Installed it today. Barely fits in my parking garage!


http://www.users.qwest.net/~jensenjeremy/images/Element_Front.jpg

http://www.users.qwest.net/~jensenjeremy/images/Element_Rear.jpg

Looks very practical !!!
What is price on this model?

Let us know if it significantly affects fuel milage.

Thanks for the post

I got it at my local REI for $265. I have seen it on-line for about $225 - but watch the price for shipping (Heavy Box)

Wahoo,
It looks great. I do have a few questions though.
1) Is it mounted to the factory roof rack?
2) if yes how does it attach?
3) how much height does it add to the vehicle(hard to tell from pics) and
4) do you notice any change in fuel economy or leaning( when it is unloaded)

Thanks and again it looks Great!
Brian

1) Yes, It is installed on factory Rack
2) Metal Brackets, with locking covers
3) 6.5" Above the top of the roof rack
4) Don't Know - My E is still on it's first tank of Gas :)

Wow thanks for the fast reply and I love the playpen... It looks like a great place to throw camping gear and caving/backpacking stuff... I will look into one.

Wahoo, i am seriously thinking of buying a thule playpen this week. i was wondering
a) how you are enjoying it now that you have had it a while?
b) how's the wind noise issue? it would seem that it is worse than a cargo box, but not sure.
c) did you get the pouch or the netting for it? if so, which did you get and how do you like it?
d) i know it is relatively heavy, does it affect your speed at all?
cheers,
sherri

Sharp! Sadly, I needed to test drive the E to my garage to see if it would fit with no roofrack (yes, but not enough room for a rack as I suspected) so no playpen for me.

a) how you are enjoying it now that you have had it a while?

so far so good - I have only used it once since I installed it and it worked wonderfully.


b) how's the wind noise issue? it would seem that it is worse than a cargo box, but not sure.

I have noticed any additional road noise. I think the fering (sp?) helps

c) did you get the pouch or the netting for it? if so, which did you get and how do you like it?

I got the netting - works as expected

d) i know it is relatively heavy, does it affect your speed at all?

Have not noticed anything - But I think it has affected my MPG - still calculating this.


FYI the total height of my element with the roof rack and playpen is 6' 7" you need to keep this in mind with parking garages and ramps!!

Thanks for the info Wahoo! I went to REI today (great 20% off sale) and bought a thule tracker system roof rack. I just finished putting it on before the sun went down! After much contemplation and 2 trips to REI I decided upon a hard cargo box. I figured:
a) I don't want to keep anything other than the roof rack on my car at all times
b) when I go camping I can throw the carrier (it's a thule sidekick-8 cubic feet) on top and use it then
c) I can always use the roof rack without a carrier to haul lumber or whatever
d) I saw someone else's post where they mentioned they had the thule tracker system too, and they kept the bars and feet off until they needed them. They are so easy to remove and gives you that much more flexiblitiy.
e) If over time I really think I need to haul a lot around (often) I may get that basket. it's pretty cool looking and not really that big compared to some of the wide cargo boxes
Anyway i really appreciated your reply as well as all of the posts on roof racks in general here. this board is a great resource!
-Sherri

That's one sharp looking Element you've got there.

Glad the rack is working out for your purposes. I can't think why I'd ever use one - I'm much more of an indoor sports kind of girl :wink: - but it's nice to know what works well with the E if I should ever need it.

I like the playpen...according to my calculations the overall height of the vehicle would be around 81 inches with that thing empty (estimated w/Edmunds.com specs), and even higher depending on what you put in it. It would definitely make parking garages downtown a challenge, no doubt. Would be real convenient for camping, though. Hmmmm, sounds intriguing.