Quote Originally Posted by Irulan View Post
I honestly don't understand why anyone buying a car today would look at less than a 30 mpg vehicle.
Well, my Element doesn't get great mileage...but it is the perfect mix of everything I want my vehicle to do.

- The AWD is great in the snow.
- The low height and interior dimensions make it a snap to load my bike and keep it locked inside, without removing any wheels.
- I can sleep in it fully stretched out, also with my bike locked inside with me.
- I can stand up in it (with a hunch, of course) for pee'ing (TMI? But this is very handy) in the night while camping and for changing.
- It is a GREAT tent for when I camp...which I do alone, and like being locked in.
- I moved furniture last weekend, and the taller interior made it easy for dressers, etc.
- The non-carpet interior is easy to clean and does not pick up moisture like carpet-lined cars.
- The rear power jack lets me work on my computer as long as I like when out for working-weekends.

There are just a lot of things I really like about it. So far, it just works for me. I looked at a lot of other cars, but none had this combination of what I wanted (except the Chevy Astrovan 4WD...but mileage wasn't any better, and there were other things I didn't want in the Astrovan...although those things, on their truck chassis, are amazing, affordable, and go like 300,000 miles easily...they also have cavernous space.)