Honda Car Forum

I drive a lot for work. My Toyota Camry caught on fire and is totaled. I found a 2004 Honda Element for 4,450 with pretty low mileage. Low mileage is important due to constant driving for work. I am not a huge fan on SUVs but the extra room could be beneficial with a growing family. Thoughts and opinions?

Hondas are typically reliable cars. I own a 2000 CRV and it still runs like new! catch is,Hondas aren't the cheapest to run. Same things are said by friends and relatives who own other models (civic, accord, fit, etc). If ever you can find a Toyota SUV at the same price and low mileage, i'd probably go for that one. But that Honda Element isn't a very bad deal to me. just remember to take a look at the maintenance records or accident history before moving forward.

$4450 sounds pretty cheap for a low mileage 2004 Element, even if it's a 2wd DX model. I'd be a little suspicious. Make sure you check it out carefully, even things you might take for granted. For instance, make sure you get heat out of all of the dash vents. Otherwise it may have a plugged heater core even though the temp gauge is in the normal range...a $1200 repair. Check the forums at http://www.elementownersclub.com for real world experiences from fanatical owners.