The scene at the beginning of the movie Fight Club was so correct. I have pictures, videos, etc for evidence. what would happen if this occurred to a family sleeping overnight? If this had happened overnight it would have caught my house on fire. People turn these into campers, sleep in them. I also found that Honda has a class action against them in 2007 for "suppressing evidence of vehicle fires and electrical risks" for 2003-2005 honda elements and CRVs. The kicker to this was that the guy at the tow yard told me that my element was the second one they had towed in the past month where the entire interior was completely engulfed in flames (the other element was a 2003). Unfortunately for me, I leave my rear windows and moonroof cracked to combat the summer heat so oxygen was plentiful! I have read around online and found other element owners have experienced similar situations, namely coming out to their car in the morning and finding that the door panel's electrical controls for the window magically ignited overnight and put itself out (perhaps due to lack of oxygen?). All that versatility gives you a ride quality that is half Honda Accord and half delivery van, but I've found it to be irreplaceable. If you want a car that is easy-driving, stone reliable, but also handle any kind of road-trip or cargo needs it's hard to think of another alternative. The rear has both a hatch and a tailgate, so you can have just the hatch open to haul long items like lumber if needed. You can also lay both the front and rear seats down flat to have an oddly comfortable bed. With both seats out I have camped inside the car, with just enough room for a 6' & 5'6" couple and a 75lb dog to lay down on the rear floor on a camping trip. The 2 rear seats can be folded up flat against the interior walls, or individually taken out if there's need to carry 3 people and oversized cargo. For passengers, the car has great head and leg-room for 6"+ passengers front & rear. The interior layout is great for endless passenger and cargo opportunities. The space can also hold any array of furniture. For cyclists you can fit two bikes upright with both wheels installed and still have room for 1 rear passenger if needed, or cram 6 bikes in there with both seats removed and still have all of your valuables protected from weather and prying eyes. The longest being an old BMW R100 road bike, and the tallest being a Suzuki DR650 dual-sport dirt bike lowered down with ratchet straps. No joke, I've bought and individually transported home 3 different motorcycles in this thing. It's short enough to parallel-park in any tight spot in the city, big enough to squeeze a motorcycle inside(!). I find this to be the ultimate utilitarian vehicle for anyone who loves to camp, haul oversized items or carry pets in an easy-maintenance interior. In its life I've only had to replace the CV joints at 131k, and the starter at 165k. For powertrain, the 2.4l engine uses a long-lasting metal timing chain vs a rubber timing belt, which if not replaced at regular intervals can cause costly and catastrophic engine damage, and definitely something to research if buying a used car with 90k miles or more. Positives: perhaps one of the most versatile and reliable cars ever made. People who haven't been blessed to own one of these will never know the frustration of not being able to buy another one new. Otherwise, this is definitely the way a car should be designed, so you can have a car, a pickup truck, a van, and a passenger SUV in one vehicle. It did lead to my using the regular key slot which after some years jammed and I had to use the passenger side to unlock the car (surely fixable if I weren't so cheap). I'm sure it could have been resolved if I'd had it looked at. The only annoying problem I ever had was some kind of electrical issue where the key fobs stopped working even with fresh batteries. I never thought the wind noise others have mentioned was any worse than other vehicles in the price range, though I have ridden in luxury cars and know the experience of a library-like quiet ride. It rolls a little if you take a turn too fast. It rides very smoothly and has plenty of pickup and stopping response. As such, I commuted 20 miles daily one-way and could easily park anywhere, including in the microscopic parking spaces at work and in garages. Outside, it is the size of an ordinary car, though is taller and a bit higher off the ground, good for visibility while driving. I guess the dog people appreciated that feature, also. The lack of carpet and cloth prevented any residual cigar smoke smell.
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