There are two on 405motors under 100k mi and around $15k. I didn’t know there was such a following for Elements learned somethingMy budget is as much below $20K as I can get. I'm looking for an automatic. I have come to like how easy it is to drive and drink coffee at the same time in an automatic.
Sisters in their element!That’s why I bought my Element! I was shopping for a new Subaru in 2015 and the first and only thing I cared about (after AWD) was could I sleep in it comfortably. Nope. So, I looked at every new vehicle on the market (besides behemoths like an Expedition or Suburban) and either they weren’t long or tall enough inside or the seats didn’t fold down flat enough. So, I started looking at used rigs and remembered an Element that I’d ridden in once. I found one the next day and bought it! My sister saw it a few days later and bought hers the next day!
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I have owned a Ridgeline since 2007. For its intended purpose I bought it for was great : transporting the family, dog in the bed, bikes on top, lots of storage. I luv the locking hidden bed storage. Great for periodic trips to the lumberyard. Everyday driver and trying to park it - not so much fun. Load capacity in bed - marginal. Sleeping in it - only if one is severely height challenged. Insurance costs and repair - expensive due to not that many around. Other than that - hmmmm.Ok, so Elements are unicorns. Has anyone thought about a Ridgeline instead ?
My good friend has a Sienna and camps in it. He loves it.My daughter and SIL moved back to the States, with two small kids they needed something for the family and for grandpa and grandma to all ride in. They bought a gently used one of these: https://www.carfax.com/vehicle/5TDDK3DC6FS106623
I've given thought to the Element but more recently to the AWD Sienna. I like the sliding doors.
And they still make them, unlike the Element. But everyone knows Honda's run forever.My good friend has a Sienna and camps in it. He loves it.
Thanks Divad! Dibs on the 2008. I went and looked at it today, but when they went to drive it around front they realized that someone had snuck onto their lot and stolen the catalytic converter!There are two on 405motors under 100k mi and around $15k. I didn’t know there was such a following for Elements learned something
That 08 is clean! Maybe you can negotiate the price for the previous owner’s steel nutsThanks Divad! Dibs on the 2008. I went and looked at it today, but when they went to drive it around front they realized that someone had snuck onto their lot and stolen the catalytic converter!
I'll test drive it after they get that fixed.
For me, absolutely not. I think it would be a horrible vehicle for my needs. I almost never take more than one person anywhere and even then, it is rare I have a passenger at all. So, 4 doors and a tiny cargo area would be useless for me.Ok, so Elements are unicorns. Has anyone thought about a Ridgeline instead ?
I've had a Ridgeline since 2015 and pretty much agree with Freestone's assessment. As a matter of fact, I'm presently looking for an Element primarily because of the lack of comfortable sleeping options in the Ridgeline. So far, the only decent lower mileage AWD models are all in Eastern Canada - it is slim pickings in the West! I'm going to have to develop some patience I guess and take my time like BDD did.For me, absolutely not. I think it would be a horrible vehicle for my needs. I almost never take more than one person anywhere and even then, it is rare I have a passenger at all. So, 4 doors and a tiny cargo area would be useless for me.
I also want to be able to sleep comfortably in my rig and when it is cold, cook in it. I can’t do that with a Ridgeline.
I also want to be able to get into my bed without going outside - and get back in the driver’s seat in a hurry if I need to make a quick escape. Can’t do that from the bed of the Ridgeline.
I want to be able to haul a 10’ fully rigged rod inside my rig. Can’t do that with a Ridgeline.
I want to be able to sit up straight while on my bed and still have room to store stuff under the bed. Can’t do that with a Ridgeline even with a canopy.
I probably could go on but I will stop there. I guess I’d rather have a soccer mom van than a Ridgeline, LOL!
Number two vehicle on the list in Seattle it looks like for cat theft. Even if you own a garage may want to think about negotiating the install of a shield. I’d hate to worry about that constantly when parking.You got a garage, Zak? Elements are apparently a favorite of the catalytic converter banditry. My buddy has had his element’s cat converter stolen something like four times.
If you want to carry a bunch of stuff and/or sleep comfortably in the back, want AWD, want to be able to drive/park in urban environments without attracting too much attention, don't want a brodozer, and don't need a manual transmission, there's really no finer stealth utility vehicle than an AWD Sienna.
I had a '97 MT Subaru Legacy L wagon for a decade, then a '96 All-Trac Previa LE/SC for ~6 years, and got an '09 Sienna Limited AWD last April. I briefly looked at an Element in between the Suby and the Perv but the cramped living room (even with potential MT) lost out to the radness of the supercharged Space Egg. Once you embrace minivanlife you'll never go back!
We have an 04 Sienna and It's been on some adventures over the years. Ours is a 2WD, though.The AWD Sienna has been on my list to check out for awhile now. When my my old explorer finally dies, I'll be checking them out.
I have no concerns about looking cool. An old gray haired guy in a minivan is right up my alley.
Space Egg....lol.
SF
If you absolutely need extra ground clearance you can always get a Traxda or Journeys Offroad lift kit for the Sienna. I contemplated going that route but figured I'd save the money since I'm generally not going on gnarly offroad trails. I never got stuck in my Legacy or Previa, and so far so good with the Sienna.We have an 04 Sienna and It's been on some adventures over the years. Ours is a 2WD, though.
It's hard to beat the practicality and room. We've taken several long trips and always run overloaded. We never travel light. Kids, dog, camping gear, coolers, food, more food, beach toys, Yakima car-topper (the really big one), and much more crap. We've also run it at 80MPH through Montana and Wyoming. That was not fun being as overloaded as we were, but the van handled it without a hiccup. My bung hole is still a little puckered, though.
I think an AWD Sienna would be an awesome stealth camping vehicle for all the reasons mentioned in the posts above. My only worry would be the lack of ground clearance. It won't quite go where a Sprinter will.
Plus, it has that uncool "I've pretty much given up on life" vibe, which could let you travel under the radar.