Honda "truck"

[Silver R/T]

Well I don't see why they call it a truck, it's just a little SUV. http://automobiles.honda.com/ridgeline/
    * High-torque 250-hp, 3.5-liter, 24-valve SOHC VTEC® V-6 Engine
    * 4-wheel-drive power through the Variable Torque Management® 4-wheel drive system (VTM-4®)
    * 5,000-lb. towing capacity[5]
    * Up to 1,546 lb. total payload capacity. (RT/RTS)
MPG 15 city/20highway. That's ridiculous my Cummins gets 18 in the city and I can tow 13,000 like it's not even there. Honda just never build torque motors, now they stick that lawnmower engine into a "truck" 

[Troy]

It's a truck because it has a bed. I think 250 hp from a 3.5 liter (210 cu in) engine is pretty good. That's equivalent to a 454 hp 383 or a 522 hp 440. Comparing a Cummins to a 5.9 Magnum (both were available in the 2500 series like your truck) isn't even a contest. That Ridgeline is smaller than a Dakota so try comparing similar vehicles. The payload and towing capacity only needs to be adequate for the class (and the people who need a vehicle in that class). Not everyone needs to haul 2 tons in the bed or pull 20,000+ pounds. *If* (and that's a big "if") anyone were to use one of those to tow with I doubt they'd be moving anything bigger than a jet ski or quad.

If my Cummins Ram didn't break every other time I drove I'd be ecstatic over it's towing capabilities. As it stands, I've towed more with my Tahoe in 4 months than I have with the Ram in 5 years (and during that time had to use my heap of an 84 Suburban twice when the Ram was out of commission). I'd bet the Honda is more reliable - too bad it won't pull my trailer.

Troy (grimy from fixing the Ram yet again )

[Silver R/T]

What kind of problems you're having with your Ram, Troy? Have you seen http://www.dieseltruckresource.com/dev/index.php website, very informative forum dedicated to Cummins Rams.

[Silver R/T]

also many people don't realize that rated 15/20mpg is overrated usually, it probably gets more like 12.5/18mpg in real life. I do agree that you do not need a 3/4 ton truck for daily driver but many people still have one for daily driver and even then they still get better mileage. I have a compact car for daily driver so I'm excluded from those people lol
I know those Subaru baja's have bed, similar to el camino but it does not qualify as a truck. Personally I think Honda does great on building econo cars civics, accords, etc and they should stick to that. Leave truck market to big three and maybe toyota's (tacomas are tough for a little truck)

[Troy]

Go through that site and look for common problems (99-01,02) and my truck has had then all - plus a few more. It had 128k on it when I bought it and has 142k on it now. I drove it all of 68 miles last year after putting $4k in it to fix the problems all at once. It promptly blew a transmission seal on the next trip out and a front brake line on the way to get the trans fixed. I also just noticed the bottoms of the front doors are completely rusted (another typical problem). At least that won't keep it from running. Correction, of all the "common" issues the only thing that hasn't gone yet is the lift pump so I expect that to happen soon. I don't plan on driving it once the trans is fixed - I hope I can sell it before something else lets go. I sold my enclosed trailer so the truck is overkill for what I need.

Troy

[Silver R/T]

Go through that site and look for common problems (99-01,02) and my truck has had then all - plus a few more. It had 128k on it when I bought it and has 142k on it now. I drove it all of 68 miles last year after putting $4k in it to fix the problems all at once. It promptly blew a transmission seal on the next trip out and a front brake line on the way to get the trans fixed. I also just noticed the bottoms of the front doors are completely rusted (another typical problem). At least that won't keep it from running. Correction, of all the "common" issues the only thing that hasn't gone yet is the lift pump so I expect that to happen soon. I don't plan on driving it once the trans is fixed - I hope I can sell it before something else lets go. I sold my enclosed trailer so the truck is overkill for what I need.

Troy

I'm sorry to hear that, seems like you've had lemon or just a truck that has been abused. You have 03 right? I'm not sure if they have lift pump failure on that year or not. I've just fixed starter contacts, pretty common a truck with over 100k, mine has 124,000. Just $20 for parts and couple hours labor and I've had it fixed.

[bull]

I'm not sure what the point of this thread is but I wonder why someone would pay between $28k and $34k for an ugly Honda that gets the same mpg as a good-looking 2003 Dakota V8 for $6k that has better payload and towing capacity.

And what's the purpose of that bedside angling up toward the cab? Is it so you can't get your stuff out of the back without crawling up inside the bed? That's like the one thing small trucks are good for compared to today's full-size pickups. You used to be able to reach over the sides of the bed to get your stuff out in full size pickups but now you have to be about 6'8" to do it.

[Silver R/T]

I'm not sure what the point of this thread is but I wonder why someone would pay between $28k and $34k for an ugly Honda that gets the same mpg as a good-looking 2003 Dakota V8 for $6k that has better payload and towing capacity.

And what's the purpose of that bedside angling up toward the cab? Is it so you can't get your stuff out of the back without crawling up inside the bed? That's like the one thing small trucks are good for compared to today's full-size pickups. You used to be able to reach over the sides of the bed to get your stuff out in full size pickups but now you have to be about 6'8" to do it.

good point Bull. If you want honda reliability by all means get an accord, if you want truck you better look elsewhere.

[Todd Wilson]

I got to ride about 5 minutes in one a year ago. My first impression was what a funky piece of crapola.  Honda has cheapened up the interiors a lot over the years! Only other funky cheapo truck that made me think the same was the Ford F-150.


Todd

[jb666]

I got to ride about 5 minutes in one a year ago. My first impression was what a funky piece of crapola.  Honda has cheapened up the interiors a lot over the years! Only other funky cheapo truck that made me think the same was the Ford F-150.


Todd

Unfortunately, they are all going "funky and cheapola" these days. The only difference is that in 300k miles the Honda will still be running while we'll all be drinking out of the Ford F-150.

[Troy]

Oh, I forgot to mention that if you want a "real" truck (ie 1/2 ton or bigger) you have to buy American. There really is no competition at this point. Most "normal" people can live with a smaller version if all they do is haul mulch or materials for small home improvement projects. However, truck beds are like welders - once you have one you wonder how you ever lived without it.

Troy

[jb666]

Oh, I forgot to mention that if you want a "real" truck (ie 1/2 ton or bigger) you have to buy American. There really is no competition at this point. Most "normal" people can live with a smaller version if all they do is haul mulch or materials for small home improvement projects. However, truck beds are like welders - once you have one you wonder how you ever lived without it.

Troy

I agree. I had my F350 for 3 years. I didn't ever WORK it like it could handle, but things like picking up a ton of crushed stone or a cord of firewood came in VERY handy!!!

[bull]

I'd buy just about any other pickup before I'd bother with that Honda thing. If the cargo area was user-friendly at all I'd probably overlook the piss-poor aesthetics but IMO it's about as desirable as an Aztek or Avalance.

[jb666]

Yeah, but in the same respect, the old Dakota's are POS's too. They rot and fall apart.. Sure, the Toyota's and Honda's of the world have the same problem, but they'll out live any "American" vehicle, hands down.


Especially in a thread about trucks, how did THIS come up?? 

 

[Silver R/T]

My uncle had Dakota, he always loaded it like 3/4 ton truck. He sold it running and driving to some guy after he bought other truck. He loaded it so heavy that bed sagged around frame rails.

[jb666]

My uncle had Dakota, he always loaded it like 3/4 ton truck. He sold it running and driving to some guy after he bought other truck. He loaded it so heavy that bed sagged around frame rails.

My buddy had one and beat the bag out of it. He went through tranny's like they were going out of style... Other than that, front end parts were the other issue.. He ran that thing into the ground and retired it at 130k.

[bull]

Not sure why you're getting all pissy and defensive over this, jb. Oh, I see now that you edited the sniping out of your previous post.

Anyway, in essence all I said was if were going to buy a small pickup I would want one that at least offered one of the main advantages small pickups typically offer: the ability to grab things out of the bed from the side. Am I wrong?

And I will tell you that I've got 130+k on my '94 Dakota and it's doing just fine. Original engine, original tranny and rear end. Pretty much everything but the radiator, alternator, radio, starter and two batteries is OE. EDIT** sorry, I just remembered the alternator has not been replaced but I did suspect it when the first battery died. EDIT 2** Oh, I see now why you were getting pissy. You just bought an Avalance. Relax, dude, I like it better than the "Charger" you traded it for.

[Finn]

My friend has a ridgeline and its an excellent truck. The interior is very nice, more roomy and more functional than my quad cab ram, and he gets 15-18 on average. I get 10.8mpg. Everywhere. Gotta love the 360...

I dont think the ridgeline would ever be used as a work/trail truck by any means but for the average person that just needs the truck bed to haul things now and then it hits the nail on the head. We've hauled a lot of stuff in that truck.

[Mike DC]

  
The Honda Ridgeline isn't comparable to a full size truck - it doesn't even have a separate frame underneath.  It's a unibody welded onto a ladder frame underneath.  (WTF?  Sounds like all the weight of a BOF + all the weaknesses of a unibody.)  




I've got a 1995 318 Dakota that is going to sh*t at barely 110K.  I'm not sorry I bought it but I'm also not buying another one.  It's worked hard for me, but that work shouldn't have left in the kind of bad shape it's in now.  Factory corner cutting everywhere.  

What I really am going to miss about this thing is the raw dimensions.  This "compact" truck is really about the size of an entry-level fullsize truck from 50 years ago.  Everything else on the used truck market seems to be either much bigger or much smaller.