The idea of getting a new vehicle only hit me about three weeks ago.
I was going to just drive my 99 Dodge Ram extended cab deisel untill the wheels fell off. It's mostly a work truck and doesn't need to go very far. My wife's car we trade in about every three years and it's the trip car or out to dinner car. Right now it's an Epedition which I don't like much but it suffices.
But then diesel went over three dollars. Heck it used to be less than regular by a substantial amount!
So I started looking at what's out there. Read all the articles and being a subscriber to Consumer Reports dug out the July issue and gee .... I had breezed right by it when it came out. What a suprise! CR loves the Ridgeline. I've also read about half of all the posts on this board.
I've test driven an RL and it's major competitors. None of the competitors come close. I'm absolutely fixated on the RL. Worries me actually. I hate it when I get like this. I've never liked the obsessive side of my personality.
How could Honda get something so right and nobody else even be in the ball park?
I recognize the RL is somewhat a niche vehicle. It will never satisfy the dyed in the wool truck enthusiast ... which I USED to be. Age has changed my view of things. It is not a rugged off road vehicle but only a young fool expects a luxury vehicle to also be a true off roader. The type of 4 wheel drive the RL does posses however is actually better for most drivers. Getting out of the occaisional mudhole and being safe on snow covered roads. Should do fine on the beach too but very few folks get this oportunity.
I have to admit to myself that what I like most about the RL is that it's more car than truck .... but it is still quite a bit truck. The interior room is huge compared to any of it's competitors. I can't stand the cramped feeling of the small trucks. I love airbags too. The extra protection of the RL gives me a very good feeling.
I think Honda is going to sell a hundred thousand of these things next year. It takes a while for something this new and revolutionary to catch on. It went right over MY head untill I just happened to be in the market and I was in the market when it seems most other Americans have their heads pulled back into their shells pretty snugly. When they stick their heads back out they will see the Ridgeline. It may not be a gass sipper but it's much more frugal than any V8 and their are millions of folks looking to get shed of those.
Not being much of a true 'enthusiast in general' ... I mean I don't pay much attention to the industry ... is there something else out there I might be missing? Even in the luxury category for substantially more money?
I was going to just drive my 99 Dodge Ram extended cab deisel untill the wheels fell off. It's mostly a work truck and doesn't need to go very far. My wife's car we trade in about every three years and it's the trip car or out to dinner car. Right now it's an Epedition which I don't like much but it suffices.
But then diesel went over three dollars. Heck it used to be less than regular by a substantial amount!
So I started looking at what's out there. Read all the articles and being a subscriber to Consumer Reports dug out the July issue and gee .... I had breezed right by it when it came out. What a suprise! CR loves the Ridgeline. I've also read about half of all the posts on this board.
I've test driven an RL and it's major competitors. None of the competitors come close. I'm absolutely fixated on the RL. Worries me actually. I hate it when I get like this. I've never liked the obsessive side of my personality.
How could Honda get something so right and nobody else even be in the ball park?
I recognize the RL is somewhat a niche vehicle. It will never satisfy the dyed in the wool truck enthusiast ... which I USED to be. Age has changed my view of things. It is not a rugged off road vehicle but only a young fool expects a luxury vehicle to also be a true off roader. The type of 4 wheel drive the RL does posses however is actually better for most drivers. Getting out of the occaisional mudhole and being safe on snow covered roads. Should do fine on the beach too but very few folks get this oportunity.
I have to admit to myself that what I like most about the RL is that it's more car than truck .... but it is still quite a bit truck. The interior room is huge compared to any of it's competitors. I can't stand the cramped feeling of the small trucks. I love airbags too. The extra protection of the RL gives me a very good feeling.
I think Honda is going to sell a hundred thousand of these things next year. It takes a while for something this new and revolutionary to catch on. It went right over MY head untill I just happened to be in the market and I was in the market when it seems most other Americans have their heads pulled back into their shells pretty snugly. When they stick their heads back out they will see the Ridgeline. It may not be a gass sipper but it's much more frugal than any V8 and their are millions of folks looking to get shed of those.
Not being much of a true 'enthusiast in general' ... I mean I don't pay much attention to the industry ... is there something else out there I might be missing? Even in the luxury category for substantially more money?
