Somehow, that improves much of the Element's abhorrent styling.

Sex in Car Joke

I would seriously consider buying one.

4300.00 Dollars! That's alotta smackers just to pitch a tent.

Now that is really nice. I wouldn't be opposed to owning that if I did alot of overnight outdoors stuff.

I could see a Bike tech using this as a shop during those gruelling 24H MTB enduros.

I'd endorse it.

That's pretty frickin' cool... and you don't lose the roof rack functionality, either! But yeah, $4300 is a lot of dosh.

@Seth L: Same thing. I've always wanted to be a race chaser. A VW Westfalia (Winnebago now) has a lot of cachet, but I'd be scared stiffless by the (probable) lack of reliabilty. Doing the same in a Honda would sort of fix this problem, wouldn't it?

I think the Wildernest Truck Tent/Cap was the best thing ever. Really comfortable, didn't take up any space and you could always take it off if you didn't want it on.

[www.pinnaclesp.com]'s%202.jpg

Too bad they went out of business.

Stupid link.

@FLB: For similar money, you could put a Subaru engine into a Vanagon, and do it cheaper (and WRX-ier) if you're not scared of doing cross-brand and cross-decade engine swaps yourself.

@Paul Y: Still, this camper conversion for the Element is really neat. I actually sort of like the Element, though I wouldn't say for sure if I'd ever buy one until I can drive one- as is often the case with their products, Honda's torque curves scare me.

I wonder if it voids your warranty. I'd imagine it would.

@POLAR: I can do that for free. Oh wait...

Much better than the Element's dealer option tailgate tent.

I'd be more excited by this if I thought the Element could actually GET to the places I want to camp.

When fretting about my desert camping vehicle last year, I decided that the Element (even the AWD one) didn't have the ground clearance I needed, so I settled on throwing Outback Sport springs onto my WRX instead.

I have to pitch a tent the old fashioned way, but at least I don't have to worry about dragging the oilpan on the hump of a rutted dirt road.

Gee ... maybe Pontiac should have done this with the Aztek .... oh wait, the element is HONDA'S Aztek.

Fug-Ugly!!!!!!!!

@grzydj: Farting hard in a foreign car voids your warranty.

That said, I really like this camper thing.

Here's to more aftermarket companies growing a pair and doing something that is actually "Unique" and not just coined that way.

"Cheers!"

@MikeHerbst: Actually, the scariest part of the Element is the "safety cage" honda installed around the gas tank, under the center of the car. If the fuel cell needs a safety cage, maybe a redesign is needed. Tearing a whole in your oil pan is bad but tearing your gas tank open is worse.

I'd rather blow a perfectly good motor than be caught in a burning car.

@racebeer: You could get a tent that attached to the back of the Aztec.

Straight out of GM's parts catalog to boot.

@Paul Y: That's all fine and dandy, but I'd drop a TDI in one (of course, here in Kuhlifornistan, it would have to be one that was born with a diesel). That way it'd still be all-VW and still have diesel frugality, but with a new-school engine it would only take 30 seconds to reach 60 mph instead of 30 hours.

@racebeer: Someone's afraid of rectangular shapes.

I really like the element. Though a little spendy, it's a decent spiritual successor to the VW vanagon. This just cements that position.

Although...for the cash, you could get the vehicle of your choice (which might not be an element) and go for an off-road trailer:
[www.tentrax.com]
[www.adventuretrailers.com]
[www.jayco.com]

This tent upgrades Honda Element's image... I wish they would make a roof tent for the Escalade (Hybrid). It would kill that fake Cadillac.

Sweet! The biggest problem with Vanagon-based campers was the frickin' Vanagon. I swear, the WestFailure was built with a pop-top so that you'd have a nice place to stay while waiting for the tow truck. Don't flame me, VW lovers, I worked at a VW repair shop and am scarred for life. The only bright side of that job was that the steady stream of customers that gave me enough cash to buy a Toyota Tacoma.

What about bears? Does it protect you from bears?

@Mad_Science: So what is the Eurovan, chopped liver? My problem with the Element is those seats, those terribly uncomfortable seats! The Vanagon/Eurovan have considerably better seats designed for long haul trucking. The Element seats are designed for short haul Ikea trips. The back seats are virtually useless for anyone not in a car seat.

There is a company who makes an add-on pop-up that installs on nearly any cars roof starting around $2000.
[www.autohomeus.com]

$4300 seems reasonable, but they've done nothing downstairs in terms of interior or storage. To put it in perspective, a used Vanagon Westy with AC and a Subaru conversion will run you a minimum of $10k while a used post-99 Eurovan Weekender will be about $20k. Honda reliability with Westfalia-like sleeping quarters for $25k new? Not bad really.

@Paul Y: Last time I looked the parts required for conversion, sans host van and donor motor, was $3500.

@FLB: The Eurovan itself is fairly reliable - with routine maintenence the VR6 will run forever, but the transmission is glass. There is no "fixing" an EV tranny, you simply replace it at a cost of $5k.

@theeastbaykid: Actually, the problem was the damned Wasserboxer, a powerplant plagued by one of the worst design issues of the past 30 years. In anything but a VW it would've been a total failure that would've bankrupted the company, but somehow they still exist.

Any motor other than the Wasserboxer and the Vanagon would've been quite reliable, for a VW at least.

@eltonito: Not chopped liver, just obscure/low volume enough that I forgot it existed.

Re: element. I think I sat in one at a carshow once, and there used to be one parked on the street between my house and the bus stop. That's about the extent of my experience with them, but based on that it seemed interesting. Much more so than an any other compact cute ute.

@Dr.Danger: I'm more afraid of dragons that are partial to cubes.

Honda finally has the legitimate Shaggin' Wagon instead of the falsely advertised Odyssey.

Maybe the Hamster can do a better job making this into a boat than the Westphalia....

This made the Element, that I think is hideous, actually something I would consider. At the end of the day though, a trailer (we love our pop-up) is cheaper than a real moterized RV, doesn't burn extra gas on the tow vehicle when not in use, can be pulled by different vehicles, and can be left at the campsite when you want to go somewhere, and has little mechanically to go wrong. Kind of all the same reasons a flatbed trailer is better than a pickup. (I can't believe I said that, I love my pickup)

Nice.

@eltonito: Oh, I know all about the Wasserboxer. We sold parts through our shop, and this conversation would happen at least once a day: "Yeah, hi, I have a 1989 WestFailure..." "Your Wasserboxer blew up, didn't it?" "Yeah, and I was wondering..." "If we have any good used ones?" "Right, because I really..." "love your Vanagon even though it totally sucks?" "Um, I guess..." "No, we don't have any Wasserboxers. They all blew up."

That is awesome. I'd consider one, but only if they put their 2.2L i-CTDi diesel under the hood and bring it to US shores. You listening, Honda??

It's a new automotive world when a Honda has more camping accessories than a Jeep.

@rt4: Jeep seems to be less about camping in the woods, and more about running OVER the woods. And yes, I fully realize that statement is entirely arrogant and useless...

For what it's worth, I don't think anyone would accuse Jeep of not producing enough "outdoor" crap for their vehicles. From boom-boxes to bicycles to strollers to tents. There's a Jeep logo on every conceivable object you can imagine. None of which, however, are as cool as the Ursa Minor ECamper.

If I had the money ...
If I had the time to spend my weekends ...
If I had the luxury of living out near the wilderness.

The pictures all look like a Honda Element parked infront of a fishing boat, and all you can see of the boat is the captains command post...

@3wheeler: Yeah, my first thought was that a tugboat had run aground.

But 1) don't name any camping/tent product after a bear 2) the tent is made out of the same stuff pool umbrellas are, so that's reassuring 3) climb up through the sunroof? WTF?

@Mad_Science:

Actually, I was just being a smart a$$. I quite frankly liked the Aztek better than the Element, and thought it was a fairly utilitarian grocery-getter. In looking back at the history of both, I just have/had a hard time with those import junkies and Honda fan-boys who found the Element so "cool" and constantly belittled the Aztek for its appearance. They were both cut off the same bolt of cloth, only one was bigger.

Of course, had the Aztek really looked like the one they originally put on the show car circuit, we wouldn't be having this conversation .......

Honda should make this a factory option... Delete some of the interior expenses, maybe the rear seats delete package, put taller springs on it, beefier tires, maybe widen the wheelbase by a half an inch or so, and perhaps some ducting of the HVAC to the sleeping area.
I would buy one in a heartbeat. The 2.2 diesel couldn't hurt either..
This is a camping/concert dream vehicle. The stock element is already a great camping/ tailgating vehicle, now this really tickles my fancy.
I somehow wanted to incorporate "raise the roof" in to the above rambling. I suck.