Car Enthusiasts
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Honda Element
Return to DiscussionsIm looking to purchase a Honda Element with MANUAL TRANSMISSION. Low mileage well maintained rust free example. Im willing to fly out and drive back! Not if I have to cross the ocean unfortunately lol!
Underside is where they rust as the bodywork is mostly plastic. I have a 2006 undriveable as a donor vehicle for its upcoming one. It gave me 18 wonderful years but quietly passed away of underbody un repairable rust. R.I.P
I desperately seek another one
My current vehicle is not living up to the hype!
Pls txt me here or personally . Thank you all!
First off, Not to be mean, but Good luck with that. One of the things with the Element is that the people that own them love them and keep them forever. That is partially what led to the demise of it. Unlike most cars that get a redesign every 6 years and a refresh every 3, the Element was relatively unchanged during it's entire production run, so it did not make sense for someone to replace it every few years. The sales gradually decreased and in the early 2010's when Honda was redesigning the chassis of their cars to do better in the offset crash tests, the sales volume of the Element was too low to justify the expense. Honda has teased a replacement for the Element over the years, but it was ether an EV, Hybrid, or loaded with tech which takes away from the original charm of the car. People loved that car due to it's simplicity.with the idea that "All that fancy high tech stuff is just one more expensive thing to break" Can't really argue that logic.
While you mention the under body rust, especially near the suspension mount points if you find one near the ocean, also look for rust above the windshield. In my close to 20 years as a Honda Service Advisor I have seen quite a few examples of it.
I had a customer that had a 2009 Element SC that in 2022 had just over 20k miles. Super low miles is not necessarily a good thing since just sitting is about the worst thing for a car. Back in late 2021 or early 2022 he was offered $25K for it and turned it down. I asked him why and he said :Because there is nothing out there that I can replace it with." Since he lived near the beach, it had the rust coming through above the windshield to the point that water leaked in. The underside was fine, since every year he would have an oil type rust inhibitor sprayed under it. Last I knew he was going to pay a body shop over $4K to repair the rust over the windshield by removing the windshield, having a new piece fabricated out of steel, spot welding it in and finishing it. That was about 3 years ago. He often said, "someone can have this car after I die"
Yes I know about owners keeping them forever! I too wanted to but I also live by the sea in the Canadian Maritimes and the air is salted and the roads are too in winter. I have had no issues at all around the windshield but appreciate your input and will definitely remember to check whenever I inspect one! Ive undercoated mine every single year as well and thats why it lasted so long in our harsh environment. It has 482,122 km and the engine still runs well. Clutch is gone and choke needs work. The unibody construction and much underbelly rust caused it to drastically fail road safety inspection by the Ministry of Transportation. I brought it to several professional body shops and all told me its too far gone. Believe me I loved that baby and would have repaired it if feasible. I was told to drive it until the sticker expired then to retire it. In May 2024 clutch went and sticker renewal was Nov 1st 2024 so I retired it after seeking many professional repair shops. Cars in our neck of the woods/ sea do not last this long