[ak_element]

Hi all

I bought an Element this week! I took my 1994 Chevy S-10 Blazer to the shop and got bad news on still more repairs. I'd been haunting Craigslist for months but never found anything I wanted. I live in Sitka, Alaska so there aren't all that many cars available - we don't have any dealers in town. (There was a used car dealer but they closed down recently due to the economy.)

So the repair shop called and said there was gas in the oil and it would cost $600-700 to fix what they thought was the problem (this after spending about $1500 in the last 18 months). After they called I got on the web and checked out a website for a new/used car dealer in Juneau.

And there she was - a 2008 4WD EX AT Honda Element with under 10,000 miles. The picture was silver (not my favorite) but I called and it is actually red (Tango Red Pearl I presume). It was bought new at the dealers and they just traded it in on a top of the line Subaru Outback because they decided it was too small. This was the first day it was available.

It seemed like fate. I'm not all that into cars but every once in a while one catches my imagination. The last time was when the PT Cruiser came out - but my old faithful Blazer was still young then. Obviously I like chunky looking cars but it was the pix of the back with all the seats taken out that got me. So when I saw pix of the Element I really wanted one. A car without carpet seems like an obvious advantage to me. Plus my first car was a 1982 Honda Civic which I really liked.

So we went back and forth on the phone and I bought it! Sight unseen and no test drive! They're going to put it on the ferry Tuesday! (You can't get from Sitka to anyplace else except by plane or ferry.) The dealership has a good reputation so hopefully they were being straight with me about the condition and history.

I knocked off about 1700 from the "blue book" price they were asking, plus it has a second set of studded tires, roof rack and trailer hitch.

Hopefully I lucked out and got a reasonable deal. The only thing I don't like is the sunroof (don't really want one) and all the electronic thingies which seem complicated and may cause trouble if I keep it for as long as I've kept my previous cars.

Will post pix after it gets here! - Maureen

 

[marksbug]

welcome and good luck, hope it's Everything you Expect !!!! and a little more.dont he satate to ask any questions about any thing at all, we are as smart as smart can be and Everybody is smarter that me !!! unless they live under a rock where it realy sucks.:grin:

 

[EOC4ME]

Welcome to our Little Cult . . .

Con-Grats on the New-to-You "E"! :shock:

Please Post Pic's when she shows up (the "E" that is . . . )

Glenn waiting for DV 2010 & E'ticket 2010 to start . . .

 

[Speedy Toaster Dave]

welcome to da cult....8)

 

[beledi]

Not to steal your post, but we would love to move to Sitka.

 

[nad91]

Congratulations on your E! How long will it take you to get it? I looked at Google maps and see Juneau and Sitka, but it won't calculate the mileage between the two.

 

[ak_element]

Congratulations on your E! How long will it take you to get it? I looked at Google maps and see Juneau and Sitka, but it won't calculate the mileage between the two.

If everything falls into place, he'll put it on the ferry at 2:30 am tonight and I'll pick it up at noon tomorrow! That's real customer service when the sales guy will put your car on the ferry at 2:30 in the morning!

It's 90 miles as the crow flies from Sitka to Juneau but there are no roads, so it's actually half an hour by plane or from 4 to 10 hours by ferry (depending on which ferry it is and what the tides are).

Here in Sitka the roads end within 7 miles of the center of town so my E won't be getting a lot of highway miles.

 

[Twilightzero]

Congrats on your new toybox! You should check with Alaskan Toaster, I'm sure he'll have stories to swap and AK E-advice to give :grin:

 

[ORANGEE]

Congrats on your new toybox! You should check with Alaskan Toaster, I'm sure he'll have stories to swap and AK E-advice to give :grin:

Him and my gal pal ChickWhoRips.................and her trusty companion Peanut

Welcome to the group

 

[BOLL-X]

Congrats, it was meant to be and you will really enjoy your E.
TRP is a great color. How cool to be on the receiving end of the ferry and await the arrival of your car - best wishes on a smooooth crossing!

The only thing I don't like is the sunroof (don't really want one)

- but since you've got it, you can always defend yourself against Alaskan politicians......

 

[ElementFanatic]

that picture is just amazing!:lol:

 

[ak_element]

There was no vehicle space on the Tuesday ferry so it's coming on Thursday. Weather forecast is warm and rainy so it looks good.

 

[Alaskan_Toaster]

Hope this ferry trip works out! I had to wait for mine, but, it was DEFINITELY worth it!! 8)

Congrats and welcome to the club!! Glad to have another TRP'r along for the ride!! AK is a great place for Es, there are literally all over the place. But I rarely see them (used) up for sale, hmmm, I wonder why.... :roll:;-):razz:

Will have to get with you when we (finally) plan our E-trip down there. Sitka's definitely in the travel list...... :shock:

 

[ak_element]

AK is a great place for Es, there are literally all over the place. But I rarely see them (used) up for sale, hmmm, I wonder why.... :roll:;-):razz:

I think we have about 3 here in Sitka (it's a small enough town that everyone knows everyone and drives through the same intersections so you get to know the less common cars) - at least there are 3 colors I've seen! The dealer in Juneau said they never got a new one that wasn't pre-sold and the day I called was the 1st day the trade-in was on the floor and several people had looked at it already - so I guess my timing was perfect.

 

[itsanEgirl]

oh thats funny! c0ngrats and welcome! when i was on my search for my E, i searched the internet high and low, and low and behold i found an E, 5spd, rootbeer...so i called and it was in alaska! haha what are the chances of that happening?!?

 

[ak_element]

It got here!

My E arrived as scheduled on the ferry and she sure is purty!

Quick rundown:
- Body looks good except for one scratch on the left rear - not too bad since I'd expect it not to be perfect. Interior looks good - no signs of wear. Got the owners manual and other books, 2 sets of keys and a keyless remote.

- It's real zippy and I like the way it drives. Can tell it has a shorter wheel base than my 94 Chevy S-10 Blazer when going around corners.

- Seatbelts are nice and comfy and good for my (short) height - relieved since that isn't always the case. Tension is great - doesn't do that constantly getting tighter thing.

- Controls are all backwards from my old car. It took me half the drive back to work to figure out how to work the wipers and I forgot to turn on the lights because the bright lights on the dash kept fooling me that the lights were on! Still haven't a clue how the heat/vent controls work.

- Came with 2 sets of tires but no extra rims. The tires on it now are "Hancook" studded tires on the OEM rims that look good (tires that is). Not impressed by the Goodyears. They are currently stored under my porch (I have no garage but this is upscale for Alaska - they aren't in my front yard!) Will have to decide what to do about tires/rims by April when studded tires become forbidden.

Haven't had much chance to look at it in daylight - I picked it up at noon, then had to go back to work, it's dark by 4 pm here and I have no garage. (We are pretty far South in Alaska so we have 6 hour days in midwinter but its still dark before and after work.)

Off to read the owners manual!

Oh - and my first seat configuration will be drivers side rear folded up, passenger rear flat and covered with a comforter to make a dog bed.

 

[ramblerdan]

Not impressed by the Goodyears. They are currently stored under my porch ... Will have to decide what to do about tires/rims by April when studded tires become forbidden.

Isn't Sitka a port, Ak_element? The stock tires are well-suited for use as bumpers on tugboats or docks.

 

[Twilightzero]

Isn't Sitka a port, Ak_element? The stock tires are well-suited for use as bumpers on tugboats or docks.

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

I think I may have found another quote for my signature block :razz:

 

[ak_element]

Got some pictures yesterday

1) Element parked at work - that's Sitka in the background across the channel.
2) Maeve approves of it. (Temp was actually above freezing so Maeve got to come to work.)
3) Element parked amid the more typical rides here in Sitka. If you think the buildings look like airplane hangers that's because they are - it's a WWII airbase that's been remodeled - the parking lot was the runway. (Although most of the planes were seaplanes and the ramp was just used for haulout, not for landing.)

Sorry for the dark pictures - the sun is real low on the horizon even at noon though.

 

[ak_element]

Isn't Sitka a port, Ak_element? The stock tires are well-suited for use as bumpers on tugboats or docks.

:lol:

Yep, there are a few boats in town. Sitka is often referred to as "a small drinking town with a fishing problem." No deep water port, but I think we have the largest small boat harbor system in Alaska (4 different public harbors)

I told a friend about your comment and she said she did need a fender (bumper) for her dock - but she already has some old tires!

These pictures taken on sunnier days.