[25 Year Honda Owner]

What is it with Honda and the lack of AWD Ridgelines. Been watching the dealerships in my area and nothing but FWD. Murfreesboro Honda has a RTL-T AWD but say they cannot sell it because it is a demonstrator.

 

[Border411]

Im guessing it has to do with the lack of snow. In VA (near DC) the majority are AWD and there are plenty to be had.

 

[Im Buz]

If you find the right dealer they will get one for you
Had the same problem out here in Cal. Finally found a dealer who said he would look around,
he found one a couple of hundred miles away, we did most of the bargaining by text.
Now I am driving my RTl_T AWD and loving it !!

Happy Hunting

 

[MrClam]

Is it up to the dealer whether or not AWD vehicles are on the lot, or does Honda distribute an allocation of vehicles in particular configurations to regions and dealers have to choose from that?

 

[2017rlt-t]

Is it up to the dealer whether or not AWD vehicles are on the lot, or does Honda distribute an allocation of vehicles in particular configurations to regions and dealers have to choose from that?

Honda delivers by regions. Here in the NorthEast, you cannot get a FWD.
The closest FWD to New England was in Maryland.

 

[FTM1]

I just checked Herson's Honda in Rockville Maryland a suburb of Washington, DC. It's bigger than my dealership but checking they have mostly AWD models even a BE. They have just 2 FWD models I bet they would sit on the lot or be transported to another dealership that needed one for sale.
I just can't see them selling many FWD pick-up trucks in this area.

 

[25 Year Honda Owner]

I have had 4 X 4 or AWD continually since 1994 and Honda exclusive since 2005. Looks like they are going to be hard to come by in Tennessee. BTW, it does snow here.

 

[14v6]

Winter is coming and Ridgelines are selling. So if allocations are poor for 4wd the fact that it's October certainly won't help with a swap.

 

[FTM1]

I just checked Herson's Honda in Rockville Maryland a suburb of Washington, DC. It's bigger than my dealership but checking they have mostly AWD models even a BE. They have just 2 FWD models I bet they would sit on the lot or be transported to another dealership that needed one for sale.
I just can't see them selling many FWD pick-up trucks in this area.

Rechecked same dealership for Pilots and all were AWD models. I sure they would sell more FWD Pilots being more of a people mover type vehicle than Ridgeline. I still don't get the thinking behind this idea from Honda. So what a few hundred people said they wanted a FWD only Ridgeline and they made some. I sure would like to see sale numbers on them and were they are selling.

 

[Corey337]

I live in Louisiana and had trouble locating an awd RL. The few I found were demos. It doesn't snow here but most people still won't buy the fwd. the fwd are selling slow and no dealers are willing to switch one of their awd RL.

 

[trainman605]

Is it up to the dealer whether or not AWD vehicles are on the lot, or does Honda distribute an allocation of vehicles in particular configurations to regions and dealers have to choose from that?

Dealers can not order vehicles from what I understand, Honda does send them a allocation list of what they will be getting in the future and what models they get are determined by Honda. Dealers do have some leeway here, but only with other dealers, dealer trades is one way and another is to get another dealer to release one of their vehicles and have it drop shipped to a different dealer. Personally I wouldn't think another dealer would be interested is giving up one of its prime sellers (RTL-T AWD, RTL-E, or BE) when they can sell it their self. Most of these type of trades are not so much for another RL, but for say Pilot Elite, or a Pilot Touring which are equally as hard to get for some dealers.

trainman

 

[onerailunder]

I'm in Florida and waiting for an AWD RT. Feels like I'm looking for a unicorn.

 

[zroger73]

I'm in Florida and waiting for an AWD RT. Feels like I'm looking for a unicorn.

A search on Cars.com for 2017 Honda Ridgeline RT AWD with photos* shows 5 of them nationwide - none of which are in Florida. A unicorn indeed.

*The presence of photos of the actual vehicle instead of a generic photo of the model increases the likelihood that it's actually at the dealer and available for sale.

 

[RTLGATOR]

Just for fun I decided to search dealers in FL, not all but about 12 and the average RL's on lot were 6, most were black (not black edition) seems like most dealers had at least one blk edition. Average all wheel drive 1 (if that) and most only had 3 colors....black/white/silver.... not a whole lot to select from....Honda must have overbought on black paint, not that I don't like black but it's not for me.

 

[trainman605]

A search on Cars.com for 2017 Honda Ridgeline RT AWD with photos* shows 5 of them nationwide - none of which are in Florida. A unicorn indeed.

*The presence of photos of the actual vehicle instead of a generic photo of the model increases the likelihood that it's actually at the dealer and available for sale.

I check the North Texas Honda Dealers page everyday and look at inventories, there are 15 dealers in this group (DFW Area) and yesterday there was not one "T" AWD or "E" listed. There were around 5 BE and one RTS in AWD that I could find listed, the BE you may be able to get a little discount as some of these dealers have had them for two, or three weeks, but that's just speculation on my part. My dealer where I gave a deposit ($500) on a RTL-T AWD said that they were only allocated three more AWD's by the end of the year, so if I wanted one from them I should make a decision at that time, (Sept. 24th), I did. Personally I don't think that dealers in the southern states really care if they get AWD's or not, my dealers is selling around 4-5 per week and dealers are just interested in sales quotes, not if it is a AWD or a 2WD. Do remember that 99% of new buyers don't read this forum, so for may AWD/2WD doesn't apply to new buyers, if you have never had it, then why buy it.



trainman

 

[14v6]

I've never been to Texas other than a drive through Amarillo when driving back from AZ to NY but isn't it pickup country down there? I just read that Ford is idling some plants including one of the 3 that makes the F-150 as it has a 95 day inventory. You mean to tell me that a uni-body or even FWD truck can't be kept in stock while there is a 95 day inventory of F-150's that must have great discounts? Amazing.

 

[25 Year Honda Owner]

Never thought I would see the day that I could not find a vehicle to purchase within a 50 miles radius of home. What is it with Honda? Seems they have a winner in the GNII and no vehicles on the market. A BE I can find, nothing else with AWD.

 

[Ross Swenson]

I've never been to Texas other than a drive through Amarillo when driving back from AZ to NY but isn't it pickup country down there? I just read that Ford is idling some plants including one of the 3 that makes the F-150 as it has a 95 day inventory. You mean to tell me that a uni-body or even FWD truck can't be kept in stock while there is a 95 day inventory of F-150's that must have great discounts? Amazing.

We found that a awful lot of those F150 that are sitting around on dealers lots are in $50000 to $60000 price range. Even with a hefty discount they are very expensive. And still a Ford. And some of those only have 4 cylinders plus if you throw a rock in the bed it may create a hole.... ?

 

[timbotc]

20 at Open road Honda Edison no!

 

[FTM1]

Just checked my dealership inventory Sport Honda of Silver Spring suburbs of Washington, DC. They have (8) G2 Ridgelines one FWD model (1) White Diamond/Black RTL-E AWD (1) RTL-T AWD (1) Black Edition and the others are RTL AWD. So they replaced the BE they had when they first were released and the RTL-E I sat in both. I wish I had the money now I would be all over that Black Edition. This is truly the vehicle I want no compromise the interior seats of BE I like so Black/Black RTL-E would not do. If it was not for that I would get Black/Black RTL-E as my choice.