Thinking about buying used Honda Element - thoughts?

[Carpediem]

I am thinking about buying a used 2005 Honda Element (~ $5500) as a second car just for putzing around in and hauling stuff. I found one with 171k miles on it. I've checked Consumer Reports and all looks good as far as reliability and so forth. I was just wondering what others' opinions and experiences have been with Elements. I seem to recall there is someone on this forum that was saying they loved theirs and couldn't part with it.

Thoughts? Opinions? Experiences?

 

[aja8888]

I am thinking about buying a used 2005 Honda Element (~ $5500) as a second car just for putzing around in and hauling stuff. I found one with 171k miles on it. I've checked Consumer Reports and all looks good as far as reliability and so forth. I was just wondering what others' opinions and experiences have been with Elements. I seem to recall there is someone on this forum that was saying they loved theirs and couldn't part with it.

Thoughts? Opinions? Experiences?

There was a thread here earlier on them. Maybe search a bit? Consensus was mixed, but it is an older model car long out of production with limited uses.

 

[braumeister]

I have a friend who has an Element. Not sure of the exact year, but somewhere around 2004-2006, so maybe identical to the one you're looking at. He's still happy with it and has no plans to replace it.

He has a one-man consulting business, and he loves how easy it is to throw his tools and equipment in it and just go. Very reliable, as most Hondas are. Since he lives in a very urban location, the size makes it easy to park as well.

 

[bloom2708]

171k is above the "used up" line for me. I would pay a bit more and "buy" 50k miles back and get one in the 100k to 120k range.

Used cars are a crapshoot. If the original owner did all the work needed and there isn't a pile of deferred issues, then 171k might not be so bad. Usually after 150k, that can be when stuff starts to fail more often.

But if a low mileage extra vehicle, might be ok. No easy answer.

 

[Breedlove]

I owned an Element , always ran …..One thing to remember this car has a real low transmission dip tube . I went through about 8" water and the transmission tube sucked the water up and the transmission was toast. It does not set as high as what you think. I bought mine new , the ride was real rough and the seats were not comfortable at all . We did not use it for long trips . It is not what I thought it would be. I would not have another.

 

[CoolRich59]

My son has (now had) one. He loved it. He got t-boned last week and the other driver's insurance company is saying it's totaled.

 

[Lakedog]

I still have a 2007 Element that I bought new, only has 72k miles as I spent a few years traveling by RV. I bought it for the utility -- great dog vehicle, lots of cargo space (leave the rear seats out), nice for travel/camping, my mountain bike will stand up inside without removing front tire. I have enjoyed the Element, had no mechanical issues or problems at all, only oil changes, brakes, tires over the years. Gets decent (not great) mileage for 4wd vehicle.

Since production ceased in 2011, values have increased a bit the last couple of years -- was offered $11k for mine a couple of months ago but some of that is likely the relatively low mileage. I think I paid $23k for it back in 2007 so decent value after 11+ years. I like mine enough that I still own it.

High mileage might concern me a bit but there are lots of Hondas still going north of 250k miles.