[SteelBlue]

Ok... here it is... please chime in if you have an opinion please!

I currently have a 2001 F250 Diesel Platinum Edition truck, and absolutely love this thing, it has 150k on the clock, and drives like a dream, and been in the shop only 2 times in 150k.. once for a sensor, and the other time for a water pump.

I drive this truck around on average of 100miles a day easy, and it has held up fine with squeeks, rattling not being a problem.. almost as tight as when it was new.

Now here is the question(s)

I test drove a steel blue RTL / Nav/moonroof Ridgeline, and LOVE IT. I like the way it looks, drives, and the NAV just really sold it for me. The sticker on the truck is 35,155.00, and lowest I could get these guys was 35,295 OUT THE DOOR. That's the total price after TT+L. (I live in Austin, TX) Does that sound like a good deal I should jump on? I have an appt. to go back on Monday to take delivery of the truck.

Second thing does anyone on here use the RL as a work vehicle, and maybe occasionally pull a boat?

I have a 22' Basscat, which I trailer to the lake, and a Chapparral 256SSI which sits in a marina but occasionally has to be trailered for service intervals. Can the RL pull these boats?

Please chime in thanks!

Jason.

 

[comquat1]

I'm in sales and use my truck pretty much 80%+ for work. I do fix and install some things that i sell so i keep all of my tools, tie downs, etc in the trunk, misc items that i show to customers in the organizer under the seats and a filer in the passenger footwell. It's easy to clear the truck out to take people somewhere now too. My job is what i'd call light duty, though i occasionally pull a small enclosed trailer, but the truck is perfect. It's my office away from the office. Now if I could get 20+ mpg with the climate control on i'd be super excited.

 

[captmiddy]

Okay first, what type of work are you talking about. Payloadwise you aren't going to get the same as you have in the vehicle you have now. But for a lot of people the Ridgeline is fine to cart around your tools and such to the site and work once you get there. I have seen people with massive work trucks and never have anything in the back of them and never tow anything. Then I have seen people with little S10s with the entire backend loaded up and just scratched my head thinking these people should trade. In fact I have known someone with a Dually who doesn't ever carry anything in it or tow anything, just bought it because he thought the dual rear wheels looked cool. If you really are going to be throwing stuff back in there you probably want to look at one of the light weight liners like LineX or something because the panels on the Ridgeline will scratch up and look bad according to some.

There are some who have posted about towing already on the board, you may want to do a search for those because they will say so much more than I could post here. If the trailer and boat together are under 5000lb you should be just fine towing and several people have towed at or just under the 5000lb limit without issue.

Finally, the first thing you asked I guess. Since I am not sure what tax and title is like in Texas, I can only guess that you may a little on the high side. Lately people have been dealing at just over invoice which is in the 32000 range (check Edmunds) so unless you are paying around 3 grand for the tax, title and such on top of that then you may be higher than you want. But the important thing is, are you happy with your dealer and the price. Don't make it harder than it has to be, either you are pleased with your deal or you are not. Others will pay more than you and others will pay less, unless you are uber-negotiator, you will likely not get the best price, I know I didn't.

 

[csimo]

Sorry but the Ridgeline is not the truck for you. Your Chapparral weighs 5000 pounds DRY weight without trailer. Probably 7500+ pounds towed.

-Joe

 

[Webwader]

Congratulations on your good judgement in trucks, Jason. However, from the prices that I paid for my RL and what others have paid recently, the price doesn't sound so good. A good price around here would be approximately dealer invoice, which for the RTL/Nav/Moonroof would be $31,674 with destination charges, before any accessories. Accord to Edmunds.com, the average price being paid in your area is $33,297.

As for towing, the RL is rated to tow 5,000 lb. I don't know what your bass boat weighs on the trailer but the Chapparal on the trailer is definitely over the rating. How far do you need to tow it for service? I think the RL has the power and suspension to tow it short distances, but you wouldn't want to take it on a trip.

If you have never tried internet pricing, now would be a good time to do it. Go to Edmunds.com, Microsoft CarPoint, or several other websites that have this feature, build and price your RL and then request quotes from dealers in your area. You might be pleasantly surprised. Good luck.

 

[monkeytx]

Jason,
I live in Austin Texas also, and purchased a new RTL w/Nav Silver MSRP 35155, I got Classic Honda in Round Rock, down to 32775 + TTL. Back at the end of July 30, 2005. I added a trailer hitch and fog lights which brought the price up some.

I guess it depends on what kind of options you are including in the price.

1st Texas Honda on Koenig Lane, would not give me the time of day.

I did not try Howdy Honda in S. Austin.

Classic Honda, does their best dealing on new trucks and trade ins at the end of the month, it seems. I think they have to make a quota or something for the month.

The blue truck was my first choice, but I wanted one with the Nav in it. So I settled on the Silver. By the way I traded in a 2003 Black Avalance Z71. I am very happy with the Ridgeline. When i get to drive it !!!

Hope this helps
Chuck

 

[SteelBlue]

Ok thanks for the quick replies...

As far as payload I never have anything in the back of my truck but the occasional scuba tank, or golf clubs. When I mean work truck is can the truck stand the test of driving all day, stop and go.. etc.. I don't go to one place and stop I go to jobsite after jobsite all day in Austin, but I don't tow any trailers, or carry ANYTHING in the back of my truck during work..


My BASSBOAT should tow ok, and my chapparral only goes straight from Lake Travis to the Dealer which is 15 miles away, and straight back...


I just know I REALLY like this truck..

Well the 35,295 I am paying IS WITH TT + L, and I think taxes would be in the 3 grand area..if I paid sticker at 35,155, I would have to tack on 3,000 or so for taxes which would bring it up to 38,155... so 35,295 for a total price seems reasonable?

 

[monkeytx]

Jason,

TTL in Texas is based solely on the sales price of the new truck minus your trade in, what you owe on your trade in and down payment included.

If you are getting the truck and the TTL out the door is about 3K, your getting a good deal with no downpayment or trade in residual. Sales tax in Round Rock is 6.85%. Sales Tax in Austin is 8.50%.

My TTL was about 1600. And I made them include some fog lights at their cost. I had about 5K in residual, from the trade in of the Avalanche and put 5K down.

I have a 21' Celebrity Bowrider, about 4100 dry weight. Its stored at the Travis also. I have trailered it for floor repairs recently and did not have a problem with the Ridgeline.

Put a rubber floor mat in the back of the bed, and it won't scratch with tools etc.

Bottom Line Jason, if you like the truck, like I did when I purchased mine,
I just went and bought the damn thing, and didn't care too much about TTL.

Go for it and have fun.

Chuck
Austin, Tx.

 

[Webwader]

Wow, you Texans get whacked good for taxes. I didn't think about that when you stated the price. No sales tax here in Oregon. My title and license fees for two years was $168. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[monkeytx]

Webwader,

Yep, no state income tax in Texas, so they make up for no state income tax, with consumer Sales Taxes.

They are discussing next a Hurricane tax of some sort.

Monkeytx

 

[shingles]

If you are willing to make a drive down to Houston, there are dealers that will do $300-$500 over invoice... and this was a couple of months ago... might be even lower now.

-s

 

[Tiger]

I use my Ridgeline as a work truck. I carry a few tools in the trunk and odds and ends under the back seat. I tow my Honda 4X4 total weight about 1200 lbs, sometimes our bay boat about 2800 lbs and my mud boat about 1300 lbs.. No problem with any of them. I'm on the coast (Texas) and the wind can be a problem if towing a big load or something with a lot of wind resistance.

I have 22,873 miles on mine and I like as much today as the day I bought it. It's a great truck.

I have bought Honda's From Houdy Honda (Brad Plaushe) in the past. I'm about 180 miles from Austin.

Tiger

 

[SteelBlue]

Sweet, tomorrow I am going to be a Ridgeline owner, and my Platinum will have to move over in the driveway

Chuck,

I am not so much worried about TTL, I'm just trying to get the smoothest deal possible, without breaking any records.

Thanks.

 

[arteegee]

Have you seen the blue?

 

[SteelBlue]

Have you seen the blue?

Yes, and Drove it too.

 

[TheRidgester]

Jason...my 2 cents worth... do what I did. I gave up the payload etc. only because one or two times a year I needed it .. If you only tow your heavy trailer a couple times a year... my local rental place rents 2500 series trucks for $42.00 bucks a day. At 100 miles a day if your F250 was like mine at 9-10 mpg. you'll pay many times over the rental cost every time you fill your gas tank I average 16-18 in town towing a 5x8 utility trailer average 1000- to 3500 lbs.

 

[SteelBlue]

I also have a LR3 I may be able to tow the boat with... so that may work..

 

[monkeytx]

SteelBlue,
I am catching a red eye this morning, but before I go, I pulled my paperwork out on my New Silver RTL w/NAV and Moonroof.

MSRP 35155, Sales Price 32875, w/ included fog lights at cost of $400. They will hit you for $615 for vehicle shipping/delivery charges. No way around this one. Also, they will try to hit you for dealer prep options of about $1200, sealent on (wax job on body), and spray on carpet sealent. And black rubber door edge trim. Watch out for this one. This charge should be included in your original sales price.

Line two on the sales contract showed my taxes on the sale were 680.72.
Add to this about $200 for state fees, dealer inventory tax, license fee etc.

Total TTL = 880.72.
I added a 7 year extended warranty of about $725

I informed you my TTL was $1600 earlier, this was a mistake, I had added
the 7 year extended warranty into that by mistake.

Jason, I would go back and ask your sales rep, what $3000 in TTL includes.
Sounds like they may be trying to bump up the price with dealer prep fees.

Enjoy your new Ridgeline. I've had mine for 3 months, and still find some new feature I missed before. 20mpg is a hell of lot better to, than the 14 I was getting in my big Chevy Z71.

Chuck

 

[25 Year Honda Owner]

Jason,

Bottom Line Jason, if you like the truck, like I did when I purchased mine,
I just went and bought the damn thing, and didn't care too much about TTL.

Go for it and have fun.

Chuck
Austin, Tx.

Good advice, only get 2! Your wife will want the 1st one. Glad to see someone else trade like I do "out the door" the only way to go.

 

[SteelBlue]

Well I did it. I purchased it yesterday.

I purchased the Steel Blue / RTL / Nav..., and had a trailer hitch added.

I got the truck for 32,xxx + trailer hitch, so it was 35,990 out the door TOTAL.

Not bad...

Cool.. not bad for the money, and tomorrow is the real test..