Thanks for the kind words. Yes Sophie approves and she's been getting over the net I put between the front seats so I'm just working on a barrier system to keep her in the back seat or floor area.

quote:

Originally posted by mark60:
Nice NART. When I'm done with my Tundra a Ridgeline will probably replace it.

I replaced my 2004 Tundra with my previous 2018 Ridgeline. I loved the small Tundra but the 2007+ were just too large for me.

Congrats, I have an older RL and it has been a really good rig. I am a fan. But do not really consider them a pickup persae. Yes they have a bed but that is about as far as it goes. A guess more of a utility vehicle verses a real pickup truck. Will definitely serve you well although your previous one was hardly broken in based on Honda's longevity history.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:

quote:

Originally posted by doublesharp:
in my 15 years and 66k miles

66k miles in 15 years?!

So you're the proverbial little old lady who only drives to church and the grocery store once a week.

I’m much the same, but even less mileage. I have a daily driver (electric that I’ve owned 9 years and power it via free juice, from the sun, via my panels on the roof) so the truck is weekend only, mostly towing to/from the lake (PWC), yard stuffs, and road trips. 3-5k miles per year. Should last me 20-25 years. It’s used for truck shit and the occasional highway jaunt, but never for daily driver duties.

Ride, same. Mine is a 2019 RTL AWD. The only year they gave it all the RTL-E features (leather, heated seats, added the heating steering wheel, sliding rear glass, and moonroof) that I wanted. It had everything but ADAS and nav/better audio system. As soon as they announced all the 2020’s, every trim, would have ADAS, I decided to sell my current performance car for it so I could get one without Hal9000 onboard. I was able to get it at invoice (33.5k) with the heated steering wheel added. Immediately I did PPF, tint, Peragon tonneau then it went straight to BB for full audio system, with nav, wireless carplay and a Compustar alarm I control with an app on the phone. I love the torque vectoring. You really feel it in a turn. I’m a bit of an AWD connoisseur as each time I buy a performance car, it’s awd, turbo, diffs (I have a GR Corolla on order right now) and the SH-AWD is fantastic. I just drove it up to the mountains where I”m looking for land and it did extremely well on national forest roads which are mostly dirt, mud, with some rock mixed in. It does road trips so well (because it’s not BOF) I arrive so much less fatigued. It’s the perfect truck for me. The AWD system = all weather, any condition. It does light off road (like you, I will be buying a SXS once I move to the mountains) well, tows what I need extremely well (enclosed mc trailer, PWC, and soon to be jet boat), and due to the payload and storage capability does many truck things better than full sizes. I can also clean it up sparking clean (mine stays dirty from x, y, z) and it doubles as a luxury vehicle for a date, picking a friend up from the airport like a chauffeur, etc.

It’s a fucking transformer. I can use the trunk to store my full MC gear. Suit, helmet, boots, gloves, wetsuit, and anything I need for the k9. Then load a sportbike in the bed, and trailer up my PWC. Fold up the rear seats and put the dog crate in the back cab, bungee’d down, and take the K9 to boot. I drove all the full sizes before I bought mine in 2019 and it won out over everything. I saved almost 20k from buying a full size too. And it was the best pavement handling truck out of anything made.

quote:

Originally posted by old rugged cross:
Congrats, I have an older RL and it has been a really good rig. I am a fan. But do not really consider them a pickup persae. Yes they have a bed but that is about as far as it goes. A guess more of a utility vehicle verses a real pickup truck. Will definitely serve you well although your previous one was hardly broken in based on Honda's longevity history.

Oh I consider it a pickup truck, every bit as much as my F150 and Tundra. But I realize to some those are not pickup trucks either.
Yes my 2018 was in nice condition and very well maintained but I just like to change vehicles every 4-6 years, wanted the heavier duty ZF transmission, and didn't want to deal with problems in an "all new" Ridgeline coming out in a year or two which will likely have Honda's 10-speed transmission.

quote:

Originally posted by Prefontaine:
I’m much the same, but even less mileage. I have a daily driver (electric that I’ve owned 9 years and power it via free juice, from the sun, via my panels on the roof) so the truck is weekend only, mostly towing to/from the lake (PWC), yard stuffs, and road trips. 3-5k miles per year. Should last me 20-25 years. It’s used for truck shit and the occasional highway jaunt, but never for daily driver duties.

Similar, I have a Corolla SE 6-speed for my daily duties and short trips. The Ridgeline is for hauling stuff, longer trips, and Winter driving.

quote:

.....I’m a bit of an AWD connoisseur as each time I buy a performance car, it’s awd, turbo, diffs (I have a GR Corolla on order right now) and the SH-AWD is fantastic. I just drove it up to the mountains where I”m looking for land and it did extremely well on national forest roads which are mostly dirt, mud, with some rock mixed in. It does road trips so well (because it’s not BOF) I arrive so much less fatigued. It’s the perfect truck for me. The AWD system = all weather, any condition. It does light off road (like you, I will be buying a SXS once I move to the mountains) well, tows what I need extremely well (enclosed mc trailer, PWC, and soon to be jet boat), and due to the payload and storage capability does many truck things better than full sizes. I can also clean it up sparking clean (mine stays dirty from x, y, z) and it doubles as a luxury vehicle for a date, picking a friend up from the airport like a chauffeur, etc.

It’s a fucking transformer. I can use the trunk to store my full MC gear. Suit, helmet, boots, gloves, wetsuit, and anything I need for the k9. Then load a sportbike in the bed, and trailer up my PWC. Fold up the rear seats and put the dog crate in the back cab, bungee’d down, and take the K9 to boot. I drove all the full sizes before I bought mine in 2019 and it won out over everything. I saved almost 20k from buying a full size too. And it was the best pavement handling truck out of anything made.

The GR is a really nice piece, I'll be looking forward to your impressions when it comes in! Last week I actually considered ordering one myself... my heart said buy it but my brain finally won over because for the way I use my little car, and the busted up roads and dirt roads I drive on, my Corolla with taller profile tires and softer suspension just makes more sense. I decided I'm content to get my performance fix riding my motorcycles and my off road fix riding my SXS's or trail bike.

There is no comparison as far as a Tundra and RL are concerned. I own both and they are like night and day. Both excellent vehicles but you can not serious compare the two in terms of capabilities. That is just silly.

^^^^
ORC - who but you is trying to say a RL = a Tundra.

You could make a case for the base Trundra with the 6 cyl, if they even still make those but otherwise the Tundra is far beefier than a RL.

So what? As you well know a RL is good at a lot of light truck things: very surefooted AWD system, 5000 lb towing capacity, huge amount of usable backseat for passenger room or cargo, a convenient size for modern parking lots, and Honda reliability.

I love Tundras and currently have my eye on a 2020 double cab limited 4x4 but I'd need to sell something, either my RL, 2011 2wd Durango hemi or 2011 Avalon touring, all are low mile one owners and cheap to keep.

Rl is a unibody with a 5ft bed so it's not a gravel hauler but the side swinging tailgate is sure handy unloading mulch and the underbed trunk will hold a couple sets of golf clubs. I put a BakFlip tri fold bed cover on mine 1st thing and it's held up well and looks good, been garage kept 99% of the time. And I'm a car junkie with good connections so I usually have 4 or 5 and only drive 4-5k miles a year. Cars come and go but the Rl and the awd Sienna are constant. Mama's 2016 Mazda CX-9 is proving to be a good one so it will probably be around a while.

quote:

Oh I consider it a pickup truck, every bit as much as my F150 and Tundra.

Here you go dbleshrp

Oh and Honda's awd vs a conventional truck 4wd with an actual low range range are like night and day. Most 1/2 ton pickups can haul 12-1500lbs in the bed a tow more than twice what the RL will.

Remember I have both and really like each of them. I decide which one to drive by what my tasks of the day are. I won't pick the RL if I need an actual truck for that day. And I have no need to haul golf clubs, never owned any

quote:

Originally posted by ridewv:
The GR is a really nice piece, I'll be looking forward to your impressions when it comes in! Last week I actually considered ordering one myself... my heart said buy it but my brain finally won over because for the way I use my little car, and the busted up roads and dirt roads I drive on, my Corolla with taller profile tires and softer suspension just makes more sense. I decided I'm content to get my performance fix riding my motorcycles and my off road fix riding my SXS's or trail bike.

On the trans, I like the 6spd very much. It’s geared perfectly for the truck and it’s serviceable. Even has a dipstick. I’ve owned a 4X4 Tundra before, and the OG Ridgeline. Drove everything else including the V8 and V6TT Raptors, I still prefer the Ridgeline and the handling. Just don’t need heavy towing capability. At 5k pounds it covers what I need, as well as a future boat. I love the current Ridgeline. I feel like I stole the thing, robbery style, for what I paid new. Full size and worse handling with capability I have no use for, would have been 20k more.

Very much looking forward to rural land. A SXS and a 450 MX 4 stroke will be in my Morton building as well as a boat at some point. A month ago I stayed where I want to move for a week and my land agent took me around in her Honda SXS, looking at land. I was so jealous of that thing but got damn they have gotten expensive. When I went to the Yamaha dealer in town an hour away they had one that was 30k. I was like fuck man, when did these get that expensive?

The GRC is just replacing my Focus RS which replaced my 2008 GR STi (Hatch). I sold the RS for the RL as the RS was giving me multiple problems during early mileage and I just prefer Japanese for reliability. Ford also didn’t support the car with parts and tunes like they said they were going to. The GRC will be my last performance 6MT vehicle and I just prefer AWD as I corner in all weather. The DD donkey will remain my everyday vehicle until I move rural. It’ll probably get replace with the newer one with the 215 mile range. I’d like to consolidate the Leaf and Ridgeline into one vehicle via EV Truck but they are all ridiculously priced and I really don’t want to drive a truck for a daily. Much prefer a car and having the redundancy. I’m taking care of the RL like I’m going to own it for 20+ years and if I do consolidate it’ll be pretty mint for the next owner.

The GRC is a big shit show right now. Most places charging ADM. I put a deposit down almost a year ago before the car even released. And I’m on a list at another MSRP only dealer. Going for a silver (heavy metal) Circuit Edition first. If I can’t get that, I’ll settle for a loaded core just not a black one. Been saving the last few years for it as I knew it was coming. I was expecting the GR Yaris, Toyota US teased it to us and then mucked it. I wanted the GR Yaris more than any car in my life. Either way, I’ll take this as it’s our only option. Buying it for my 50th birthday so I hope next year is kind. Inflation has made things real tight and carving out savings to get the car has been a grind. If you have interest on the GRC, just give it a year. Things will start to normalize during the 2nd production year in 2024. Won’t be such a bitch to acquire.

quote:

Originally posted by old rugged cross:
There is no comparison as far as a Tundra and RL are concerned. I own both and they are like night and day. Both excellent vehicles but you can not serious compare the two in terms of capabilities. That is just silly.

Yes I can "serious compare" the two. The 4wd Tundra I had and this AWD Ridgeline are almost identical in payload capacity which is just over 1,500 pounds, and towing capacity which is 5,000 pounds. The Ridgeline has much more space inside, more power, gets much better mpg. Its bed is 1'-4" shorter but just as wide and it has a very useful under bed trunk. 4x8 sheets lay down between the wheel wells of both. The Tundra had more ground clearance the Ridgeline better handling.

Prefontaine I had no problems with the 6-speed in my RL other than it started juddering one time while pulling my little box trailer. I was probably going too fast (I think cruise was set on 75) and when I slowed down to 65 it quit. Changed the transmission oil when I got back and it never happened again. It is nice that the trans fluid was easy to change, I think I did so 3-4 times. 6 speeds are enough and it shifted smoothly. What I did not like about that transmission is that 1st and reverse were pretty tall and you couldn't select and hold first gear for say creeping down a steep grade. With the 9-speed 2nd is a bit lower than 1st in the 6-speed with 1st being much lower. In fact in normal D mode it starts out in second, if you mash the pedal hard or are in Sport mode it starts out in 1st. And of course you can hold any gear you choose with the paddle shifters in Sport mode.
You are looking for land "in the mountains", where NC? Mountain land is generally wooded so you'll be having fun making trails. Yeah the SXS's have gotten pretty expensive and many are very large which can make them hard to get around in the woods. There was a huge multi seat Kawasaki at the dealership that must have been 17-18' long! I have a midsize Mule Pro MX and a small Pioneer 520, I really have no desire for a big one but if you want to carry 4-5 people in one buggy it'll be pretty big.

You are kidding yourself then. But you have a great rig. And congrats. Lets leave it there.

Ridgeline, Maverick, kinda the El Camino of todays world, odd that Chevy hasn't built one and called it the El Camino, with the 7.0l V8, they could even have an SS.....

Nice ride, like the White and Tan combo...

Love my 2022, congrats.

That's beautiful! I'm toying with the idea of getting a Ridgeline when it's time to get rid of my CR-V. It might be a bit overkill for me though. Still nice to have the extra space and power.

Congratulations!

quote:

Originally posted by ridewv:
You are looking for land "in the mountains", where NC? Mountain land is generally wooded so you'll be having fun making trails. Yeah the SXS's have gotten pretty expensive and many are very large which can make them hard to get around in the woods. There was a huge multi seat Kawasaki at the dealership that must have been 17-18' long! I have a midsize Mule Pro MX and a small Pioneer 520, I really have no desire for a big one but if you want to carry 4-5 people in one buggy it'll be pretty big.

I will not reveal where until I move. It’s an area that hasn’t gotten this mass migration. As example, Broken Bow, OK was a solid spot………until Dallas people went up there and bought up all the homes and turned them into a 2nd lake type house then renting them out to AirBnB, etc when they aren’t there. So I’m playing my cards close to my chest. Everything within a few hours of Dallas has been blown up with people, ridiculously increasing the land prices, especially anything close to a lake. I’ve had my spot picked out for about 5 years before all this mess and all it takes is the place getting mentioned ad nauseam on the internet and it’s chocked. There are no stop lights where I’m looking for land, little to no corporate chains, etc and I have to keep it that way. All that Wing Stop, Olive Garden, Starbucks bullshit is about an hour away and the natives want to keep it that way.

I couldn’t believe it when early last month I went on a land scouting trip. I took a rural TX route to get out of TX. The roads where I have ridden my motorcycles, is cow country. Totally rural. I’m in the RL on my way out of the general DFW area out in the sticks and there is a brand new Starbucks, Taco Hell, shopping strip of stores, and a brand new CVS across the street. This is a rural highway and you’d never expect that shit out there. There is development from McKinney, TX all the way to OK border now. This area is chalked and I cannot wait to get out.

SXS, 2 or 3 seater with a bed is all I need. I think I’ll be able to tow my PWC and trailer with it using a national forest road to the lake. As long as it will tow 1300 pounds I should be good. I’m looking at the utility 4 wheelers too.

I hope the 6spd serves me well. I’ve been very happy with it. I gutted all the OEM fluids and got rid of them in favor of Amsoil for everything. Haven’t had any issues but I do wish there was a big brake kit for the RL. I could use bigger and beefier calipers and better rotors. It’s the only finger pointing I can do on the truck. Needs larger and stronger calipers.

quote:

Originally posted by Prefontaine:

I will not reveal where until I move. It’s an area that hasn’t gotten this mass migration. As example, Broken Bow, OK was a solid spot………until Dallas people went up there and bought up all the homes and turned them into a 2nd lake type house then renting them out to AirBnB, etc when they aren’t there. So I’m playing my cards close to my chest. Everything within a few hours of Dallas has been blown up with people, ridiculously increasing the land prices, especially anything close to a lake.

OK I didn't want to know exactly but didn't know where you currently live, just saw "south" as a location. I might look at NW Arkansas or southern Missouri, if possible around 1,800'+ elevation to get out of the worst of the Summer heat.

quote:

SXS, 2 or 3 seater with a bed is all I need. I think I’ll be able to tow my PWC and trailer with it using a national forest road to the lake. As long as it will tow 1300 pounds I should be good. I’m looking at the utility 4 wheelers too.

I hope the 6spd serves me well. I’ve been very happy with it. I gutted all the OEM fluids and got rid of them in favor of Amsoil for everything. Haven’t had any issues but I do wish there was a big brake kit for the RL. I could use bigger and beefier calipers and better rotors. It’s the only finger pointing I can do on the truck. Needs larger and stronger calipers.

Towing 1,300# should be doable with most of the SXS's, I think my Mule Pro MX is rated for 1,500# and the larger Pro FX around 1,800 or maybe 2,000#. I would recommend whatever you get make sure it has a differential. Most do but I know Honda Pioneer 500 and 700 do not. There'll be plenty of toys, I mean tools , you'll want to plan for as I'm sure you know.

At 56,000 miles the rear pads on my 2018 Ridgeline were getting low but the fronts still had plenty left. I agree with you they could benefit from larger rotors. The rears are vented though so I was a little surprised those pads were close to needing replaced at 56K.