trucks

shum02 wrote:

OH48Lt wrote:
Why does Honda even attempt to push this vehicle in the USA? Sales figures are so miserable that it can't be profitable.

They haven't the good sense to walk away from the table and only they seem to know why. Like I said if anyone else made this and had sales figures like this those responsible would have been fired and the line cancelled.

Do you suppose that Honda is profitable? Is there any chance that the Ridgeline is going to run them out of business? They could probably give Ridgelines away and still be profitable. I never heard anything about the Japanese government or anyone else bailing Honda out. If you want to talk about profits start a thread about GM. You're right, GM would have dumped the Ridgeline like they did the Pontiac and Saturn, but sometimes there is more to a business plan than instant $$$$ gratification.

EDIT. It took GM over75 years to determine that Pontiac couldn't be a money maker. Go figure!!!!

OH48Lt wrote:
Why does Honda even attempt to push this vehicle in the USA? Sales figures are so miserable that it can't be profitable.

They haven't the good sense to walk away from the table and only they seem to know why. Like I said if anyone else made this and had sales figures like this those responsible would have been fired and the line cancelled.

Why does Honda even attempt to push this vehicle in the USA? Sales figures are so miserable that it can't be profitable.

Well said water-bug. We have had a Ridgeline for almost 10 years and it does what we need it to. It is a daily driver, hauls our boat and other items. It has been very econimonical and reliable to own. No, it won't haul our 5th wheel but that is what our 1 ton is for.

If any other manufacture made this vehicle and got these sales numbers it would be considered a failure. That Honda is going to take another shot at it either shows guts or not knowing when to fold the cards and leave the table.

Henry Kaiser was a multi-millionaire back when a million bucks was real money. His moto was "Find a need and fill it". To be successful you don't need to appeal to everyone. You only need to appeal to enough people to make money. If you try to please everyone, you don't please anyone. Find your nitch and serve it well. That is what the Ridgeline does. Is it a real truck? Who cares if it fills your needs or makes you money? You can't put a lift kit, oversized tires and wheels or big block V-8 into it, so the people who buy truck to parade don't consider it a truck. You can't tow a 5er or multi-horse horse trailer with it, so people who tow don't consider it a truck. The construction manager that has to make a small last minute delivery to a site and then take a client out to lunch considers it a truck. They guy who wants to haul all his camping gear, bass boat and four buddies on fishing trip, considers it a truck. "Find a need and fill it".

Maybe. The ones I've seen I couldn't tell the color of the engine. They've run far without being touched and have accumulated a layer of brown dust.

Water-Bug wrote:

Martyn wrote:
Not a truck unless you can remove the bed! Makes them more adaptable. :)

You can remove the bed on an ElCamino, S-10 , Ranchero and a dozen other grocery getters but that doesn't make them REAL trucks

Full BOF and removable box = pretty much a truck. The RL has neither.

Martyn wrote:
Not a truck unless you can remove the bed! Makes them more adaptable. :)

You can remove the bed on an ElCamino, S-10 , Ranchero and a dozen other grocery getters but that doesn't make them REAL trucks

Not a truck unless you can remove the bed! Makes them more adaptable. :)