Vehicle help please

[Trek420]

I believe the Element also comes in a hybrid model now (confirmation, anyone?) I bought mine in '04 before that was an option. I would definitely go for it now if I were in the market, but I'll drive this one til it falls apart.

Emily

Not yet. I read somewhere that the teeny tiny itsy bitsy Honda Fit is close to cargo room of the Element and it's true:

Fit - passenger volume 90 cu ft
mpg 31/38

Element - 102.6 -105.4 cu feet.
mpg 22/27

[Blueberry]

I believe the Element also comes in a hybrid model now (confirmation, anyone?) I bought mine in '04 before that was an option. I would definitely go for it now if I were in the market, but I'll drive this one til it falls apart.
Emily

Nope - no hybrid. There's a rumor that there will be a diesel model next year, though. I might hold our for that, or might look at the Fit - they are cute (and I'm getting a little tired of various and sundry VW "issues")

CA

[Trek420]

VW's have "issues"?

[snapdragen]

VW's have "issues"?

They want to be Audis?

[Mr. Bloom]

They want to be Audis?

[Tuckervill]

The Honda Fit was my car of choice when I got ready to replace the Beetle. That came sooner than I thought it would. They do, indeed show a bike inside the Fit in their brochures, but it was a small bike.

Bikes will not stand up front-to-back in a Fit. I checked. It's more like the back of a Subaru than the back of an Element. A bike on the small side WILL stand up if you fold up both back seats towards the back and roll it in side to side.

Ultimately, I couldn't get a Fit because my 6'7" hubby could not squeeze into the front seat, which is a requirement. Even the Element has less passenger side leg room than the Beetle did. A CRV would have held the bikes, too, but not as easily as the Element--and hubby still couldn't fit. He wouldn't be comfortable in the Element on a long trip, either.

About VW reliability--it's a problem. There are "known issues", but most of them are easy fixes, and there is a huge online community (newbeetle.org is one, with a lot of bio and petro-diesel info) which provides help similar to what this forum does for bikes. I owned a NB for 5 years (one a TDI), and nothing major happened that I didn't anticipate or prevent, because of the forums. Still, it's nice not to have to carry a Bentley manual for the car in the trunk all the time. If you want ultimate reliability, get a Honda or a Subaru. If you don't mind tinkering around and doing stuff yourself or living with broken window switches and the like, get a Volkswagen.

Even with all the issues, I loved all (5) of my (old and New) Beetles. The Element just doesn't have the same panache. But it's got All Wheel Drive!

Karen

[KnottedYet]

Ooooh, a diesel Honda Element.... biodiesel.... ooooh.

I'm holding out for a diesel Subaru, but a diesel Element (if it were stick and awd) might tempt me.

[emily_in_nc]

Nope - no hybrid. There's a rumor that there will be a diesel model next year, though. I might hold our for that, or might look at the Fit - they are cute (and I'm getting a little tired of various and sundry VW "issues")

CA

Thanks for the info! Someone told me the Element came in a hybrid now...obviously misinformed. I haven't seen a Honda Fit yet!

Emily

[SheFly]

OH! pictures!! with the bike in of course!

No pics with the bike in just yet (we just had a big snowstorm here in New England - bikes are sadly back on the trainers in the basement...). Thought I would share a couple pics of the new bike hauler in the meantime, though.

Oh, and I LOVE the way it rides! Very comfy...

SheFly

[Tuckervill]

Nice color. I can't believe an 8 ft tandem fits back there! wow.

This is what I worked on half the day yesterday. It's for our trip to Oregon. I probably wouldn't use it on a regular day. The bikes fit fine with the wheels on and I don't mind them moving around on short trips. I'm making a canvas bag to hold the front wheels, which I will hang from a hook on the side, but now I've got them velcro-strapped to their bikes. It's surprisingly stable. The attachments are called blockheads, from Yakima, in case someone asks.

Today is a dry run for our trip, while go to Little Rock for a few days. I'm having some concerns about the board sliding around, so I've got rug grippers under the feet. I took the left seat out altogether (simple), although I think they would have fit. The wheels would not be able to hang up, though.

Karen

[chickwhorips]

very nice tucker!

[SheFly]

Nice color. I can't believe an 8 ft tandem fits back there! wow.

Only with the second row seats out, and turning the front wheel to a 90 degree angle with the frame - but it DOES fit. If the snow ever goes away here, I will put the TT tandem (it's longer) in and take a pic to show you...

And I like the color of your car too .

Nice job on the rack for the Element, BTW - we have a VERY similar rack that we use in the bed of the pick up, and will likely use in the Sienna now as well. That was going to be my choice for a new car, but the tandem wouldn't fit .

SheFly

[Cha Cha]

Not sure if it's much help - but can comment on the Volvo V70 and the Audi A4, both wagons...

The Volvo will hold two bikes with the 2/3 'half' of the rear seat folded - i.e. there is still room for one backseat passenger. Volvo also makes an interior rack for two bikes, but for some reason I think you have to take off the seats or something.... I'm not sure if it would fit a tandem, but the front passenger seat will also fold completely flat with the back seats, so it's good for long items. Cha Cha (the bike) is in and out of my V70 all the time, and it's a breeze. Disadvantage: it has the notoriously unreliable volvo electrical system, and maintenance is a bit pricey.

DBF has the A4 and loves it. It also will fit our two bikes inside, plus plenty of travel stuff. He also has a 2-bike roof rack, which works well also. Reliability appears to be a lot better.

True story: our first date was 'blind', and DBF pulled into the restaurant parking lot right after I got out of my car - and parked next to me. Not only do we both drive import station wagons, but they are both silver! Who knew! It was a nice ice-breaker - and the rest is history!

Happy Monday all!

[singletrackmind]

Whoo, am I late!

4Runner. Excellent. I have a 96 un-lifted with a 3.4 manual tranny. 4x4. It's suprisingly capable with no modifications.

19 mpg, about a 50/50 hwy/city driving w/10% ethanol gas. Not pretty.

I can carry a bike with the front wheel off without folding the rear seats. I use a sportworks hitch rack, though, and carry a baby trailer and all my bike stuff inside.

Stay away from the 3.0 (95 and older), underpowered engine, head gasket issues.

In the 3rd gens (96-2001, IIRC) the 99 is tallest. Get one with an e-locker if you can find it. Manual trans is better gas mileage wise. If you get an automatic it might be worth your while to get a transmission oil cooler. Don't bother with 2 wheel drive. If you get one with lift under 3" of suspension lift is recommended due to the strain on the CV joints. Body lift is another story, just remember the higher it goes, the more top-heavy it becomes. These things do fall over sometimes.

If you do your own maintenance it's not too bad with the 3.4 engine. It's no, say, Bronco II but if you fashion a funnel so you don't have to remove the skid plate oil changes are ok. Doing a timing belt and water pump weren't horrible, plugs are easy. It does have a timing belt so bank on that being changed every 60-90,000 miles. Also, the original water pump usually has to be changed too. Taken care of, the engine should last a very long time. Mine's at 156,000 miles, still going strong.

For more information on the 4runner try yotatech.com
Yes, there is a lot of wheeling tech, but there's also a ton of good information for the stock 4runner as well and the site is friendly and clean. There, the search button is your friend.

If you have any questions I can help with, like measurements in my '96 or whatever I'd be pleased to answer what I can.

[Pedal Wench]

didn't think of that. thanks!

i looked at the Rav 4 but it doesn't seem like it has much room. i remember my friend's and it seems kinda small.

I'm chiming in a little late, I know... The new Rav4 is significantly larger than the pre-2006 models. If your friend's was older, it's about 14 inches shorter! The new ones seem perfect for a few bikes, but I'm open for opinions. (Shopping too...)