Ok, heres the story, a friend of mine saw the new ridgeline and loves the way it looks, and says since its a honda its gotta be great, i try pointing out the solid body, and how that will be a problem under any load, or if he travels over a bump, and he says that honda made it so it's gotta work fine. Anyway he started talking about a lift kit, then said if he got it he would tow a 24 ft travel trailer, and i already know that all if this is ridiculous and abusurd, but i was wondering how many of you have similar experiences with people swearing by japanese automobiles.

 

Why does race come into play?

 

has nothing to do with race, theyre manufactured in japan, so im just saying, honda, toyota, that general category of smaller, efficient cars.

 

If they are made in Japan or by a Japanese company, I fail to see how it is "racist" to refer to it as Japanese. If you referred to Ford or GM as "American", would that be racist too?

We have enough politicaly correct BS around here, let's try to minimize it.

 

Thank you PSD, people are taking racism and prejudice to extreme lengths these days, i have been called prejudice for messin with a friend of mine, and we do it back and forth all the time.

 

First, The Ridgeline like nearly all Honda's sold in North America are manufactured here in North America. The Ridgeline is made in Ontario

Second, maybe people swear by them because they have had positive experiences with them, like them, and in the future purchase them again. They are obviously doing something right as they continue to take market share away from Ford and GM every year. This isnt nice to think about but its reality.

Granted, that Honda is no F-150 or even close to it terms of capability, Honda knows this and isnt planning on taking market share away from the F-150. Looking back on Honda's history they have had very few flops, they do their homework and release vehicles with a market niche in mind that they intend to fill. Honda is a profitable, successful, growing company; they must be doing something right.

 

Ok, maybe i didnt express myself clearly, i was simply expressing that many people are going to honda, toyota, nissan, and other japan based companies for their vehicles these days, even if they are PROBABLY less capable. There were two points to the topic, i was also wondering if anyone had ever test driven the new ridgeline, and how it performed, i realize i didnt express that clearly before.

 

Honda's sales have not been that much better than Ford or GM.

 

these asain car companies are not building cars better than the big three, they are just building them different and like everybody knows if you can keep building them different people will keep bying them that way. believe me I have been working on cars for 13 years and the asain car makers dont build them any better.

 

Honda sales are down somewhat this year, but look at the overall picture, like say 10 years. They are gaining quickly on Ford and GM, 1st quarter 2005 sales dont mean much

It also doesnt matter whether or not they are built better than domestics or not. People perceive them as better and thats what counts. Maybe they arent any better, either way Ford and GM need to do something about their reputation. I love my F-150, but I dont live in denial and think that its the most reliable car out there. My 04' has been in the shop more times than my wife's 93' Accord, which she bought new. I really think that what needs to happen is for people to stop making excuses for domestics and start demanding better reliability. Reliability is what people expect from their Honda's and Toyota's and we should expect the same.

 

maybe so but your wifes has a car not a truck. I garentee if that accord was worked like that truck was you would not have it.

 

you also have to factor in that a car wieghs less dosent need as much power to get moving not as hard to start do to small engines. the asian car companies are just geeting inti this game, they have a long way to go before catching u with the american truck companies. if they do hop in front of us it will be with our help. remember what applies to cars cant be totaly caried over to the development of trucks. like I said they just offer people other choices thats it.

 

I really don't know the used car market in the USA but here in BC, Canada, used Hondas and Toyotas bring top dollar. I helped my daughter buy an 02 Toyota Corolla a year ago for 12000 Can. Today that car would sell fast for 11500. I could have helped her buy a new Chev Cavalier for 12000 Can. Today that car would be hard to sell for 8000 bucks.
Some Honda models are made in Canada by Canadians making a good wage. Some Dodge models are made in Mexico made by Mexicans making less than California fruit pickers. Like it or not, free trade has made the world a different place and I feel better buying a vehicle made by people making decent wages. My superduty was assembled in Kentucky, the V10 motor and the truck frame are made in Canada. That makes me feel good. Take care, Wrenchtraveller.

 

Yeah, Edited by Admin A lift and towing a 24' trailer? Come on, thats absurd. Everybody is quick to stick up for Honda, since 'theyve never had a flop before', and 'they know what they are doing'. Give me a break, this thing is a waste of time. Honda doesnt seem to understand that puting car engines into 'trucks' that make peak torque and HP over 5,000RPM isnt really the best idea. It makes me angry when people think comparing a toyota camry, to a trcuk is a fair comparison. Cars do not have to work like trucks at all. All they see is the road, no extremely heavy loads, no towing trailers, no offroad use. That kind of comparison just does NOT apply.

 

I read the other day that people that are leaving the hugh SUVs are not going to cars but to pickups. That fits in perfectly with the target audience for the Ridgeline (a pickup for people who don't really need a pickup).