Element owners...

[tygab]

I just got an 07 Element in November. I don't like the gas mileage, because I was driving a 40 mpg diesel Beetle before this.

>>I currently have a Subaru WRX wagon AT, so mileage will be a wash, but I won't have to buy premium gas. We may keep the WRX as the 2nd car for a while longer instead of my husband's current one. We are in part trying to space out our car purchase planning since we both had new cars when we first met.

No, you can't hose it out--there are a lot of electronics that could be damaged. But I do use a rag and a bucket to clean the floors after I vacuum.
>>Yep, I see that is an "Element urban legend" now...

I don't like that it doesn't have an outside temperature gauge

>>I plan to get one and add it, have seen a few nice ones out there. This will be less expensive than a dealer offered one would be anyway. The WRX doesn't have one either, so not something I will be missing right off.

I'm not really, truly happy with the acceleration on the freeway. It's kind of sluggish, but I can adjust my driving to that. I don't regret buying it, though it doesn't have the sense of tradition or panache that the Beetle did!

>>I hear you. That's my one worry about it, because the WRX is an extremely fun car to drive - a true performance car. It's also got better AWD, or at least I don't expect to get as much from the E's AWD. If we keep it [the WRX] tho, I will still get to take it out for fun once in a while. In dry and or in snow (if ever we get any). Put another way, the WRX is a car with a lot of soul and emotionally I love it. But practically, we need one car that can haul a lot of stuff, more than what I can comfortably put in or on the wagon (or his car for that matter). And we didn't want to go the luxo-SUV/Minivan route. It's a trade off that I am making (but also why I am lobbying the DH to hang on to the WRX for a while longer ).

OH! I see you got one already. Congratulations!
>>Yep! I did. I plan to tweak it up both in creature comforts (electronics, mainly) and styling a bit too. I'll enjoy that part.

[twin]

My 2005 Element is wearing a For Sale sign on it because now that I have moved to a town where I can ride my bike most of the time I think I can live without it. When I lived in a larger town it did everything in the world I needed. I also had a newer Volkswagen bug and loved it however when I had my accident on my fixie that I no longer have I could not shift for a very long time and that is when I decided on the Element. I still like all the Element can do and if I can not sell it I will be very happy with the Element.