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Whale-ista
Super Nomad
Posts: 2009
Registered: 2-18-2013
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Sunny with chance of whales
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Truck question: Honda Ridgeline for Baja?
Considering a larger truck to haul the new-to-me trailer.
One possible option: a 4WD Honda Ridgeline.
I've loved driving the Mazda B4000 (basically a Ranger) around Baja for many years, and read comments re:the ease of finding parts/service for Toyotas
and Fords.
What do people think about Hondas?
Would finding a mechanic/parts be more difficult?
(Hopefully their reliability would make that unlikely.)
\"Probably the airplanes will bring week-enders from Los Angeles before long, and the beautiful poor bedraggled old town will bloom with a
Floridian ugliness.\" (John Steinbeck, 1940, discussing the future of La Paz, BCS, Mexico)
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64855
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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"Larger truck" is not a Honda, is it?
Toyota, Ford, and Jeep seem the most popular truck makes here.
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8947
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
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Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
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I had inherited a 2006 Honda Pilot and unfortunately, it had developed a common trait among Pilot owners - lifter clatter. Look it up. At 150,000
miles the clatter became louder, but reliability had not become affected. Roughly one year ago, it was used for a down payment of a more capable 4WD
midsize pickup that you might consider - a 2020 Jeep Gladiator!
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 18390
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Hot n spicy
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F-150. Or maybe a 4runner.
Woke!
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Prefered gender pronoun: the royal we
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bajatrailrider
Super Nomad
Posts: 2432
Registered: 1-24-2015
Location: Mexico
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Mood: Happy
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ridgeline has a good engine and trans . weak link suspension
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defrag4
Senior Nomad
Posts: 536
Registered: 2-5-2011
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thats gonna be a no from me, in Baja or otherwise
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Whale-ista
Super Nomad
Posts: 2009
Registered: 2-18-2013
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Sunny with chance of whales
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This is interesting- sounds like a joke: So a Toyota, Nissan and Honda truck all drive a long a long dirt road leading to the Death Valley
"Racetrack"...
https://youtu.be/CWYqEinNGUM
[Edited on 10-19-2020 by Whale-ista]
\"Probably the airplanes will bring week-enders from Los Angeles before long, and the beautiful poor bedraggled old town will bloom with a
Floridian ugliness.\" (John Steinbeck, 1940, discussing the future of La Paz, BCS, Mexico)
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JZ
Select Nomad
Posts: 10566
Registered: 10-3-2003
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I actually didn't know Honda made trucks. And that is definitely not a "larger" truck.
Go with Toyota, Chevy, or Ford. V8 if you are going to be trailering a good bit.
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Whale-ista
Super Nomad
Posts: 2009
Registered: 2-18-2013
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Sunny with chance of whales
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The Ridgeline has a larger interior/cab- it's a 4-door, with two full seating rows.
The Mazda has two small jump seats (which I removed for added cargo space)
Honda: slightly more HP than the B4000- but less towing capacity: 5K vs. 6K
Honda: Only a 5' bed and would require a custom shell (the Callen wouldn't fit)
The Mazda is 20 years old, and not 4WD (though it has great clearance).
Honda is AWD (they call it "on demand 4WD")
Honda has 22 gal. gas tank/300+ mile range, 17 MPG avg.
Mazda has 20 gal. and less range (esp w/a trailer), 15 MPG avg
So... I'm considering various options and pros/cons.
\"Probably the airplanes will bring week-enders from Los Angeles before long, and the beautiful poor bedraggled old town will bloom with a
Floridian ugliness.\" (John Steinbeck, 1940, discussing the future of La Paz, BCS, Mexico)
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JZ
Select Nomad
Posts: 10566
Registered: 10-3-2003
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Do not go with a Honda.
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chuckie
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6082
Registered: 2-20-2012
Location: Kansas Prairies
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Mood: Weary
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Go with a Honda.
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PaulW
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3075
Registered: 5-21-2013
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Tire size and therefore clearance for the Baja rocks would tell whether it is suitable for any off road excursions. Most importantly is is AWD or 4x4
with a low range?
If you stay on highways then it would probably be a good rig.
with concerns with gas mileage for the big v6.
Reliability should not be a concern, but parts and service are only in the big cities. For sure it is not like the main brands, but workable.
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caj13
Super Nomad
Posts: 1002
Registered: 8-1-2017
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Ok so I actually own a 2020 ridgeline. I went looking for a pick-up, was sure i would end up with a Tacoma. but driving the Honda - wow. For what
I wanted it for - Travel (primarily to baja) it checked all the boxes. the interior was significantly larger that the Tacoma, and MUCH more
comfortable. It was quieter inside, and had alot more convenience features. I love the "trunk" under the bed .
So - How is it in Baja? It has been exactly what I wanted, very comfortable, I'm getting 24 - 26 mpg on the highway, (400 miles on a tank) with
zero issues. (I'm at 60K miles right now). The truck has taken 3 baja trips, La Bocana, Los Barriles, and i hauled a fairly heavy trailer (4500
lbs) down to Sheri in Bahia Asuncion, then continued down to Cabo Pulmo.
But it depends on what you are wanting to do. the thing is great on the highway, dirt and gravel roads, no problem, and for light 4 wheeling its
fine. But when I head down with off road plans, launching boats, Hauling a heavy trailer, and beating myself up - well then, its the F-150 4 wd
that I take.
So I guess my advise would be to make sure you know what you plan on doing with the vehicle, then choose accordingly.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64855
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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caj, can you describe the four wheel drive system?
Part time 4WD or full time AWD, or selectable?
Is there a low range?
How about a traction system (like Toyota's MTS + CRAWL or A-TRAC)? Is there a locking differential (rear only or front and rear)?
Thank you... and tell us if you have actually have driven it yet where 4WD was needed, like in deep sand.
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JZ
Select Nomad
Posts: 10566
Registered: 10-3-2003
Member Is Online
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Its car like frame is not meant for towing or going off road. AWD is not 4WD.
This article gives you a sense of who buys a Ridgeline.
Best truck for the city.
https://www.automobilemag.com/news/2020-honda-ridgeline-awd-...
"Just like no one needs a sports car, most people don't need a pickup truck. And just as with sports cars, you simply want a truck, be it for the
utility or elevated height or because you think they look cool." Lol.
[Edited on 10-18-2020 by JZ]
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pacificobob
Super Nomad
Posts: 2308
Registered: 4-23-2006
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i have driven a ridgeline the length of the peninsula 3 times. i love those trucks.
the ergonomic qualities are remarkable..... under the bed is a huge hidden storage area. handy at times. a nimble and fun to drive. much nicer than
the f150 i now use.
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 18390
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Hot n spicy
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Quote: Originally posted by David K  | caj, can you describe the four wheel drive system?
Part time 4WD or full time AWD, or selectable?
Is there a low range?
How about a traction system (like Toyota's MTS + CRAWL or A-TRAC)? Is there a locking differential (rear only or front and rear)?
Thank you... |
You have a lot of nerdy questions! Why don’t you go read about the car at the Honda website, probably has lots of facts/figures to nerd-out on.
Woke!
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Prefered gender pronoun: the royal we
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64855
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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I would rather hear from a fellow Nomad and get his insights than from a magazine, which must speak nicely in order to keep getting new trucks to
drive and review.
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
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How heavy is the trailer you'll be towing? I'm not familiar with the Honda engines other than my wife's Acura and it was great. I do know a 4L Tacoma
can pull a 5000 lb trailer up a 7000 ft mtn no problem. I did it many times before I retired. If it's not a body on frame like most trucks and you
drive it off road much it won't last as long. But what the heck it's your choice go for it and let us know how it works outs. Most peoples opinions
are just that, opinions not based on facts.
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bajatrailrider
Super Nomad
Posts: 2432
Registered: 1-24-2015
Location: Mexico
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Mood: Happy
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for what he said of the 2020 that is exactly what it is good for. if it has no low range then useless on hard 4x4 routes. As far as Atrac or all the
other toyota stuff. haha David remember my diesel Nissan pole line run . It has none of that want to see if you guys can. Tow a 5000 pound bronco
off road sand climbing. Only 2.5 diesel haha lets have contest V v6 toyota.
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