Dear Honda: An Element Love Story

[STabb]

(Bear with me here, the backstory is worth it...)

We bought the first two Elements in the Lakeland, FL market, back in 2003, were immediately enamored of the plastic floor, and the convenient-for-child-loading suicide doors. We did a great deal of ambassadorship during that time, too, as everybody had to come look at the box on wheels.

At the end of 2004, we traded the 2003 Elements for a 2004 Element and a Civic (due to a long commute for one of us), and happiness still reigned.

Sunday afternoon (Feb. 18th), a mini-van slammed into my Element's driver's side door and flipped us three times, our car coming to rest on its roof, my husband and I dangling from our still-intact and buckled seat belts. After removing ourselves from the wreckage, with the unbelievably kind and generous help of numerous strangers who witnessed the wreck, the EMTs checked us over in disbelief...bruises, a few hand scrapes, and that was it.
(Wreck image here)

Rolled over three times, people, and all we had were bruises (primarily from the seat belts!) and minor scrapes.

Monday, we visited our local Honda dealership and bought two 2007 Elements, with my husband trading in his tiny Civic for a lovely Tangerine LX with black body panels (and an Alabaster Silver for me). We even showed the cellphone capture of the upside-down car to a couple looking at another Tangerine Element, and watched them drive it home a few hours later. We were fans of the Element before, but now we're FANS.

Honda, we thank you.

[Brutis]

What an awsome story! As a medic I can really appreciate the safty features of vehicles, it make my job a lot less messy. I am so glad that you are ok. What a great testimony for the E! Wow, im just giddy that I got an 07 with even MORE safty features!

[1111rustbucket]

Originally Posted by Brutis

What an awsome story! As a medic I can really appreciate the safty features of vehicles, it make my job a lot less messy. I am so glad that you are ok. What a great testimony for the E! Wow, im just giddy that I got an 07 with even MORE safty features!

Don't leave the "E" out of safety

[uukbar]

wow, quite a story! glad everyone is okay and that you got replacement Es!

[Mi4Si]

glad you guys made it out safely

[TracyDP]

Originally Posted by STabb

(Bear with me here, the backstory is worth it...)

We bought the first two Elements in the Lakeland, FL market, back in 2003, were immediately enamored of the plastic floor, and the convenient-for-child-loading suicide doors. We did a great deal of ambassadorship during that time, too, as everybody had to come look at the box on wheels.

At the end of 2004, we traded the 2003 Elements for a 2004 Element and a Civic (due to a long commute for one of us), and happiness still reigned.

Sunday afternoon (Feb. 18th), a mini-van slammed into my Element's driver's side door and flipped us three times, our car coming to rest on its roof, my husband and I dangling from our still-intact and buckled seat belts. After removing ourselves from the wreckage, with the unbelievably kind and generous help of numerous strangers who witnessed the wreck, the EMTs checked us over in disbelief...bruises, a few hand scrapes, and that was it.
(Wreck image here)

Rolled over three times, people, and all we had were bruises (primarily from the seat belts!) and minor scrapes.

Monday, we visited our local Honda dealership and bought two 2007 Elements, with my husband trading in his tiny Civic for a lovely Tangerine LX with black body panels (and an Alabaster Silver for me). We even showed the cellphone capture of the upside-down car to a couple looking at another Tangerine Element, and watched them drive it home a few hours later. We were fans of the Element before, but now we're FANS.

Honda, we thank you.

What year was the element you were in? I am considering getting a leftover or certified used 2006 because my husband HATES the new 2007 "tension" seat belts on the passenger side. He's a big guy and couldn't reach for anything without the damn thing locking up on our 2 hour test drive. I appreciate the safety of the new belts but holy cow, how completely annoying to be a passenger (and I do most of the driving so he's a passenger a lot). So, if you were in an older E and you walked away from this it makes me more comfortable going with a used one. I'm also expecting our first child in September so the "convenient suicide door" comment is heartening.

Edited to say Thank God you are both OK. Wow.

[STabb]

Originally Posted by TracyDP

What year was the element you were in? I am considering getting a leftover or certified used 2006 because my husband HATES the new 2007 "tension" seat belts on the passenger side. He's a big guy and couldn't reach for anything without the damn thing locking up on our 2 hour test drive. I appreciate the safety of the new belts but holy cow, how completely annoying to be a passenger (and I do most of the driving so he's a passenger a lot). So, if you were in an older E and you walked away from this it makes me more comfortable going with a used one. I'm also expecting our first child in September so the "convenient suicide door" comment is heartening.

Edited to say Thank God you are both OK. Wow.

It was a 2004 Element. We were suspended upside down by our seatbelts...they didn't let go until we hit the release buttons. I have a rather spectacular bruise across my entire body from the seatbelt, but I don't have the very ugly alternatives (ie. head trauma/broken bones/etc, etc). :)

[DJA]

And those suicide doors stayed closed through three tumbles. Glad you're ok.

[bobhch/hchbob]

Glad you are O.K. and that your Element kept you from injury. It hurts me to see a SOP all crumpled like that. I had one that color is just way cool with the gray panels.

Sweet that you are back to TWO "E"s again! :cool:

[Speedy Toaster Dave]

STabb, first glad you were not hurt and welcome to the club ..:)