Do I want an Element?

I may have put myself in a bit of a bind. We bought the Fit last year, new, for $16,700. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this car for doing what it was made to do: Haul small family/stuff and get great fuel efficiency doing so. Also, it's fun to toss around.

BUT, the reason fuel efficiency factored so heavily into the equation was because we thought the whole family would be riding together to work every day (80 miles round trip.) We quickly realized, there's not really anything we can do to make the shop "baby-friendly." So the Fit stays home with mama and baby, and daddy does 80 miles a day in the Integra.

Anyway, I'm realizing now that there's really no need for a 35mpg+ car that only gets driven 15 miles a day, and am considering something with a little more room.

I honestly wouldn't mind trading DOWN to a used (1st gen.) Mazda5, or early Element, but the math rarely works in those situations; i.e., once financed, I'd end up paying the same amount of dough every month for a car that's a few years older, that's worth less, with more miles on it.

I'm looking at 2010/2011 Elements, 20k miles, with dealer ASKING prices of around $20k. I'm struggling to come up with anything (kid hauler wise) that I'd be as excited about.

Thoughts on the Element? Suggestions for something else around $20k for kid hauler duty? Should I just suck it up until the Fit's paid off?

Would be cool if we could do both (Fit for me, Element for mama,) but I don't mind the Teg, and would rather save the cash.

Either A: stick w/ Fit or B: buy an older Mazda5. I got mine for $9000 or so, you can too. That'll be a substantial enough drop off in price to actually change your payments/terms.

Javelin wrote: Either A: stick w/ Fit or B: buy an older Mazda5. I got mine for $9000 or so, you can too. That'll be a substantial enough drop off in price to actually change your payments/terms.

True. Interesting.

I really like the Element. Very versatile and something I would seriously consider if I was a handyman or traveling carpenter.

The AWD is always a nice addition too.

DaveEstey wrote: I really like the Element. Very versatile and something I would seriously consider if I was a handyman or traveling carpenter. The AWD is always a nice addition too.

Yeah, you could get a 5-speed manual w/AWD up until the last year of production. That would be what I'd be looking for, but would probably be willing to settle for any combination. Can't berkeleying stand the idea of a slushbox, but mama would be driving it 90% of the time. I won the transmission battle on the Fit. Might be willing to give it up this time.

I suppose it's worth mentioning that I do have the need to haul large pieces of artwork from time to time - usually up to somebody's cabin on a dirt road on the side of a freakin cliff. So the space/AWD is a nice to have.

I dig the element. Just wish they made it with a bigger motor. But if you don't need to tow, it's a great, versatile vehicle.

We loved our element but the rear door is a serious pain to get kids and crap in and out of if you have to open the front.

Any common/known issues? A good friend (who used to work for GRM) had a burned valve around 100k, and a really bad experience with the dealer. Pop was working at a Honda Dealer when they were new and said many came in for brake and alignment issues.

wearymicrobe wrote: We loved our element but the rear door is a serious pain to get kids and crap in and out of if you have to open the front.

Interesting. Figured it'd make life easier getting baby in and out...maybe not so much when she's able to do that stuff herself, huh?

I've got friends with many miles on an Element and they love it. They're cycling folks, so it works great for hauling gear, bikes, and peeps with respectable MPG.

Don't know anybody with an Element poopy and I've never driven one. My BIL's Fit is plugging along like a champ though. 5-speed like yours. Good car.

Only one person I know with one, a veterinarian in a semi-rural & poor county. She loves it. It's her complete mobile hospital. She's had it for several years.

Everyone I know who's had one has been happy with them, I drove one and liked it even in spite of the (to these ancient eyes) weird styling. I agree they are a bit underpowered but that may not be a problem for you.

I'll chime in. I have an 06 EX-P with the AWD and 5-speed trans. Bought it last year with 60k miles on it for about $10.5k.

Complaints: The seats are made out of a terribly cheap "fabric" and their bolsters always tear. The brakes are known to need pads pretty frequently, and lots of owners (myself included) have run into the calipers freezing, especially in the rear. The AWD is a quite simple system that really adds little of value, and gives you a mpg hit. It's a small car actually, but gets about 22-25 mpg mixed.

Living with it: A bit "bouncy" due to short wheelbase. The front doors are pretty long and swing wide, and must be opened all the way to make rear door access happen, so plan on parking a little further away. There are only four seats, so you actually fit fewer people than you would in the Fit.

My take: The "utilitarian" nature of the Element is hard to miss. It's a great vehicle for going to Home Depot, or taking one child and a dog around or on trips. It has some quirks that will annoy you, but the simplicity and efficiency of its package has a real charm. I do like the manual trans, but I'd probably not bother with looking high and low for an AWD version.

Oh and I've been looking at alternative vehicles if I decide to sell the Element. The Saab 9-5 wagon and Buick Roadmaster are on my list.

One of our resident Honda fanboi's just traded his Element for a Fit. The Fit hauls almost as much as the Element, and it much more fun to drive. It rides better, gets twice the gas mileage and can actually get out of it's own way. Put it this way: My 90hp Accent almost outruns a manual trans Element from a stoplight to 60mph.

Great insight guys. Thank you.

What year did the elements switch from the gawdawful textured black plastic fenders and bumpers to the painted variety?

After doing some reading on the element AWD system i am laying out another vote for not bothering with it.

Ive always liked the things myself. But, buying it for reasons of practicality, coming from a Fit.. seems tricky. Honestly, i think the only way most people can justify an element is by placing a lot of value on 'because i like it'.

My wife drives an FJ cruiser, which is not an element, but shares the same type of doors. They suck. They suck even more when you're getting kids in and out. It's almost worse than getting kids in and out of a two door. Almost. I don't have much to say about the element itself, but the doors, berkeley that.

poopshovel wrote: Great insight guys. Thank you.

I thought you were talking about the Element, not the Insight?

If you just need something to shuffle you back and forth to work check out an first gen Insight. I just got one about a month ago to commute to work and have been averaging 60mpg.

I say keep the Fit.
How much life is left in the Integra? Long commute miles are going to eat up the Integra in a few years. Move forward those few years and you are going to have a mostly paid for, low mileage Fit in your driveway where you know the complete history.

You may not need a 35mpg car that drives only 15 miles a day but it will be very nice to have a Fit with low miles when you reduce it down to 80 mile per day commute service.

trade the Fit for an Accent SE?

Yes, you want an Element w/manual and do a 6 speed conversion.

Almost the best of both worlds.

Element 6 speed MT Conversion Plans/Parts

The reported fuel economy goes from 24 mpg to 31 mpg