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Road Ruler · 06-30-2007, 05:14 AM

In the news yesterday....

JD Powers rates the Honda Oddy & Ridgeline as the top vehicles in their class. The Ford Edge was top rated in the cross over class. No other details were given.

Minivan... Oddy
Truck... Ridgeline
Crossover... Edge

Silvertwinkie · 06-30-2007, 07:52 AM

...not that any would be really great TVs, but I am please to see Ford came out with 2 areas of high quailty marks.......

It's a start!

Having owned 2-3 Honda, I can tell you that they are not as great of a car as they use to be.

As a matter of fact, I read recently that Toyota is considering not putting any more capacity in to the US for production due to two factors. One the yen vs. the dollar and the other is that the QC of the stuff coming off the US lines is nowhere near that of what comes off the Asian lines. Toyota is not happy with the fact that they have had massive recalls as they have grown...and that's what I read. True or not, you never know sometimes the slant a newspaper may put on a story.

Road Ruler · 07-01-2007, 08:30 PM

The Ridgeline has a 1,100-pound bed payload capacity (making it a true half-ton truck, to use older terminology), and it can haul a 5,000 lb trailer. Honda research determined that 80% of truck buyers will tow less than 5,000 lbs, and have consequently targeted this market.

dpandorf · 07-01-2007, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Road Ruler

The Ridgeline has a 1,100-pound bed payload capacity (making it a true half-ton truck, to use older terminology), and it can haul a 5,000 lb trailer. Honda research determined that 80% of truck buyers will tow less than 5,000 lbs, and have consequently targeted this market.

Owned a Ridgeline for over a year. However, it was not the ideal TV for our new to us 2000 34' Limited. Sold it and am now back to driving American iron.

You know its a truck when you need a step ladder to wash the roof. You know its a real truck when you have to look down to see into a foreign SUV.

In fact after driving the F250 when I get into my wife's Odyssey I feel like I'm in a Yugo.

lewster · 07-01-2007, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dpandorf

Owned a Ridgeline for over a year. However, it was not the ideal TV for our new to us 2000 34' Limited. Sold it and am now back to driving American iron.

You know its a truck when you need a step ladder to wash the roof. You know its a real truck when you have to look down to see into a foreign SUV.

In fact after driving the F250 when I get into my wife's Odyssey I feel like I'm in a Yugo.

Then I guess my Sprinter is in the 'real truck' catagory!! You need a ladder, not a step ladder to wash the roof and I can see over just about any SUV on the road while driving and you can put a full size motorcycle inside along with tool boxes lining both sides. Add to that the 3000 lb. in-truck payload and the 5000 lb. tow capacity while getting 14-17 mph while towing at the speed limit and I guess it's a real truck !!

Motoman · 07-01-2007, 11:46 PM

When I first saw this post I expected to read about JD Powers rating for Honda generators since their suv and truck have limited ability to tow an Airstream. That is probably changing with the new lighter Sport models. We used our Cherokee with its 4.0 liter engine and 5000lb tow rating to tow our 22' CCD but don't know if the smaller 3.5 liter engine in the Ridgeline would have the low end torgue of the 4.0 inline six.

Road Ruler · 07-02-2007, 04:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Motoman

We used our Cherokee with its 4.0 liter engine and 5000lb tow rating to tow our 22' CCD but don't know if the smaller 3.5 liter engine in the Ridgeline would have the low end torgue of the 4.0 inline six.

Your trying to compare a Cherokee with a (dated, low tech) 4.0 with a Ridgeline with a Honda (state of the art) 3.5...

Your joking right??? LOL

Silvertwinkie · 07-02-2007, 07:11 AM

I'd agree that both are not really all that great. The Ridgeline is a front drive V6, lots of power, but the front drive isn't really a great TV for higher to the limit loads. There is something about a driveshaft, transmission and rear gearbox that are slightly more robust that I personally like better when towing 5000lbs. Less than that? Say 3000lbs, 2500lbs, I'd be very comfy with the Ridgeline and others like it. That's not to say the Honda is a bad truck by any means. Just my personal opinion based on exp.

dpandorf · 07-02-2007, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silvertwinkie

I'd agree that both are not really all that great. The Ridgeline is a front drive V6, lots of power, but the front drive isn't really a great TV for higher to the limit loads. There is something about a driveshaft, transmission and rear gearbox that are slightly more robust that I personally like better when towing 5000lbs. Less than that? Say 3000lbs, 2500lbs, I'd be very comfy with the Ridgeline and others like it. That's not to say the Honda is a bad truck by any means. Just my personal opinion based on exp.

The Ridgeline was a nice truck for me at the time. Had that hidden trunk in the bed of the truck. Kept all my smelly fly fishing gear in there!

Plus it had a drain plug in the bottom so you could I guess fill it with ice and have a big party. It does come stock with a tranny cooler and the other essentials for towing, just not up to par for "serious loads".

crispyboy · 07-02-2007, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Your trying to compare a Cherokee with a (dated, low tech) 4.0 with a Ridgeline with a Honda (state of the art) 3.5...

Your joking right??? LOL

I hope you weren't serious about this statement. You can't find a gas motor that has more torque and as reliable as the 4.0 inline 6 cylinder engine pound for pound. I have seen many of these engines go well over 250k miles - they are hard to kill.
The only thing you gain with a V6 is there is less vibration and higher revs.

Jim Clark · 07-02-2007, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crispyboy

I hope you weren't serious about this statement. You can't find a gas motor that has more torque and as reliable as the 4.0 inline 6 cylinder engine pound for pound. I have seen many of these engines go well over 250k miles - they are hard to kill.
The only thing you gain with a V6 is there is less vibration and higher revs.

I will use a Japanese TV when I buy my first Japanese RV.

That should get things going.

Road Ruler · 07-02-2007, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crispyboy

I hope you weren't serious about this statement. You can't find a gas motor that has more torque and as reliable as the 4.0 inline 6 cylinder engine pound for pound. I have seen many of these engines go well over 250k miles - they are hard to kill.
The only thing you gain with a V6 is there is less vibration and higher revs.

Yes I was 100% serious and yes I agree with you completely about the fine specs on the 4.0 inline 6 but............................. oh the V6 imports are so much better!!

I speak from experience. I was a big AMC fan years ago. Drag raced the 4.0L and 360ci AMC powered vehicles. I have also towed for over 10 years with the 3.0VQ V6 Nissan engine and now using the 3.5V VQ V6 engine (very simialar to the Honda V6). No comparision!

Silvertwinkie · 07-02-2007, 12:49 PM

No offense Road Ruler, but a fair number of Canadians typically tow with underpowered or what some would consider quesionable vehicles. I see from your profile that you tow a 23' Airstream with a Nissan minivan. I'm sure you are happy with this, and it works well for you, but so did the guy that got a Dodge Intrepid to tow a 34' Airstream who also happened to be a Canadian as well.

Road Ruler · 07-02-2007, 01:24 PM

ST.... Are you confusing me with someone else??? If anything our present TV has power to spare and we haven't towed with the Nissan M-van for years?!?!?!

Silvertwinkie · 07-02-2007, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Road Ruler

ST.... Are you confusing me with someone else??? If anything our present TV has power to spare and we haven't towed with the Nissan M-van for years?!?!?!

Just goin by what was in your profile page.

Yooper · 08-03-2007, 08:56 PM

Earlier this year, in the hitch section of this forum, I asked a lot of questions about WDHs and my proposed use of a Ridgeline to tow my 16' Bambi. Got a lot of good advice, but some were skeptical of the Ridgeline as a tow vehicle. I reported in that thread that my trip from upstate New Hampshire back home with my new Bambi in tow went fine. Here's an update.

Just finished a 3700 mile trip from Michigan's U.P. to Montana via North Dakota. Camped on the Yellowstone River in Montana and then down into Yellowstone and then down through the Grand Tetons to Salt Lake City. We then headed in the backdoor of Colorado and camped in a canyon north of I-70 and then in the foothills of Golden, before heading to Omaha and back home. This was but a 10 day trip so we averaged a lot of miles per day. I am totally satisfied with this combination!

My average moving speed, according to my Garmin Nuvi, was 54 mph.

I will attach a photo of my Ridgeline/Bambi combo at the top of Loveland Pass, if I can figure out how to do that!

Great trip. Great combo!

Yooper

**moosetags** · 08-03-2007, 09:00 PM

Glad you had a good trip, and that the Ridgeline worked out for you.

ROBERTSUNRUS · 08-03-2007, 10:23 PM

Hi, yooper. That's a nice combination you have and should work well for you.

Let me jump in on this six cylinder thing with my opinions. As for the V-6 being smoother, [smoother than what?] Sixty degree V-6's are pretty smooth, but ninety degree V-6's are so-so even with offset crank shafts and silent shafts. My wifes BMW 2.5 L inline six is as smooth as glass at all RPM's. [no we don't and never will tow with it] Engine torque used to be basically a bore versus stroke thing; Now with computer controls and split port intakes, we have long stroke engines getting high RPM's and short stroke engines getting lots of torque. [new engines, new rules]

One previous statement, 80% of truck owners will tow less than 5,000 lbs. I agree; I think 80% of truck owners won't tow anything.

scottanlily · 08-04-2007, 02:05 AM

The 4.0 jeep 6 cyinder is an excellent engine ,Ive serviced them in my repair business since they came out . The 2000 version for instance has DIS
ignition (distributorless) fuel injection ( has had FI since its introduction)
and all modern engine controls.It is extremely tough and reliable ,easily can get 200 000 miles of service from it . It never needs the timing belt replaced since it has a timing chain that lasts for many thousands of miles without replacement .It is a solid engine with very good low end torque .The ridgeline has the wheel base length and thats a big plus .The
rigline should not have any problem towing a bambi whatsoever .

Scott of scottanlily

GlenCoombe · 08-04-2007, 06:30 AM

I can't resist this one.... Back when I towed boats I had an E-150 high top Ford van. This beast had a 5.0 or 4.9 litre in line 6 cyl. Now that was a pulling motor. It would pull anything you hooked up to. Sadly it had no power steering or a/c so I traded out. It was in the Ocala area for many years after I sold it and I had the opportunity to walk up to two later owners to compare favorable notes and experiences.