I’ve always went for the seats down approach and its surprising what I can fit in my Toyota Yaris too. I comfortably had two TT bikes or a TT bike and a road bike in there. But lol, I’ve just tested out my gravel bike on top of a road bike and I’m just debating if I can get 3 bikes in 
2 Likes
Look like you could pop a wheelie with the weight in the back 
Cool setup
4 Likes
I want that. 
I’ve got it into a good mechanic now so I’m hopeful he can fix it. In the meantime I’m gonna drool over that VW van!
I want an Element so bad but can’t find anything under 6K that isn’t beat.
Gas will probably never get back to to the 2-2.30 levels, so I’ll keep the honda fit around a bit longer. Cant put three bikes in (with front wheel off), other space/room plus a hitch rack works well. I think I filled up four times from Denver to Phoenix last month including the driving once there. Hard to beat.
1 Like
If the car dies, I can tow it home with the fatbike.
6 Likes
FWIW… KBB says our 2011 with 140K miles is worth 8K or more in a private sale. I wouldn’t pay that for it myself. But this used car market is nuts and Elements have that cult following thing. The Toyota FJ reissues are similar with crazy pricing.
Anyone reading here have a newer Rav4? Am wondering if a mtn bike will fit inside on a glider board (board with fork mount) or if they need to go on the roof or on a hitch rack.
p.s. I also thought “Wheelie” with the fat bike and Fiat upthread. Good Friday humor!
-Darth
3 Likes
I wanted to follow up. I found a better mechanic, and we’ve tracked my running issue back to a transmission/torque converter problem; (even after a transmission shop missed it completely, ?). He changed the transmission fluid and asked that I drive the van over the weekend. After a full week of typically heavy driving, I’m astonished at how much of a fix this has been. So, back to being stoked on the Transit Connect. There’s nothing, yet that competes with this vehicle as far as a compact “city van” - Ram, Nissan, and Mercedes all make their own version but price/cargo ratio I think the Ford wins. Just be aware of potential transmission and/or torque converter problems after 80K miles. Now that it’s on my radar I’m hyper aware of the problem and have another 50K on an after market warranty.
3 Likes
Trans fluid on my van is supposed to be done every 30k.
1 Like
Darth, are you selling?
I’ve had to readjust my thinking. 150k on Elements is now “low mileage”.
There were a couple 150k $5000 Elements listed near me recently. One sold quick and one is still available.
My thinking is now along the lines of a $5000 example but with the idea of putting $2-3-4k into it as needed versus buying a $10,000+ version that is not that much nicer. People are asking $15-30k for true low mileage examples now. A few have brought crazy money on Bring a Trailer though you never know if the sale actually went through.
1 Like
Starting to realize the Honda element dream is probably over.
I’m now looking at AWD Siennas
1 Like
Not presently. It is running well and in nice shape overall considering age and miles and such. We’re waiting on that Sienna to come in for the wife and then I’m taking the Element and returning it to bike transport duty.
In addition to the Element being pretty good for what I need, problem is I can’t find anything in truck or SUV that gets me excited. Closest thing is the RAV4 Prime. It would work for my bike need, has AWD when neeed and the EV capability would be a bonus. But it’s 40K we don’t need to spend.
That BaT link — Wow. 32K for an Element is well into bonkers territory.
If you can find a good Element in the 5K range it’s worth a chance. The only issues we’ve had with ours that come to mind are a valve adjustment that took a while to figure out, rear brakes are weak and eat pads (known issue) and have replaced a couple igniters. Our mechanic basically says keep it and run it into the ground as there isn’t much to these that they can’t fix along the way.
TL;DR Go for it!!!
1 Like
BaT is not representative of actual car values. I think it just attracts fools readily willing to part with their money.
2 Likes
Do you have any concerns about removing the second-row seats? I know it can be done and there are workarounds to the airbag warning light. I haven’t been able to find a straight answer on if the warranty is violated by removing the second row.
I like the Sienna for AWD and the gas mileage, but I’m leaning Odyssey. Rav4 Prime would be great…if it were actually available without a huge dealer markup.
1 Like
Seat removal
I don’t really accept the scare tactics from some Toyota dealers on warranty. Have probably read and watched the same videos you have; it looks like people put the seats back in before bringing the van into a dealer for service. Which is a pain in the behind but avoids the argument.
The second row seats not being easily removed or folded flat was the design element (no pun intended) that annoys the heck out of me on the Sienna. Pacifica hybrid is better for flat floor and we looked at it closely. But no AWD for the hybrid. Nice van though and wife drove it and liked it. Odyssey doesn’t have the hybrid and seems ready for a big update soon?
So Sienna wins the drivetrain and MPG and wife approval factor categories. Will figure out best way to live with the second row seats and non-flat floor.
Rav4 Prime
I haven’t shopped for one yet and admit am putting it off as long as I can!!! It ticks a lot of boxes (hybrid, some EV range, AWD) and think it would make a good bike transport though. We’re hoping the Element goes several more years and we get back to some sort of auto market normalcy before another car is actually needed.
Cars sure have gotten more difficult last few years eh?
I’ve come to realize that there is no perfect vehicle. And there is no limit to the amount of Youtube videos I can watch detailing specs, etc.
Have you watched this guy? He is pretty entertaining.
2 Likes
Yes. His platform is more sophisticated than I was thinking. Most folks are doing some sort of camping or van life builds. Our needs are flat for dog transport crates space and training gear (field and obedience work). The Element has worked well for this but wife makes long trips so want something a bit newer. It also needs to drive well and have 4WD. Really wanted something like the Transit to work but for drivability and safety features the Sienna makes more sense.
Much like bike folks, dog folks are very much lamenting the lack of an Element like vehicle on the market.
Other videos and stuff for Sienna:
This is an older van, but a nice flat floor platform and camping build out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjV44lxxyQg
This is the fellow with the 3D printed airbag “simulators”: https://bradshacks.com/product/airbag-simulator/. He has videos on seat removal.
Apologies to the thread as we’ve taken a small tack away from Elements. But at 32K a pop ain’t nobody but crazy people buy-in’ Elements!!!
Another minivan convert here, from a former Element owner (best car ever, IMHO). We replaced it with an Odyssey and have no regrets. The rear seats fold completely flat into the floor, so we keep them down, and we’ve removed the middle 2nd-row seat. Can fit multiple bikes inside without removing wheels (and one bike has a crazy long seatpost, so the bike is tall), and can easily fit bikes, dog, camping gear and people.
As my husband says, nothing says creepy like a middle-aged child-free couple driving a minivan, but I’m a convert for sure!
2 Likes
It helps to hear kid-less folks have transitioned and been OK.
I remembered this story from way back:
Good enough for Dan Gurney, good enough for me!!!
1 Like
As far as the law is concerned (magnuson moss warranty act) removing a seat cannot violate your warranty beyond any of the parts that were handled possibly no longer be covered if it was determined that something you did caused a problem. This originally was meant to cover a dealer/manufacture trying to say that you had to go to the dealer for things like an oil change or your warranty was void, but covers other things like removing a seat or even installing an aftermarket radio. Blow out a speaker? yeah they can deny that. Start burning oil due to defective rings… they cannot deny you because of that radio. Remove your seat and damage the airbag connector, then they can deny that.
Now the law and dealing with a dealer are not the same thing and many dealers will claim that something is no longer covered or your warranty is void. Ignoring that no dealer can void a warranty that is between you and the manufacture, usually if a dealer gives you a hard time simply getting in touch with the manufacture will resolve it. (former dealer tech)
If you remove the seats and airbag light comes on and you don’t want it bugging you just find the right resistor and jam it in. Despite many many claims on the internet an airbag light being on does not disable the whole system.
2 Likes