Ridgeline anyone?

[VNTS]

Snake

Dont ruin their parade, they have a lifestyle vehichle designed for yuppies, you hit that spot on LOL

My BIL has one and basically realized what a mistake he made, mainly because Honda advertises it as a truck without the truck penalties. But it sucks gas like any other truck, has a horrible on demand weak AWD(really just a FWD until the wheels slip) and is way over priced ,especially when he bought it. Also resale on them sucks! Only redeeming value is maybe the ride and comfort but unfortunatley, the 1/2 Chevy, Ford, Dodge have come out in last 2 years with equally good interior and drivetrains with equally good fuel economy and they can actually be used for useful purposes. Throw in the current rebates and incentives and you would be a fool to buy a Ridgeline if you needed a real truck.

 

[andrewg]

You know...you fellas really go way over the top in attitude here. I was merely pointing out the viability and merit of a truck designed to appeal to what use most truck owners would need them for. I never said that an F150 or a Sport Trac is a piece of garbage or attacked your lifestyle by basing it on what vehicle you drive (very childish by the way....sounds like high school). You fail to read my posts completely....I've owned a newer model F150 AND a Ridgeline. I like both....but instead of agreements or decent comments from some of you about the intended use of each vehicle, I get insulted and attacked as though I must live in 'suburbia' or that somehow I'm a whimp or something. Geez fellas...that's very small of you. I drive a V-8 Mustang...so does that mean I'm macho then? Oh but wait....I also drive a Mercury Grand Marquis...so am I an old [censored]? And yes....I own a 4 cylinder Ford Ranger....so I guess I must be a whimp since it can't haul a fifth wheel? Give me a break.
I'm done here TRYING to have a discussion based on reality instead of emotion. I'll stand by everything I've said about one of the VERY best trucks out there....and from a guy that's owned BOTH and enjoys the merits of BOTH. The Honda Ridgeline is the perfect choice for those that don't REQUIRE a huge truck and enjoy the performance, handling (blows away a Ford Lariat by the way) fantastic seating, comfort, QUALITY, and modern looks (for those that have an evolved ego that is).
Now have fun painting a negative picture of me and others that like the Ridgeline....I leave this thread to the troglodites.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: andrewg
handling (blows away a Ford Lariat by the way)


I would hope a chassis based on a CAR or VAN with 4-wheel independent suspension would handle better than a full-sized TRUCK with a SOLID AXLE.

The F-150 isn't targeted at people wanted to run in SCCA... Unless it is towing their track car there.

 

[SnakeOil]

Originally Posted By: andrewg
I was merely pointing out the viability and merit of a truck designed to appeal to what use most truck owners would need them for.

There you go again. "Most" huh? Over 1 million trucks are sold a year and you want me to believe that 500,001 or more of these people buy these trucks just because they can. How come Honda only accounts for 36,000 of these million trucks if it is so great. I believe I've already covered this.

Leave the city and all its fancy lights and you will see people that can't survive with a 5 foot bed. That won't even swallow most refrigerators.

Originally Posted By: andrewg
I drive a V-8 Mustang...so does that mean I'm macho then? Oh but wait....I also drive a Mercury Grand Marquis...so am I an old [censored]? And yes....I own a 4 cylinder Ford Ranger....so I guess I must be a whimp since it can't haul a fifth wheel? Give me a break.

None of those cars are remotely overpriced for what you get. The Ranger doesn't try to be something it is not. It also isn't way overpriced. I can get one with automatic and A/C for less than $15K. If you have $30K to spend, there are far better choice than the Ridgeline if you want a truck-like vehicle.

Originally Posted By: andrewg
The Honda Ridgeline is the perfect choice for those that don't REQUIRE a huge truck...

Ford Ranger
Toyota Tacoma
Nissan Fontier
Mitsubishi Raider
Suzuki Equator
Ford Explorer Sportrac
Dodge Dakota
Chevy Colorado
Isuzu I-Series....

[sarcasm]Yep, you are absolutely right. There is no other choices out there other than the $30+ faux 4X4 overhauled Honda minivan.[/sarcasm]

The same people that buy these are the same people that consider stuff like newer Saabs. They don't last any longer, have had recent sludge problems, and aren't any safer than any of the other comparable competition. It is over priced for what you get. Using logic rather than emotion usually yields better results.

If you want a car like ride and the availability to pick up some plastic pink flamingos at Lowes on the weekend, buy an Accord and rent a truck when you need one. Enjoy the lower vehicle cost, lower finance interest paid due to a lower principle, cheaper insurance, and a 37% increase in gas mileage.

Defending the Ridgeline is like trying to defend Brian Nichols or Charles Manson. You'd have to be retard or a public defender.

 

[refaller]

Under those standards, then I think most truck owners would be better off renting the few times they need them as well. I know many people who own pick-ups- "real" ones. My brother is about the only one that uses it to tow and haul stuff regularly. Most of the owners are single women who like to sit up high and feel a truck is "safer cause it is bigger." I would love a pick-up because I haul a lot of stuff, but so far have been able to get away with using the roof of my CRV and the inside of my mini-van. The few times I could not, I borrowed a friends truck. Therefore, I have decided it just does not make sense for me to own a truck.

ref

 

[SnakeOil]

Dude, you live in a Philadelphia suburb. I don't care if you see some truck owners that would be better off with a car. That is part of city life. Many people that use trucks for work have lower incomes than the more highly educated white collared workers that roam the cities. The work truck users usually live farther out of town.

I have 3 trucks that are all used for work. I have a large boat and 2 jet skis as well. Sometimes I rent large tow behind RV trailers. But it doesn't matter. I'm one person and people in America can spend their money however they want.

It's just quite apparent that people that buy the Ridgeline have many other choices that are much cheaper and perform better in a variety of different areas. Most of those choices aren't ugly and sell much more than 3,000 units a month. This makes parts availability and repair much easier.

UPDATE:
Honda has only sold 3,519 Ridgelines from the beginning of 2009 till the end of March. That is less than 1,200 units a month. Looks like my work is done here. My condolences to anyone that actually owns one.

 

[andrewg]

Yes...the Ridgeline is a real piece of junk. All these awards and reviews must be from mental retards I guess:
-Motor Trend truck of the year 2006
-North American Truck of the year 2006
-Detroit News truck of the year 2006
-Consumer Reports top rated truck
-JD Power & Associates 2005 APEAL award for the Honda Ridgeline
-Autobytel 2006 Editors' Choice Award: Truck of the year 2006
-Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) Best New Pickup 2006
-On Wheels Incorporated: Ridgeline 2006 Urban Wheel Award for the Urban Truck of the Year
-Ridgeline wins Strategic Vision's coveted "Most Delightful" compact pickup award.
-best rollover resistance rating of any pickup tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
-first-ever 4-door pickup to earn a 5-star safety rating for both front and side impact crash test performance from the U.S. National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA).
-Society of Plastic Engineers 2005 Grand Award (composite inbed trunk)
-Car And Driver Rates Honda Ridgeline #1 Pickup.
- AutoWeek Editors' Choice Award as the 'Most Significant' new vehicle in the show
-Maxim Truck Of The Year 2006
-Autoweb.com top ten tailgater
-2007 Automobile Magazine All Star award Top 10 cars

AND THIS LITTLE TIDBIT OF INFO:

J.D. Power and Associate's annual Automotive Performance Execution and Layout (APEAL) survey measures just how much owners like their brand-new cars.

Buyers are surveyed within 90 days of purchasing their new autos. They're asked about 80 different vehicle attributes. Historically, cars that score high on this survey tend to sell well without needing heavy incentives, according to J.D. Power........


Mid-Size Pick-Up

1st place: Honda Ridgeline

2nd place: Ford Explorer Sport Trac

3rd place: Toyota Tacoma

With its novel locking trunk in the bed floor and large under-seat storage areas, the Ridgeline ranked high for interior storage.

It also earned top points for seat comfort and driving dynamics.

And this one...from the city folks at FARM INDUSTRY NEWS:
Test-drive
At the introduction of the Ridgeline two years ago, Honda invited this reporter and other journalists to a ranch in California to test-drive the new truck up and down steep hills and over specially prepared obstacle courses.

On the courses, the Ridgeline's chassis was so stiff that when one wheel would sink up to its axle, the opposite wheel and tire would be carried airborne, while the other wheels kept churning through the obstacles without flinching.

In one demonstration, a front-end loader filled with 1,500 lbs. of large boulders was raised to full height above the Ridgeline before dropping its load with full force into the bed. The pickup slumped as it absorbed the full impact hit, but it stayed level. It not only hauled the load with ease, but displayed nary a scratch when the boulders were removed.

Next we found a popular full-size V8 pickup next to a Ridgeline, both of them hitched to 5,000-lb. trailers. To the surprise of no one, the larger pickup won a drag race between the two vehicles; but to the surprise of all of us, it barely won.

A similar run through a slalom course was next. The full-sized pickup went through the first cone, but with the first swerve it required an abrupt deceleration and counter-steering because it felt as if the whole rig might roll over. The Honda Ridgeline, on the other hand, zigged and zagged through the entire course, feeling more like a sports car in agility, even with the trailer.

Yep....don't listen to anybody except Mr. SnakeOil....after all, with a name like that he must be right.

 

[IndyIan]

Why does the mileage stink so badly with Ridgeline? High cruising rpm?
With independent rear suspension it should handle better and a unibody will always be stiffer than a ladder frame but don't confuse stiffness with strength or durability. Load a Ridgeline and a Ranger up with 2000lbs in the bed and go through the twist track. The ranger will twist more but not break anything, the ridgeline might start doing things like cracking the front window... Do the test a few more times and the unibody might not seem like such a good idea.

Also the silly drag racing "test" doesn't translate to real world anything. My dad's 03 5.4L F150 only has 260hp and weighs 6500+lbs, so I'd bet the ridgeline might even beat it in a 5000lb trailer race. But for real towing 100lb/ft more torque at less than half the rpm of the ridgeline makes it a far better option for towing, unless you like listening to an engine spin at 3500rpm+ or hunt for gears all day...

I see the Ridgeline as a decent "fun" truck, not for working or off-roading but it handles more like a car and will tow a bit better than the average minivan. Towing snowmobiles down a cottage road is perfect for it, towing a 5000lb horse or house trailer into a headwind all day isn't. Nothing wrong with that, just that it is what it is.
Ian

 

[andrewg]

Regarding towing ability and the use as a serious work truck....I do not disagree, nor have I ever on that subject. However, I believe putting 2k lbs. in the bed is a bit extreme being that it isn't rated to have that much IN the bed.
As stated for the umpteenth time....I've owned a Ridge and towed very regularly with it and found that it was perfectly suited for towing....and up very steep mountain passes (the cascade range). Mind you, I didn't go over the 5k limit, but that wasn't what I purchased it to do. The truck is more than 'fun'....it does handle all the tasks that Honda promises. The claims of being a glorified mini-van is unfounded and without merit too. Very little similarities exist between the honda van and the Ridge (other than quality).
I think we agree on more here than not....and at least your aim is not to insult as others have.

 

[01rangerxl]

The last time I bought a truck based on a magazine award was never. Cars like the Catera and Citation have won magazine awards too.

I'm sure the Ridgeline is an excellent vehicle for some people, but it is what it is. A unibody vehicle based on a FWD minivan platform. It isn't the first of its kind, but it is the first to be marketed as a replacement for ladder frame pickups. Sorry, but I just don't trust a unibody FWD platform to hold up to the same type of use as a ladder frame. I remember when the Ridgeline came out and people started taking them off road...ones that flexed crossing ditches got ripples in the sheetmetal behind the rear doors. That's not promising.

If a Ridgeline works well for you, great, but they shouldn't be confused with traditional trucks. The Ridgeline has not proven itself as a replacement.

 

[andrewg]

As for me, I've NEVER said it was a replacement for an F150 or larger truck. But, for what most truck owners use their vehicles for, my opinion is that it hits the mark very well. As for the awards....they are not all simply mag cover stories and similar 'fluff'. Many very reputable reviews have been made about this vehicle....and as I've said over and over....it is a great vehicle, delivering exactly what Honda advertises. No, it is NOT a tyical traditional truck....but that's really what it advertises that it's not. As for taking them off-road....it did win a Baja race a few years back and does very well when compared to it's DIRECT competition. I've NEVER seen or heard of the rippled sheet metal and would be very interested to see such a story....not heresay. I'm not doubting it....I'm sure many owners abused these vehicles expecting them to 'flex' between the cab and the bed (being that it does not have a body separation, it would make sense that when treated out of context with it's intended use, issues would occur).
I was originally intending to give my opinion of this vehicle to the original poster of this thread....not turn it into an argument laced with insults (from others...not you).

 

[01rangerxl]

http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21351
http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21552&highlight=body+wrinkle

There are more body wrinkle threads on there. Maybe it's not a big deal, but I like that my bed is separate from my cab.

 

[GMBoy]

Well atleast this is a thread that doesn't beat on an American car maker.

 

[ClarkB]

Originally Posted By: SnakeOil
Many people that use trucks for work have lower incomes than the more highly educated white collared workers that roam the cities...I have 3 trucks that are all used for work. I have a large boat and 2 jet skis as well.


Way to prove your point there.

I really get a kick out of guys who think that the only "truck" that deserves to be on the road is one that meets their needs and expectations. Anything else is just trash.

Fact is, the Ridgeline, SporTrac and Avalanche all meet the needs of a certain set of buyers...just not you.

Clark

 

[rszappa1]

I want a FORD with a MAN STEP.....

 

[SnakeOil]

ANDREWG,

Show me all the reviews and accolades you want. It is only selling 1,200 units a month with sub $2 gas. Most of those awards were given out in 2006 before all the issues and dismal sales. People aren't stupid and they aren't buying this pile of junk. What's next? Defending Hitler?

P.S. Don't send me any more PM's whining like a little girl.

 

[andrewg]

Defending Hitler???? Good God pal...you've got some real issues. And how about we keep the rest of our discussion private so as to not muck up this board with similar strange comments like that? This is exactly why I sent the PM.
Sorry folks....

 

[SAJEFFC]

Originally Posted By: rszappa1
I want a FORD with a MAN STEP.....
LOL

 

[ClarkB]

Originally Posted By: SnakeOil
ANDREWG,

Show me all the reviews and accolades you want. It is only selling 1,200 units a month with sub $2 gas. Most of those awards were given out in 2006 before all the issues and dismal sales. People aren't stupid and they aren't buying this pile of junk...


So is the figure of 1200/month (also, where did you get that figure?) above or below what Honda wants to sell? What were their sales projections?

You've yet to show that the Ridgeline does not meet the needs or desires of the group of buyers it is aimed at. The only thing you've proved is that the market for the Ridgeline and similar vehicles is smaller than the "normal" full-sized pickup market. Good job. Should I prove that the market (in absolute numbers) for Twinkies is bigger than the market for full-sized pickups? Would that make the Twinkie a better pickup than your beloved V8 pickup?

Just to clarify, that is a long-winded way of saying, "you're comparing apples to oranges."

Clark

 

[andrewg]

Good point Clark. Just seems that for some, attempting to 'prove' a particular point of view can lead to information or statements (Hitler for example...?) that really don't have anything to do with the topic.
I'm also rather tired of arguing with folks that simply want to discount or dismiss a particular vehicle because of either peer pressure or some sort of 'macho' thing. I see the need for any and all vehicles out there....and that 'need' is called choice.
I personally like Ridgelines, F150's, Rangers, some mini-vans, huge SUV's, and tiny cars like Honda's Fit and the Toyota Yaris. I also love Vette's, Mustang's, and the look of the new Camaro.
I guess I just like vehicles of all sorts and see how any of them are well suited to each persons want's or needs.