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My husband insists on having a car seat in his Si and he also insists on driving it with child in tow on more than a few occasions. There is no easy way to get my son out so I end up moving the passenger seat forward and climbing all the way into the back seat of the Si so that I can get my son out. Luckily I am short so standing up in the Si isn't that uncomfortable for me but it would be much easier in an Element.
footie: Why not get a cargo organizer for the Element? Seems like an easy solution to your complaint of packages sliding around. I also can't understand why your kids could not get out of the car when you parallel park.
The cost to own has been higher, especially with fuel economy and anxiety in traffic.
Carmax offered me $15k for it having it with 22,860 miles on it for a 2003 EX Auto 4WD. I went and got a Scion xA (NOT THAT BOX!)
*sigh*
I used to drive small cars a few years back. I've had that Element everywhere. NY,PA,VA,TX,CA,AZ,NM,AL,LA,GA,MS,OK,IA,MD,DC,OH,IN,WV,TN
With and without trailer and full load.
It might not even be the right place to post it. It's not right for my life right now, but considering any promising buyers- to know that it can retain a value and perform is a really good sign.
There was only ever one warranty covered incident with a throttle body sensor. One accident at $3,500(500ded) in 4th month of ownership.
It just checked out great at 20k main. I finally got done 2 weeks ago.
Have fun
-juice
Something tells me this ain't gonna' last.
The Daft One
-juice
IIRC, 3 month free trial.
For instance, the CR-V has a higher undercarriage, so it has more clearance even with smaller tires. Put the Element's tires on a CR-V and the difference would be even bigger.
-juice
A lift kit will get you greater ground clearance, but, without suspension upgrades, it won't have any more articulation. And there's no way to lift a vehicle without raising the center of gravity... and handling will suffer with the resulting changes in geometry.
I'm with Juice on this one. If you want clearance to get over a few rocks, through deeper snow, or something along those lines, get a CR-V. If you want "real SUV functionality", get a Jeep.
Thanks for the responses!
Nine foot surfboard? I have a hard time getting an 8 foot 2 x 4 in our Element.
I happen to think manual clutches are the best way to get power from an engine to the driveshaft, but that's because I'm a control freak and I actually enjoy shifting. besides the sporty location of the shifter in an Element makes it even more fun.
I'm not sure I believe this poster is real, but I did laugh. 60 yrs old, and to old to shift, but not too old to ride the big one.
The Element is one of the funnest and sportiest manual transmissions to drive. It feels like a ralley car. I drove the EX AWD, and I was very impressed. VERY FUN. Honda says their goal is to make sure all their cars drive like sports cars and are fun to drive, and they certainly succeeded with the Element. The Element embodies the word "FUN", and age 60 is no time to start decreasing your fun with a stodgy automatic. I still can't believe they made a refrigerator on wheels drive that well. I finally bought a Ridgeline but, that's another story.
That may be overstating it just a tad...they tend more towards the practical side if you ask me.
-juice
Surfboards...a 9 ft longboard will fit inside. I think it could be a little longer but not much.
Whatever trans you get, go for the AWD. Especially if you want the 5spd. The car is torquey and the combo of 5spd and front drive is squirrely.
thanks for any info
I just purchased an 05 AWD EX. On my initial test drive before purchasing the Element I tested a 2WD. It drove fine. The next day when I went to purchase the vehicle I changed my mind and went for the AWD. As soon as I left the lot I felt the drag when you lift off the throttle. I called the dealer as soon as I arrived home and it's scheduled to be looked at. Having my own repair shop years ago and being a certified mechanic then tells me the converter is not freewheeling when you let off the throttle. It stays locked up. This I believe will definetly effect the fuel mileage because you have to stay on the gas longer before you have to back off or the vehicle will slow down to rapidly. The Elements trans and engine are braking the car considerably. My other vehicles, 98 Tahoe and 05 Equinox do not act that way. I can coast to a light without having to use more fuel to get there. I will let you know what they say next week. I believe or think that the engine might be revving to high at 60 mph for it to return to an idle and then get back up to speed smoothly. My Tahoe is only at 1300 rpm at 60. The Element is 3000. That might be why.
Keep in touch.
Ralph
Not being a truck guy, I've read things online that say you won't just affect mpg and performance by overloading, you could seriously damage your vehicle if you exceed capacity. I weigh 205lbs, she weighs 110, the doggie weighs 50-somthing lbs. If we bring 2 big friends along we are already at capacity if not over. Sorry no gear hauling for you! Yes, most of the time I don't have friends, but SOMETIMES I DO... I swear! Heck, we go on ski trips 4 hours away at least once a year. I am envisioning conversations: "Sorry, we can't bring you. Yeah we have yards of room but if you come my new car's axle might buckle... you fatty" I'm really surprised they could get away with designing the Element as it is, yet you can't haul 4 average joes in it and their gear. A 2wd manual is slightly lighter but...
Dealers seem to know less then I do about it. They usually say the load capacity is 1500lbs until you explain to them over and over that no, that is actually the towing capacity. It's marked on the door.
Does anyone have any insight?
Thanks,
-DS
Honda would have raised the weight limit if it were safe since I'm sure they are aware that it looks bad.
Imagine how slow it would be trying to accelerate up a mountain while loaded with 4 big guys anyway.
CR-V is bigger and has more payload.
-juice
And while Honda didn't ask me, I'd suggest to them that they need to tone down their advertising if liability is their main concern. The brochure for the 2005 Element prominently features a group of people and their gear who clearly have gone camping in the Element, something that implies usefulness for that purpose (and higher weight) despite any load limitation in the fine print.
On the other hand, 4 big, heavy guys and a dog driving up a mountain to go on ski trips wouldn't work.
Of course, the Element would still drive while overloaded since there is nothing stopping that, so it technically could be done.
90% of the time I drive this car it will be my wife, my dog, and me. The chances of two more guys my size in the car are slim, but not out of the question. At least two or three times a year, I may want to have our friends (we'll call them Matt and Kathy) come with us to the mountain 4 hours away, or the coast to camp (in tents). We may put skis and snowboards on the car, and clothes/boots/goggles in the back. If I do my math correctly then approximately every pound of gear we add will be a pound over the weight limit. After spending 20k on a new Element I'd keep remembering that my old 2 door '91 integra would not have that problem. I don't really care about accelleration that much, nor fuel economy under those conditions. I do care about doing damage to my new vehicle.
Will that 10% damage my Element? If Honda could tell me definatively one way or the other it would make up my mind. Maybe I just need to start hanging out with smaller people!
Also, does anyone know if they're doing a refresh on the Element in '06?
You could buy an Element and rent a bigger vehicle twice a year if you really needed to or even take two vehicles or ride in someone else's vehicle.
If you needed to do this frequently, it would be different.
For instance, families who need to access the rear seats and load and unload rear passengers frequently should look elsewhere instead of struggling and fighting with the suicide doors.
I doubt very much you'd damage the vehicle by going over the published weight limit. You won't break the suspension, or the load floor, or anything else. However, the Element might not corner as well, it might not brake as well, it might not do as well in a crash. I think it's far more likely those are the reasons for the low rating. Honda won't take legal responsibility for the vehicle when loaded that way.
I like the unique styling of the Element, and especially the clam shell rear gate and spare tire location. Plus the price.
From the CR-V, the higher passenger and payload capacity, and better fuel mileage and ground clearance.
Not sure which doors, I'd want. Maybe 2 conventional doors on the passenger side, and suicide doors on the driver side.
I'm telling you, combine these features and it would be ideal.
-juice
I'm certainly not arguing that this vehicle is everything it could be--few vehicles are--but I guess I think that the more it reaches some type of ideal the likelier that its most endearing qualities--price, handling, size and mileage--will need to be compromised and it will turn into something else that's already available..
4 people may be uncomfortable, but its unlikely it'd be overloaded. Maybe even 5!
We're going to actually drive it up a mountain today. The only thing the dealer told me was "You're not going to take this to New Mexico or anything, are you?" I said, "Nope." It's funny too because this is not the one we're going to actually buy, if we do. There's a different color (5spd) on the lot that they just got off the truck. It hadn't been through the inspection yet so they had to give us a different one to test. If anyone has any suggestions for the test drive, let me know.
Some folks mentioned the roof load and roof rack capacity (75lbs) Not being a kayaker (yet), what's the deal with that? Are we better off with a Yakima or Thule rack?
Forester can carry 150 lbs up there, total.
-juice
I like the Element for its adaptability....I can haul small furniture items after taking out the back seats, then even go on longer trips into the Sierra Nevada mountains. My only problem is trying to choose whether or not the AWD would be worth the almost $1,500 extra. (The EX is what I had in mind.). Good luck in your decision.
Barry
The dealer just sends reminders out blindly for the most frequent schedule and naturally wants more oil change revenue.
My son carries around a lot of expensive music gear. Do you all have any suggestions for me?
Since I don't plan on any off-roading and I don't live in snow country, what would be the advantages, if any, of plunking out the extra bucks for a 4 WD? Better resale value, better handling, something to allow better wet-road handling just in case......or what? If you all-wheel fans could give me some reasons as to why I should go with the all-wheel drive, I will go that way. Also.....does anyone have any scuttlebutt on any worthwhile changes for the 2006 models?
Thanks much,
Barry in California
Barry in California
You might be better off going right to a tire store and trading in the OEM's on what you want. They might give you something on a trade.
Good Luck.
-juice
Barry in California
But I doubt it.
-juice
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Anyway, when I go to exit the vehicle and depress the power door lock button with the door open, the vehicle will not lock, the lock "springs" back up. I'm guessing that is a design feature to keep me from locking myself out....and one I don't like. Or is this a malfunction? Or can I program it to work differently? The remote lock works fine, and the locks work fine if the doors are closed.