CRV vs Element vs Saturn Vue

Since miata is always the answer, I'm going to be selling my utilitarian roadster (2002 Z3 Coupe) and getting a proper roadster and something properly utilitarian (so I can bring tires to my mounting guy). Figure about $10k for both cars combined. As far as miata's go I know I want an nb with an lsd. The small suv question is a bit more difficult. I'm thinking small SUV since I live in an urban area and don't want to have to deal with a full tow vehicle (yet).

CRV - pretty cheap and ubiquitous. Reliable. Comes with a damn table. Element - cheap and reliable. Spacious interior. Ugly as sin. shorter in length (great for parallel parking) Vue - 2004 - 2007 had a Honda V6 so at least that will be reliable. Not sure about the rest of the car. Can tow 3500 lbs which would be a nice to have. Cheaper than the others for the same miles because of Saturn depreciation vs Honda depreciation.

Thoughts?

Do NOT get a Vue (look at my signature...)

The Vue's Honda V6 engine is the same in the Honda Odyssey, but, it also has the same failure prone trans as the Odyssey.
You think you want the Honda-ness but this trans is not the Honda-ness that you think it is.

Ford Escape V6 can tow 3500#. I think Rav4 V6 can also.

For the Vue, the question is how much cheaper. I would avoid it.

Javelin wrote: Do NOT get a Vue (look at my signature...)

I thought you liked yours?

Esoteric Nixon wrote:

Javelin wrote: Do NOT get a Vue (look at my signature...)

I thought you liked yours?

Start about halfway down page 5:

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/off-topic-discussion/teach-me-saturn-vue/63231/page5/

I had a 97 CR-V, now we have an 03 as our family buggy. Tough, durable, can go surprising places with the good ground clearance, can swallow a lot of gear/stuff, etc. Can be a little pricey, though. 5 seats instead of 4 though, unlike the Element.

We have a 2005 Element, all wheel drive, auto with 175,000 miles. Purchased with 53,000 miles five years ago. The car is set up to tow a 4x6 utility trailer that carries a SCCA FJB kart. I also use the car as a "tug" to move a 20ft car trailer. The wiring for trailer lights is from Honda, not cheap but a complete plug and play.

First, this car does not get more than 24mpg, ever.

The one issue that you will have is the valves need to be adjusted. As soon as the car will not idle take it in, start with the exhaust side and that will cure it.

Ford Escape?

Tucson? Sportage?CX-5? Lots of cute-utes in that price range that don't suffer the Honda/Toyota fanboi price hike.

jr02518 wrote: We have a 2005 Element, all wheel drive, auto with 175,000 miles. Purchased with 53,000 miles five years ago. The car is set up to tow a 4x6 utility trailer that carries a SCCA FJB kart. I also use the car as a "tug" to move a 20ft car trailer. The wiring for trailer lights is from Honda, not cheap but a complete plug and play. First, this car does not get more than 24mpg, ever. The one issue that you will have is the valves need to be adjusted. As soon as the car will not idle take it in, start with the exhaust side and that will cure it.

That's OK, the 2wd 5-spd only got 25. lol Friend of mine has had 2. Nothing like seeing 4k rpms at 70mph in a large tin box lined with rubber.

Soon to be ex SWMBO has a 2004 escape v6 and that thing is a pile. Typical domestic buttons failing, stuff falling off, and not to mention the handling is terrible.

I'm glad she's taking it in the divorce. If I wind up with it I'm making homemade explosives and blowing that mother up.

Not even kidding.

I have a 2009 CRV with about 75k, super cars

We have a 2011 Element. It only tows 1500 lbs, but stuff loads into it pretty easily. We drove a RAV4 and some other mini-SUVs, and for some reason we both liked the Element. Reliable so far. We certainly didn't buy it for looks, but I think its quirky but functional. And 24 MPG is the maximum.

Don't tempt me with your Z3 Coupe. I miss my S52 M Coupe badly.

If element, there is a supposedly easy 6 speed conversion for the 5 speed with Acura parts that will get over 30 mpg.

I went through the CRV vs Element thing maybe 6 months ago with a good friend. Here's my thoughts:

Neither one gets good gas mileage for what it is. They have basically the same drivetrain, and i'd say it's a good one, although slow. They both have available manuals and available AWD. So mpg, speed, off-roadability and reliability won't help you sort them out. I feel like the 2g CRV is one of my default 'really good car' standards so the thing that bears talking about is how the Element is different.

The CRV is waaaay more 'normal'. The Element feels strange to be in. It has a strangely huge and blocky interior (possibly the roomiest interior honda has ever made) that makes you feel like a miniature person while driving it. The only way one might say it's remotely cramped is the width of the rear seat with two large people in it. The rear seats recline by a huge amount which makes it kinda nice to spend time in them even though you might assume them to be an afterthought. I think i could sleep in the rear seats. They also fold up against the rear quarter windows OR come completely out. The floor is rubber and looks super easy to clean/hard to mess up. It's also flat. WAAAY taller in the cargo area than the CRV. It seems like an amazing vehicle if you need to carry large, dirty objects.

Overall, and this is what i told my friend, if you want to be outdoorsy and get dirty and carry dirty things or do DIY projects, the Element seems vastly superior. The CRV is quieter and more intuitive to drive with it's more normal sightlines out, can carry an additional belted person in a pinch, and probably gets 1 more mpg due to aero. She ended up picking the CRV, i think mostly because she wasn't totally comfortable with the 3/4ton-truck-like view out the front of the Element. However, within a couple months she had started carrying her dog in it and impregnating the carpet with and endless supply of dander, and spilled some milk/coffee thing on the rear carpet and let it rot for days there, imbuing a horrible putrid odor that was still sort of there after a professional detailing. In my opinion that basically 30%-ruined the car right off the bat. In the Element it would have had no adverse affect! Just wipe it off!

CRVs are great appliances.

neon4891 wrote: If element, there is a supposedly easy 6 speed conversion for the 5 speed with Acura parts that will get over 30 mpg.

Beat me to it. Apparently the 6 speed conversion is something Honda should have done from day 1 and it makes these cars completely different.

FWIW my AWD Auto CRV gets 29~31 (depending on fuel I noticed) on the highway and 21 in town.

element just seems like a more useful and functional CR-V. Drove my first one last week. Loved everything about it besides the hp/lb ratio.

For the right price, on the right VUE, I'd still consider one.

Element is more rough-and-ready than the other choices. It's louder, less refined, the seats aren't very comfortable... But it has reasonable power and handling, crazy amounts of interior volume, is bone reliable and very compact for urban parking and such. I love mine.

You kind of have to think of the Element as an amazingly nimble small van to really appreciate it. Just the way you have to think of the Ridgeline as a large SUV with an open-air trunk rather than an actual truck. Then it becomes awesome. Honda can be funny that way.

ProDarwin wrote:

Esoteric Nixon wrote:

Javelin wrote: Do NOT get a Vue (look at my signature...)

I thought you liked yours?

Start about halfway down page 5: https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/off-topic-discussion/teach-me-saturn-vue/63231/page5/

I've bought and sold in the neighborhood of 75-100 VUE's since they came out. There are definitely configurations and years to avoid, but overall my experience has been good. I've also run across a surprising number of 4 cylinder 5sp examples that were still serviceable with well over 200k miles.

Esoteric Nixon wrote:

Javelin wrote: Do NOT get a Vue (look at my signature...)

I thought you liked yours?

I like it, but I can't in good conscience recommend it to anyone, even a GRMer. The factory engineering and quality control is so shoddy it's no wonder GM went bankrupt, and the thing will be a maintenance nightmare. The 2.2/MT5 ones seem to be okay until 100K, then they tend to fall apart. The engine is still good though, like a typical GM.

What about an Element SC?

You kind of have to think of the Element as an amazingly nimble small van to really appreciate it.

That makes perfect sense to me. But it also makes me really sad that they never made a 3-row version with a J-series v6.

Vigo wrote:

You kind of have to think of the Element as an amazingly nimble small van to really appreciate it.

That makes perfect sense to me. But it also makes me really sad that they never made a 3-row version with a J-series v6.

Yep.

A peeve that I have is that you usually have to go up a size category to get V6s. There are a few exceptions such as the last-gen Rav-4s, but I don't really want a Pilot/Highlander class vehicle, yet I do want towing capacity.