Couple detail changes...

I really like the wheels but Flint the engineer said no wheel changes

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I would not put too much time into worrying about any comments made by any company rep, whether they are an engineer or a sleazy car salesman.

I have owned over 40 vehicles, most of which had some sort of aftermarket wheels on them. Most owners manuals also say to use the same size tires and wheels.

The overall circumfrence is the nearly same as stock, even though they are 20" wheels. They have the proper offset and are hubcentric. The Honda dealership where I purchased had 3 Ridgelines with 20" aftermaket wheels. Your warranty cannot be voided because of the use of aftermarket wheels. If a particular part fails it is up to the servicing dealer to prove the part caused the failure, and it has to be a direct connection between the part and the aftermarket part. I have had cars that were nearly converted to all out race cars serviced and repaired under warranty terms.

I consider Mr. Honda Engineer to be spouting about as useful information as the manual calling for the use of "Honda" engine oil. GM calls for "GM" oil in their manuals as does Ford with their caution to use "Ford" oil. It is a great case of CYA!

Just my .02 cents worth, plus I am just a "Junior Member"

Stone - if it is written in the documents that it can void your warranty then it becomes your responsibility not theirs to prove that your modification was not the cause of the defect. And the engineer is going to have a better understanding of the tolerances for the vehicle than your average aftermarket developer will. In fact most aftermarket producers do not test their products on actual vehicles under stress conditions, if they even tested them at all on the vehicle.

So feel free to make any decision you wish but there are several automotive engineer types that have come on this forum and pretty much all have pretty much said the same thing. The vehicle was designed as a unit and the tolerances and safety margins could be compromised if you use certain aftermarket products without care.

Got to say the way your statement comes off is sort of like the person who uses a table saw without a push stick all their life and never has a problem until the one day they actually cut their finger off. Just because you haven't had a problem to this point doesn't mean it was the right thing to do.

So feel free to make any decision you wish but there are several automotive engineer types that have come on this forum and pretty much all have pretty much said the same thing. The vehicle was designed as a unit and the tolerances and safety margins could be compromised if you use certain aftermarket products without care.

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I never said a word about what type of aftermarket parts to use or not use. Where did I say anything about not using care in choosing aftermarket parts? In fact, I even stated in my post that I used the proper hubcentric wheels. There are also several very educated automotive types that also know the law and how warranty issues really work with regards to aftermarket parts.

Got to say the way your statement comes off is sort of like the person who uses a table saw without a push stick all their life and never has a problem until the one day they actually cut their finger off. Just because you haven't had a problem to this point doesn't mean it was the right thing to do.

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I have not had any problems because I know how the system really works, not because of ignorance on my part or by the servicing dealer.

Interesting interpretation though...not at all valid, but interesting.

I hope you don't feel that you can't use aftermarket parts on your vehicles because of warranty issues. For if you do you are missing out on many quality parts that can make your vehicle much more enjoyable.

If any other members wish to ask me questions about mods I make to my vehicles, please feel free to PM me (as several already have) and I will be more than happy to have a legit discussion. I am a very open and honest person who just like to share info with other folks who have a common interest.