13000 miles, 30 days, report card

[RIDGE PATROL]

great info thanks

[RidgeOwner3]

Originally Posted by palo-alto

I am quite disappointed and looking to swap out the seats - recommendations welcome.

Here is my recommendation, this $30 Orthopedic Seat Cushion, which I put in before our 3,000 mile trip to Utah. I had a sore lower back from an injury that had been bothering me and I was very glad I used this cushion. I had no pain at all on our trip and I've been using it every day since with no problems. It's easy to use and very comfortable, and I think it puts me at the perfect seating position in the truck. I've used it 6 months now and it hasn't broken down, just conformed a little under my thighs.

http://www.brookstone.com/shop/produ...=Result*R1C1*T

Good luck!

[RidgeOwner3]

I'd also like to thank you for the great trip report! We are planning a trip to Banff next summer and are now even more excited about it! We will definitely take the truck on those routes you've mentioned between Banff and Jasper, but we're going up through Idaho and back through Washington.

[Alfer]

Great post, I live in Orillia just north of Barrie you should have stopped in, lol
Just bought my RL a month ago and find this site to be great for info. This post really gives you a good look at a long run and the good and bad things that can show up in a new vehicle. this is a great testament to Honda.

This is my first, ( been loyal Toyota guy for 30 years, wife still has 2000 corolla ) if this truck stands up half as good as what I have been reading I will be a happy camper. We will be leaving next week to visit my son in Pickle Lake Ont. for Christmas, ya look up where that is, it will be a 2 day trip for us, approx 1200 miles,and were still in the same province, so we are looking forward to some of the fun you had in your 30 day excursion. And you are right we have snow here now and the truck is GREAT on icy roads, my little "!" indicator is comming on lots of times.

I don't blame the ram if it thought it was a Dodge

[eric1build]

I think the NAV. system needs updates.

I think the seats are great, compairing it the the F-250 xlt

I haven't rotated my tires yet at 15k but they look fine.

[ProHonda]

Great post !

[usranger74]

I put 6000 miles on my 07 in the 1st 30 days and I can only say the front driver seat is one of the best I have had the pleasure to sit in.

[weather_wrangler]

Thanks very much for the trip report. I just put 4,200 miles on my Ridgeline and had nearly zero aches or pains from the seat. My 68 year old bod did better in that truck than any other vehicle I've owned. But then, that's me..... and for you, obviously the comfort level was not as pleasing.

Since my trip was a bit of a "marathon" I would pull over and sleep in the back seat using a foam camping pad and sleeping bag. As a six footer, I did ok, but had some slight cramping. But still....it worked well.

I use some high quality driving gloves which reduces fatigue a whole lot for me. My only gripe about the Ridgeline is that radio is a little out of reach. I really want to tune around and find something decent on the air when I drive. FM is so bad these days, and talk radio is nothing but commercial clusters. The corporations are killing radio! Glad you had a mostly safe run...

[ChrisM]

Originally Posted by weather_wrangler

Thanks very much for the trip report. I just put 4,200 miles on my Ridgeline and had nearly zero aches or pains from the seat. My 68 year old bod did better in that truck than any other vehicle I've owned. But then, that's me..... and for you, obviously the comfort level was not as pleasing.

Since my trip was a bit of a "marathon" I would pull over and sleep in the back seat using a foam camping pad and sleeping bag. As a six footer, I did ok, but had some slight cramping. But still....it worked well.

I use some high quality driving gloves which reduces fatigue a whole lot for me. My only gripe about the Ridgeline is that radio is a little out of reach. I really want to tune around and find something decent on the air when I drive. FM is so bad these days, and talk radio is nothing but commercial clusters. The corporations are killing radio! Glad you had a mostly safe run...

I know that this information comes a little late but if you put the back seats up, a baby bed mattress fits almost perfectly in the space on the floor and is much more comfortable. Iv'e tried it. It's almost like having a sleeper in the back of the truck.

[alexander]

this post reminds me that people who buy a car nowadays think every vehicle should be custom fitted for them.

Research suggests that sitting at a 90 degree angle actually puts pressure on the lower back and can cause discomfort and when driving 500 miles a day in a new seating position certainly is not going to help.

And yes everything is not perfect on your fully loaded 34K truck it comes with the same lights my 22K truck does, try finding an corolla that can carry furniture and you'll see that it might not be perfect but it works very well. That some people have to have leather seats navigation and a sunroof in a 4wd truck is not a measure of the value of 22K

Anyway I just ticked over 25K on mine since april 06 and it's been through snow storms sand storms off roading in some pretty loony spots, taken my friends clubbing and been a blast to drive down some very techincal roads at the drag strip at an auto -x and on a race track and at this point I'll defer to Truck Trends summary of there long term RL

"While it may be some time before another vehicle in our long term fleet does 25K in 12 months it wont be as versatile as the Ridgeline"