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Thank goodness this NEVER happens to Honda owners, right?
"The only known cure is buying a "foreign" brand, but for best results, buy something Japanese"
I love it when the argument is "You should buy an American car" the response is "My Honda was built in Ohio (or Alabama or whatever state) by Americans and is more American than your Chevy (or Ford or whatever) that was built in Canada (or Mexico or wherever)." But, when you want to play the "perceived quality" card, then your Honda is Japanese. Isn't the Ridgeline just as American as my F-150 that was built in Kansas City?
Lower hauling needs does not necessarily amount to mulch and plants, by the way. I used my pilot to move furniture many times, I strapped a whirlpool tub to the roof, a california king mattress and box springs, and NUMEROUS trips to the dump with various appliances, etc. With a Ridge, I'm sure I could have managed those items I had to call in my father and his GMC pickup for (always restricted by the roof on the Pilot). Honestly, towing aside, I'm not sure what owners of domestic pickups are hauling that the Ridge can't. If you aren't towing or plowing, the only advantage I see in the full-size domestics is the actual volume of the bed ... so maybe those can carry 150 cases of beer, while the ridge can carry a measly 120 ... or something like that.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
Bob
The Ridgeline's exact figures are 1,100 lbs in the bed, with 1,550 for the total payload. Since Ford and Chevy have not made any distinction in their web specs, we've had to work with total payload.
I believe a contrarian point of view is important. However, there's a difference between being critical and being negative. You need to recognize that your own posts are just as inflammatory as the responses you've earned.
The Tacoma and Frontier are mentioned from time to time, but never the domestic midsize pickups.
Bob
The market for loaded mid-size trucks is pretty small. So, the Ridgeline really is something of a tweener.
And I think we all know the domestic competitors simply are not competitive. Unless we're talking rental sales.
Interestingly enough, I was just comparing the Frontier to the Ridge. A 4-door Frontier SE with automatic and power package has an invoice of $24,705, compared to the Ridge RT's invoice of $25,477. That's mightly close. Thing is, the difference between Honda's invoice and MSRP is greater, so the Ridge LOOKS to be almost $2K more ... but since most vehicles sell near invoice, the street prices put these 2 vehicles VERY close together. And, actually, if not for the current $1k rebate on the Nissan, the TMVs of the 2 are only ~$450 apart.
And, to throw this out there ... the cheapest 4wd Avalanche has a TMV of $34,325. With the $4k rebate, that brings it to $30,325. Wow! That's just not even close to the Ridge's entry price or that Frontier example from above.
I just went and searched all Frontier discussions and the only mention of Avalanche was in reference to the color Nissan offers by that same name. Hmmmmm.... why is that? Is it just that the Ridge stirs up some kind of resentment in the loins of the domestic fans? Why the selective bias?
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
AWD,IRS,handling and safety distinguish the Ridge from all others, and the SportTrac will be the only direct competitor.
John
dont hate what you dont understand...
The Frontier and Tacoma both cost just as much when loaded up with the same hardware. However, at that point, they too are sneaking into full-size truck territory. Because they offer base models, they don't attract the same attention.
OTOH, the number of 4X4 Tacomas sold was not that much higher than the number of Ridgeline's sold that month. And I'm sure many of the Tacomas were equipped with fewer options than the Ridgeline. This suggests the Ridgeline is doing just fine within that small niche.
OTOH, the number of 4X4 Tacomas sold was not that much higher than the number of Ridgeline's sold that month. And I'm sure many of the Tacomas were equipped with fewer options than the Ridgeline. This suggests the Ridgeline is doing just fine within that small niche.
Absolutely. And Honda knew this, obviously, since they've gotten very close to their projected sales.
The Tacoma stands in a special position itself, being the ONLY import truck in the under $15k category. I know alot of people who look to the entry Tacoma when shopping for a cheap new car. Slotted right in there with the likes of the Neon, Ion, and what have you. That's not meant to be derogatory, by the way, before anyone jumps on me for calling the Tacoma an economy car ... i'm just stating my experience with some shopping friends and family. Not to mention all those purchased for small delivery businesses, etc.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
thegrad
Bob
The Accords and Camrys built in America are supervised by the Japanese. That's quite a big difference over the Cars built in America supervised by Americans. Painful but true.
The Ridgeline is built in Canada not the US.
However, neither gets my $ until there is a diesel in it. That said, my guess is Ford is further along than Honda.
John
John
what kinda lift can you guys put on without mechanical problems? 3 inches? or are you ridgeline owners droping it making it a 4500 pound race truck?
Carry on.
kcram - Pickups Host
I am thinking about a Ridgeline. I have a couple questions:
1. Does the Ridgeline have a towing package(ie transmission cooler, tow hitch)
2. How many people sit in the back seat comfortably?
3. Is there enough head room and seat comfort for some one 6' 4'' in the front seat?
Thanks,
Eric
I am attracted to Ridgeline as well and like the idea of 2 car seats on the back bench - one in the middle - allowing me to go as far back as I like in the front seat.
Many cars lack latch connectors in the middle seat.
The RL comes standard with the following. you just need to add the hitch and the wiring harness.
STANDARD TOWING FEATURES:
• Pre-wired for 4- and 7-pin connectors
• Pre-wired for trailer brake controller
• Heavy-duty radiator with dual 160-watt fans
• Heavy-duty power steering fluid cooler
• Heavy-duty ATF cooler
• Huge front and rear brake rotors
• Closed-box frame with unit-body construction
• 5,000-lb. towing capacity
Tow Ready
The Ridgeline takes towing seriously. To start with, it has a 5-speed automatic transmission that's specially geared for this purpose. There's also a standard high capacity radiator with dual 160-watt fans, a heavy-duty power steering cooler, a high-capacity ATF cooler, and it's pre-wired for a trailer connection (4-/7-Pin). Large brake rotors at all four wheels and Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD) ensure quick and deliberate stops when it matters most.
3.5-Liter VTEC® V-6 Engine
A 3.5-liter, VTEC V-6 engine gives the Ridgeline optimum power and efficiency. This results in 247-hp and 245 lb.-ft. torque. The VTEC engine combined with an innovative two-stage intake manifold and a special fresh-air intake system provide power when you need it, with high-end horsepower and low-end torque even during extreme towing conditions. The fresh-air intake draws air from the top of the front grill to protect against dust and water intrusion during launches. You'll power your boat up even the steepest ramp in no time.
2. How many people sit in the back seat comfortably?
I've had three adults sit in the back and were very comfortable on a 3+ hour trip. 2 adults travel in even more comfort as the flip down console and arm rest becomes available.
Room for a Texan hat with the regular roof.
John
Next your gonna post your little brother will have a
honda with a fart can, wing, and dubs with spinnaz !!!
1st OBY buys a nissan, Then this.............. :P
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
It is silly to buy a $30,000 vehicle that Honda calls "tow ready" and then have to spend over $500 for a hitch and wiring to pull anything. If I understand it correctly, wiring the Ridgeline for towing includes having to do work in the dashboard. Even the piece of junk Mazda B4000 I bought a few years back came with a Class III hitch and all the wiring standard and was built to tow 5,500 pounds without having to buy an optional tow package or do anything to the truck. Now that is "tow ready". I really do like the Ridgeline, but I think that showed poor planning on Honda's part.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
Isn't the wiring there? For 2 different kind of connectors?
And, there is a transmission cooler also there.
All I think need to be added is the 'hitch'.
Do I need to go get my owners manual out of the garage?
The hitch is available on it's own.
The wiring is sold on it's own and includes both the harness for connecting at the rear and the brake controller. I have no idea if you have to install the brake controller in order to have the trailer lights work.
I also remember several Pilot folks talking about going under the dash to hook up the trailer lights. Is this also different on the Ridge?
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
http://www.handaaccessories.com/ridgeline/hitch.pdf
It's shows the installation of the brake controller under the dash and the plug at the back. I have no idea if the brake controller harness has anything to do with activating the trailer lights.
Its good they added the tranny cooler to the Ridge. The install of the kit, overall, looks fairly easy. But I can see why folks would complain about going in the dash. I mean, how much extra would it really cost Honda to just have the brake controller and relays installed at the factory?
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
Probably more than what 95% of Ridgeline buyers would be willing to pay. At MSRP it would probably add $200 to the vehicle. I'm willing to bet that only about 5% of Ridgeline buyers will tow enough to warrant trailer brakes. I for one would never need it nor want it were I to purchase a Ridgeline.
Does any other manufacturer include a controller without a tow package?
You can buy it yourself for $138. So my guess is somewhere in the neighborhood of less than $50 per vehicle (probably way less than).
There are plenty of things on every vehicle that not everyone wants, but since its not detailed on a vehicle's price sheet what each little thing costs, nobody gives it a second thought. Heck, I got 2 little ashtrays on my car that I've never used and never will use. That probably could have saved me $10 right there.
It doesn't matter what anyone else offers. If all manufacturers jumped off a bridge, should Honda jump, too?
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
I said it would add about $200 to the MSRP - not cost Honda $200.
You can buy it yourself for $138. So my guess is somewhere in the neighborhood of less than $50 per vehicle (probably way less than).
$50 for parts/labor to do it at the factory sounds right so $200 MSRP on the vehicle is in the ballpark. Honda's MSRP just for the part according to their website is $169 - without installation.
There are plenty of things on every vehicle that not everyone wants, but since its not detailed on a vehicle's price sheet what each little thing costs, nobody gives it a second thought. Heck, I got 2 little ashtrays on my car that I've never used and never will use. That probably could have saved me $10 right there.
True but those ashtrays are now called storage compartments - useful for everyone, not just a small segment of buyers.
It doesn't matter what anyone else offers. If all manufacturers jumped off a bridge, should Honda jump, too?
It does matter. If a brake controller is expected without a towing package, then Honda should offer it in order to meet the market's expectation. But if it's only part of an optional tow package, then there's no reason to offer it except for differentiation.
I have a friend with 2 tow vehicles - an Expedition and a Titan. Both had factory towing packages. Guess what - he had to buy and install a brake controller seperately for each. The factory package didn't include it.
Which means that even fewer would really need the transmission cooler (a far more expensive chunk of hardware).
I tend to agree that Honda should have included the brake controller and relays.
I'm willing to bet the real reason why it's not in there is to give the dealerships something to sell (pure speculation on my part). It's possible that the engineers included it along with the tranny cooler, but got over-ruled by the marketing folks. In a compromise they elected to offer one, but not the other.
I'll disagree. The standard tranny cooler is a far more functional feature for owners. It at least helps to lenghten the life of the transmission when used under load. Not everyone has to tow to receive benefit from the cooler. If you carry heavy loads (ATV's, motorcycles, et al) which can overwork the transmission you get the benefit. Also, including that helps defelect the criticism of Honda auto transmissions in heavier applications.
I again ask because I don't know the answer - how many vehicles come factory equipped with brake controllers from the factory?
Its kind of like having a pickup for a typical personal user. Do I honestly have to have one? No, I could commute back and forth to work and the grocery store in a Geo Metro. But since I have a pickup I keep finding new ways to use it.
I'm afraid Varmint probably has it right. I think they probably did it this way to create another profit center for their dealers.
http://www.fordvehicles.com/asp/popups/flashpopup.asp?height=200&width=480&filen- ame=trailercontroller.swf
It just boggles my mind that other pickup/SUV makers don't offer such a device. Virtually every vehicle that promotes towing, has trailer brake restrictions. For most vehicles, anything over 1000 pounds requires trailer brakes (the exception being fullsize GM pickups/SUVs, in which the limit is 2000 pounds; and some European SUVs which are in the 1600 pound range). This is stated in the owners manual—but rarely in product literature (Chevy and Land Rover being exceptions), and certainly never seen in vehicle ads.
To be honest, I think there should be a law "requiring" that trailer brake restrictions accompany any and all marketing of SUVs and pickups. I'm sure thousand of "newbie" towing customers have purchased tow vehicles believing the 5K towing advertisment, and have absolutely no knowledge of the towing brake restrictions. They don't find that out until after they've made their purchase.
One of the things I do when shopping tow vehicles is to ask to see the owner's manual, and check to see what is said about towing. The funny (sad?) thing is that most SUV/pickup sales people know nothing about trailer brake restrictions.
Bob
Ah, but ya know, there was a time when many things weren't expected. People didn't expect ABS, airbags, or even seatbelts. Good thing they were added and are now standard on many many vehicles.
If you want to call yourself an innovator, as Honda does, then you need to offer things that people aren't expecting. This truck already offers things that nobody thought to offer before, so why stop short of something as simple as a wiring harness that would help support the image of a tough and tumble truck that they are trying to portray in advertising?
Besides, we still haven't proven if even the trailer lights would work without that harness. So its not just a brake controller we're talking about here.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
Ahh but the wiring is there for the installation of the brake controller. It's a plug and play install for the harness and controller box. On most of the big trucks, you have to pay extra for the wiring just to install a controller and you have to buy the contoller aftermarket.
I was quite surprised when Ford offered the built-in controller. I always felt they omitted that piece due to liability. Brake controllers typically are adjusted by the end user based upon many variables. Screw up the calibration and you'll have some fun during an emergency stop.
BTW, I've been lurking here as I'm shopping a replacement for my current 1/2 ton. I think the RL is a little too light-duty for me, but I can see it being great for the average 1/2 ton truck buyer.