Well I can't believe it, but I'm considering a 2011 Honda element to replace my '09 Suburban. I think I can almost double my mpg, and the element is like a cave inside. Should be plenty of room. I am totally urban and haven't had a truck in 4 wheel drive in almost 20 years, so I don't need the big diesel 4x4. I'm really not much of a truck guy anyway, just need to move me and my stuff.
Anyone have any experience with the Element?
TIA,
JB
I would suggest knowing what your typical load of equipment and supplies weighs and checking the capacity of the Element. Run your Suburban across a set of scales at a truck stop with your normal load and then again emptied out you may be surprised by the results. I've surveyed out of Ford Explorers and Jeep Cherokees and neither were up to the challenge long term. My usual load of pins, stakes, and equipment just overloads the rear springs and causes ride and handling issues.
How are you going to store the tripods and rods so they are safe if you were ever rear ended? Smaller SUVs pose a real danger to surveyors.. I want at least a truck bed and extended cab between me and my gear. Don't want to get run through by my rod when some jackass is texting and driving behind me.
BTW that should be "my 2003 suburban".
There is a local company that has one, bought by the bright inside guys for the field crew.
The crew hates it. Not enough room to carry the stuff they need. They have told me that they have to carefully count out the number of stakes they are going to use in a day and can take no more. Let alone concrete bounds.
I'm in the process of searching for something myself. I would like the element but after what that field crew says, no WAY! If you'd like a name and number to talk with someone just email me and I'll send it right back.
Dtp
I'm with Stephen on this. Check out the weight. My full-sized Chevy is undersized for the amount of weight I'm carrying. It chews up tires and eats brakes in no time. The Element is probably designed to carry the occasional 10 year old to a soccer game.
We had a 2001 Pontiac Aztek. To be blunt, that thing was a P.O.S. It ran fine and didn't burn much gas, but it was too flimsy. Cars aren't built to hold up like trucks.
When I was solo I ran out of a Jeep Grand Cherokee, but... I didn't do any construction staking, just boundary/topo surveys for engineering clients & ALTAs.
Other than the robot, three wood tripods, assorted tribrachs/prisms, and a couple of range poles & bipods I could carry everything else I needed in a stake bag.
I looked around for an 'atypical' vehicle too, since, like you, I do almost 90% urban boundary work. I almost pulled the trigger on a Vovo CX70 wagon, since it was beefier than most smaller vehicles. But, since we needed a bigger family vehicle as well, I ended up with a giant Dodge. but maybe I need a small scooter to get back and forth to the office to offset my gas guzzler.
I don't know if the Ford Transit is a good choice or not, but I see a fair amount of them as work trucks for plumbers & electricians. Ford Transit Connect
So much talk about the Element. What about a Toyota FJ Cruiser? It's like the Element, but way beefier. Also more cargo space and a 4.0 liter V6. It's just as ugly but probably more suited for off-road stuff and heavy loads.
I used a Honda CRV for about 4 years. I could carry all my gear, but was really cramped, especially if I had more than one other person with me. I pulled my 2 four wheelers OK, but felt overloaded. Also, when pulling the 4 wheelers, the gas mileage was not any better than the Expedition I have now.
