Honda Ridgeline V8

[shovelhd]

The Ridgeline is a niche vehicle. Wouldn't a diesel option be even less attractive from a resale perspective? Wouldn't the average used Ridgeline owner want a gas motor?

[ToyTruck]

I'll have to disagree regarding lack of power - my RL is not THAT underpowered. I drove a 2002 Dodge RAM Quad Cab 4.7 V8 2WD for 4 years and THAT was underpowered, especially at 5,000 pounds.

My RL is pretty snappy (less so than my 06 Tacoma 4 litre V6) and the long term 06 RTL in the JULY Car & Driver now hits 0-60 in 7.8 seconds; .3 seconds faster with 40,000 miles than when it was new. That's hardly horrible.

I'm getting consistent 18.7 to 19.5 in 75/25 hwy/city and I only have 1500 miles. Car & Driver averaged 19 mpg over 40k miles, INCLUDING towing. My Dodge only got 14-14.5 mpg - same driving. RL does pretty darn good in my book. Enjoy your rides

[Honda4X4]

It is fun to speculate on what could happen 5 years from now, but get serious, no one from corporate Honda will let anything out that they don't want to. They may tease us or try to get a feel from loyal buyers, but if they have an agenda to fill that is the way it is going to happen.

[Jenskp]

I've driven the VW diesels and the performance of a 4 cyl is awesome. If I remember right 2.0L with 247ft-lbs and 38 mpg. With that motor it was a screamer. If you put a 6 cylinder diesel in the Ridgeline it would be awesome. I was just talking to my buddy with a Dodge 3500 with the 6cyl diesel. It gets 26mpg on the highway and 18 in the city in a huge truck.

I'll take either one but would prefer the diesel just for the power and durability. Either one of these options the RL will match it's accelation with it handling.

[ChrisM]

Originally Posted by csimo

The Honda V-6 diesel is a turbodiesel (I'm not aware of any naturally aspirated diesel engines for automotive use anymore).

The unfortunate truth is that the diesel in not a priority for the Ridgeline. You will see it in the Acura MDX first, then the Pilot, and maybe the Ridgeline sometime after 2011. The're even talking about the Odyssey getting it before the Ridgeline.

The engine is real (and real good). Here are some of the reasons I've heard why the Ridgeline is not a priority:

#1 Limited production. They don't feel there's enough people interested in a diesel Ridgeline.

#2 High cost. The $6000 or so it would add to the price results in the #1 problem above.

#3 Perception. People think that a diesel Ridgeline would compare to a Dodge/Cummins, GM/Duramax, Ford/Powerstroke combo. The V-6 diesel is not a heavy duty diesel and is not intended to increase towing or payload capacity. It's a passenger vehicle engine... not a truck engine.

Please note... I am probably the biggest proponent of a diesel Ridgeline, and if there was something I could say to anybody to change their mind I would do it. I just want to post what I believe to be the real story... and it's not good.

I have no info on the V-8 gasser. It must be beyond 2011 implementation.

No need to bother Gary. I'm sure he couldn't say anything even if he was bursting at the seams to give info. But well ask him anyway in August!

Lots of good points here. I wasn't aware that the new diesel would in fact be a turbodiesel.

Originally Posted by Ruhi

How exactly do you figure that out? Why do you think 2012 model year will be competing with 5-6 years old todays current models? They will have a completely different customer base, IMO, not that I care what the resale value will be in five to six years but anyway...

The article mentions that the says the following in regards to the launch of the new diesel engine.

"It isn't designed just for the European market, which has embraced Honda's 2.2-liter diesel four, but also would provide needed low-end torque for the Ridgeline and Pilot SUV. Low-sulfur fuel required in the U.S. from 2007 will make the engine viable and will launch about the same time as a Mercedes-Benz diesel assault on our market."

Correct me if I'm wrong but the "Mercedes-Benz diesel assault on our market" is supposed to start next year with the 2009 models. I know that Mercedes is already launching a new diesel M class SUV. If the time line for the diesel launch corresponds to the Mercedes timeline like the article states, you may see a 2009 diesel RL. If you bought in the last month, your RL wouldn't be quite 18 months old when the RTL-D's hit the showroom floor.

PS. I'd spend the extra money on the diesel too. I think that with gas prices going the way they are, no one will buy a vehicle that gets less than 26 mpg on the highway.

[ChrisM]

Originally Posted by Jenskp

I was just talking to my buddy with a Dodge 3500 with the 6cyl diesel. It gets 26mpg on the highway and 18 in the city in a huge truck.

I think he is grossly exaggerating his mileage. He might be gettin 20 mpg on the highway with a tailwind.

[k757]

Originally Posted by ChrisM

I think he is grossly exaggerating his mileage. He might be gettin 20 mpg on the highway with a tailwind.

My father's '99 Dodge Diesel 6 speed manual gets 21 highway with no towing... but he drives like an old lady With towing... forget it! ... maybe 12 mpg

[Ridge]

Originally Posted by shovelhd

The Ridgeline resale value isn't that great right now, so we should all just deal with that and move on.

resale on my 06 RTL is 27,490. MSRP was about 33,000. Is that bad? I think it's pretty good. It's down relative to my 07 Fit about the same as the Fit.

[shovelhd]

Retail in excellent condition with under 20K miles, maybe. But you'll never see that. Trade-in with realistic mileage is closer to $20K-$21K.

[devinridgeline]

A vender in the Marsyvillie area of Ohio is working with Honda on a huge transmission plant. The transmission are for the RL and Pilot. He tried to get me a reject part from a RL but they said no all rejects get sent back. He said there changing over a few lines there for a different transmission for RL and Pilot.
Just what I know from around here.