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Honda Element

Old 09-12-21, 04:45 PM
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Honda Element

Does anyone own one of these cars and how do you like it for transportation and transporting your bike(s)

Last edited by cb400bill; 09-12-21 at 05:06 PM. Reason: No buying or selling in regular forums.
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Old 09-12-21, 05:03 PM
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Good luck! I had a 2006 that I traded in in 2012. It was the bees knees for cyclists. If they still made them I’d own nothing else.
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Old 09-12-21, 05:44 PM
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Great concept but our experience has been a nightmare. Made a purchase of a good uses one that was well checked out by a qualified mechanic before hand. All I can say is this has been the only Honda in the family yet the worse car we've owned. Worse even then the dodges. So much has gone wrong with this over the past several years and the engineering on a lot of it was done by idiots. Prime example is when the starter failed. A starter, no big deal right? Hangs off the bottom of the engine, a couple of bolts a wire connection or two , simple. 30 minute relaxed job. Well no, not on a Honda. So idiot of an engineer decided to sandwich it between the block and the intake manifold. You have to talk the whole top of the engine off to get to the starter. How ignorant is that. That's just one little example. I love the concept but never, ever, ever, again.
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Old 09-12-21, 06:38 PM
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Originally Posted by jamesdak
Great concept but our experience has been a nightmare. Made a purchase of a good uses one that was well checked out by a qualified mechanic before hand. All I can say is this has been the only Honda in the family yet the worse car we've owned. Worse even then the dodges. So much has gone wrong with this over the past several years and the engineering on a lot of it was done by idiots. Prime example is when the starter failed. A starter, no big deal right? Hangs off the bottom of the engine, a couple of bolts a wire connection or two , simple. 30 minute relaxed job. Well no, not on a Honda. So idiot of an engineer decided to sandwich it between the block and the intake manifold. You have to talk the whole top of the engine off to get to the starter. How ignorant is that. That's just one little example. I love the concept but never, ever, ever, again.

This is most vehicles these day how they sandwich it all in
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Old 09-12-21, 06:47 PM
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Originally Posted by jamesdak
Prime example is when the starter failed. A starter, no big deal right? Hangs off the bottom of the engine, a couple of bolts a wire connection or two , simple. 30 minute relaxed job. Well no, not on a Honda. So idiot of an engineer decided to sandwich it between the block and the intake manifold. You have to talk the whole top of the engine off to get to the starter. How ignorant is that. That's just one little example. I love the concept but never, ever, ever, again.
I've done it from below on my son's
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Old 09-12-21, 07:02 PM
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11-17 honda odyssey might be something to consider. stow the completely assembled bicycles, luggage, & SO in it with ease. Decent pep too.
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Old 09-12-21, 07:03 PM
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I sold my truck after I transported an old fridge in the Element. I have a 2004 and it has been one of the easier of my cars to service. I put on a 2" trailer hitch and a nice Softride bike rack so it handles 4 riders easily. If two, I fold the seats up and transport them inside. Nice if you are stopping somewhere and don't want to worry about leaving them on the back. I also have a large mortar tub that fits in the back for hauling dirt, rock, firewood. When it is swap meet time it looks like Jed Clampett driving down the street, lol.
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Old 09-12-21, 07:03 PM
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https://www.elementownersclub.com/
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Old 09-12-21, 07:35 PM
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When the wife and I were buying a new car in 2007, we looked at the Element, and also at the Honda Fit. I took my measuring tape. The Fit had more interior space, including storage space, it got significantly better gas mileage, and it cost less.

We routinely took that Fit on road trips to bike races. I could carry my 58cm bike, a second wheelset, my wife and daughter, and a weekend's worth of baggage. Best car we've ever owned.

The Element seems like a good idea, but the execution was not great.
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Old 09-12-21, 07:40 PM
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Great concept, it’s only real weakness is fuel mileage (although it’s not far off similar SUVs) and the 4WD needs it’s scheduled maintenance but it’s a good vehicle. Typical Honda build quality and reliability.
The interior is super-basic, even by the standards of cars 10 years ago, but the versatility can’t be beat. Bikes, riders, gear, I’ve even used mine as solo camper a bunch of times.
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Old 09-12-21, 07:44 PM
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Quick story. My neighbors father was visiting and came over and sat in the Element. He had a cowboy hat on. He was so impressed that he could get in with his hat on, tall guy, that he showed up the next week with one, wearing his hat.
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Old 09-12-21, 07:51 PM
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Originally Posted by curbtender
Quick story. My neighbors father was visiting and came over and sat in the Element. He had a cowboy hat on. He was so impressed that he could get in with his hat on, tall guy, that he showed up the next week with one, wearing his hat.
so impressed it spurs a big purchase, wow..
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Old 09-12-21, 07:56 PM
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Originally Posted by Troul
so impressed it spurs a big purchase, wow..
Retired union steam fitter, last thing I thought he would buy is a Honda.
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Old 09-12-21, 08:31 PM
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I've owned a couple of them and loved them.
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Old 09-12-21, 08:40 PM
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Originally Posted by dedhed
I've done it from below on my son's
yeah we tried that first but without a lift it was too hard to try and maneuver around to work it. So much about working on that beast has been a pain not to mention the gold quality parts from NAPA that last forever on all my other cars over the years just seem to fail on the element. First car where it seemed like so much had to be bought at the dealer. But even then we've had several repeated failures on this. I won't even work on it anymore. When my son has problems with it I'm done touching it.
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Old 09-12-21, 08:42 PM
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Originally Posted by jaxgtr
This is most vehicles these day how they sandwich it all in
Not in my experience...
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Old 09-12-21, 09:15 PM
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We came thisclose to buying one, but the mileage just wasn't good enough. We ended up with a Toyota Echo.
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Old 09-12-21, 09:44 PM
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Originally Posted by Ironfish653
Great concept, it’s only real weakness is fuel mileage (although it’s not far off similar SUVs) and the 4WD needs it’s scheduled maintenance but it’s a good vehicle. Typical Honda build quality and reliability.
The interior is super-basic, even by the standards of cars 10 years ago, but the versatility can’t be beat. Bikes, riders, gear, I’ve even used mine as solo camper a bunch of times.
If you don’t off-road often you can extend stuff like transfer case and rear diff service a long, long time.
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Old 09-13-21, 05:31 AM
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My wife had an Element for 8 years, loved it - great for carrying bikes, kayaks, etc. She would have replaced it with another Element but Honda stopped making them.
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Old 09-13-21, 05:46 AM
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My uncle bought one to transport his model planes, some of which were very large. He really liked it.
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Old 09-13-21, 06:15 AM
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Originally Posted by jamesdak
yeah we tried that first but without a lift it was too hard to try and maneuver around to work it. .
You couldn't use ramps on the front wheels? Or just jack the thing up?
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Old 09-13-21, 07:03 AM
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Honda Elements are basically the perfect bicyclist vehicle. Unfortunately, they haven't been manufactured in many years, so pickings are slim for good ones.

Another option to look at is the Ford Flex. It's not particularly attractive - but hey, if we were already talking about the Element, we're not too concerned about looks - but it's a pretty solid vehicle for bike hauling.
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Old 09-13-21, 08:29 AM
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It doesn't have seats that fold to the side, but the Ford Transit Connect is a good, compact choice for hauling bikes upright:



I don't own one. I bought a Nissan Rogue and lay my bike in the back with the seats folded down. Two bikes with the wheels overlapping.
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Old 09-13-21, 08:41 AM
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Originally Posted by Kapusta
You couldn't use ramps on the front wheels? Or just jack the thing up?
LOL, Even on ramps there's not a lot of room when your on your back using various tools and your hands trying to maneuver around in tight space. Just getting the tools onto the knock sensor from underneath takes an act of god, luck, at least 20 F- bombs, etc.

Obviously I've ruffled some feathers by my comments on the Honda. I'm not a Honda Element hater, in fact I want to like it. But our version has been a piece of crap, plain and simple. Heck, I'm debating a new (used) buy right now and there's a beautiful Element for sale local with only 50,000 miles. I'd be all over it except that I just can't come to trust them now. Way too many issues with out that go beyond the starter problem.
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Old 09-13-21, 08:42 AM
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I've owned my 2003 Honda Elements since new. Obviously, I really like it. I'm going to hold on to it until at least 20 years old and then it will be considered a classic in FL. Good side...there is tons of room. I've fit a 5 foot tub with the hatch closed. Plenty of room for my bikes without having to take off any parts. It is easy to keep clean since the floors are rubber. I wish more cars offered this. For me it is plenty comfortable without too many gizmos. Bad side...the mileage could be better. My wife's huge Odyssey got better mileage with a V6. It is a little underpowered with a 4 cylinder IMO. It is as aerodynamic as a brick. Makes for interesting freeway driving on windy days.
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