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Honda Element

1787981838493

Comments

  • varmintvarmint Member Posts: 6,326
    Still my favorite. I think it made the best of the non-painted panels.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    The Green looks para-military also. Isn't that what Paul B. got?

    Speaking of whom, he did another hit-and-run. Bought it, announced it, then disappeared. Second time!

    -juice
  • varmintvarmint Member Posts: 6,326
    Actually, I think the military connotation may be one of the things that killed the color.

    Also, it wasn't "flashy". People like new cars to have some bling. Even when cleaned up, the color didn't seem like a glossy, new car sort of color. It was more of a pea green.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I used to have models as a kid, and we used to call it Olive Drab. A camo color, basically. Maybe that's why I like it.

    Hey, we agree about something. Let's not let that happen again. ;)

    -juice
  • varmintvarmint Member Posts: 6,326
    Nah, more of a moss green.

    There, now we're at odds again. fwew!
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    That was close. :P

    -juice
  • allfiredupallfiredup Member Posts: 736
    The Galapogos Green is much nicer than the new Kiwi on the EX-P and there is no green on LX or EX.

    I think the color guys at Honda need some help.
  • nowakj66nowakj66 Member Posts: 709
    I was very curious to see some painted panel Elements in the flesh. My dealer had a black one and a blue one so I went on my lunch hour and snapped some pictures. Hopefully posting these will save someone a trip.

    image
    Black

    image
    Blue
  • nowakj66nowakj66 Member Posts: 709
    I really like the blue. It is similar to the Atlantic blue pearl on Subaru Legacies and Tribecas. Seems the exact same color as the Atomic Blue on 2006 Civics. It is a little darker and richer than Ocean Mist Metallic on Odysseys and less aquamarine than the steel blue Metallics on Pilots and Ridgelines.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Reminded me of the same exact thing, in fact that's my favorite color on Subaru's palette.

    Honda's is slightly darker, a shade or two, at least from the photos.

    Also, Subaru's is a pearl, and I believe that's a metallic paint.

    -juice
  • allfiredupallfiredup Member Posts: 736
    The painted panels of the EX-P are way too bland in my opinion. They make a cutting edge, funky small SUV look like every other small SUV out there.

    I still love the EX with the black plastic body panels. Too bad Honda's color selections for the '06 EX stinks. The awesome looking Tangerine is only available on the EX-P.
  • raydahsraydahs Member Posts: 449
    Anyone out there drive an Element in Phoenix or Tucson area?
    If so, what's your opinion on the A/C unit? nowakj66 Thanks for the preview pics!
  • jjthecheckjjthecheck Member Posts: 3
    I recently (about 3 mo. ago) got my Element (AWD 5-speed) and I'm very happy with it. I've always wondered how the E would look with painted panels. Now that I've seen it, I have to agree with allfiredup. It's not ugly, but it does take something away from the styling of the E, in my opinion at least. Anyway, sorry to get off the subject, but i have a question about the drivetrain of the E. Does anyone happen to know what the difference (if any) is between the differentials on the 04 and 05 models. The specs on Edmuns say the 04 has a rear limited slip only, but the 05 has a center limited slip as well as a rear one. What exactly is a center LSD? I tried to backtrack through the posts (almost all of them, took me 3 hours :D ), but couldn't find anything on this subject. BTW, my E is an 04. I managed to find a new one in mid 05.
    Thanx for any explanation Check
  • varmintvarmint Member Posts: 6,326
    Welcome to the forums and congrats on your E!

    The answer to your question is "you've been misinformed". I'm not sure where you read about an LSD here at Edmunds, but wherever it was, it's a typo. The Element does not have an LSD offered in any models.
  • allfiredupallfiredup Member Posts: 736
    Glad someone agrees with me that the painted panels don't look as good as the black ones. It looks like just another small SUV with the monochrome color treatment, particularly in non-flashy colors.

    For technical questions, if you don't get an answer on here, you might want to try vtec.net (a Honda enthusiast site) and hondaelement.org (an Element enthusiast/owner site). They're both great sources of information.

    Congrats on the Element! What color did you get?
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Some AWD systems can double as a limited-slip differential, but not RT4WD. Viscous-couplings and Torsen systems are, for instance.

    So this applies loosely to some Subarus and Audis, but not your Element. Basically full-time AWD systems require it.

    -juice
  • meganbmeganb Member Posts: 14
    I just took a look at a silver 2006 EX-P. i LOVE the painted panels but I really wish the interior was all gray and not two toned blue and gray but oh well. Great headroom and love the side folding backseats.

    Unrelated, can someone give a description of what it's like to have the car in 4WD? im used to the Jeeps where there is a separate shifting....just curious and would love to know any and all experiences. We travel in the snow w/ snowboards and gear a lot (and through the mountains quite a bit in all seasons) and just want to know the Element is up to the task.

    Thanks. :)
  • jjthecheckjjthecheck Member Posts: 3
    Thanx to everyone for the info. I thought it a little strange that I didn't see any advertisement say the E has a limited slip diff. Oh, well. Can't have it all, I guess :( . My Element is a EX in Sunset Orange Pearl. I still drool every time I see the the color under bright sunlight. So...gorgeous...
    Anyway, Meganb, I myself still haven't had the chance to try the AWD system in snow, but I can tell you it works very well in the rain. I tried to accelerate hard on some wet leaves just to test it out. The front wheels spin for a fraction of a sec. before the rears kick in and the E just takes off. I'm very curious myself of how the car will perform in the Chicago winter (I know, I know...we don't have it as bad as some of you out there :P ) Are you thinking of buying an Element, megan? Pleas get back to us, if you do buy one.
    Check
  • varmintvarmint Member Posts: 6,326
    You probably won't ever know when the vehicle's AWD is operating. It just does.

    I had a 1999 CR-V with RT4WD until recently. I frequently hit the slopes in NH and VT and used the CR-V to go back and forth. I never had a problem so long as I was alert and cautious in bad conditions.
  • dslightamdslightam Member Posts: 12
    Checkin' back in, haven't read the forum for a while. 2005 was a big year for me, got a dog, a wife, a new job, and most importantly (just kidding honey) a '05 MT/EX Cargo Khaki Element. Went to the dealer for the 10k lube oil and rotate today. Honeymoon road-trips and various other adventures racked up the miles quickly. Low-end I get 22mpg. On our road trip I got 28mpg with a big [non-permissible content removed] rocket box on top! Usually it's somewhere in between. Wish it was somehow 10mpg better but it could be worse. I can't wait for the snowboarding season to start up again. W only got a few mountain trips in last season with the new wheels. So far… awesome. We even slept in it numerous times this summer. Now we put an air mattress in it that we blow up using the rear power socket! Dog loves it, wife loves it, friends (when I have the back seats in) tell me they like it, but maybe they’re just being polite and think I should have gone with consumer reports-best-all-around-whatever.

    Saw the new painted panel style today from afar, but didn't give it much thought. One question occurred to me though: Are the painted panels metal or plastic. If metal does that add weight? If plastic, how did they get that to match? Just curious.

    Nothing against the painted panels, they look alright, but I don't regret getting the two-tone especially in Khaki. To me it's part of the Element's design and style, either you like it or not. Gal. Green was our first choice but no one had it so we "settled" for the Khaki and were won over by it. Not so sure about the newer flashy colors. I suppose it depends on if you keep the car for lots of years and whether or not that color that looks neato now someday just looks silly. If I were buying now I'd try to get them to sell me an '05 cheap. Superficials aside, I'm still a huge fan of the concept and the car.
  • smootsmoot Member Posts: 14
    Oh well done Nowa!!
    I went to the Honda website but it's hard to picture the colours on the fake looking models....you've made it much easier.
    I really wanted to see what the blue one looked like against the alabaster silver one...any more colours coming?
    Hubby says that silver would be more longer lasting in regards to long term fading but I'm not too keen on the blue interior and panels. I really wanted the black interior but we can't seem to agree on paint colour. The Ralleye Red looks too much like nail varnish {he says}, I wish they'd kept the Magnesium Metallic or I wish you could just get the silver {EX or EX-P} with black interior and panels!
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    http://automobiles.honda.com/element/index.aspx

    [check out the critter hanging upside down]

    :D

    -juice
  • varmintvarmint Member Posts: 6,326
    Don't knock it. Royalties are royalties...

    ;)
  • meganbmeganb Member Posts: 14
    i learned this morning that the side panels are plastic ...the EX-P just means Extra Paint.
  • meganbmeganb Member Posts: 14
    I'm looking at an 06 Element. We test drove it and I really enjoyed it. However, we took it on the freeway for about 3/4 a mile and it was a bit loud. Granted, the car had nothing but us in it to deaden the noise. My question is...is the Element excessively loud on highways for extended periods of time? Thanks. :)
  • bcmalibu99lsbcmalibu99ls Member Posts: 625
    Greetings, Dslightham! Congrats on getting the four most important things in a man's life (marriage, dog, car, new job), all in one year!

    I am wondering about your use of an air mattress. You "make a bed" with E's seats, and then put the mattress on top of the seats, I would imagine? What are the dimensions of the mattress, if you don't mind me asking? What would be the tallest man E would be able to accomodate inside? How comfortable is the air mattress, and do you use anything on top of it (i.e. sheets, a sleeping bag, etc)

    Thank you!
  • stewardrobbinsstewardrobbins Member Posts: 41
    I have an EX Element and it is a bit loud. There is LOTS of information on the Web about how to soundproof the car. It doesn't seem to be too hard to do. It's worth it for me, because the Element has unique features I couldnt' get in anything else, and I really like the car other than the noise. BTW, I just put Michelin X-Ice snow tires on it for the winter, and they are much quieter than the stock Goodyears. Do some Google searches and you will find lots of information. :)
  • meganbmeganb Member Posts: 14
    thanks for that. going to google it right now. hope to come up with stuff, but all suggestions and ideas from personal experience are appreciated too! thanks. :)
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Plastic has advantages, though - it will never rust, plus it doesn't ding or dent as easily since it gives. That's why bumpers are plastic.

    -juice
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    First, Hondas have never been known to be especially quiet vehicles.

    Second, driving the element on the highway is akin to pushing a refrigerator box through the wind. It's basic shape tends to make it loud.
  • stewardrobbinsstewardrobbins Member Posts: 41
    Yes, the Element does have more wind noise than an Accord, for example. However, the most irritating noise, to me at least, is tire noise on less than smooth roads. Element owners who have used dampeners, blockers, and absorbers have reported great success in quieting the box down. 'll post when I finish my soundproofing project.:D
  • dslightamdslightam Member Posts: 12
    Hey, good question! Actually no, since we don't usually have need for the back seats we usually leave them in the garage and we use the air mattress on the floor. The front seats role forward quite a bit offering more room, even with random backpacks and such shoved up there. The air mattress is a pretty standard, store-bought one about 10 inches thick and I believe in bed terms it's a double. I'm six feet tall. Any more then that is pushing it unless you want to scrunch a little or if you want to leave the tailgate down. We use sleeping bags and a pillow.
  • meganbmeganb Member Posts: 14
    First, I own a Honda. It's quiet. Granted, it's a higher end model, but nonetheless a Honda and quiet.

    Second, I'm pretty well versed in the Element's physical attributes and what makes it less than aerodynamic. It wasn't an attack on your Element, if you indeed have one which it seems is a high possibility. I actually wanted, you know, personal accounts of the noise level.
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    No I don't own an Element. I have owned Hondas since 1991 and never considered any of them especially quiet - they've all been EX's.

    IMHO, not be especially quiest isn't a bad thing. I like being able to hear what's going on with the vehicle.
  • varmintvarmint Member Posts: 6,326
    Yeah, I have to agree with Robr2 on this one. Generally speaking Honda is not the best with making their vehicles quiet. A few have been excessively noisey (1996-2001 CR-V). Most are just a wee bit below average... nothing anyone would really complain about. But I can't think of any which are at the top of their class when it comes to cabin noise.

    My MDX and TL are fine on the highway, but if you were to drive an ES330 or RX330 immediately after, you'd hear the difference.
  • jaxs1jaxs1 Member Posts: 2,697
    Is there some kind of aftermarket divider to keep objects from flying into the front seats in an accident or emergency braking? It could also keep pets from walking to the front
    I've seen these for European station wagons and some cargo vans.
  • varmintvarmint Member Posts: 6,326
    I think what you're looking for is something like this .
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    In the ES, that's probably because you're half asleep, it's so boring. ;)

    -juice
  • jaxs1jaxs1 Member Posts: 2,697
    Something like that. That would work to keep a pet from wandering into the front, but looks too flimsy to keep anything of any substantial weight from flying forward in an accident.
    The ones for the European wagons are dealer or factory installed, custom fit and screw down securely.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Subaru makes OE models, for the Forester and Outback. They're more secure than the universal fit type.

    You could use tie-straps and secure it to the rear head rests, though.

    -juice
  • allfiredupallfiredup Member Posts: 736
    I'm going to be in the market for a car soon and the Element is way up on my list. The LX model meets my needs, but the upgraded stereo in the EX makes it very attractive to me. I also like the alloys on the EX.

    Does anyone have real life experience with the EX stereo? Do you consider it to be a "high-end" unit? Also, where is the AUX jack located to plug in something like an iPod?

    My next vehicle will have an AUX jack so I can plug in my iPod, and the Element and Civic are two of the few that do. My previous experience with Honda stereos is that they're average at best. I've owned Civic and Accord EXs and their audio systems were nothing special. The Bose system in a '94 Legend I had was the only exception, it was awesome.

    I'm hoping the EX stereo really is as "kickin'" as it looks on paper!
  • varmintvarmint Member Posts: 6,326
    The stereo is a reasonably solid unit, but you'll need to upgrade the speakers if you want really good quality.
  • dweiserdweiser Member Posts: 288
    Sound is o.k., not horrible, but it does play mp3 CD-Rs you can burn yourself so no need for a CD changer as 18 to 20 CDs will fit on one mp3 CD-R. Has a Random play button also.
  • bcmalibu99lsbcmalibu99ls Member Posts: 625
    Is anyone using an optional privacy curtain for E? Is it easy to install and take down? How does it attach itself to the vehicle?

    Thank you!
  • bigal1020bigal1020 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2004 Honda Element EX AWD with the upgraded stereo system. I can honestly tell you that the factory system will deliver top notch sound. Unless you are looking for really loud thumping bass this system will do whatever you want it to and all types of music sounds good if the settings are adjusted correctly. The AUX input is in the shelf on the passenger side and a power plug is positioned next to it. I currently have a XM myfi hooked up and the sound is crystal clear. I have had my ipod hooked up to it as well and it is cd quality. The only difference is that you might have to turn the volume up more on the AUX input devices than a cd. Fortunately the radio will remember the volume you had on each setting so you won't get blown away when you switch back to a CD. Hope this helps.
  • miffedmiffed Member Posts: 36
    I have a 2003 EX Element with 66,000 miles. I love it and the stereo is unbelievable. I travel alot for work I wish the gas mileage was a little better but I live where it snows and I need a 4x4 but the cd player and the receiver portion of the radio have been excellent. I drive alot too different parts of the country I turn the stereo up and kick the cruise control on and I cruise. :D
  • slarsonslarson Member Posts: 4
    I have had my 2004 Elemen now for 1 year, we recently took it in for an oil change and told them again that we can only get 4 AM stations, they gave us a loaner car for the night and called us the next day saying that they checked 2 other Elements and yes it does get less AM stations then the others and that they would keep our car for one more day, well, the new radio was not the problem, another day in the shop and another phone call that it was not a new antena, not the problem, another day in the shop only to find out it was the connector think that it screws into. Also wanted to know if any of you have had a problem with the plastic molding in the back passenger seat below the window popping off and not going back on? I am going to bring it in to have them fix that too. I still love this car and recomend it to everyone I talk to! I have to laugh though! I feel like I am in some sort of special club! Everytime we see someone else driving one they give us the thumbs up, wave, honk the horn or do something else to get our attention to say "HEY GREAT CHOICE IN CAR"! LOL! I now have 12 thousand miles on mine and am still in love.
  • tateredtatered Member Posts: 1
    I'm starting to wonder if my 2005 EX is a fluke. It is one of the quietest rides I've ever had. It is as quiet as the 1995 Caddy I just sold and is Much more quiet than my wife's 2003 Accord. The dealer said something about it being lined with 'Gortex'(sp?) but I thought that was so much hype. At any rate, I just love it. Should I mention that the ride is amazingly smooth? Better than the Caddy or the Accord. Maybe I
    got the vehicle that is the opposite of the notorious "lemon" and got the 'Creampuff' instead. This is NOT a complaint. Am I the only one out there? Feedback, Please!
  • 4wheelsnflies4wheelsnflies Member Posts: 2
    Does the 2006 Honda Element EX-P come with an info center that has an outside temperature gauge, remaining mileage calculator and direction traveled, etc? I didn't see anything about it in the specs but I'm not sure what it's called......
  • dweiserdweiser Member Posts: 288
    Tatered, my experience with my 2005 EX mirrors yours exactly. I had a Nissan Murano before the Element (I named mine Watson) and while I really liked the Murano, I prefer the Element. My brother was here this weekend visiting. He drives a Nissan Titan and he couldn't get over the roominess of the Element.
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