honda element
Honda's entry in the box-on-wheels category, the Element, has been redesigned for 2009, now wearing the Pilot-style family grille and missing some of its black side body cladding. The price of admission for a 2WD LX Element starts at $20,175, or you can plunk down $25,185 if you prefer the EX with a sat-nav head unit. There's also a "sportier" SC model that gets some aero tweaks yet somehow manages to lose 2 MPG city and highway in the process, despite using the same 2.4-liter four-cylinder as the other models. Press release from Honda after the jump.
More »
Financiapocalypse
As shelter is the largest single expense for most people, the ongoing "
Financiapocalpyse" could see more people trading that Tudor for a four-door. As your guides through this challenging time, we've identified ten cars you'd be happy to call home until your 401k is worth more than the postage used to send you those depressing reports. These rides are comfortable, affordable and most importantly, you can probably sleep in it. With car sales dwindling, now may be the best time to invest those dwindling funds in a home on wheels.
More »
recalls
If you have a 2008 Honda Element, don't panic, but your car (or whatever you want to call it)
might be subject to a recall issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. If you're driving your Element right now, pull over to a safe spot on the side of the road and call 1-800-999-1009 to make sure your car isn't one of the 241 vehicles that
might have an improperly welded front bushing bracket on the left trailing arm of the rear suspension. If you are one of the unlucky few, have your vehicle taken (not driven) to a Honda dealership, where it can be inspected and fixed if necessary. [
NHTSA via
carscoop]
accessories
There's nothing quite like the moment you first see the top pop off of a
VW Westfalia for the first time. It's like the world and the roof open up at the same time. For those who want that same experience in a
new vehicle, there's the
Ursa Minor ECAMPER, which uses the Honda Element instead of a Vanagon. This sharp modification includes a 7' x 4' mattress, low-current LED lighting and panoramic views. It'll set you back $4,300 to camper-ize your Element (a little more if you want it to match the color of your Element). Photos and details below:
More »