No one knows what the future holds, but Hondas have always held their values well.

I give the same advice to everyone in your situation: consider the total out of pocket costs of trading vs keeping the vehicle. I don't know how many people added $20k+ worth of debt in order to "save" a few bucks at the pump.

 

My way of thinking is when you turn it back in is 3 years of payments = 36 months X monthly payment + maintenance = truck rental $

 

don't always need to think logically first. Life is short, do what you will enjoy.

1) do you enjoy the truck?
2) do you want a small SUV?
3) how many miles do you really drive per year?
4) are you one who likes factory warranty?
5) would a low mileage used vehicle interest you?
6) does the CR-V (or other vehicle) meet your needs? (your real needs, not what if scenarios... what if I want to buy a Fridge?)
7) are you decent at spreadsheets? if so, compare costs and projected prices for (say) the next 5 years. vehicle sale price, mpg, fuel costs, maintenance costs, insurance and do a grand total and see how things play out. The additional $9k new CR-V price cost over the Ridge will play havoc with your numbers (you'll see)

 

All of your responses are great. Ridgeline owners sure are proud!!! Your responses, while all great, assume that the truck will be kept until the wheels fall off. My current lease payments are $302 per month and if I decide to purchase the truck at the end of the lease, my payments will likely be $300 per month for the next four years. If the truck was owned outright, it would be a no brainer. My answers are:

1) I love the truck. I enjoy it's uniqueness.
2) Unfortunately I believe that the oil companies now dictate what we drive. The new MPG standards that Obama is proposing will not save us money, it will allow oil companies to consistently raise the price of gas. Would a small SUV be my first choice? No, however I just can't bring myself to start paying $350-$400 a month in gas. It is just uncalled for. In today' economy that money could be spent elsewhere. People with gas guzzlers do not have the fleibility in their budget that people do with more fuel efficient cars.

3) I drive approximately 12k miles per year.
4) I enjoy working on my cars so the factory warranty does not matter.
5) I am preferemtial to Honda and many of the times a used Honda is almost as much as a new one. I am very particular with my cars so a used one would have to be in pristine condition.
6) The CR-V would meet my needs. the truck is great for trips to the Home Depot and appliances, but I would probaly say no Ridgeline owner need a truck, they enjoy the convenience. If they needed a truck they would buy an F-150 which surprisinly now gets better gas mileage.

7) see above. At the current gas prices I will spend a little over $1k per year in gas. As gas rises the multipier rises. If I do go with a CR-V I willl most likely lease around the same payment of $300 per month. I pretty much budget around $500 per month for car payment and gas. This can easily be eclipsed in the Ridgeline when prices rise. I would also be making a commitment that will rapidly depreciate if gas prices go to $4 per gallon. Do you really think the Rigdeline will hold its value at that gas price. I would not be fun owning $14k that I could not get $8k for should I need to trade it in. Should my situation change and I need to drive more I would be at the mercy of gas prices.

Of course I am just playing devil's advocate here to spurn the conversation. Your continued thoughts are welcome and appreciated!!

 

If you are in the same boat with your Ridgeline what are you considering?

Not exactly in your boat, but I've given it some thought.

Do you need the open bed in a vehicle?
The gas thing is considerable, and griped about all over the ROC so I won't do it here, but I do hear you on the mpg concern.

I really dont want to trade my RL for a non-open-bed vehicle. I use it way too much. If I didnt need a pickup I'd probably got for a FWD car though.

 

Assess your needs and review as to why you got the Ridgeline in the first place....+ everything k757 said.....

 

It would depend on the mileage on the vehicle. For a Honda, your just breaking it in at 80,000km (50,000 miles). Your buy-out price is a deal if your mileage is around or less than that. If you were to fork out $30k for a new vehicle, for example, you're spending an additional $15,500. That can buy a lot of fuel for years to come. That's how I would look at it. If it was me, I'd keep the RL. In my opinion, there's nothing better than a Ridgeline. Besides, it's a Honda!!! need I say more

 

I had a first generation CR-V for eight years before buying my Ridgeline. It was a fantastic vehicle, though I never really cared much for the looks. I pretty much filled the cargo and rear seat areas with the tools of my job, stacking items on top of each other, and getting the goods in and out got to be a bit much.

I understand the fuel concerns, but, like TarheelGrad said, and has been discussed on other posts, the RL gas bill may not be as bad as it seems. When I bought my RT model, the base model CR-Vs were not that much cheaper. The dealerships seem to be willing to discount the RLs faster than they would the very popular CR-V.

Last spring my wife bought a third generation CR-V, and I've driven it from time to time. It is a different vehicle from the RL in terms of cargo carrying ability and drive ability. The CR-V owner's manual states the total maximum load for occupants, cargo and accessories is 850 lbs. One example it gives is 2 passengers, 150 lbs each, leaving a cargo capacity of 550 lbs.

You'll step and sit down into the CR-V, compared to stepping up into the RL.

Drive-wise, the CR-V is much easier to drive. It turns on a dime. It maneuvers easily and you don't have a bed to look over when looking behind you. You'll sit closer to the road, and not feel the same presence you feel in the RL. That can be a big factor. You'll "feel" smaller.

So it depends on what is important to you. In an urban environment, something smaller will make life easier.

You might be able to do a few things to eke out another couple mpgs, like a bump of a little more air pressure in the tires, or a softer foot on the accelerator (not trying to be critical, just throwing out some ideas). Good luck with the debate. And don't forget the dealer will try to steer you to a new vehicle, regardless of what is in your best interest.

 

I'm on the flip side. I had a 2008 AWD CRV. Traded it in for a 2010 RL. City driving, the RL will burn about $10 more in gas than the CRV for the same distance driven of city driving. So if you fill your RL about once a week, that is $40 a month extra spending on gas for driving an RL. Mind you the RL was about $40 per month extra to lease than my CRV in payement. So to drive an Rl over a CRV cost me about $80 per month extra or $20 per week extra. I do about the same driving as you as I also fill my RL of city driving about once per week. So you need to ask yourself, for $20 per week extra, would I rather drive an RL over a CRV, or should I get the CRV for the same amount less. Can you afford the $20 per week?

As for highway driving, the CRV wins the gas drinking hands down. I would easily get 30 miles per gallon with my AWD CRV on the highway, and I haven't figured out the highway average for the RL, but guessing about 24 MPG on a good day with the wind behind me. Since I don't do a lot of highway driving, I don't worry to much about it.

I consider myself lucky to be able to afford that extra $20 per week. I have no regrets in upgrading my CRV to an RL. With my tonneau cover and the trunk bed, I have more cargo space than my CRV by far, more interior confort, more practical, more power and a lot more fun to drive. I will never look back. I only hope they keep making the RL now cause I trade every 3 years. The only way I will buy another CRV is if I trade my Civic for it and park it next to my RL.

 

Hey everyone! I am new to these forums, however I have been a proud Ridgeline owner for the past 3 years. I am just looking for some opinions or maybe some experiences with your Ridgeline ownership.

My lease is coming to an end this spring and I am debating if I should keep my Ridgeline or trade it in for a CR-V. Gas prices have been as unpredictable as every, at this moment the price of a barrel of oil continues to fall, but the prices at the pump go up. My Ridgeline has a buyout of $14,500 which is great for a 3 year old truck in excellent condition, however I find it hard to fathom $80 fillups or greater once a week. Unfortunately most of my driving is around town so I am only averaging 15-16 during the spring/summer and 13-14 during the winter months.

I would hate to make the committment to finance the buyout and be smashed by gas prices or by a truck that has greatly depreciated because of gas prices and lowering demand.

If you are in the same boat with your Ridgeline what are you considering? Either way I am definetely staying with Honda as both the Ridgeline and CR-V are tops in their segment.

Thanks!!

If the CRV is on your short list, it sounds like you don't "need" a pickup.

Bob

 

I have 3 Honda's in my driveway... my 09 RTL, wife's 09 CRV, and my daughter's 03 CRV. They're all great vehicles. But I wouldn't consider driving the CRV's since I can drive the Ridgeline. Somebody said earlier -and I agree, life's short... so if you spend a lot of time in your vehicle, drive something you love to drive. Before my 09 RTL purchase I bought a Cadillac CTS (after coming off an 06 RTL lease). I figured I could get by with a car and save a few dollars on gas, plus the CTS was an awesome looking car. After a few months I couldn't wait to get back in a Ridgeline and I traded in the 09 CTS for the RL. Don't give up your RL and repeat the mistake I had to correct... you'll regret it!

 

I didn't read the entire thread, but when you actually put pen to paper it rarely makes sense to get rid of a vehicle to get better fuel mileage. People will spend $30,000 on a vehicle to save a hundred dollars on fuel per year. It doesn't make sense in most any case.

 

I just picked my RL on a 4 yr lease, I've only had it for 1 month and I'm already considering buying out right. I have use for a truck, not often, but enough to need one and the RL fits my needs. I also needed a vehicle that could carry atleast 4 people comfortably, again the RL fits those needs. The fuel prices are a worry and they say it's hit $4 per gallon by spring, though they say it will drop by mid to end summer ( I doubt it, but it's what they say ). There's no way I'm giving up my RL, even when the lease is up, unless Honda comes out with a new model that gets much better milage, that would be the only reason I'd give it up.
Now if you follow all the Doom sayers, the world comes to a end in Dec. 2012, so it really doesn't matter.

 

If your justification for buying a new CRV is the cost of gasoline per gallon, and you tend to trade vehicles every 3 or 4 years, sounds like false economy to claim saving $3,000 to $4000 in gas over that same period will balance out the thousands more you paid for the new vehicle and the additional thousands you will "lose" when you trade the CRV for the next vehicle.

If you just want "something different" then it's time to move on to something different.

If you don't need a Ridgeline because "it's not a real truck, like the F-150" (as you stated) then you don't fit the profile for the group of people for whom the Ridgeline was designed, and you are out of your Element (ha ha ha, little pun there).

As a former van driver, I think the Ridgeline is a blast to drive and I will keep it if the price of gas goes to $6/gallon. I can drop cable TV and eating out a couple meals for the daily pleasure of my Mighty Truck (that is the truck's name) if the economy goes south and I start living off a needs-based budget instead of a wants-based budget.

I lived under the budget where you only get what you absolutely need. Now, I am fortunate to also throw in a couple things that I don't need, and I enjoy these things that I just want to (but don't "need to") have.

Furthermore, the oil companies don't want to charge $4 per gallon. The price to the consumer goes up when the price to the provider goes up. Who wants higher business expenses? I understand that less production/higher demand also influences price, but what our government is doing is increasing the cost of doing business in America. Don't place all the blame on the provider.

This has been a fun/interesting thread.

 

Me personally, I would never lease a vehicle. Don't mean to be mean (yuk yuk) but why pay for a vehicle for years and then have to choose as to letting it go (along with the equity you have in it) or buying it and paying a high balance on a 4 year old vehicle. Everyone that I have ever known that leased a vehicle said they would never do it again. Just me and my simple mind.

On the other hand, gas mileage is a consideration for me. I like my Ridgeline but it sucks gas, plain fact of life. When folks ask me about it I tell them V6 power, V8 mileage. I coulda had a V8!

As gas today was getting close to 3.50 a gallon in my area, the wife and I actually talked about getting a cheap beater-commuter car like a used Hyundai, Toyota, Mazda, even a Honda for me to commute in. The Ridgline is just not a commuter mobile.

Your call and good luck.

 

Thanks for your reply. The only reason that I leased was because I got the truck for $21,900 and my buyout is $14,500. It was my way of hedging against the gas prices. So now I could either buy it out for $14,500 which is a phenominal price or trade it in for something more economical. I received a trade in quote of $19,500. That means is cost me $2400.00 to drive the RL for the past 2 1/2 years. Not bad!!!

 

I'll share something I found very insightful. I have always driven cars with excellent fuel economy - manual 4-bangers until now. One of the biggest influences on my decision to move to the RL was a friend of mine who drives a Suburban. I asked how he could possibly stand paying that much for gas. His reply was that he did the math (Mechanical Engineer so go figure). At the time he was paying just $500 / year more to wrap a ton of steel around his family (gas was a bit lower, but at 12-15 K miles the cost difference isn't huge compared to what a new lease will lose through Y1-3 depreciation). He said if he ever had an accident where someone in his family were hurt, he not forgive himself for taking an unnecessary shortcut with a small car. He still owns a Suburban and I no longer drive a small, manual 4-banger sedan with my family of four.

If you want something different with some cargo space and AWD, I highly recommend at least driving the Crosstour. It is a bit unorthodox, but just drive one, and drive it somewhere fun; during a snowstorm if possible. My brother has one and he hauls his road bicycle, skis and a lot of other gear without needing a roof rack, which he is also about to start buying accessories for. I think his Mileage averages around 27 MPG and the engine pushes 271 horses! AWD is managed similar to other Honda offerings so it doesn't tax the mileage like the always-on AWD systems do. Curb weight is a surprising 3900 lbs., but like I said wrapping some steel around one's family isn't a bad thing, especially when one considers that crash testing is highly dependent (at least was) upon vehicle mass. A 5-star "Smart Car" vs. a 4000 lb. Crosstour isn't going to go well for the recently departed owner of the allegedly "Smart" Car. I AM green-minded, but I also know something about Physics and Engineering… just food for thought. Good Luck!

 

If you want something different with some cargo space and AWD, I highly recommend at least driving the Crosstour. It is a bit unorthodox, but just drive one, and drive it somewhere fun; during a snowstorm if possible. My brother has one and he hauls his road bicycle, skis and a lot of other gear without needing a roof rack, which he is also about to start buying accessories for. I think his Mileage averages around 27 MPG and the engine pushes 271 horses! AWD is managed similar to other Honda offerings so it doesn't tax the mileage like the always-on AWD systems do. Curb weight is a surprising 3900 lbs., but like I said wrapping some steel around one's family isn't a bad thing, especially when one considers that crash testing is highly dependent (at least was) upon vehicle mass. A 5-star "Smart Car" vs. a 4000 lb. Crosstour isn't going to go well for the recently departed owner of the allegedly "Smart" Car. I AM green-minded, but I also know something about Physics and Engineering… just food for thought. Good Luck!

I would say go test drive an accordcrosstour and then go test drive a Subaru Outback. The Sub has equitable features except more interior room, looks better and is thousands of dollars less.

no, I'm not a fan of the accordcrosstour as honda decided to not give us the wagon and tried to morph an accord and a wagon together and then overcharge for the privilege. I have seen two on the roads in CT, yes only 2; but I see dozens of new generation Sub Outbacks a day. Sales is a true indication how society likes each vehicle.

Of course, personal preference is all that really matters

 

Hello All,

Still have not made a decision on whether I will be turning in the RL, however I wanted to see if anyone's allegiance to the RL is fading as gas closes in on $4.00/Gallon?

 

Even if gas gets to $8.oo a gallon ,I will never get rid of my Ridge.....If I wanted to save gas I would of got an Electric car...or a Hybrid...

 

If everyone says that gas price is irrelevant for their keeping their truck, does that mean that you'll keep yours? no, of course not. What is the breaking point for you?

It takes a lot of gas price difference to make it worthwhile to change vehicles. Where are you going to find a used truck/car with (let's say) 36k miles that you know the history of for $15k?

 

I would probably say that my breaking point is $4.00 per gallon. It's pretty bad that we now have to consider where we go and how far away from work we can live because the oil companies need to make $10B a quarter in profits. A $500.00 gas bill a month is a joke. I just find it a senseless expense if I am driving a truck as a luxury as opposed to a need. Not many Ridgeline owners have roof racks or tool boxes attached to their trucks, we have them to haul things every now and then and tackle those home projects. It's really sad it has come to this.

 

I had a similar debate between the Ridgeline and the CRV. I was going to trade in my 2001 Tacoma and buy either 2011 Ridgeline RTS or a 2011 CRV EX-L. I chose the Ridgeline because I fit in it a lot better. The CRV just seemed cramped in both the front and the back seat. I knew that it would be more expensive on gas so I wanted to want the CRV but I decided my comfort was worth it. I bought my 2011 RTS last week and don't regret the decision at all, even with the current gas prices. I told my wife last night that I would probably buy another one in the future when I wear mine out.

 

I'm actually in the same boat as well. I'm probably looking to sell my truck soon to buy something a bit sportier.

 

sportier how? what class of vehicle?

 

Thank you for all your advice and thoughts. Wanted to let everyone that I have decided to keep the Ridge. The Ridgeline is the first vehicle that I have truly enjoyed driving since the day I had it. Unless I purchase a Civic the gas savings will not be that great and as for the smaller SUV's I cannot go but something that my heart is not into (CR-V). I have a $14,200 buyout on a truck that will be 3 years old, 34,000 miles and in mint condition. Not bad. As far as gas prices, I will have to cross that bridge at another time.

 

You only live once, go first Class...Nice Good luck with your Ride man...:act035: