The Honda Element

[jiacinto]

I plan on buying one. Tell me what you all think.

[bloom]

1. I think they look very cool

If I were buying a new car - I would proably be buying one, too. But I haven't drivern one - so I don't know for sure.

[baldguy]

2. Do you absolutly need an ugly SUV wannabee?

[jiacinto]

5. Yes I do actually

I need the space for it. Please save your moral self-righteousness for some other thread.

[KC21304]

3. We have had 2 new Honda Accords and are getting another soon.

Have had 2 others in family. Have been very happy with them. Made in Ohio, 75 % parts US and Canada.

[Nlighten1]

40. Same here

I have a 1992 Honda Accord with 191,000 miles and a 1997 Honda Accord with considerably less mileage. I plan on getting a new Accord when I reach 200,000.

[xray s]

4. Way too boxy

Seems like a love it or hate it type of thing

[jiacinto]

6. It's more than I want to spend

But I need the space.

[KC21304]

7. Our daughter has a CRV . Don't know if they make that anymore

but she has been very pleased with it. Is the Element similiar to the Passport ?

[jiacinto]

8. It's an SUV

I know it will piss some DUers off that I am looking for one, but that's what I want.

[KC21304]

11. I found it in Consumer Reports.

Says it is new and so no reliability reports, but "it shares underpinnings with the excellent CR-V." The CR-V is what my daughter has and she just loves it.

[jiacinto]

12. Ok

Thanks.

[billbuckhead]

18. It and the CRV are far more CUV's than SUV's

Crossovers (CUV) are utility vehicles that tend toward a car turned into modern station wagon, in this case based on the Civic platform, but not very different in archetecture to the 1984 Dodge Caravan. They are far more minivan than truck and are the future of the volume produced motorcar. Toyota has a even smaller square box vehicle called the Scion bbX. Supposedly the new scion franchise can't keep them in stock. Then there is always the PT Cruiser.

[jiacinto]

27. Ok

Thanks.

[SoCalDem]

I LOVE my honda accord

It's an Accord EX.. Still drives like it's new and it has nearly 140,000 miles on it..

The secret.. have all the service done at the Honda dealership.. Our dealership does excellent work, they schedule the mileage related "check-ups" and if nothing needs doing, they do not even charge to check it over..

My friend takes her car all over the place and it runs like shit..and it ends up costing her more because she's always having to have stuff re-done or fixed after it's been "fixed"


Buy one that's a few years old and low mileage.. They are pricey, but you will never regret getting one :)

[jiacinto]

10. Ok

Thanks for your opinion.

[SoCalDem]

13. duh.. I did not realize that the car model is "Element"

I took the word as a generic element..:silly:..

Everyone I know who had owned a Honda...ANY Honda has been pleased.. Honda & Toyota seem to know what they are doing.. We have a 1981 Toyota wagon that always starts and is invincible.. It's rusty, it's ugly, but it's always there and every time I take it anywhere, someone wants to buy it from me :shrug:

Call some credit unions, maybe someone bought the very model you want and has had it repossesed.. Lot's of folks got fancy vehicles that they can no longer afford..

Ours was a rental before we bought it.. We saved almost 8,000.00 by buying it used.. :)

[SoCalDem]

9. delete..double posted

oops

[bloom]

14. It's one of the better SUV's - environmentally

http://www.epa.gov/autoemissions/suv-03.htm

Only the RAV4 is better (with nation-wide availbility). And it doesn't look like it would hold nearly as much stuff. I often carry large paintings around - so a boxy shape like that is just the thing for me.

on edit (I guess the CR_V is a little better with mileage - they are both 8 on a 0-10 scale.)

[jiacinto]

15. I could care less

To be honest that isn't a concern. Flame me

[bloom]

17. The frustrating thing about that attitude is...

that my attitude is that if everyone cared enough to get the best mileage they could ( and still get the vehicle they need space-wise, etc.) it would make a difference. When others don't care - the difference is no difference. Then I may as well say the hell with it, also - but I don't want to give up hope.

[jiacinto]

23. It's not that I don't care per se

I just hate the arrogance some here have toward SUV owners. People need the space.

[catpower2000]

42. You LOVE to be flamed, don't you?

You know what, Carlos, I've felt sorry for you at times, because I know what it's like to be hated on this forum. But I've come to this conclusion: you need attention so badly that when you can't get it in the normal way, you will CREATE negative attention (flaming) by posting something as utterly obnoxious as "I don't care how my car affects the environment" on a progressive message board. How do you think people will react to that? Basically, you're spitting in the face of everyone on this board who DOES care what happens to the environment, which is almost everyone. Why would your purposely post something that you know is going to garner you even more hatred and animosity?

Cat

[BeatleBoot]

16. I have heard that...

Its interior is all rubber - not plastic.

Thus easier to clean. It was made for campers / surfers that way...

That's all I know.

[Redleg]

19. It is cool looking- if I were to buy an SUV type vehicle I would buy one

I feel guilty wanting one, though. What gas mileage does it get?

[bloom]

33. 21/26 mpg

.

[Dude_CalmDown]

20. It's not pretty but it's not hideous - it is functional though.

Link for the Element

Good link for general Honda information.

[SoCalDem]

21. eeew..It's ugly

:(

like a boxy van :(

[jiacinto]

22. I test drove one

and liked it.

[Blue_Chill]

29. you gotta get the flames and red windows

dat junks is sick!

[Heddi]

49. oh my god. Seriously---

that is the ugliest fugging automobile I've ever seen.

It tops the Aztec AND the Hummer (Hum-V, H2, etc)...

it's a little winnebago :yuck:

[AlabamaYankee]

24. Hard to go wrong with a Honda.

My '92 Civic DX, bought used, has 185k miles with the original clutch. It's going into the shop tomorrow for an exhaust pipe that I haven't replaced for at least six years. The CRV is a greatlittle vehicle. Ours has the on-demand all wheel drive, and when the right rear tire blew I didn't feel a twitch.

The Element reminds me of the old London Taxi cabs; roomy, not overly stylish, but very functional. I'd suggest either the CRV or Element, depending on how much room you need.

[jiacinto]

25. Ok

Thanks.

[SammyWinstonJack]

38. I just bought a '92 Prelude

Paid $4,500 for it. Perfect condition inside and out with only 82,000 miles! It should outlast me! I love it!

[PittPoliSci]

26. ugly.

http://maddox.xmission.com/c.cgi?u=ugly_cars

[trogdor]

32. TACKY!!!!!

I don't know who's dumbass idea it was to have the fenders different colors, but it makes the thing look too much like Johnny Cash's Cadillac for my taste. I'd get a black one; that way, the fenders match the rest of the car - more or less.

[northernsoul]

28. If space is a major concern, take a look at

the VW Passat wagon (or its high-end cousin the Audi A6). Excellent handling, decent mileage, flawless engine performance, very comfortable interior, and SPACE SPACE SPACE

Taking mine on a little adventure in the Minnesota North Woods in just a few days, should be a blast!

Seriously, think about some of the better wagons out there.

[jiacinto]

36. Ok

I will do that.

[northernsoul]

37. I don't have the stats

but when I put the back seats down, I'm pretty sure I've got way more cargo space that a lot of the smaller SUVs out there.

My wife's boss likes my station wagon so much, he's dumping his Jeep Cherokee to get one.

[FlashHarry]

47. Ah, but you're looking at close to $40k for one of those

Probably more, for the Audi. (Don't get me wrong; I almost bought an A4 the other day. I wish they'd sell the A3 here.)

[northernsoul]

50. au contraire, mon frere

I snagged a 1998 A6 with 60k on it and no other problems for $15,000. Check out lease return auctions, they're the epitome of champagne living on a beer budget.

[Kolesar]

51. Ford Focus has $15,000 on the sticker, new

I was just at the dealer for parts. There is a big difference between a new car and one with 60,000 miles.

[ScreamingMeemie]

30. It kind of looks like a Fisher Price mobile..

doesn't it?

[XNASA]

31. DO IT!!!!!

We're also looking for a new second vehicle. Mrs. XNASA has been driving a '95 Caravan since '97 and it's time for something new.

I've tried to use all of my influence to talk her into a CR-V, which is basically the same vehicle as the Element.

But I like Hondas, a lot. And I kinda of dig the styling of the Element. I hear that there is a lot of road and wind noise on the highway, but otherwise they're very cool and reliable.

Good Luck!!

[MiddleRiverRefugee]

34. Zipcar has several of these in DC...

There are several Elements in my neighborhood and they look like they're well laid out, even if the styling is a little unorthodox for my tastes.

I was considering renting one of them from Zipcar myself just to try it out. If you're not 100% sure you want one, you might want to sign up with them and rent one for a couple hours. That way you can get to know the vehicle better and take it places you wouldn't normally get to do on a test drive.

-unidentifiedbassplayer

[Az]

35. I am in the business and the element is a marketting cheat gimmick

By making the vehicle more angular they get to advertise more interior space. In fact there is actually less usable space but because of the upper corners and other loss of aerodynamics the physical internal volume is significantly larger.

They have run out of things they can improve in the automotive industry without investing a ton of capital so they are simply looking for ways to repackage the vehicles. The idea is to make the exterior look so radically different that the buyer thinks the entire design is radically different.

[rjbcar27]

39. Would have no hesitation Carlos.

Wonderful cars.

[jiacinto]

44. Ok

Thanks.

[catpower2000]

41. ...is the ugliest car on the face of the earth...

tied with the Pontiac Aztec and the PT Cruiser. What do you need a fake-y SUV for, anyway? Why not get a Prius or Civic hybrid?

Cat

[BiggJawn]

43. Been all over the Periodic Table and I can't find it...

What exactly is this "Honda" Element?

[Kolesar]

45. Sounds great, and I will tell you why

I wish those were out when I bought my minivan in 2000.

It is big enough to put two bicycles inside it (front wheels removed and the forks in a clamp). It has an impressive amount of interior volume. It has much better ground clearance than a car or a minivan, so you can drive on unpaved roads in poor condition. Note that it is not a genuine "off road vehicle". You cannot use it like a jeep, but you can take it lots of places without bottoming out. I would get the front wheel drive version, myself.

The fuel economy is only as high as about 28 highway, I recall. You can better than that if you keep your speed reasonable and drive gently. (Try that on the Washington freeways, LOL). The fuel economy is less because of the large frontal area and the boxy shape. Aerodynamic drag is a squared function of the speed, so the drag of an automobile going 70 mph is about twice that of a vehicle going 50 mph. I am not saying to drive 50mph, but driving slower does make a difference in fuel economy. Think about that next time you are at the fuel pump.

The rubber floor would be great when getting off a muddy trail--no fouled carpet. I don't know if that matters to you.

The vehicle would be a bit tall for putting canoes on top, but I don't know if that matters to you, either. I don't really like the dark colors they are offered in. They seem to try to match the plastic body side panels that are deep gray.

When I look at the reversed-hinged back doors, I think: "How will this do in a side impact?". There is no pillar there to support the door (the B-pillar?).

So, those are my thoughts. If I were in the market again, I would definitely consider it. (This is from a man who quit buying imported cars in the 1980s, by the way.)

Oh, I forgot looks--who cares? I use my car, it is not some prissy yuppie decoration.

[jiacinto]

46. Ok

Thanks. I like it.

[ArkDem]

48. My kids think it is the

ugliest car of all time. Every time they see one they start hooting it up! Car is a car to me.

[hertopos]

52. Buy Toyota Matrix instead!!

It is not SUV but it has big space. It's UV.
And it's cool. And it has a good milage. The price is reasonable.
We bought one before our baby was born and we absolutely love it since then.

Toyota Matrix rules!!

http://www.toyota.com/matrix/

Hertopos

[Kolesar]

53. It has a Pontiac sister, the Vibe

Even cheaper, I expect, but made in the same NUMMI plant in California.

[hertopos]

55. Trust me abou this.

Unfortunately, it is not as good a Matrix. I read several comparizon reveiw.

Buy Toyota Matrix not Vibe!!

Hertopos

[jiacinto]

56. I will look at it

nt

[TEXASYANKEE]

54. Good vehicles.

I drove a Honda Civic for 10 years and a Honda CRV for 3 and loved them both. You just can't beat a Honda. Go for it!

[geniph]

57. Not only ugly

but BUTT-ugly! Ugh!