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Comments
Just my opinion ...
www.cloud-rider.com/
This will restrict air flow around the RLs engine, and I've heard it will certainly void your warranty.
http://www.granatellimotorsports.com/magnusonmoss.htm
When modding my truck I had spoken to the service manager. All he said was put in a supercharger and forget the warranty. All the other bolt on's he had no problem with headers, throttle body, modified grills, etc. And we all know each service manager has their own definition.
An AWD truck is controversial enough. Do you really think a FWD truck is worth selling?
The theory was that if you "lightly" accelerated from a stop, no RWD traction occurs.
How about if Ridgeline VCM was set up so that it only worked in 5th gear, in FWD conditions? Shouldn't be difficult to program.
John
I have no idea how difficult that would be. But I might be able to give you some idea of how effective it would be.
According to Honda, the Ody with VCM gains 11% on the EPA highway cycle. I haven't seen an exact percentage given for the Pilot, but the estimated EPA figures suggest a gain of about 9%.
The original reason cited for not giving the Ridgeline VCM was that it would almost never run on 3 cylinders. Too much weight and poor aerodynamics. The Pilot loses 150-200 lbs when the VTM-4 hardware is removed. It is also slightly lower to the ground (improving aerodynamics). Your theoretical Ridgeline would not lose that weight while retaining the same aerodynamics as the non-VCM models. So, we cannot assume it would get the same 9-11% boost.
Let's just estimate it at 6% for the sake of argument. Probably a 1 mpg gain on the sticker.
Now if we limit the VCM to only operate when in 5th gear, you lose the ability to shut down 3 cylinders when coasting (downhill perhaps) in 4th gear. Cut that 6% figure down a wee bit once more. You also lose all ability to save fuel in the EPA city cycle (good for about 5%).
If you go the route they took with the Pilot (remove VTM-4, cut towing capacity, etc.), then they might as well stick a Baja tag on the back.
But, the question remains how is Honda going to improve MPG?
It is limiting sales.
John
And, frankly, I don't see how the 16-21 mpg rating is limiting sales. That's very competitive with the rest of the pack. Even if dealers losing a few customers due to poor mpg, they are losing far more with the controversial styling and high sticker price. Honda has bigger fish to fry before they need to improve mpg.
Styling doesn't bug me.
I have stood firm on the mileage issue though since last fall I have been wanting 24 mpg before I buy it. Call me "noise" on the data screen but that is how it is.
John
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
The Ridgers fight me and cry foul play. However, if the Baja was slightly bigger I would be driving it today and getting at least the 24 mpg target.
John
So, yes, it depends in fantasy ... but not in reality. As both vehicles stand, they are not comparable, as, obviously, you admit since you say its not big enough.
Would it be nice if they increased the mileage? Of course. Do they need to? No, because nobody else has caught up to them yet.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
The Baja is great for those gardeners out there who need to carry messy bags of mulch, etc., and who want a vehicle that drives like a car, and not like a truck. That and the "surfers" is Subaru's intended market for that vehicle. My guess is that a non-turbo 5-speed manual Baja would get in the mid – upper 20s in terms of gas mileage, much like a Subaru Outback, which it's based on.
Bob
I know this posted a while back--and maybe this has been pointed out since and I just haven't read far enough along--but we are talking trucks, not cars. A truck's engine is designed to haul and tow--not race. Out accelerating a Ford or Chevy is useless. That 5.4 L in the F-150 will tow 8500 lbs. That is what counts on a truck.
I don't know why anyone buy a Silverado--at any price. No front end structure, rear drum brakes, 2-1/2" rear springs, and rear shocks mounted inside the frame are just some of the reasons why I can't understand why anyone buys them.
can be equipped with a snow plow with full factory warranty. Can a RL?.........NO!
Can a Silverado tow a 10,000 lb trailer?...Yes! Can a RL?.........NO!
Some Silverados ARE equipped with rear discs..................
The Silverado/Sierra twins will sell over 1 million units for 05............
Will the RL?...............NO!
Will the RL be a orphan along with the baja?............YES! :P
I agree that in the real world, such a comparisons makes little sense. Driving around town and on the highway, we rarely use more than 100 hp. But that particular test with the F150 and Ridgeline each towing 5,000 lbs was done as a PR stunt, not a practical demonstration.
If Honda had not done something like that, critics would be saying that the Ridgeline can "barely" tow 5,000 lbs. The test silences those critics. Obviously, the Ridgeline can handle the load. Even though it was just a stunt, I think it worked quite well, in the end.
What was more telling to me, was that the Ridgeline handles the load (both towed and carried) better than the other trucks they were comparing it with. Sure the F150 can pull far more weight, but the Ridgeline can steer it and stop it. During the same demonstrations, Honda loaded several trucks with weight in the bed. When driving a chicane course, the Ridgeline got around like it wasn't weighed down at all. None of the other trucks felt as stable or safe. According to the reviewers, even without the added weigh, the SportTrac felt downright scary.
At the end of the day, the Ridgeline will not tow 8,000 lbs. It's true. But neither will the SportTrac, Tacoma, Colorado, and Frontier.
On the other hand, I'd feel a whole lot more comfortable with the Ridgeline than I would with the other vehicles, if I were towing or hauling a more moderate mass.
Agreed. But, for what the Ridgeline costs, it ought to be compared with trucks in its price class instead of in its size class if you want to judge usefulness, in my opinion.
Sure the Silverado/Sierra will sell over a million, I don't dispute that. The Ridgeline just came out in March and it isn't intended to compete with Silverados and its sales target isn't a million units anyways.
What is it with you and the Ridgeline geo? Did you get run over by one? Does someone you hate drive a Ridgeline? Judging by your posts it seems you have so much hate for the Ridgeline. It's just a truck, an inanimate object, it's not an evil entity/truck that will take over the world chill out, give it up. I mean geez you don't see me bashing Cadillac's resale value here, or GM in general cause that's what you drive right?
Like I know this is an open discussion on edmunds and everyone is entitled to their opinion but you keep repeating the same thing over and over and over again on every thread you can find. :confuse:
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
Price is it's biggest problem. Now that dealers have been dealt a reality check, sales are where Honda expected them.
Bob
However, they have been producing RTs for quite some time. I don't know what the mix is, but I know of buyers who have taken possession of RTs in recent months. They're out there. Dunno why you haven't seen any.
My best guess would be that the dealers got greedy. I'm sure many of them expected the Ridgeline to be a huge hit like the Ody, MDX, and CR-V. We saw vehicles loaded from the factory with additional mark-ups and dealer installed accessories to drive up the price. I wouldn't be surprised if they only ordered base models if the customers requested them. In which case, they wouldn't be sitting on the lots for long.
For my part, I think the dealers bamboozled the release of the Ridgeline much the same way Chrysler goofed with the Pacifica. By focusing on the top-o-the-line models they gave the vehicle a pricey reputation.
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The nice thing about driving a truck that will alledgely become an orphan is that it leads to exclusivity. I love driving my RL, coz I get to see another RL not that often except in my neighborhood. Makes me feel like wearing a Burberry suite vs a Hanes shirt. My Pilot because I see tons of them everywhere, when I drive it kinda feels like wearing a cheapo shirt because it aint exclusive anymore.
The RL becoming an orphan is really good news to me. And please quit comparing the Silverados with the RL, coz even if it sells a million units, I bet 10 Silverados sold wouldn't even breach the profit Honda makes on one RL sold. BURBERRY VS HANES, GOT IT. :shades: :shades: BOY I LOVE EXCLUSIVITY FOR AS LITTLE AS 30 GRAND ONLY.
Hope it won't be Silverado becoming an orphan, because one things for sure Honda as a brand will outlive GM.
This statement says a lot. What it tells me is that other brands have to offer deep discounts to sell their trucks and that Honda doesn't have to. Honda is content selling at the prices that they are and meeting their goal.
I would like to hear from some of these people that are buying trucks from the big 3 at deep discounts in 3 or 4 years when they try to resell them or trade them in. What comes off up front will be accounted for later. I feel sorry for those people that bought any of these cars or trucks before the big 3 started their employee discount programs. Almost overnight these vehicles lost thousands of dollars in value.
I'm happy with my Ridgline. I don't care if it can tow 8,000 lbs or drive on washboard roads. What I do care about is that I got a vehicle that has the capabilities of a truck when I need them, the comfort and ride of a full-size sedan and something that will hold it value (based on Honda's track record).
Yes and no.
Most of the time, Honda doesn't need to offer steep discounts. But the Ridgeline has NOT been making sales expectations. Not while they were selling at MSRP.
Now that many dealers have stopped holding the line at MSRP, sales volume has increased. Eventually, the "high-priced" stigma will wear off and sales will level off. I'm guessing that if Ridges continue to sell just above invoice, sales will average out around 4-5K each month. More or less in line with what Honda was forecasting.
So, Honda does need to deal. They just don't have to discount as deeply as the others.
In my experience, it appears that the gas price has gotten to sales of all bigger vehicles, and Ridgeline is no exception. The dealership came across as keen to sell one. I got the price reports from consumerreports.org and paid 3.5% above their cost (not invoice!).
I love the ride, it drives a lot smoother than my Ford Mustang - which I am not ready to part with yet
Thank you again.
Notice I did not say anything about the product being better!
I disagree. While some may have spent more. Anyone who negotiated a deal paid close to employee pricing before. My Dad bought a 04 Silerado just under $27K loaded. It happened to be $200 more than Empolyee pricing. (I qualify for it so I know the price). Compaired to MSRP yes he will take a big hit at trade-in time. He paid no where near MSRP. He only looses the diff in what he paid vs what he trades/sells it for.
Also the whole "Employee pricing" game by GM, Ford and Dodge is funny. At least GM was doing this.... Last year rebates for the big trucks and SUVs where $3K to $4K. This year they are in the $1K range. So this year you pay "Employee Price" which is about $1000 less than invoice, but you don't get the huge rebate of years past. GM makes the same money as before or more.
I looked into buying a pickup a few years ago. The dealers had few. Most were being sold by individuals for more money. Most new purchases were with no trade-in around here. People point to pricing of some brands over others and use used pricing currently as a buying incentive. I don't trade frequently; why would I care? I buy what is good based on service and cost to me over years. Enron, MCI, and others I didn't buy because they were such a good value and going up all the time...
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
My brother and his wife have never bought anything but Hondas. They both bought Civics out of college--now they have an Accord and an Odyssey. My brother really wants a truck. He went to the Honda store and checked out the Ridgeline. He couldn't do it. He could not live with the styling among other things--and he's a Honda Guy! That's how I know Honda has missed the mark so far. When someone as gung ho about Honda as my brother is has decided to shop Toyota instead, I know why my local Honda dealer is advertising mark downs on their Ridgelines.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Most of time, when we're writing about which vehicle is "better", the goal is to define the best vehicle for the bulk of the market. By that definition, it should be clear that the Ridgeline is not the best truck. The bulk of the truck market goes to businesses, fleets, and others who use trucks as part of a daily business. With a few exceptions, the Ridgeline would be a poor choice for those buyers.
However, Honda was not targeting the center of the demographic. They targeted the Harry Homeowners. The dads who like the versatility of a truck, but also need to cart their kids to soccer practice. The guys who tow a boat or race car on the weekend, but also drive into the city each weekday wearing a shirt and tie.
For decades, Harry Homeowners in the US have been buying trucks totally unsuited for their needs because primitive trucks are all they've had access to. It's going to take a while to turn that around. Just like it's taken a while to shift from BOF SUVs to cross-overs. But the Ridgeline is the first truck designed specifically for them. And it's one heck of a first effort.
Like you said, if all you need a truck to do is haul a couple bails of pine straw or a tray of pansies on a Saturday afternoon, the Ridgeline makes a wonderful vehicle for Harry Homeowner. If you need a truck, though, it's hard to pay that much money for one. That's just my opinion. I hope you are enjoying yours to its fullest potential!
Everyone's different. As has been stated numerous times the Super Crew buyer isn't going to look at the Ridgeline and vise versa. Not everyone needs a monster truck.
I have had a string of Toyotas and was all set to get the Tacoma. Drove the Ridgeline and it didn't compare. Sytlingwise there are plenty of other ugly looking trucks out there. I still have people staring and coming up to me and asking me about it. I don't know how many other vehicles out there get that kind of attention. :shades:
http://media.ford.com/products/model.cfm
Not to be outdone, they have 3 in bed storage bins. 2" wider, 5" longer than the old SportTrac. Available V-8 with 6 speed auto. More towing capacity than Ridgeline. Quieter than Ridgeline. Independent Rear Suspension and car like ride and handling, available with AWD, standard with traction control, vehicle stability, air bags everywhere, etc.
They don't specify mileage but suggest "about 20 mpg".
I am still looking for a diesel version, I can't get serious about a Ford until they offer something no one else has.
John
I find this statement amusing for two reasons:
1. You drive a Mazda and Mazda is owned by Ford
2. How many automakers offer something that no one else has?
Thanks for the update on the 2007 Sport trac, though. In appearance, it reminds me a lot of the Ridgeline.
I want a diesel in my next vehicle. No one has it yet, at least in CA cars and light trucks.
Glad you are easily amused. I have owned several Fords and still own one, but I believe the Japanese cars are better built and more reliable. What is wrong with me having an opinion, especially one that has statistics behind it?
John
"We saw vehicles loaded from the factory with additional mark-ups and dealer installed accessories to drive up the price."
I was shopping for a used Pilot when I found the RL. It looked like the perfect vehicle for me, but didn't seriously consider it due to what seemed like high prices for the RTS and RTLs they had on the lot. Then a white RT happened to show up, and I bought it about 2 days later. They said it was the first one they had seen.
Other dealers in the area also reported they were not ordering RTs, and I only found a few in the region once I started searching.
The 2nd sticker on my RT had a $3500 "Market Adjustment" listed! I ignored that and ended up getting my RT for about $200 over invoice. (last week in WA state)
Good choice! I just took delivery of my WHITE RT last week. Only thing I added to my plain jane is a hitch and fog lights. The black housing of the fogs fits right in with the other black trim on the RT.
Congrats... I'm sure you will appreciate the ride more every day, I do!
We all certainly have one! Mine is that the Honda is a nice truck, but missing in towing by just a little. (Hitch not standard, and capacity just a bit light.
6500lbs would be nice.) and looks.
Why not a standard hitch since according to Honda its "pre-wired" for 4 and 7 pin and trailer barkes. If its pre wired they must assume your going to tow.
A 3500lb camper is fairly common, add people and gear and your really close to the limit. Being at the limit can't be good.
I'll probably never own one. Why? cause I have 3 kids and they have friends so I'd have a PIlot if it towed just a bit more.....(Honda's past tranny issues have be a bit on edge)
--j
I'm afraid we part company on that one. The new F-150 is a big step toward making the old-school, primitive trucks much nicer and easier to own. But when it comes to things like handling, ride, features, and safety the Ridgeline is in a whole other league.
It's like comparing a Lincoln and a BMW. Lincolns have some fine qualities, but simply don't set any benchmarks. Bimmers are standard bearers for automotive excellence.
As mentioned above, Ford's Explorer Sport Trac is probably the earliest attempt at a Harry Homeowner-style truck. But it failed so miserably to provide anything like refinement, safety, or any other family values... it just flopped. Never made it on the radar. The next generation appears to be a much better package.
You could probably make a case for the Baja being the next contender for Harry's money, but it failed to provide any of the utility needed. Harry isn't looking for an El Camino.
Perhaps I should say the Ridgeline is the first 'serious' attempt. And the reviews certainly suggest that Honda nailed it. The positives about the design certainly out-weigh the negatives. (I do not deny there are negatives.) Otherwise, it wouldn't be winning all these comparos.
These days, most F-150 owners I know don't need it as a "truck" - carrying bricks around, hauling tractors and loads of sheet rock for a living. They could do what they usually do with a minivan or SUV. I guess I also like the Honda because it's not one of about 18 F-150 or Silverado's in line to pick the kids up at school (I'm always amazed at how many mom's are driving the kids back and forth to school in a pickup!). But you can sure get an F-150 cheap these days, I'll say that about it.
I find this statement amusing for two reasons:
1. You drive a Mazda and Mazda is owned by Ford"
Well, Daimler owns Dodge, and Volkswagen owns Bentley. So what? I certainly wouldn't be foolish enough infer a comparison between a Dodge Neon and an AMG CLK , nor between a Beetle and a Continental GT!
The ownership issuse is mostly corporate and only a few cars share the same platforms and drivetrains. Ford is not Mazda, nor vice versa. What Ford model would have anything in common with the rotary engine RX-8?
None!
1) the AWD package is a reverso of the Ridge (the Ford is a RWD with traction applied to the front when needed). Perhaps making it a better towing vehicle, certainly the towing capacity is much higher (over 6,000lbs when needed).
2) Built in tow bar (part of the frame, actually).
Now, the interesting thing will be where Ford puts the price. If they come in mid-20's with a V-8, 6500lb towing, 20 mpg, it may very well chew into Ridgeline sales. Even at $30K it will compete well at current Ridgeline prices.
John
'ridge.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,