Merry X-mas To Me!

#1

Okay, first a Bronzit car and now this. Thanks to my wife running my Acura Legend (and totalling it) into my classic 1970 Chevy pick-up, I was able to buy a new vechicle capable of towing much earlier than I thought possible. JP has already told me it’s a pussy wagon, not because I’ll be "getting any," but because V-6 Japanese trucks are wussy. It rides awfully nicely, is well-apointed, safe, and is easy on the gas, so perhaps I’ll have the last laugh. It is ugly, though, so I’m only showing you the ass end, which is the best view.

Sasha

#2

Wow… is that an Oxidized Bronzit Ridgeline? :blink: :stuck_out_tongue: :silly: :woohoo:

Congratulations.

#3

Why they didn’t put the Honda Pilot front, on the Ridgeline, is still a mystery. It would have saved them some design and development costs I’m sure.

But everything I have read about the Ridgeline has been very positive and I’m sure it’ll be a great vehicle for you Sasha.

Congrats!

Carter

#4

At least its not Bronzit!!

Congrats on the new rig.

JP

#5

Ex36 wrote:

You can’t possibly expect to throw a comment like this out without us demanding a detailed explaination of how your wife wrecked 2 of your cars in one incendent, totalling one of them.

But regardless, congratulations on your new truck/wussy mobile ;). They do come highly recommended by most critics. Whats the towing capacity of it? I’m sure its up to the task of towing your car and trailer. If you have any doubts just check out Al Taylors tow vehicle/camper.

#6

Hey Its a HONDA! Honda’s rarely break. If you bought a Dodge, Ford, Chevy, it will have problems. Not to say Honda is perfect, I’ve had several and currently have a Odessey and acura tsx. The van has had no problems to mention in the 4 years/52k miles we had owned it. I can’t say the same for my Audi A4, it’s was POS. The tsx replaced it. Its a damn shame that my Odessey has a 3500 lb tow limit and it’s almost paid for.

I think you made a good choice.

#7

Speaking of fords breaking.

I’ll share some info that may save you some trouble and money if you own a modular motored ford.

My v10 excursion blew a sparkplug just after christmas while visiting relatives 1200 miles away. No threads left at all. plug would drop right in and slide right out.

Warning sign is a sound like an exhaust leak…tick tick tick. It got louder all of a sudden then blew out the plug taking the coil over plug out with it.

Common problem for the modular motored fords due to a design flaw the aluminum heads.

Plugs were installed by me with a torque wrench to spec about 30K earlier.

I was aware of the issue due to reading on a ford forum so was aware of the options available.

Option 1 new left head. Ford dealer said about $3800 bucks and a couple of days minimum.

option 2 helicoil. Good product…wrong application.

option 3 (the winner) Timesert.

http://www.timesert.com/html/triton_repair.html

Got on their website and they were closed until 1/2/2007. Found the closest distributor in the central time zone. Called Houston TX. They put me on to their local rep. Now this is a guy that deals with wholesale accounts and huge orders…but he said if we order it in the next 10 minutes I can have it here tomorrow. Done.

10:30 next morning. Kit comes by UPS. (is this a great country or what?)

by noon it is installed and car is running. Took a sparkplug wrench, a 7mm wrench, and a socket wrench to complete the repair and about 1.5 hours. Some grease to smear in the flutes to catch the chips.

Well designed tool that makes a nightmare an over the fender repair. Just glad it wasn’t one of the plugs under the dash!!!

Just put 1200 miles on the truck on Friday. No issues.

Pretty sure that won’t be a issue with the honda!!!

#8

I’m hoping all the trouble the Ridgeline will give me is ridicule from others! It’s rated for towing 5,000 pounds, which should be enough for my SpecE30 and trailer, but not with lots left over. Most of the tracks I will travel to don’t require any mountain traversing, so it should manage. I figured I’d rather enjoy the reliability, safety, and fuel mileage all the time and tolerate a slightly wussy tow vehicle just a handful of times per year.

Sasha

#9

Ex36 wrote:

[quote]I’m hoping all the trouble the Ridgeline will give me is ridicule from others! It’s rated for towing 5,000 pounds, which should be enough for my SpecE30 and trailer, but not with lots left over. Most of the tracks I will travel to don’t require any mountain traversing, so it should manage. I figured I’d rather enjoy the reliability, safety, and fuel mileage all the time and tolerate a slightly wussy tow vehicle just a handful of times per year.

Sasha[/quote]

Do you have an aluminum open trailer?

#10

I was planning on getting a steel open trailer that doesn’t have a solid deck. They weigh about 1,700 lbs, I think. Any thoughts on full deck vs. just ramps? Anyway, that would put my car and trailer at about 4,250 pounds. Then I’ll have gear in the stubby bed. I should be good.

As I’ve done research, I’ve been told that an aluminum trailer’s main advantage is that they don’t corrode, more than that they’re dramatically less weight (they do weigh less, but it might save a couple hundred pounds–they don’t weigh less by half).

Sasha

#11

The open deck steel trailer is pretty much lighter than the full steel deck ones. One advantage to an open deck is that you can access the under side of your car pretty easily if you are in a pinch to get to it. The up side to the full metal deck is that you can use it for hauling other stuff if you need it.

You new truck should do fine as long as you have trailer brakes with a good brake controller. Just take it easy on the brakes or you’ll get warped rotors pretty quick. Almost every Honda I’ve had has been lengendary for warping rotors.

#12

I towed my Spec E30 car on an open deck steel trailer for years, using my '98 MPV that’s rated at 4,300 pounds, and never had a single problem. Just make sure the tongue weight is correct (right Vic?) and that you have good trailer brakes.

Carter

ps. If anyone here is building a car and plans to tow it, feel free to ask questions. There are a few tricks and you don’t want to do it wrong.

#13

Carter–sounds like a good seperate post, and maybe even make it a sticky?

#14

ddavidv wrote:

here you go:

Semi Annual Towing Advice

#15

Thanks for finding that thread, Igor.

Carter

#16

Ex36 wrote:

[quote] It rides awfully nicely, is well-apointed, safe, and is easy on the gas, so perhaps I’ll have the last laugh. It is ugly, though, so I’m only showing you the ass end, which is the best view.

Sasha [/quote]

I was looking at one of these the other day and was thinking to myself "Hmm …that’s not a bad looking truck for towing a race car and tooling around town". Sasha, you say it is ugly. Personally, I like the looks of the Ridgeline. Of course I like Bronzit too :unsure:

Best of luck with it.

Don

#17

The more I drive it, the better it looks to me (it’s by far the smoothest, quietest Honda I’ve ever driven). Considering the list of standard equipment, I think it’s a steal for the price–I paid $24,700, which is $800 below invoice and $3,600 below MSRP! Luckily, so many people find it ugly they’re having trouble unloading them.

Sasha

#18

Ric - great story, good outcome. And Sasha, the Ridgeline should be a great tow vehicle. We have been using an Expedition, without a great deal more towing capacity for 2 years with no problems - even a few 12 hour pulls - with a full bed trailer weighing 2300 lbs dry.

Ed

#19

Sasha,

Katie and I are probably going to pick up either a Ridgeline or a Grand Cherokee diesel pretty soon, to serve as her daily driver and my tow vehicle.

Of course, me having a job is kinda important beforehand…

#20

sharkd wrote:

[quote]Sasha,

Katie and I are probably going to pick up either a Ridgeline or a Grand Cherokee diesel pretty soon, to serve as her daily driver and my tow vehicle.

Of course, me having a job is kinda important beforehand…[/quote]

I would recommend staying away from the Jeep. It’s a short wheelbase and doesn’t make for a great towing vehicle.