Towing with Honda Ridgeline / Recommend a vehicle

I can see the need to make the Ford family richer....

GM's support for their workers is ultimately going to help drive them into the ground with the benefits they are paying. I would have no problem buying an American car if the Americans would get styling down where I would want to be seen in one and reliability that would allow me to stay out of the dealership every week. I would not be caught dead in a GM car outside of the Corvette. What are they thinking in Detroit? Explain to me why Honda can build a car for 20+ years without one name change (Accord), offer little to no rebate, and be #1 or #2 in sales in that class for the last 10 + years, while America companies have to change the image of their nameplate (example Tauras-Fusion) 3+ times, take $10k+ off the sticker, and are still lagging behind??

Now I'm going to let the flames start with this next statement. I always hear how I should support the American workers, yada, yada, yada. Sorry, but I spent 4+ years in college to watch some dude that maybe barely graduated high school make $60k plus w/ great health and retirement benefits as he watches a machine all day build a car that in the end will probably send me to the dealership 5+ times in the first year because of crappy build quality???? I'll support my countries workers on a day to day basis in restaurants, grocery stores, the housing industry, etc. Real hard working Americans that actually have to bust their butt to make a good wage. Bring on the flames, I know it's coming!

Our new Titan came in. I posted the fourth reply on it but here are some pics. I dont know about other trucks, but I like how this one has a transmission temperature guage.

Ive owned. 1 Dodge truck, 1 Chevy Suburban, and 1 F150. I have my comments about each one..but I have never been to the dealer for any of them. ????? Maybe I'm lucky..I dont know, but Im reading threads, and I seriously cant relate.

While I do have some concerns about the power my F150 makes. There is not one rattle in this thing. And as far as Americans having style. There is not one American truck I would not take over the Titan. It may have a nice engine. But IMO its ugly. (no offense to anybody who has one. If you are happy, thats all that matters.) just my .2

Nick

I offer the following on American cars. 1998 Escort, owned since new, 110k miles, zero problems other than maintenance. Wifes 2000 Mustang, 47k miles, only problem was the wife put a CD into the 6 disk changer that had some glue on it and it got stuck, her fault but whole radio replaced under warranty anyway. Three Ford F-250 Super Duty trucks in the last 7 yuears. Never had a problem with any of them, 2 new one used. 03 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, I burned up the auto tranny at 15k miles after some serious abuse (Dusy Ershim trail, 5x rubicon trail, moab 2 weeks in two years, lots of other hard core wheeling). The jeep is lifted (long arm kit), oversize tires (35's on 4.10 gears) and the underside shows the abuse it has been subjectd to. Tranny was rebuilt under warranty with no hassle. Now that I have a trans temp guage I know when I am pushing too hard.

Bottom line, American cars are not perfect but are not crap by any stretch of the imagination. Just like boats dealer relationship is important.

As for the Accord being #1 or #2 for so long. I guess Ford Chevy and Dodge should just give up on making trucks now that Nissan, Honda and Toyota are making trucks. Ford clearly does not get being the best selling full size trucks for how long now 20+ years. While I respect Nissan and especially Toyota trucks (not Honda at all) for reliable and useful small trucks they have a long way to go in offering anywhere near the options you can get on a Ford Chevy or Dodge. Think Regular, Extended and Four door models in short and long bed versions with cheap to extra plush interiors and several engine and tranny combos. The big three are way ahead of the Japanees in full size trucks and will remain so until they actually get serious and offer the customization of American trucks.

Enough rant, gotta go watch UCLA/Memphis

Quote:
Nissan will build a heavier-duty version of its Titan pickup in order to expand the lineup and compete head-to-head with Detroit automakers.

Nissan plans to redesign its big Titan pickup in mid-2009 and according to a report in Automotive News, a heavy-duty version will be part of the redesign. A diesel engine option will be part of the upgrade, but there's no word yet on who will supply the new engine. The truck will target domestic three-quarter-ton trucks like the Chevrolet Silverado 2500, Dodge Ram 2500 and Ford F-250.

Toyota later this year will begin assembling its redesigned 2007 Tundra pickup, and executives have said the company is studying the feasibility of adding a heavy-duty model to compete with similar products from Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford and GMC.


Source: Edmunds.Com

The above quote was taken off of Titantalk.com. I like how people say that the Japanese automakers will never compete with the American automakers in the fullsize truck market. HaHa! They were saying the same thing back in the 70's and 80's when Japanese cars started getting popular and look at them now. There's a reason why the Big 3 aren't profitable in the US anymore. Foreign automakers!

Then there's the debate about supporting american workers, buy American. It's not black and white anymore. It's a world market! There's more foreign parts in American cars than in foreign cars. But then there's the argument that the Big 3 are American owned. Not true! Diamler Chrysler is owned by Mercedes Benz. (Goes by a different corporation name, I know, before all you jump on me.) And here's what really kills me, the Big 3 are building their vehicles in Canada and Mexico, while the Japanese automakers are making their cars here in Good Ol' America! So who's supporting the American auto workers?!? Ford just laid off 30,000 workers while Nissan is hiring more and more. And as for the Titan, it was designed, engineered and is built 100% right here in the what??? That's right....The Good Ol' USA!! So for you guys who buy based on the fact that it's built here in the USA, would you rather have a vehicle built here or in Mexico?

Also, I have some numbers here for you. As of 2004 (Two years ago) Nissan's capital investment in the US was $6 Billion. That includes manufacturing facilities in Canton, Mississippi: Smyrna, Tennessee: vehicle styling design in San Diego, California: Engineering in Farmington Hills, Michigan. I don't know what else they have added since then.

Remember guys, the Titan is the first full size truck by Nissan. It's pretty impressive to say the least. The Titan competes nicely and exceeds the Big 3 in areas and this is coming from a first generation truck from a company that has never built a full size truck. It competes with trucks that have been built for 50+ years. Are the Big 3 scared? Oh yeah! This is the last area the Big 3 have had locked down due to the lack of presence of the foreign automakers. Now THEY have set their sights on it and it's starting to show. The Big 3 lost the battle in cars a long time ago, then in SUV's and now they are getting hit in the area that has always been a profitable area. The Big 3 outsell the Japanese trucks at least 10:1, but that will continually get smaller and smaller. Will they ever take the majority? Probably not, but the question is, Can the Big 3 survive sharing the full size truck market with the Japanese?

I do think the new F-150 is a solid truck. Time will tell how it fends down the road. But so far it's a great truck. We'll see what GM comes out with in their new trucks.

(Message edited by kraig on March 26, 2006)

george they do get benefits, there is just not many of them (employees), and they have only been here 5-6 yrs so no one will have retired benefits for 20 more years this makes there overhead low, it is much cheaper for foreign companies to ship parts and assemble here than ship whole cars that is the only reason the assembly plants are here, gm and ford spend aprox $3,000 per vehicle for employee benefits (according to wallstreet journal)
nick it is much harder to go to a factory every day and work than live in a dorm and smoke pot not to mention to get a college degree what can be any easier these days
whelan, back to the trucks your titan is sharp

a quick poll
who has one of the weak american built engines in their boat
I do, in fact I don't think many offer those strong asian engines maybe someone should call mastercraft, supra, tige, malibu and tell them how great their engines are
a side note from wall street journal GM alone effects 1 out of 10 US dollars, if they go bankrupt it would devastate US economy including boat industry

Short story, my friend was coming back from the river, he was towing a 25ft Eliminator boat with a small Toyota pick-up, never had any problems in the past but this time he lost control of the truck. The insurance company said the driver had overloaded the truck, the insurance company estimated the boat and trailer weight between 6500 -7000lbs, over the Toyota towing limit. They canceled his insurance, breach of contract. He had to pay to fix his boat and the truck was totaled.

You, the owners are responsible for your vehicle. Your insurance will not/may not cover you or the vehicle if overload the vehicle/trailer.
They will look at equipment malfunctions, overloading, brake and tire maintenance, the skill and training of the driver, and any substance abuse issues.
Most insurance carriers have experienced accident lawyers working on their side. Their aim is to give you as little money as possible.

One of the most critical aspects of safely operating a vehicle & trailer is knowing the weights involved. The first thing to determine is how much is being towed and confirming that it is within the capacities of the equipment being used.

That’s why you need to go larger than you think.

I found this on the web, it may help someone.........
The Truck...

Get a brochure from a dealer and learn
GVWR (Gross vehicle weight rating)
GCWR (Gross combined weight rating)
Available payload including passengers and accessories
Towing with a bumper hitch
Axle weight rating and loading
Transmissions and rear end ratios
Trailer tow packages and transmission oil coolers
Diesel vs. gasoline engines
Two wheel drive vs. four wheel drive or off-road configuration
Will the truck be raised such that the trailer will not ride level?
Other details that may be gleaned from the brochure
Overloading your truck may be prohibited in some states and could be dangerous.
Overloading may void the manufacturer's warranty.
Other Considerations...

Decide if you need a standard cab, extended cab or crew cab
Remember, a larger cab increases the wheel base and decreases maneuverability
A larger cab adds some weight and decreases payload correspondingly
A larger cab may be more comfortable and needed for extra passengers
Decide on long bed or short bed
A long bed increases wheel base...
A long wheel base is generally a more stable platform and offers a better ride
A long bed will allow a 90° angle to the trailer; a short bed won't
A long bed adds some weight and decreases payload but is roomier for other types of hauling
A short bed with an adjustable hitch may provide adequate maneuverability
Decide how often you plan to tow a trailer
This may effect you engine, rear end ratio, bed length and other choices
If you already have the truck, some changes or modifications can be made to accommodate extra loads
Don't be in a hurry
Ask questions
Other campers and trailer towers are often a good source of information
Restudy the truck you'd like if unsure about anything
If you're new to trailer towing, it's better to err by buying too much truck than not enough



(Message edited by TroublesNoMore on March 26, 2006)

I would seriously talk to a Honda service guy and not the salesman. The Honda Pilot is rated for 4500 or so and the wife really wanted a Honda. Of course the salesman said it would tow our boat w/ no problem. I later talked to a service guy he told me that Honda tends to over rate towing for sales. He felt that the drive train was not sufficient for more than 3000lb except on rare occasions. We bought a Tahoe and love it. Also I have a 99 Silverado that I tow with. It tows well and I have never had any problems. they both have the same motor but is geared differently and runs circles around my truck on the highway.
Chevy, Ford, and Dodge (full size) have been around a long time and have proven themselves in one way or another. I have some reservations about a manufacturer that has never built trucks and has only been building them for a year or two. I would wait on the Honda and see if problems arise.

My .02

"ask the question, why is ford the best selling truck......"

I know that may seem impressive to you but....it's quite easy. Fleet sales, the fact that Ford also manufactures dump bodies, body-on-frame for campers as well as MANY other non-specific commercial trucks. That along with the moronic "Buy American only" stigma keep the normally well educated buyer from crossing over to, in some cases, advancement. So anything being a "best seller" shouldn't impress you. Selling the most of something doesn't always mean selling the best...as is the case here.

just a little info on nisssan about 5 yrs ago when the company went BANKRUPT it was bought by the FRENCH the titan was designed by RENAULT we all know how good those french engineers are

Chevy Duramax Diesel

Denny- Please show your source where it reports that Nissan went bankrupt and was bought by Renault. In 2002 Nissan was considering it but I cannot find any info that it actually did. Also, I'd like to see your source that states the Titan was designed by Renault. The Titan was designed and is built here in the USA. Of course, I'm sure there was SOME aspects of the design that did not take place here, but for the most part it was designed and engineered here. Please, show us your sources. I can post mine if you'd like as well.

Kraig I thought you would know that renault owned them you know every other stat
Try WALL STREET JOURNAL
Look up info on any stock database (E-TRADE)
assembled here only, not designed

Kraig renault bought nissan while on the brink of bankruptcy but their ceo has done very well with the company turning it around. Carlos Ghosn is CEO of Renault and Nissan Motors he is credited with turning Nissan around he was moved to nissan from renault after the takeover

We! WE!

Renault does not "own" Nissan. Denny needs to read more than just headlines. Nissan was financially strapped (sort of like Ford and GM seem to be currently) and was helped by Renault when they bought a 34% share of Nissan. Since then their control raised to nearly 44% giving them financial control but never ownership.
As for your Titan information, it was fully designed by Nissan North America purposefully for North America in its' CA Headquarters and built in the USA. It's also only sold in North America. Renault was a financial part of Nissan only...however new Nissan models to come will have some joint venture input from Renault.
Sounds a lot like Chrysler and Mercedes except Mercedes actually owns Dodge/Chrysler.
So what was your info supposed to prove anyhow? Even had you been correct...what's your point? Nissan never went bankrupt, and isn't owned by Renault. Your not a very reliable source of information now are you.

Good info denny.

"Good info denny."

Mis-info, but info nonetheless.

On the 44% ownership, it is a public company no one could own 100%, just like GM you can buy them on stock market but 44% would be controlling interest,

Not sure on the % but I think Ford controls Mazda with about %30

Thats right:

Ford owns:
-Aston Martin
-Ford
-Jaguar
-Land Rover (bought from BMW)
-Lincoln
-Mazda (Ford owns 33% of Mazda)
-Mercury
-Volvo cars

Buit here's the biggest kicker. Read more on Nissan and Renault.


Nissan owns:
-Infiniti
-Nissan
-Renault (Nissan owns 15%)



Renault owns:
-Nissan (Renault owns 44%)

But I,m still interested in the importance of this to you.

(Message edited by hudsonvalley on March 26, 2006)

'96 Bronco XLT with towing package
351W, AT 229K miles, still pulls the boat no problema with AC blowin. Seats 5 plus gear. Bought for 4.5k off Ebay Orig motor and trans. All I've done to routine maintenance and some front end work.

I think you guys are nuts for paying that much for a tow vehicle. My bucks go into the market or real estate. There are plenty of beater trucks out there that will do the job cheap.

My boat has the Japanese engine, not the truck!

Dude I saw a commercial today that had a Toyota pickup that was left in the low tide by a kayaker. While the guy was out on his kayak the tide came in and bashed the truck back and forth in the rocks. Here is the kicker though by the time the guy returned the tide had gone back out and the truck was unscratched and was right side up!!

That is a seriously bad ass truck!! I am going to sell my Z-71 and get one of these MOFO's.

Denny,

Sorry I struck a nerve in your red blooded American body. Also, I apologize in advance for spoiling your image of the average American college student, but at no time did I partake in the smoking of anything in my dorm room. I did enjoy the occasional liquid beverage but that is a whole other story. I know a lot of people that work in factories like we are talking about, and it isn't exactly the toughest job in the world.

I'm not totally bashing America vehicles. Like I said, I bought an '04 F150, because at the time, I felt it fit my needs the best. Did I like it? I loved the truck. But I won't lie, it had more problems in the year I owned it than the 4 Honda made vehicles I have driven over the past 10 years combined.

Craig, the look of the Titan was the only reason I went to the F150, so I totally agree with you there.

Joe- Bravo Bravo!! Denny, can you say "Owned?" You definitely got owned by Joe on that one. I was going to step in and say the exact same thing that Joe so elegantly laid out for you. I was thinking you were only reading the headlines and not the whole story as well. And I agree with Joe, what was your point? Carefull when attacking a product you don't like just because it's different than what YOU like. And if you do attack it, please have all your facts straight and back them up. Now, let me finish by saying (Yet again) I DO like the F-150. I've never really liked any of the Fords, but this is one I do like. The Titan and the F-150 are very similar trucks. But it's Nissan's first generation full size truck and I can't wait till they redo it and come out with the second generation. Denny, embrace the Titan as a worthy competitor, after all it DOES benefit you as well. Without competition the Big 3 could continue to put out lesser quality vehicles. All this does is force them to improve their quality. Which of course benefits all of us!

Hey, no problem, Somebody has to educate those who bash for seemingly no reason or benefit. I may have an opinion but would still never bash another manufacuter just because it may not be of my personal preference. I've yet to see a full size truck I don't like. The new Fords are impressive to say the least. And I've always loved the big-rig look of the Ram. I don't mean to try and stomp anyone, but stick to facts...and facts that have a point.

(Message edited by hudsonvalley on March 27, 2006)

GOOD OLD stock FORD, these work good for a tow vehicle

If we were in the market right now, it'd be REEEEALLY hard to pass up the crazy discounts that GM's giving right now. In Dec. '03 when we bought the Sequoia, I estimated we were paying a $5K premium over the Expedition and Tahoe. Today, my guess is that the same un-redesigned design would command a $10K premium over a Tahoe. I'd still pay that over a Ford, but just don't think I could pass up a Tahoe for that cheap.

Pricing power (both new and resale) is the best indicator of what the public wants. Question is, how much of that Japanese brand power has been earned through quality and value and how much through advertising. How much of that brand power was earned back in the day (pre-'90's really). How much of that power is actually deserved today? Our '93 Explorer was a total POS. Straight up. Neighbor's had two later model ones with zero problems.

BTW, at 3.5 years & 50K and the Sequoia's been in once for squeaky moonroof and limp side mirrors. Still need to take it in for a steering joint recall. It eats brake pads every 20K. VERY lucky to get 19 mpg on the highway, usually 10.5 towing and probably 12-14mpg while in the service of soccer mom. Might not have any style, but man, it's a comfy ride, the driver's visibility is just awesome, controls are clean, and there's no cheap plastic or fabric anywhere. Despite those issues mentioned above, we're still in love with that thing.

TOYOTA's got so much free cash laying around that they could come out with a full line of great trucks all at once in a matter of a couple years. But they won't. Go figure. We've been waiting for a really HD truck for what, 25 years now?

derek- I put an aero turbine on my '02 Sequioa and my mpg went up 2-3 on the hwy. Plus, it sounds a little less soccer-taxi-like. Not terribly expensive, I think like 200 + install.

I had a K&N intake on mine for a couple years but took it off. Still have the TRD cat-back, though so it sounds healthy, just not NASCAR.

Chevy, happy with mine. Mud tires, lifted, no rattles.

NICE Attila!! I have 67,ooo on my wifes Duramax and no rattles either.

My 2001 Silverado is a "work truck", crank windows, rubber mats, and a dented bed. I think it spent the first two years of it's live working in a sand quarry (the frame rails are stuffed with sand). The next two years it lived as a delivery truck for fitness equipment. I bought it with 100k miles after they ran it out of oil and spun the poor little V6 lower end bearings. I threw a 40k junkyard motor in it and it runs like a top.

This is a half ton truck. A couple months ago we filled the bed with dirt resulting from backyard landscaping. The drop station weight tag said 3,420lbs... Whoops I guess that's a bit overloaded. I won't do that again but it actually didn't seem to do that bad with more than 3 times it's weight limit. I think a Toyota put in the same situation would have bent in the middle. Maybe not with the Titan, it has a good frame (they displayed the frame and drivetrain at the autoshow).

I feel pretty comfortable that any Dodge or Ford would have done just as well as the Chevy. Fact of the matter, most landscapers do this to american vehicles on a regular basis. What I considered as a somewhat stupid mistake is routine practice for some contractors.

My friend has a Toyota pickup, we towed with it, once... Obviously I am a fan of american trucks. The only real contender from Japan may be the Titan? Isn't the Ridgeline just a Pilot with a bed? I think a better comparison to the Ridgeline would be an Explorer Sport-trac or Chevy Colorado 4 door.

I have nothing against Japanese vehicles, I just don't think they understand the american truck market where USE=ABUSE.

I have a 2001 Toyota Tundra as a work truck and talk about a truck that can take it in the work force. I have 184,000 somewhat hard driven miles. Not to say I abuse it, but it gets worked pretty hard though. The only thing that has gone wrong with this truck is a seal in the rear axle leaked oil. Due to overloading on a regular basis. My error, not a truck flaw. Here's what really amazed me was a while back I had a coworker load up some rolling compactors onto a trailer and return them to the rental shop. I didn't know how much they weighed. The trailer I know weighs 1500lbs., and I later found out that each compator (Had two on the trailer) weighed 5,000lbs!! He loaded both to the front of the trailer, hence a very large load on the hitch and frame. Total trailer wieght was between 11,500 and 12,000lbs. Besides the extremely squirly steering, the Tundra handled it. It didn't break or bend anywhere. The Tundra is a solid truck. Not as big as others, but very strong and solid none the less. FYI- I work in the rock business, so you can just imagine what kind of use our Tundra's get. We're harder on trucks than landscapers by far!

When you say rock, do you mean rock star? :-) Attila, Aaron, nice rides! Mikeski, good point.

Hey, let me post up my hillbilly ride on its way up to NoCal with 160K on the odo...btw, I've had this little POS loaded with a 3/4 pallet of 18" porcelain floor tiles - pretty sure the axle would break. Suspension's soft, I know the Tacos are tougher.