New car...

[frankoV]

Well, since you guys couldn't get enough the first time around, I thought I'd post up a barrage of pics of the Element...enjoy!

ABSOLUTELY REVOLTING!!!

I mean the fact that you can see road and ground and roofs and . . .

I'd show you a pick of my V but I can't find it buried under all the snow!

[Rockhound]

Congratulation, Rockhound.

They used to say that Subaru B9 is the ugliest one. I test drove one and it was very nice inside and the ride was smooth, but I end up w/ a Pathfinder (in 2007) and a Versa in 2008

A car is as good as you like it

Thanks. So far I'm loving the Element. I've hauled things that neither the G nor Versa could hold, I've been getting over 21 MPG in town during break-in, and it's extremely fun to drive. Kind of sad, I haven't even begun to miss the old car, but I guess that's a good thing - no buyer's remorse here.

ABSOLUTELY REVOLTING!!!

I mean the fact that you can see road and ground and roofs and . . .

I'd show you a pick of my V but I can't find it buried under all the snow!

Got me! Taking outdoors pics in winer around here is extremely dull, nothing but dead bermudagrass as far as the eye can see...

We did get some snow on Thursday - all of about 2 inches or so. Had the local weathermen in a tizzy...then it's supposed to be 70 degrees on Monday.

[Rockhound]

Thought some of you might enjoy this...it's a video of a stock Element SC at an autocross event. According to the article, some drivers had a faster time on this course in a SC than a Civic Si, which is a testament more toward handling dynamics than acceleration, as this is a twisty little course. The guy driving this one was one of the product planners behind the SC model. Body roll is impressively slight, as you can see in the video.

http://vtec.net/news/news-item?news_item_id=633563

[Ever Victorious]

We did get some snow on Thursday - all of about 2 inches or so. Had the local weathermen in a tizzy...then it's supposed to be 70 degrees on Monday.

OK, that takes the WTF cake for today. I mean, in Seattle we're used to bizzare weather patterns (experiencing 3 seasons all in 1 day) but going from snowy to 70 in less than a week? If your weatherman isn't an alcoholic yet, monday will probably push him over the edge.

Thought some of you might enjoy this...it's a video of a stock Element SC at an autocross event. According to the article, some drivers had a faster time on this course in a SC than a Civic Si, which is a testament more toward handling dynamics than acceleration, as this is a twisty little course. The guy driving this one was one of the product planners behind the SC model. Body roll is impressively slight, as you can see in the video.

Wow. Uhmm.... several things wrong with that.

1) Yeah, impressively little body roll. Like, to the point that I don't believe for one second that the tested vehicle is completely stock. I've only seen that little body roll on a stock car in three vehicles: Chevrolet Corvette, Porsche Boxster, and BMW M3. And I've seen a LOT of stock vehicles at the track in my 8 years of autocrossing.

(though if you want a laugh, and want to see the complete opposite, try watching either a 69 Olds Toronado or a 04 Kia Rio try to autocross... the body roll is hilarious)

2) Are there accompanying timeslips and driver identifications to prove that the Si and SC weren't run on the same day, but WERE run by the same driver? Autocrossers learn fast. I could drive a Yugo misfiring on 2 cylinders on my 2nd run faster than I could drive my Versa on the 1st run. And I'm not even a *GOOD* autocrosser. If you take a guy, throw him in an Si for his first round, then pop him behind the wheel of ANYTHING immediately afterwards, his time will improve. The test is slanted if you do that. It's only accurate if you test him once in one car, wait 3 or so weeks, then test him again in the other car (after he's forgotten the course again).

3) You do realize, do you not, that that ISN'T an autocross course? I'm not sure WTF it is... it looks more like a SOLO 1 course. Autocross courses are NOT that fast, and NOT that wide. There were also precisely 0 slaloms. Another big "X" on the autocross theory.

Don't get me wrong, that's a pretty impressive video... but again, as one who has actually "been there", it's smoke and mirrors to me.

Now... back to the topic at hand: the pictures of your new car.

Still hate the look. But still love the color.

[Rockhound]

Wow. Uhmm.... several things wrong with that.

1) Yeah, impressively little body roll. Like, to the point that I don't believe for one second that the tested vehicle is completely stock. I've only seen that little body roll on a stock car in three vehicles: Chevrolet Corvette, Porsche Boxster, and BMW M3. And I've seen a LOT of stock vehicles at the track in my 8 years of autocrossing.

(though if you want a laugh, and want to see the complete opposite, try watching either a 69 Olds Toronado or a 04 Kia Rio try to autocross... the body roll is hilarious)

2) Are there accompanying timeslips and driver identifications to prove that the Si and SC weren't run on the same day, but WERE run by the same driver? Autocrossers learn fast. I could drive a Yugo misfiring on 2 cylinders on my 2nd run faster than I could drive my Versa on the 1st run. And I'm not even a *GOOD* autocrosser. If you take a guy, throw him in an Si for his first round, then pop him behind the wheel of ANYTHING immediately afterwards, his time will improve. The test is slanted if you do that. It's only accurate if you test him once in one car, wait 3 or so weeks, then test him again in the other car (after he's forgotten the course again).

3) You do realize, do you not, that that ISN'T an autocross course? I'm not sure WTF it is... it looks more like a SOLO 1 course. Autocross courses are NOT that fast, and NOT that wide. There were also precisely 0 slaloms. Another big "X" on the autocross theory.

Don't get me wrong, that's a pretty impressive video... but again, as one who has actually "been there", it's smoke and mirrors to me.

Now... back to the topic at hand: the pictures of your new car.

Still hate the look. But still love the color.

1) The article claims it's bone stock. The SC features an upgraded, lowered suspension over other Element trims, and also has a 25mm rear swaybar. Although I haven't pushed mine nearly that hard, I have no trouble believing that's a stock SC - mine handles incredibly well, maybe too well for a vehicle of this height. That's why all other considerations flew out the window when I went on a test drive - I couldn't believe the handling.

The SC in the video isn't visibly lowered past stock ride height, either. Also, Honda apparently does not have a history of putting ringers out in the test fleet.

2) I'm aware of the lack of scientific validity to the whole "faster than an Si" claim. I'm not hung up on that part. I could care less how the two compare, really - when an Si has 77 cubic feet of cargo space, then I'll care. Clearly, anyone with any driving skill could take the Si through the course with a better time. Your theory regarding putting a first-timer in the Si first, and then letting them go around with the Element is likely spot-on.

3) I have no idea what constitutes an autocross course. If anything, this looks like a course that's been set up intentionally to suit the strengths of this particular vehicle.

Further investigation reveals this from the Civic Si article: "We spent a day checking out the full lineup of Honda's 2007 models at an event in Detroit recently..." Sounds like it was a Honda-sponsored event with their own track design.

[frankoV]

Got me! Taking outdoors pics in winer around here is extremely dull, nothing but dead bermudagrass as far as the eye can see...

So let's add some excitement.

[Bubs daddy]

Nice car, Mr Rockhound. I'm sure you're in your element now...

They look a far sight better now than with those awful plastic panels of yore. Enjoy.

[Rockhound]

So let's add some excitement.

Wow, that's some snow! I like the magnetic gray color on your sedan...very classy.

Nice car, Mr Rockhound. I'm sure you're in your element now...

They look a far sight better now than with those awful plastic panels of yore. Enjoy.

Thanks! Is it bad that I still laughed at that? The new painted panels made a big difference for me, as did my knowledge of what this thing was really capable of. Looks aside, the Element really is an excercise in practical transportation, much like the Versa, just with a different intent.

[frankoV]

Wow, that's some snow! I like the magnetic gray color on your sedan...very classy.

Well, thank you. As the Irish Spring women say, "Oy loik it too".

Thought seriously of getting Sandstone but opted for the . . . as you say "classy" . . . colour instead [and yes, there is a "u" in "colour" in Canada" . . . glad I did -- Sandstone looks so "beigy" [with apologies to any who might have a Sandstone Versa].

I was going to take some pics of the car before clearing it off but would have had to take off boots, etc and decided against it. Regret it now. Picture the car with 6 inches of snow on the roof, and more on the hood.

[Rockhound]

Thought seriously of getting Sandstone but opted for the . . . as you say "classy" . . . colour instead [and yes, there is a "u" in "colour" in Canada" . . . glad I did -- Sandstone looks so "beigy" [with apologies to any who might have a Sandstone Versa].

I was going to take some pics of the car before clearing it off but would have had to take off boots, etc and decided against it. Regret it now. Picture the car with 6 inches of snow on the roof, and more on the hood.

Look no further than my former car in my sig picture - a "sandrock beige" G20. I thought it was super classy when I bought it, but soon the color got too nondescript for me. I've seen some gold colors I like more...but I think this particular color wasn't gold nor metallic enough. In most conditions, it took on a beige appearance. Not bad, per se, just kind of boring.

About the most snow I've ever witnessed is one foot - it was the first and only time my college campus was shut down during my 5 years there. I've never seen anything quite like you've pictured.

[frankoV]

Believe it or not, we've already had a mid-winter melt [usually comes the 2nd week in January] that cleared away most of the snow -- what you see is another batch. We had snow, rain, freezing rain with melt, and more snow; we've bounced from -25C [-13F] to +2C [35F] and down again; Tues/Wed its to be 7 C [45F] and rain; Thurs -5C [23F] and the weekend above 0 [above 32F].

All this within the January. The V is getting an all-weather workout. And passing the test, thank you very much!

[And we've had it easy compared to the westerners!]