GMC Canyon/Toyota Tacoma/Honda RIdgeline

[Stevo_man]

The Honda Ridgeline is made in Canada. I have friends who work there - they are all paid very well and are treated well. No unions, still good benefits - good product. Both Honda and Toyota are expanding in Canada and employing more people, unlike the "Big 3" who are downsizing. How many plants have the "Big 3" opened in Mexico lately? Pontiac Vibe is a Toyota Matrix. So many crossbred cars now - who cares where they are made.

Just my 2cents

Its so sad that so many of us good, American folks are buying Japanese vehicles. Where is our patriotism? Japanese folks never buy american, so the joke's on us! I live in Detroit and work in the american automotive business, and I see how important it is that we continue to support american automotive, and I have watched firsthand,(I work at General Motors Powertrain) how huge leaps in quality have been attained in the last few year. As for the Canyon/Colorado, the inline 5 cylinder is an excellent engine, with very little warranty. It is fuel efficient, and does quite well in that vehicle. I will agree that the truck could use the I-6 that is in the Trailblazer, so if you are looking for a bit more towing capacity, you perhaps could entertain the Silverado and keep the base V8, the 4.8 liter. Keeping that engine instead of upgrading to the 5.3L gives that truck gas mileage in the low 20's. There are great options in the American autos that can help keep American jobs here and stop helping Toyota have profits in the 2.4 billion dollar range. Just a though....

[LCMS pastor]

Its so sad that so many of us good, American folks are buying Japanese vehicles.  Where is our patriotism?  Japanese folks never buy american, so the joke's on us!  I live in Detroit and work in the american automotive business, and I see how important it is that we continue to support american automotive, and I have watched firsthand,(I work at General Motors Powertrain) how huge leaps in quality have been attained in the last few year.  As for the Canyon/Colorado, the inline 5 cylinder is an excellent engine, with very little warranty.  It is fuel efficient, and does quite well in that vehicle.  I will agree that the truck could use the I-6 that is in the Trailblazer, so if you are looking for a bit more towing capacity, you perhaps could entertain the Silverado and keep the base V8, the 4.8 liter.  Keeping that engine instead of upgrading to the 5.3L gives that truck gas mileage in the low 20's.  There are great options in the American autos that can help keep American jobs here and stop helping Toyota have profits in the 2.4 billion dollar range.  Just a though....

Let's see. Ford has plants in Mexico, Canada, and Europe, not to mention many of their cars are actually Mazdas.  DOdge is owned by Daimler, as is the old AMC/Jeep line, and GMC imports vehciles made by Suzuki and Isuzu (the Trailblazer/Envoy line is the Isuzu Ascender)
Nissan and Toyota have plants in Tennesee, Honda is detroit and in Canada.
To be honest, which is truly an American Company?  The one whose stockholders are global?  The one that employs the most american workers?  The one that has stuck loyoally by its American workers?  

Test drove the Ridgline day before yesterday. It seems to meet my needs for a 4wd that is neither completely a car, or a truck.  Sort of like a 4 door Subaru Brat on steroids. Since I am not looking for a "work truck" the Sierra/Tundra don't really fit my need, plus the gas mileage isn't great.  The Canyon COlorado won't pull my Niagara at altitude.  So I guess it comes down to whether the 6500 pound tacoma has enough legroom, and if the 4 door, 4wd is ok pricewise.

God a great offer on the top model Ridgline - for less than the base price on the low end model.....

Seems good.

[Stevo_man]

You will be very happy with the Honda Ridgeline.:-()

[sacrawf]

The Toyota Tundra is made in Southern Indiana...and employs parts made by many other workers in American plants.  GM Powertrain, however, closed it's local plant.

[rock_hound]

I know you are not considering a Nissan.  However, I thought I would throw this in.  I purchased an 05 Frontier King Cab V6 this week.  The Frontier beats the Tacoma in horse power and price!  Prior to the Frontier I had a 97 Nissan truck.  I put 208,000 miles on it with no problems.  The choice was very easy for me.

[D1Boz]

I know you are not considering a Nissan.  However, I thought I would throw this in.  I purchased an 05 Frontier King Cab V6 this week.  The Frontier beats the Tacoma in horse power and price!  Prior to the Frontier I had a 97 Nissan truck.  I put 208,000 miles on it with no problems.  The choice was very easy for me.

They might say they will beat a Tacoma in hp but I can tell you that it want hang with a Tacoma. We use to put up our 190hp Tacomas against their 210 supercharged Frontier and smoke them all the time on and off-road. It's all in the gearing and shifting. Off-Road, I want get into that because they ain't no where close to a Tacoma.

[LCMS pastor]

WElp - we did it.

Bought the 06 Ridgleine, and got a deal on it - the loaded RTL with SUnroof for less than the sticker on the base model.  I was shocked, as Honda has a rep for NOT dealing..... they even gave me full bluebook on my trade!

Power is unbelievable, havent towed with it yet, but went up a road a member's Explorer cannot climb.  Also, this has to be the most comfortable vehicle I have ever road in, possible exception a old VOlvo 240 I borrowed in college.

COnsidering I don't like helping people move, and yet wanted a small to middling pickup - with crew cab size.... I am very very happy....

Dt


PS  to the Nissan dude, I owned a 98 sentre - the sports edition - went through 7 clutches in 60K - I complained wrote letters, finally had a engineer spec the engine - turned out the flywheel bracket was 1/64th of an inch off... enough to cause the problems... Nissan said - wearable part - so sorry - please pay 960 bucks ( per clutch)..... will never ever own one again... NISSAN USA - said - we aint responsible.

[abbear]

I'm pretty sure the ridgeline has the same engine as my Saturn, the Honda Pilot and Odyssey, and the Acura MDX.  It is an awesome engine.  I pulled my old Westlake 4500 miles last summer all over the rockies and cascades and never had any power problems and more amazingly my mileage was a respectable 18 - 20 mpg.  Now with the much lighter Colonial the car acts like nothing is there.

By the way - yes, my Saturn does have a Honda V6 engine/tranny.  Seems GM swapped some diesel engines for them.  Kind of makes it tough to 'buy American'  but then I think the Honda engine is better than the old v6 the Vue used to have.

[LCMS pastor]

I'm pretty sure the ridgeline has the same engine as my Saturn, the Honda Pilot and Odyssey, and the Acura MDX.  It is an awesome engine.  I pulled my old Westlake 4500 miles last summer all over the rockies and cascades and never had any power problems and more amazingly my mileage was a respectable 18 - 20 mpg.  Now with the much lighter Colonial the car acts like nothing is there.

----
The Ridgline has the 3.5 liter engine - but has 255 hp - more than the Vue when I looked at it.  With the special radiators and tranny coolers it is rated at 5000 lbs, which is more than the other Hondas.

I also love the locking trunk and underseat storage etc...  will be a great tow vehicle..

[Popups4Rent]

Congrats on the Ridgeline purchase.
 
For clarification - The Isuzu Ascender is built in Ohio in a GM plant by GM. The Trailblazer is not an Ascender rebadged, other way around.

[NIAGARA05]

All I can say is what ever works.  I pull a 05 Fleetwood Niagara weighs about 4000 lbs. loaded.  I use either our 03 Ford Explorer Sport Trac with a 4.0L V6 with 4.10 gear ratio or 05 Ford Explorer 4dr with a 4.6L V8 and a 3.73 rear.  On longer trips we use the 05 and on short trips I use the 03.  They both do a really good job.  The only draw back to the 03 is that the 4.10 gets it off the line good because of all the torq but you lose the middle power.

05 EXPLORER V8  7000 ILBS 4X4
03 EXPLORER V6  5080 ILBS 4X4

MARK ' 74
SUSAN ' 78
MARBLES (CAT) 10 YRS OLD

[Skydivn Bill]

The Tacoma, '05 is the best choice!  Tow capacity, rigid frame with 9 cross members, a 4 litre V6 that thinks it is a V8 due to VVTi, 5-speed automatic and cost of operation/ownership.  'Course, I sell 'em...

Blue Skies!

Skydivn' Bill

[LCMS pastor]

Considering my 2003 Corrolla's reliability, and the fact it will cost over 350 bucks to fix the cover on the little storage compartment under the stereo, I no longer buy into the bulletproof toyota theory.

So now, I will give the Honda a shot... and since they tossed in a 100K warranty...maybe they beleive in their warranty a little more?


btw - who ever heard that Macphearson Struts were wearable parts and therefore not part of the warranty?

 

The Tacoma, '05 is the best choice!  Tow capacity, rigid frame with 9 cross members, a 4 litre V6 that thinks it is a V8 due to VVTi, 5-speed automatic and cost of operation/ownership.  'Course, I sell 'em...

Blue Skies!

Skydivn' Bill

[lman2b]

I know I'm very late in responding but wanted to anyway. My husband has never owned anything but toyotas, and I've owned a 4-runner (currently own a suburban and love it!!). His tacoma now, a '97 is still a wonderful truck, runs great and we go to the mountains all the time. Every truck he has had has been a great truck, they seem to just keep on running no matter what! I am desperate to buy him a new tacoma, but money just isn't available for that right now If we could though, we'd buy an '05 tacoma yesterday!!

[Frank Padilla, Jr]

I had the 2004 Tacoma and switched 8 months later for a 2005 Tacoma.  AWESOME!  Huge improvements!  The 6500 towing capacity pulls my PU without a hiccup, and the Prodigy brake control helps on mountains.  With the Toyota name backing it, I wouldn't take anything else.

Just MY opinion, of course.

Just purchased a new 2006 Toyota Tacoma wt tow package & 4x4. Did a test run with my 2006 Fleetwood Cheyenne and it pulled it with no issue. Planning to camp at Lake Mead mid Feb. I will need to go over Mountain Pass on the 15 Interstate from Baker to Las Vegas. I will then know how it really pulls.

I also installed the Prodigy Brake control, nice...

Frank