Comments on: Dogmobiles: Road-testing the Honda Element

By: The OTHER Pat

The OTHER Pat — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 17:12:19 +0000

I’d say lots and lots of water to drive the dirt off while not wiping (which would mar the finish because you’d be rubbing the gritty dirt all over the car’s finish). One possibility would be a power washer, or something like this nozzle used for washing horses:

http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_de.....tent=31403

By: Alyson

Alyson — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 13:45:50 +0000

I bought an element 2.5 years ago … after getting my dog (traded in a brand new acura tl ….because it didnt work well for her or our lifestyle — i take her everywhere)

my element is constantly muddy - as I take my dog hiking, swimming nearly every day ….

what is the best way to clean a very muddy car>

By: Pk

Pk — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 18:19:45 +0000

Thanks, Gina. But just to clarify, do you mean that even with one seat folded up against a wall that there would not be enough room for crates? There is still room behind the rear seats for two medium-large dogs with no crate, right? They fit in the back of my focus hatchback, which must have less room than the element.

By: Gina Spadafori

Gina Spadafori — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 18:37:14 +0000

The crates won’t fit behind the seats, and you’ll probably have to remove the rear seats to fit them in, besides.

By: Pk

Pk — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 18:08:23 +0000

Hello, I have an infant and two german shepherd dogs (80# and 50#). Is it possible to fit kennel(s) large enough for them behind the rear seats when the seats are down in standard position? Would it require folding up or removing one seat? Is it even necessary to have the dogs contained? The back seats look tall enough to prevent “rushing the stage” and the space behind the rear seats seems large enough to fit two dogs on the floor. If the back seats are down, is there enough storage space between front/rear seats to hold a stroller and other baby gear? What if my wife sits in back with the baby, to unsuccessfully prevent his cries, would it be better to place gear in the front pax seat (seatbelted in so it doesn’t become a projectile in the event of an accident?)

Any thoughts Element owners? I want to buy this car but there are all these pesky questions!

Thanks!

PS: we live in Seattle and frequent the mountains, so a not-quite-gas-guzzling Element long-term is a practical choice for us.

By: Mary Martin, Ph.D.

Mary Martin, Ph.D. — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 12:03:52 +0000

I have 2 rescue greyhounds, neither of whom have ever sat in their lives (some greyhounds just never take to sitting), and researched a new car for nearly a year. They’re each almost 80 pounds and over three feet tall, so I didn’t have a lot of options. I wanted a hybrid (the Highlander was the only appropriate option for me), but the male dog doesn’t jump (females are kept in the top kennels at the track and are used to jumping), and the Highlander, like most SUVs, is fairly high off the ground. The ONLY car, and thank heaven the PERFECT car for me, was the Element. I have removed both seats and put a memory foam mattress pad on the floor, and all is swell. They step in from the side, which is much lower than the back. They don’t slide around, and are very comfortable standing or lying down.

By: Paula

Paula — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 03:49:55 +0000

I have had my Element for about 6 months and I love it. The tires wear quickly but, with the seats up or taken out, I can haul anything. I skipped buying the floor mats and just bought bathroom floor mats to put in back. That covers the entire back floor of the Element when the seats are up or out so the dogs do not slip and slide around. They have something to grip when I go around corners. Up front, I just got a couple of carpet remnants so that I can easily take them out to clean or just throw them away when they get dirty and buy new ones (they were only 3 bucks each). Yes, the windows are high and make it difficult to rest your arm and those stupid clam shell doors (they used to call them suicide doors in the old days) are a pain. But, with three dogs of my own and fostering others, this car makes my life easier. The only other thing I had to buy was a ramp for my older big dogs who could not jump up into the back themselves. If you have dogs, if you haul things, if you just want the room in case you may someday want to, get an Element.

By: Kaylynn

Kaylynn — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 16:47:48 +0000

I am so glad to see the Element finally getting some deserving praise; I also see them more around the City since they are easy to park (short wheel base) and to squeeze through narrow streets (not as wide as other SUVs).

I bought an Element only 6 months ago to tote around two terriers, and I couldn’t be happier. At Christmas when returning to my parents, we removed the seats and had room for a large 24 x 36 crate for the dogs plus luggage and all our gifts! There are many tie-down options, so securing the crate is easy. We can also fit the crate with both seats flipped up to the side. No matter how we configure it, it’s a win-win. I also love that it’s easy to clean since the dogs are always tracking sand into the vehicle. Oh, and it’s super for trips to the hardware store, too! The dark window tinting in the back is a nice detail, too, for those brief stops when the dogs are left in the car. I worry a lot less now that someone would target them for theft.

I do wish we could find a crate for 2 dogs that fits the cargo area when 3 or 4 seats are inside. That’s rare for us, but one of these days we may have more human passengers, and we need some sort of elongated crate.

By: Eileen

Eileen — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 20:29:58 +0000

I’ve had my E for a few years and love it! When I was browsing at the dealership (I didn’t even have a dog then!), the salesman mentioned that it’s very popular with dog owners and I remembered that and bought it 4 months later. I have a chihuahua so he is firmly strapped into his carseat in the back and because the seats are higher in the back, he can see me well when I’m driving. He can peer out the window but I like the fact that he can’t stick his head out the window (even though he’s already strapped into his carseat) because that is dangerous. I love the flooring although if you haul stuff around like me, you really need the rubber floor mats since the floors underneath are cheaply made and wear out rather quickly (I’ve seen with other people’s cars). We have many adventures in our E and love it!

By: Linda

Linda — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 19:35:09 +0000

I love my Element. I’ve had it for nearly 3 years and haul my Jack Russells around in it quite a bit. It’s easy to clean and handles like a dream. I also use it for dog rescue runs and find it easy to load even the shyest dog. My dogs give it the two paws up award for a great vehicle.