So I went to our Honda Dealer today.......

SubVet

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and didn't buy anything. I was seriously hunting for a Ridgeline. IT just seems to tick all the boxes. Especially since I don't use the truck as a truck.
I thought if there was a good enough deal I would give it a go.......I went on a LONG 30-minute test ride by myself. I got looking at all the tech. The " truck" is as smooth as glass and very quiet. almost felt like a "luxury" vehicle. Fit and finish are outstanding. The 9 speed is nice and it hauls enough ass.
I love the bed accessories. 110 V outlet where it belongs, A very deep lockable trunk in a bed. 2 Set of Golf clubs would fit easily. Then there is the option to open the tailgate sideways as well as the conventional way..The Tailgate must weigh 40 pounds. Tried the speaker in the box...It would be great for tailgating or camping. Neither of which I do lol

I would say if one wants an SUV with a bed, Nothing else comes close AWD is just that Not meant for crock climbing. Those days ended for me 25 years ago
MSRP $42K Given the upscale interior and all the options I can imagine It's a really nice TRV

Knowing I was not going to make a deal, I had them run the numbers...(nobody was there......)

So let's talk Ranger first because I want to know what they would stroke a check right now for my Ranger (That's called ACTUAL CASH VALUE No funny money deals Two Separate deals) for my truck . (I've used this tactic when car shopping)

They offered $27K:eek: real money on a $42,000 truck that is barely discounted. OH well, It was fun playing anyway.
I love my Ranger but I am not one who is faithful to one brand. I buy the best truck at the time One thing I would not do to the Honda is lift kits . In fact, All I would do is cover the bed, and attach my forever love AVS II Bug. It's not a hobby truck. So they wanted to stroke a check out for my truck for $19K So I give them $8000 and lease for 36 months at $400....MMM AND 6.5% INTEREST!! Maybe in two years,, OR NEVER...,LOL Like That will ever happen......

Practical with a great reputation But I will pass for now..... Nothing wrong with kicking a few tires and see where you stand. I've done that a lot of times most of the time not buying but I usually find a diamond in the rough if I do it long enough

So you guys are going to have to deal with my whims for a while longer
Sponsored

 
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u wish u could ride

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I tried one out before the ranger. (honda dealer two miles from me.) I also like everything about it BUT it just didn't push my "spend my money on it button" . got into the ranger and it felt like a truck supposed to .luckily I was trading a 17 Tacoma that sucked but had awesome trade in !!
 

outdoorphotog

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I tried one out before the ranger. (honda dealer two miles from me.) I also like everything about it BUT it just didn't push my "spend my money on it button" . got into the ranger and it felt like a truck supposed to .luckily I was trading a 17 Tacoma that sucked but had awesome trade in !!
I am a fan of Honda but I'm not so sure about unibody trucks.
 

ch47dmechanic

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Reasons the Ridgeline is not a pickup truck:
  • Unibody construction doesn't allow for flex on uneven surfaces.
  • Front wheel drive.
  • Absolutely no low-range gearing to speak of.
  • AWD is not the same thing as 4WD.
  • Last but certainly not least, the "spare tire" is not a full spare but a donut and requires you to empty the bed of materials in order to access it.


Hard pass. ?
 

RANGER_MARC

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I have never gone so far as to visit the dealer to look at the Ridgeline, but I have read a lot of reviews and done a lot of "build and price" comparisons on the Honda website, like I do with other trucks, just to know what is out there and possibly to inform my next truck purchase down the line. Like Tom, I found that the Ridgeline has a lot of cool features, like the outdoor speakers and optioned tailgate. (When you are 66 with a bad back, tailgate options become more important....) Still, it does not have the 4WD, the torque, the approach/clearance angles, etc. that the Ranger does, and so I would not really feel confident driving it in difficult conditions such as storms, bad roads, obstacles in road, etc. So, yeah, it is a cool vehicle in many ways, and people will always argue about whether or not it really is a truck, but it is definitely not a Ranger!
 


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I would have been just as happey w/Ridgeline as I am now w/Ranger.

I like the AWD on the RL because all my driving is on pavement and AWD is just better in wet weather and light off pavement roads. No rock crawling for me.. heck, I have the 2WD Ranger so can't do that anyway.

I prefer the looks of the Ranger but the functionality of the Ridgeline...

In the end, the Ranger was a cheaper option by abour 4k so I went with that... I wasn't aiming at the 2wd Ridgeline but the T trim AWD so it was easy to get a cheaper Ranger in 2wd... had I compared 4WD w/AWD... not sure which truck I would be driving now.. and yes, I consider both of them trucks. So is an El Camino and Subaru..whatever that was... lol
 

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If they looked more like the old Ridgeline but had all the modern comforts and conveniences we would've considered one. She loves Honda, she cried when we traded her old Civic lol. That car was amazing, 13 years old and completely rock solid the whole time since new.
 

SOHK_Alumni

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The Ridgeline fills a hole in the market, and fills it well. More car like than truck like and for many, an ideal compromise.

Both Holden and Ford Australia had UTE's similar to the ElCamino, Ranchero etc of yore. Again, great option for many needs.

The AWD option is likely more useful for many than 4WD. I've been contemplating building the wife an AWD Ranger to replace her Land Rover.
 

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I love Honda cars but personally don't care for the Ridgeline. I know they ride nice and all but I want a truck to ride like a truck and I don't care for the unibody. I need 4wd for the places we go shooting and still enjoy off roading several times a year. Sounds like it would be a good truck for you and your needs but damn that's a slap in the face for your trade in! I think you will see better deals towards the end of summer. It's usually the best time to but when they're trying to get rid of this years models but I think they'll have much more inventory this year because of the virus.

My girlfriends lease on her Civic is up the end of August and she's hoping to get a really good deal on another one. She got a good deal 3 years ago @ $140.00/month for a brand new Civic with only $1,000 down. I'm thinking they'll be more desperate this year.
 

outdoorphotog

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I love Honda cars but personally don't care for the Ridgeline. I know they ride nice and all but I want a truck to ride like a truck and I don't care for the unibody. I need 4wd for the places we go shooting and still enjoy off roading several times a year. Sounds like it would be a good truck for you and your needs but damn that's a slap in the face for your trade in! I think you will see better deals towards the end of summer. It's usually the best time to but when they're trying to get rid of this years models but I think they'll have much more inventory this year because of the virus.

My girlfriends lease on her Civic is up the end of August and she's hoping to get a really good deal on another one. She got a good deal 3 years ago @ $140.00/month for a brand new Civic with only $1,000 down. I'm thinking they'll be more desperate this year.
That is a good deal for a civic. We got my wife a used 2012 Civic, it just goes and goes. Doesn't look that nice, doesn't move that fast, but always starts and gets good MPG. Also makes sense as a unibody since the most weight you will carry is a couple people and the occasional suitcases.
 

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The Honda is nice, but I decided to buy the best truck at the time, The Ranger was it.
Even if you count the Honda as a truck...
Say!? how about the Avalanche? Its a "sort of a truck" too.
 
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Toytec

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When I was working, my dealer took in a trade of a fully loaded '18 Ridgeline AWD that was traded because they wanted a Tundra instead.
It was a beautiful white with side moldings and a rich looking folding bed cover. Only had 10 thousand miles on it!
Knowing that plans were to buy the Ranger when year end deals started coming out, I still asked for the keys and took it for a spin. All the boxes were checked as the OP stated.
I could've got that Honda for about 30K ! But end of story is "it's just not truck enough".
Glad I waited.

Edit: LOL, I just had an after thought. The RL wouldn't have the roaring radiator fan like our trucks do. I'm always turning heads when starting out down the street.
Kind of like Dundee saying "that ain't no truck, now this is a truck!"
 
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TrebMaxx

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The Ridgeline is nice but to me it isn't a truck. It's a Japanese El Camino which fills the void for those that want the utility of a bed so you can haul some basic items, etc, but don't need the full capabilities of an actual truck. I will stick with my Ranger for now.
 

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The Ridgeline is nice but to me it isn't a truck. It's a Japanese El Camino which fills the void for those that want the utility of a bed so you can haul some basic items, etc, but don't need the full capabilities of an actual truck. I will stick with my Ranger for now.
Lol...Japanese El Camino :LOL: BTW I had an El Camino back in the late 80's. Most useless vehicle I've ever owned!

If you're only hauling light stuff once in a while buy a car and just rent a truck from Home Depot or Uhaul. This way you'll have something more comfortable and better gas mileage.
 
 



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