Maintenance & Restoration

Donald Stahl · 02-05-2007, 09:56 AM

Patrick,
We have not owned an Element, but if we had, I am sure we would have shared the same feelings having to let it go.

On the other side of the coin - your new van is an excellent choice. We bought our Odyssey new in 04 and quite frankly, it is the best car we have ever had. Just a suggestion - when you have around 20,000 miles on your van, you might want to try a K and N air filter for more efficient fuel consumption. Combine that with a top tier fuel and a high quality synthetic engine oil, and you should see much better mpg. Not towing, cruise set at 65, car gives us 32 mpg. now. Don

Patrick M. · 02-05-2007, 10:03 AM

Excellent advice Donald, thank you very much!

EDIT: And may I add, if we get 32 it will be 6+ more than our 4-cyc boxy Element ever got and we will be happy campers, even if getting that mileage while not camping!

Per Walthinsen · 02-05-2007, 10:21 AM

Stock air filter, but Mobil I oil, and I keep checking it because I don't believe it, but Donald's mileage figure is right on.

As we have now achieved the cherished goal of having only one car that kind of mileage is great for a large vehicle which can also drag our big Burro without complaining.

Brian B-P · 02-05-2007, 03:02 PM

Quote:

...Suspension members are stamped steel...

While I am amazed at the intricate [b]aluminum alloy castings which GM is building into a number of its vehicles - technology which was reserved for exotics a few years ago - I see nothing wrong with stamped steel. Evey material has its advantages and disadvantages, and in some applications stamped and welded steel delivers better strength and durability than cast aluminum.

The Aztek is a short-wheelbase GM minivan without sliding doors (and there's nothing wrong with that); the rest of the same series uses stamped steel rear suspensions, with only the Versa-trak all-wheel-drive version getting the light alloy, or the subframe. The expensive material was used to get the job done for the low-volume production variation, and the steel stamping was expensively tooled up for the high-volume variation.

I wouldn't take the appearance of some silvery metal as an indication of [b]value.

Ken D · 02-19-2007, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Well, we traded in our beloved Element yesterday on a Honda Odyssey EX, moving from a 1,500# towing limit to 3,500#. Not only will the road cruising be a little (lot?) more pleasant, but should that Bigfoot or Burro or Casita 17,' that looks like a must have, become available, we'll be able to hook it up and drive away.

As the final deal breaker on the purchase, I'm having the Honda dealer install the Odyssey towing package for just over what the parts alone would have cost me from a Honda parts discounter (a breath-taking $625 for hitch, wiring harness, tranny cooler, power steering cooler, and air diverter. Honda is very proud of its parts.).

But the avatar picture will remain, a reminder of the good times had with the Element.

Patrick, I feel for you....Even though I bought a new Toyota Rav 4 with the 269hp V6 a month ago....we just had to kep the 2003 Element in the family...we just love it so much.
I am however looking forward to the extra power for pulling my T@B this summer!

And seeing Gina telling people that she had parted with her Element was simply a sad state of affairs!!

ken D

Gina D. · 02-19-2007, 01:01 AM

Oh, I can beat that now..

today, I sold my 13 footer to a stranger!

jimtesla · 02-23-2007, 09:53 AM

For whats its worth

I still tow my Burro with my Element....

So its down to two......

HustonFamily · 04-03-2007, 09:56 PM

Hi, new guy here. I have an Element and am looking around for a 13 footer... probably either a Scamp or a Burro if I can find one.

I know Patrick ran electric brakes on his Scamp... what about the other (2?) remaining Element owners? Do you folks run electric brakes as well? (I know one of you has a Burro)

Thanks!

Art Davis · 04-04-2007, 08:36 AM

Quote:

You got a good deal.
My Odyssey is the only automobile I have ever purchased new from a Dealer. Since I got it for less than MSRP, my Dealer was not going to conceed any profit on the accessories. I wound up getting only the coolers from the dealership, and buying the hitch and harness separately and installing them myself.

Frederick,

Are you using a WDH with your Odyssey? If so, what kind? Don't want to hijack the thread, so PM me if you don't mind.

Art

Gina D. · 04-04-2007, 08:50 AM

Hi there, Hustonfamily!

I had brakes on my Burro/Element combo. I towed for a bit without them hooked up, but when I got them working and the controller installed, oh my, what a difference!

You will thank yourself for having brakes. You will increase your stopping power and safety factor 10 fold.

HustonFamily · 04-04-2007, 11:33 AM

Thanks. Patrick had given me some feedback on the Element forum... I guess what I'm wondering is... if I find a good deal on a Burro (or Scamp) which doesn't have electric brakes, should I go for it... and then later, could I have it retrofitted with brakes (not sure if that requires an entire new axle or what). It's a 'long way' in price between some used 13 footers and a brand new scamp... I figure I could do a fair amount of upgrading (I like what one/you?/ Burro owner did with his paint job... would love to do something similar in Atomic Blue Metallic

).

Quote:

Hi there, Hustonfamily!

I had brakes on my Burro/Element combo. I towed for a bit without them hooked up, but when I got them working and the controller installed, oh my, what a difference!

You will thank yourself for having brakes. You will increase your stopping power and safety factor 10 fold.

David Schroeder · 04-04-2007, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Thanks. Patrick had given me some feedback on the Element forum... I guess what I'm wondering is... if I find a good deal on a Burro (or Scamp) which doesn't have electric brakes, should I go for it... and then later, could I have it retrofitted with brakes (not sure if that requires an entire new axle or what). It's a 'long way' in price between some used 13 footers and a brand new scamp... I figure I could do a fair amount of upgrading (I like what one/you?/ Burro owner did with his paint job... would love to do something similar in Atomic Blue Metallic

).

Look here for a nice looking 13' U-haul on ebay. Says 1100#s and I believe they have surge brakes on them. Good luck Dave.

Brian B-P · 04-04-2007, 01:51 PM

Quote:

... a nice looking 13' U-haul on ebay. Says 1100#s and I believe they have surge brakes on them...

I have seen surge brakes in photos of two U-Haul Vacation Trailers (VT, the 16' model), but they are not on the U-Haul Camper Trailers (CT, the 13' model) which I have seen in photos or "in person". The U-Haul manuals in the FiberglassRV Document Center are for the CT, and don't show brakes.

While the quality of the images in the eBay ad is mediocre, the coupler does not appear to me to incorporate a surge brake mechanism.

I think the surge brakes are a valuable feature, and certainly relevant to tow vehicle compatibility for the larger model which has them.

David Schroeder · 04-04-2007, 02:20 PM

Thanks Brian for correcting me. I had a vague memory surge brakes on U-haul trailers. Dave

HustonFamily · 04-04-2007, 03:51 PM

I saw that u-haul... it was just a little rougher looking than I was hoping for (I'm not much of a restoration person)... also leads me to ask if those swamp coolers work very well in humid climates? (it had a broken one... I also wondered if it could be replaced with a roof mounted AC unit, but I noticed there was a thread somewhere here which suggested they were too heavy, unless the shell was specifically designed for it?)

There also just earlier sold on eBay, a very nice Burro in Corpus Christi which I was hoping to get, but one of those automated eBayers (I guess that's probably everyone but me) came in and swept it away from me. I should have kept the link to it so you could check it out. It was in great shape and purportedly in good working order. It ended up going for about $3500. I had even made the emergency call to the local hitch installer and set up an appointment to get the E ready. I'm keeping my appointment... definitely commited to getting something. It may just end up being a financed brand new Scamp (I know... several months from the time I finally decide to order). I'll keep looking for something used... a while longer.

One other thing... I'm not mistaken am I? most all the E's are going with 2" receivers... correct? (sort of a better for me anyway, since I have a nice 2" bike rack left over from a Dodge Durango I used to have)

Thanks for everyone's comments.

Patrick M. · 04-04-2007, 04:45 PM

Yep, you want a 2", and a very good idea to get the hitch installed for that sudden opportunity that will require a quick cross-state jaunt!

Good luck!

Kristen Beck · 04-08-2007, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Well, we traded in our beloved Element yesterday on a Honda Odyssey EX, moving from a 1,500# towing limit to 3,500#. Not only will the road cruising be a little (lot?) more pleasant, but should that Bigfoot or Burro or Casita 17,' that looks like a must have, become available, we'll be able to hook it up and drive away.

As the final deal breaker on the purchase, I'm having the Honda dealer install the Odyssey towing package for just over what the parts alone would have cost me from a Honda parts discounter (a breath-taking $625 for hitch, wiring harness, tranny cooler, power steering cooler, and air diverter. Honda is very proud of its parts.).

But the avatar picture will remain, a reminder of the good times had with the Element.

Hi patrick,
I heard through the forum, Nancy, that you installed your own Brake controller on your honda element. Are there any hidden secrets to getting this set up. My husband is going to attempt it,

. We got the voyager model of the tokonsha(?) brake controller plus the 7 way plug. Would really appreciate some advice.

thanks

Kris and neal

Patrick M. · 04-09-2007, 08:33 AM

Funny you should mention this, as I just had a similar request over at the Element forum where my pictures of the process had mysteriously disappeared! Anyway, check out this thread and see if it helps you: http://www.elementownersclub.com/forums/sh...7379#post407379

It's an easy job on the Element, a bit more of a challenge on the Odyssey.

Shelley · 05-15-2007, 04:04 PM

Ok Element owners and former Element owners....do you know what the towing capacity is for an Element? One of the dealers here has a 2004 which I might be interested in if I knew it could handle my Surfside....thoughts?