Element owners...

[tygab]

Well, I didn't want to hijack the other thread in which Elements came up a few times, so... I am considering getting one and would like owner opinions.

what do you like best about the car? what do you like least (if anything)?
how has it helped you for biking?
What non-biking activities have you used it for?
What's your gas mileage like?
Can you really hose it out?
What options would you recommend?
Does it accelerate reasonably well, say to merge onto the highway?

I would love to get some real user opinions before I subject myself to salesweasels...

Thanks!

[LaBiker]

Well, I didn't want to hijack the other thread in which Elements came up a few times, so... I am considering getting one and would like owner opinions.

I researched a lot of SUV-type vehicles before deciding on an Element ... and I really decided before I test drove it. (Any vehicle under consideration needed to be wide enough through the interior to accommodate two wire dog crates). I didn't want a van or a mini-van.

The first time I got behind the wheel, I knew I'd made a perfect choice. Two years later I still think so.

What I like best is the amazing amount of cargo space. I immediately removed the back seats. It is easy to take them in and out, but I don't need them more than once a year.

What I like next best is the handling and general driving experience. I owned Subarus before my Element. It had gotten to the point that there were some freeway entrances that were simply too dangerous for me to use because I did not have the needed acceleration.

The Element really GOES. It's common for new-to-Element drivers to lay a bit of front rubber because the vehicle is so responsive. That's for the stick shift, which I have. I also got the AWD model.

I'm not sure how many bicycles could be transported in one, but I can readily get two in and have lots more room.

I use Quint (Quintessential Element) as my overnight vehicle at dog shows. I back her up to a EZ-Up Shade Canopy, unload the dog crates and all the gear and I've got a really comfortable and inexpensive campsite. I sleep in the back on an air mattress and one dog sleeps with me and the other dog sleeps on the passenger seat laid out flat as a "bunk bed."

I made privacy curtains from a pattern constructed by my friend who also has an Element.

A fun source of information is the Honda Element owners club. Check out the website: www.elementownersclub.com

What I like least: Rain drips from the top of the door frame onto the seat when you open it -- best to travel with a towel if you live in wet country like I do. I have a 2004 and they may have designed a better door by now.

And no, you can't hose them down, but they are very easy to clean.

I've gotten anywhere between 22 and 30mpg and I average around 24. I haul a fair amount of gear and the vehicle itself is heavy, so I am pleased with the resulting mileage. I've had her up to 90mph sort of by mistake ... I was just cruising along in a 75mph zone and it felt effortless.

I've had people tell me I drive the ugliest car they've ever seen. I just smile and say "I know." To have one is to love one, whether you like the looks or not.

[Ashgarth]

my mom has an Element and LOVES it!
She had a RAV4 before hand and was o disappointed with the cargo space (she hauls a lot of furniture). After a year or so she decided to go for the Element and she is so glad she did. She doesn't bike or anything, but I have taken my bike on trips using her car and it's perfect. there is plently of room to haul it, and the fact that the bottom is rubber (?) you dont need to worry about things getting scratched.
I think she gets mid 20's in terms of gas mileage..so pretty reasonable.

[redhot3368]

Well, I didn't want to hijack the other thread in which Elements came up a few times, so... I am considering getting one and would like owner opinions.

what do you like best about the car? what do you like least (if anything)?
how has it helped you for biking?
What non-biking activities have you used it for?
What's your gas mileage like?
Can you really hose it out?
What options would you recommend?
Does it accelerate reasonably well, say to merge onto the highway?

I would love to get some real user opinions before I subject myself to salesweasels...

Thanks!

LOVE IT!!! I have the Green 2004 Element...as does Emily_in_NC!!
It is Great!!
I first noticed it when they it the adverstising car for Mountain biking Magazine!!
I USED to haul bikes in it, but about a year ago, got a rack for the back.
Gas milage is good, about 23 miles to the gallen, freeway miles.
the back seats are great, they sit up higher then the front, quite a bit of leg room in the back too.
the whole vehicle has LOTS of room.
Quite affordable for an SUV type of vehicle.
I have not tried to hose it out...
I have taken both back seats completely out, to haul bikes and gear.
the seats can hook up to the side windows too but I hate driving when the seats are up like that, can't see too good.
Its does accelerate well onto the freeway!
I have had no problems with it.


all in all a GREAT car.

let me know if you have any more questions!!

karen

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

We put both full sized bikes standing up inside the back of our Element. One is strapped to each side, strapped to the handy hooks inside near the ceiling- easy! We don't take any wheels off, the bikes stand inside leaning against the sides of the car. Then load all your cargo in the middle.

We usually have the back seats OUT. (We use our other car for passengers usually). If you take the back seats out and push the front seats all the way forward, you can fit a 6' 2" foam mattress in the back for sleeping. That's how we camp out, then rigging a tarp off the back for a "kitchen/dining/living area", like this:
http://www.oldsongs.org/blackcreek/2...es/Image1.html (that's a friend mooching coffee in the picture)

What I love best: no rugs!!! also: Skylight that opens so you can get air while sleeping (we throw a screen cloth w/magnets over it to keep out bugs)

What I love least: that you have to open the front doors first in order to open the back passenger doors. They overlap to close. annoying.

Most useful accessory: bought the official privacy full wrap-around curtain for the inside- and it is really nicer than stuff we used to rig up ourselves.

[twin]

I like to haul my bikes and bike related items in my Element and head out for another area. I have fairly large bikes 56/57cm and they fit fine. I can put a bike in the space between the front and rear seat if I take off the front wheel.

It is easy to clean because you do not have rugs so you can sweep it out very easily.

The Element is great for bringing items home from places like Home Depot and the grocery store and when I have had to move.

I have not taken my Element on a long road trip yet and I will most likely for backpacking and it will hold all the gear for three I think.

One of the best features is the acceleration, the Element is so good at that. It seems a bit faster than my sisters CRV. I like how the back seats are a little higher so the people in the back can see better and I know the CRV does not have that feature.

It does not have three seatbelts in the back and sometimes I find that to be a little bit of a disadvantage.

Overall I have no complaints and all good feelings about my black Element. Gas milage is ok.

[dakay]

I love my Element. It is a 2005 AWD with a stick shift. I usually have the back seats out. I built a shelf for one side of the back for my wire dog crate to sit on and there is storage underneath it. There is room for 2 bikes to stand upright next to the dog crate. I like all of the tie down points to keep things from sliding around. Like LaBiker I have camped in mine at dog shows.

My husband and I drove it from Seattle to Ohio about a month after I got it last year. There was plenty of space for everything, even with the dog crate in the car. There is a lot of room in the front so you don't feel cramped and can move around some on long trips. Before the Element I drove a VW Vanagon for several years and then a Subaru Forester. The Element is much more stable and peppy than the VW and has a LOT more room than either the VW or the Subaru. The inside height is great and it is wide enough that my bike will fit across the car without taking the front wheel off.

When you drive the Element it feels like you are sitting up high like a van or a truck but it is very easy to get in and out of. Having to open the front door to open the back is a bit of a hassle but the accessability with both doors open is nice. I agree with twin that there are times when 3 seat belts in back would be good.

The Element is the most practical car that I have ever had. It works great for me.

[KnottedYet]

When my dear old Subaru Legacy was on it's last legs, I was considering an Element.

There were only 2 things that I didn't like: 1. The safety pillar was "made" out of the overlapping doors rather than being part of the roll cage. 2. The AWD version cost more than the Subaru Impreza and I couldn't get AWD and manual transmission. (2005)

My old honda Accord was a great car, and since the Element is built from a Civic (also a great car) I had no concerns about quality. But I did worry about the safety pillar, the price, and I'm a stick-shift afficionado. ("if it don't clutch, it ain't much")

So I got Subi #3, but I still have a little lust in my soul for an Element...

[DebW]

Anybody put things (kayaks, canoes, bikes) on the roof of an Element? Does it take a sturdy roof rack (like Yakima or Thule)? Are there strong tie-down points under the bumpers? Do you feel like it's a excessively high lift to get things up there?

[dakay]

Anybody put things (kayaks, canoes, bikes) on the roof of an Element? Does it take a sturdy roof rack (like Yakima or Thule)? Are there strong tie-down points under the bumpers? Do you feel like it's a excessively high lift to get things up there?

I have a Yakima rack for my Element. I use it for kayaks. There are tie down points under the bumpers. The biggest problem is that the towers can only be located at certain points so they are only about 2 ft. apart and not close enough to the rear of the car. It's not too bad to get the kayaks up with 2 people but I doubt if I could do it by myself. Yakima makes a little pipe thing that sticks out from the end of the pipe on the rack to make loading with one person easier. You can lift the bow onto the pipe and then manuver the boat one end at a time onto the rack. It looks like it would work.

[emily_in_nc]

Anybody put things (kayaks, canoes, bikes) on the roof of an Element? Does it take a sturdy roof rack (like Yakima or Thule)? Are there strong tie-down points under the bumpers? Do you feel like it's a excessively high lift to get things up there?

We bought a nice Thule roof rack and kayak cradles for our Element. It is a tall vehicle (and I'm under 5'3"), so it's a bit of a challenge to get our long/heavy touring kayaks up on top. We only do that if we're taking a rather major trip. For close-to-home paddles, we put them in the back of hubby's pickup (he made a little restraining thing for them). But yes, it can certainly be done.

Emily

[Pascale]

We have a green 2003 Element, but we bought it for really one reason only....

HUGE dogs!

It's like a kennel on wheels, the hair has nothing to stick to, and it wipes clean. There's been nothing we've not been able to haul in it (my husband transported a motorcycle in it over the weekend) and the dogs LOVE it. Both bikes fit inside (as long as we pull the front wheel off of mine). We also love the MP3 jack (in 2003, that was still fairly rare).

There's just nothing like it! Oh, and the turning radius is AMAZING - I can turn that sucker around in the smallest places - I'd buy another one in a HEARTBEAT!

[tygab]

This has been great feedback - thanks everyone! I too currently have a Subaru (WRX) so it seems to appeal to a similar person. My husband's car is also a Subaru. I wouldn't be considering a move away from it but we have the need to haul things the Subarus can't, and that need will be increasing over time. Both our cars are also in their upper mileages, so it may make sense to do a trade in while my car still has some value. For camping and fun things we like to do, the Element sounds pretty similar to the Subie (although, not quite as cool looking for sure).

I would definitely want the AWD, after having it with my Subaru I don't think I could go back to a FWD car!

I am glad to hear so many of you are happy Element owners.

[emily_in_nc]

Yep, I'm a former Subaru owner too...loved my 2001 Forester until it developed numerous problems in its fourth year of life. Began with the "check engine" light coming on over and over despite multiple fixes from the dealer. Ended with a shot transmission and estimate of $4K to replace it (Subaru dealers will not repair transmissions, only replace them). This in a 4 year old car!!! The Subaru dealer here was such a bunch of jerks, too, at one point my husband had to go down and yell at them to give me a loaner car because my car lived in their shop, for the most part, for the last few months of its sad and short life, and they never once offered me a loaner.

Finally I threw my hands up, traded the Sube in for an Element, and have never looked back! There is at least twice the cargo space (with the rear seats removed) in the Element - no more lying bikes down on top of each other or getting grease on the carpet, either!

I loved the environmental bent of the Subaru brand, but after my experience, I wouldn't take the chance on buying another one.

I sure do miss my little digital thermometer thingie showing the outside temp, though....Elements did not have them as an option, at least in the 2004 model.

Emily

[DrBee]

I've been out of town - so I'm finally getting to pipe in on this thread.

I, too have an Element (2004). We love it! Mr. Fish (hubby) is a woodturner/woodworker so we are constantly picking up logs from interesting trees from the side of the road.

It's great for hauling the dogs around and the kids! We have 2 young children and have taken the Element of numerous long (multi-day) road trips and it still looks (almost) as good as new. I love being able to wipe everything down and being able to sweep it out! I have not yet taken the hose to it, but I'm dying to try it!

I've also transported 2 bikes in it (w/o kids) with no problem at all! You can fill the thing pretty much endlessly. We say it has a black hole generator.

Once you get in one - you'll love it!