Test drive from Hell

[ctthoqqua]

Well I'm happy to finally be a bona-fide ROC member, my new Blue is a great machine. What a trip getting here though!

So: this nice Blue in the lot caught my eye. I've wanted a RL since they came out, and since our family is moving I finally had the perfect excuse.

I had done my research on the 'Net (thanks ROC!), but this RTS had leather seats, probably another way for the dealer to gather some profit. It looked nice though, felt good, and I was pretty well sold. The sales guy went back to get the keys; a few minutes later (we were as far across the lot as can be) he shows up, and after a moment sheepishly tells me that the battery is dead. Another long walk back to the dealer and ten minutes later, it's jumped and we're off. The drive started out really fine, the Ridge just glided along. Going up a hill about a half mile later, however-- I thought the transmission had cut out completely. Then, no power to the gas whatsoever. Completely out of fuel. I calmly drifted part way into the snowy, muddy ditch by the side of the *very busy* road (with blind turns ahead and behind us)! My butt end was still on the road a bit, but there was just no starting the beast. The battery died after a few seconds, taking the hazards with it, then we got the hell out of the truck so we didn't get creamed.

He called it in, another sales guy happened to be driving by and picked us up. All's well that ends well, it rode home like a dream. In a week I get the fog lights, backup sensors, and running boards installed.

Here's Brutus after a long day of being bought, at my woodsy home. He joins a '00 S2000, an '00 Accord, and a '93 Civic CX (the last not for long, though)

[Fastang]

There have been worse test drives...
Like the time I got a speeding ticket while test driving an 02 Mustang...
I passed the CHP... He was in the freeway express lane, I was still on the onramp.
Didn't buy it though... not enough leg room for me.

Congrats on yer new RL.

[Oznative]

Congrats and welcome to the ROC. Good color choice as well.

[tuff_kuffs]

I wish you many enjoyable miles with brutus...good luck...i also like the color

[Nicholas]

Would you believe a test drive where the salesperson actually did the driving instead of my wife (who was looking to possibly buy the vehicle) with me in the back seat. His reason was "to show my wife how the vehicle handled" and it was a Chevrolet Corsica (she proably had more driving time then he was old). It the process, he almost rear-ended a stopped car and then picked a fight with the driver. Thought I was going to see a good fight but the other driver didn't let it happen (Thank God!!!). Needless to say, she didn't purchase that vehicle thru that dealership but did buy one from another dealership in the next town (and no, it wasn't because of the salesperson's driving ... it was due to the "sales manger" rudeness and "high pressure").

[bigred1]

Originally Posted by ctthoqqua

I had done my research on the 'Net (thanks ROC!), but this RTS had leather seats

First of all....WELCOME to the ROC!!! Sorry to hear about the test drive. So they had leather seats installed on a RTS? Why would they do that? I'm not saying you are wrong but are you sure you don't have a RTL? I really don't think Honda would change out seats to sell a truck. The Ridge is a good seller anyway without going through that. I know you will be happy with your truck!!! Once again....Welcome

[steveberger]

Originally Posted by bigred1

...they had leather seats installed on a RTS? Why would they do that? I'm not saying you are wrong but are you sure you don't have a RTL? I really don't think Honda would change out seats to sell a truck.

No, but I bet a dealer would. I would have bought an RTL if I could have gotten it without leather. I hate leather seats. I asked the dealer if he could swap, but I bought my Ridge, 3/13/2005. They were so new the dealer wouldn't attempt it. Dealers will do most anything they think they can get away with to sell a truck.

[geotech]

Originally Posted by steveberger

No, but I bet a dealer would. I would have bought an RTL if I could have gotten it without leather. I hate leather seats.

Gawd, I love basic choices! I didn't think I wanted an RTL, but the leather seats in my Accord were the best I've ever seen. So I got an RTL and love the seats (even my wife does and she threatened not to ride in it because she hated leather). I'm also glad I got the extra amenities of the RTL. To each their own and I respect that.

Welcome to you and Brutus. Poke around here and post often.

[NW Geocacher]

You still had a better test drive than one of my coworkers. He backed a RL into a pole, causing hundreds of dollars worth of damage to the back bumper!

[ctthoqqua]

Originally Posted by bigred1

So they had leather seats installed on a RTS? Why would they do that?

The salesman and I were both scratching our heads about that until we found the dealer-installed options sheet. It was a "Decor Options Package" that pushed the MSRP up into the RTL range. All of the RTS's on the lot had been modified in this way.

This was perhaps one of the reasons that this dealer's Ridgelines were all dead batteries and out of gas-- they had been (I was told) sitting in the lot for three months, since the summer!

Now warning flags were ringing, but I had the promised price right at invoice for a modified truck in hand-- and it was still a Honda for god's sake-- so I was happy in the end with everything except our county's 9.1% tax rate.

Thank you imaginary-monorail-in-the-sky.