat folded up and one seat in the passenger position, you can put at least two bikes with front wheels on beside the seat. With that seat removed, you can put three (but not my husband's, without the front wheel off).
When I haul my bike to my weekly group rides, I usually just fold the rear driver's side seat up, roll my bike in and bungee it to the the carabiner that holds the seat up (as depicted above). Right now that seat is just out, because there are only 3 of us, and I rarely need the 4th one.
ETA: I don't bother strapping down like in the picture above. I just put a bungee around the top tube, and attach to the thing that holds the seat up. The bike usually raises up on its rear wheel a little depending on the bungee that's available, then it's just safely hanging there.
Karen
The bungee trick works for 2 bikes - more than that, and it gets a little...challenging:)
CA
My Fit is a little over a year old and it is awesome and it is good for two bikes in the back. I take the front wheels off and put my large bike on the side with the shortest person in front. I have traveled many miles with one other person two bikes and bags. My sister bought a Civic at about the time I bought my Fit and she gets pretty good gas milage on the freeway. I think she would buy a Fit if she could re-think her choices. The Fit holds so much more than a Civic. I used to have an Element and it worked great I wanted better gas milage. Either way all three will last a long time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Triskeliongirl
When we test drove the fit, my hubby and I had to raise our voices significantly to have a conversation in the front seat, sitting right next to each other, on the freeway, As in , practically shouting at each other.
This was a real disappointment to us. It pretty much killed the sale. The available trim levels were just not what we were looking for.
Oh, with two bikes I use fork mounts on a piece of plywood. Just because if I'm putting in two bikes with the seat down, we're doing some serious traveling, and I need them to be fixed in place for all the other crap we have with us!Quote:
Originally Posted by CA_in_NC
Karen
A Fit is definitely what you call "basic transportation".
I never ever drove one, because when I was looking for one, they were new and hard to find. The only one I even saw in person was sold to someone else and waiting to be delivered. I didn't even get to sit in it.
Karen
I have a Yaris hatchback which I love:
-will never take another road trip in it--fwy noise is crazy obnoxious over long distance.
neut: two doors not four, but not a problem for us
haven't kept track of mileage, but this means it isn't bugging me, so it must be ok.
+ lots of room to carry stuff inside
+ Hollywood Rack is great for the tandem on the back
+ Very high cute factor
+ Easy to park!
+ Fits into small condo garage with bikes, and mountains of other carp in there.