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The new Consumer Reports has reliability ratings for the Element which are stellar in all respects except for a "Much worse than average" rating for body integrity. What's that all about? Any problems out there?
Body Integrity Issues?
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According to CR - Body Integrity = "Squeaks, Rattles, Leaks".
Being a "big sound box", you tend to hear a lot more in the E than in some other vehicles. Nature of the beast. Not sure it actually has more squeaks and rattles than average - you just get them amplified :lol:
Some have had a few leak issues, when the drains for the sun roof get clogged with something, or a door seal. But pretty rare.
Having had a friend work for CR , and relate tales of their VERY subjective and sometimes downright flawed methods of testing & rating things - I take anything they put out with a BIG grain of salt.
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If you ever drive with the rear seats completely out of the E you will notice much more noise/road noise than with them. The more stuff you have in the car the more there is to baffle and hide sounds.
That being said, I have persistent issues with my driver side upper latch for the rear access door. It always seems to get out of adjustment and causes a little squeak/creek over every odd angle driveway/parking lot entrance. Part of the issue with having a car that has no fixed B-pillar. I re-adjust the latch from time to time and fix the issue for a while.
That being said, I have persistent issues with my driver side upper latch for the rear access door. It always seems to get out of adjustment and causes a little squeak/creek over every odd angle driveway/parking lot entrance. Part of the issue with having a car that has no fixed B-pillar. I re-adjust the latch from time to time and fix the issue for a while.
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This was supposed to be added as an edit - somehow it reposted
CR has been sued by Bose for publishing false negative info on their speakers, and by Suzuki for manipulating tests to falsely show the Samurai was very prone to tip-over, because the CEO didn't "like" the vehicle.
And had to redo all their infant car seat reports after manufacturers found that most of the testing that was not done right.
CR has been sued by Bose for publishing false negative info on their speakers, and by Suzuki for manipulating tests to falsely show the Samurai was very prone to tip-over, because the CEO didn't "like" the vehicle.
And had to redo all their infant car seat reports after manufacturers found that most of the testing that was not done right.
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Good points to bring up. CR is just one of many sources of info to gather from in today's market. The best is finding groups like the EOC to get real world reports. It is too bad most car buyers are not as likely to join clubs and discuss issues and such as we are.;-)
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Yeah - use multiple sources, and talk to "real" owners. And use stats rules - throw out the very worst review and the very best review. 
Like the bad review CR gave the Samurai. When it was tested for tip-over on turns and passed. CR's CEO had the test run again, because, as he put it: "Looking at that thing, it should be prone to tipping". When it passed again, he changed the course, putting in sharper turns, and had the test run again with just the Samurai on the new course. When it STILL passed, he again changed the course, adding even tighter turns - and drove the test Samurai himself. By accelerating into the sharpest turns and really jerking the steering wheel over, he was finally able to get the Samurai to tip onto it's tip-test outrigger - and so published that the car was "tippy". Was the only one of the cars tested that was driven on the "modified" test track, and by the CR CEO.
My friend that worked there said that countless times, any product that a CR tester already "liked" usually got a more favorable rating no matter what the tests showed, and a product a particular tester didn't like at the get-go, rated low, no matter what the actual test showed.
Like the bad review CR gave the Samurai. When it was tested for tip-over on turns and passed. CR's CEO had the test run again, because, as he put it: "Looking at that thing, it should be prone to tipping". When it passed again, he changed the course, putting in sharper turns, and had the test run again with just the Samurai on the new course. When it STILL passed, he again changed the course, adding even tighter turns - and drove the test Samurai himself. By accelerating into the sharpest turns and really jerking the steering wheel over, he was finally able to get the Samurai to tip onto it's tip-test outrigger - and so published that the car was "tippy". Was the only one of the cars tested that was driven on the "modified" test track, and by the CR CEO.
My friend that worked there said that countless times, any product that a CR tester already "liked" usually got a more favorable rating no matter what the tests showed, and a product a particular tester didn't like at the get-go, rated low, no matter what the actual test showed.
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Agreed on CR flaws
Definitely agree CR has flawed methods. Just curious what their supposed body integrity issues could be. It's pretty clear from their review that they do not care for the Element even though it received the highest possible rating in all but one area.
Definitely agree CR has flawed methods. Just curious what their supposed body integrity issues could be. It's pretty clear from their review that they do not care for the Element even though it received the highest possible rating in all but one area.
I am just wondering just how the E ampleflies sound or what ever more than any other suv.kinda lost me there.the doors klunk like heck & thats not amplified it 's real.but yes it does need a sound deadner in the doors/doorpanels.&the ft seatbelts vibrate aginst the doorpanels.but that wont stop the klunk.suspention moans & growns when cold out side. when you hit a bump you feel it & hear it more than any other simalar vehicle I have had.:shock:
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(Just my thought ) My E is 3 yrs old as of jan 1st, Bought it with 31 mils on Jan 27th. Now I have 43000 mils on her and all is good. No squeak's, rattle's or leak's .
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I remember glancing at the Element's table of ratings in the 2010 Auto issue of CR and it was just the 2010 that scored low on body integrity. All the other little circles were either 'excellent' or 'very good'. Since the 09 and 10 are exactly the same, CR must have just gotten a squeaky E.:roll:
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The two 2005 E's we owned were pretty tight. The 2006 we have now has some side door latch rattle issues, but nothing too bad considering it has 72K on it. On the other hand- my 2009 Subaru Forester- which I really do love- has more darn rattles than a bus load of 15 month old babies- and CR never really mentions that in its reviews of the car- and they ALL have the rattles.
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I can't hear any squeaks, rattles or leaks from the body over the squeaks, rattles and pops from the dash, the whistle of the roof rack and the howl of the all terrain tires. :grin:
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The paint quality I notice is on my 09 sc really sucks. Seems like Honda used 1/2 a coat of clear and called it a day. Scratches if you look at it the wrong way
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'09s & '10s don't come with sunroofs buddy...! That's the ONLY thing I'm missing in mine... Overall, got <7,000 and so far so good... As far as paint goes, mine is done to standard but you can bet I'm slapping on a good coat of wax and will clay bar and rough spots when the time comes...!
I lost faith in CR a while back because of some of their "test" results as well and rely now upon "some" of the reviews that I can find on the 'net as well as word-of-mouth opinions from folks... Good topic though...! Like to see that WE'RE keeping THEM honest...!
LBD
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