Today's (mis) Adventure

[Grant Lamontagne]

Here are the photos- even the power folding mirrors were powerless to help!   





If my life depended on it I may have tried to get it in there, but as something to do several times per day, every day?  Nope.  Not gonna happen.  My Jeep is barely narrow enough to go through there and the Ram is almost a foot wider, even without the mirrors.   

Of course, even if I had managed to get it down the lane way, there's not much likelihood that I'd have been able to maneuver it into my spot.  There's a very limited amount of space to turn around back there, and even in the Jeep I come remarkably close to crushing two different barbecues as I try to back into my parking space.

Def

[Syph007]

I wasn't happy with the slapdash inspection done by the first body shop so I went to another yeaterday.  They insist that they have to get an ok from the insurance company to measure the frame properly, so not much got accomplished.

I decided to go next door to the Dodge dealer and very nearly drove away with a 2017 Dodge Ram.   

In fact, I did on a way- I brought it home on the test drive and found out that it wouldn't fit between the buildings to get to my parking lot so I had to take it back. 

Def

The ram was on my short list too but at the time Ford had better deals on and that sealed it. 

[Grant Lamontagne]

I like the Ram, but given the choice, I'd take the F-150 as well.  Of course, I doubt it would it down between the houses any easier than the Dodge did!   

Def

[Syph007]

I like the Ram, but given the choice, I'd take the F-150 as well.  Of course, I doubt it would it down between the houses any easier than the Dodge did!   

Def

The full size f150 I have from mirror to mirror is wider than a military Humvee.   I have retaining walls on either side of my driveway and if I dont park just right I cant open the door all the way. I installed bumpers on the door edges to protect them as I have hit the concrete many times. 

When I was doing truck research the only negative I could find on the ram was that they had a higher likelihood of transmission failure and costly replacement.   My dad was a lifelong ram guy though and was trying to steer me that way.  He however wasnt looking up repair stats and costs on the internet.

So if you already had a truck when you moved to Ottawa I guess you would have rented elsewhere? 

[dks]

what is wrong with a smaller pick-up ?  e.g Toyota hi lux size?  or, the honda ridgeline for something more car-like ?

easier to park and drive offroad, and enough payload for most.

[Syph007]

what is wrong with a smaller pick-up ?  e.g Toyota hi lux size?  or, the honda ridgeline for something more car-like ?

easier to park and drive offroad, and enough payload for most.

For me payload and towing capacity.  The Honda isn't even a truck it's front wheel drive.

[Grant Lamontagne]

what is wrong with a smaller pick-up ?  e.g Toyota hi lux size?  or, the honda ridgeline for something more car-like ?

easier to park and drive offroad, and enough payload for most.

The Ridgeline isn't an option- it is the most hideous and useless piece of crap ever spewed forth onto this Earth.  I'd rather try to beat the ebola virus out of my man parts with a jagged stick than drive a Ridgeline, let alone pay actual money for one.

The Tacoma is the version of the Hilux offered here, and while I think it's a decent truck, it doesn't provide any advantages over my current vehicle.  The full sized pickups do, which is why I looked at them.  I'm not actually in the market for a new vehicle, but there was an opportunity there so I looked at it.

Def

[G-Dizzle]

im a recent Ram convert as some of you know. Honestly liked it better than the same price Ford, chevy, toyota, or nissan in just about every way. One reason I liked it is that it felt so wide/big on the inside. The other trucks I drove didnt, so maybe youll have better luck with them. Although feeling wider and being wider are probably different

[jzmtl]

Did you try to RAM it through the buildings?

[Grant Lamontagne]

Did you try to RAM it through the buildings?

Nope, I DODGEd the buildings!

Def

[ironraven]

The Ridgeline isn't an option- it is the most hideous and useless piece of crap ever spewed forth onto this Earth.  I'd rather try to beat the ebola virus out of my man parts with a jagged stick than drive a Ridgeline, let alone pay actual money for one.

Tell us how you really feel, Grant.

[Grant Lamontagne]

I really can't as this is a family friendly forum and I'm already in danger of being banned.   

Def

[Don Pablo]

I'd like to see them try. 

[Grant Lamontagne]

Ben banned me once....



Once.


Def

[NKlamerus]

I'm with Grant on the Ridgeline, it upsets me enough that GM had something similar with the Avalanche.

Def does that Dodge have the new coil-over rear end or is it leaf springs?

[dks]

Many people just want an SUV, an AWD not a 4WD, with  the ability to carry some more load.

Not every pickup owner wants a hard core 4WD with solid axles and hard ride.  I do not know how well the ridgeline is selling (I would love to testdrive one) , but it is like the LM squirt, or signal, or juice, or skeletool - Not everybody needs to carry a Surge or an ST300

[G-Dizzle]

I'm with Grant on the Ridgeline, it upsets me enough that GM had something similar with the Avalanche.

Def does that Dodge have the new coil-over rear end or is it leaf springs?

I think they switched over in 09

[G-Dizzle]

Have you seen the underbed storage and the lighting and in cab storage and gadgets on the ridgeline though?

[Nix]

The Ridgeline is quite popular. Owner's seem to love them. Never grabbed my fancy. 

I'll stick with a proper truck until I can downsize to a Jeep (CJ/JK/JL). I had a YJ for about 12 years and absolutely loved that beast, but it doesn't have the all the cargo space one might desire.

[Syph007]

The ridgline is a weird shaped car with bed like truck feature.

If I was going small truck it would be Toyota for sure or wait for the 2019 ranger to be back in North America.  Honda should have a small truck offering but they don't. 

[Nix]

I think Jeep is coming out with a Jeep-style vehicle with a small pick-up bed next year, like the old Scrambler.

[SteveC]

I think Jeep is coming out with a Jeep-style vehicle with a small pick-up bed next year, like the old Scrambler.

(Image removed from quote.)

That is sweet   

[Grant Lamontagne]

I'm with Grant on the Ridgeline, it upsets me enough that GM had something similar with the Avalanche.

Def does that Dodge have the new coil-over rear end or is it leaf springs?

I like the Avalanche, but then it is based on the Suburban, which is pretty well my absolute favorite SUV/truck, but I know a lot of people didn't like the Avalanche.  It struck me as odd that Honda took the Avalanche concept and said "Hmm.... I'll bet we could smurf that up even more!"

And that's how the Ridgeline was born.  They took everything truck like and removed it, replacing it with a combination of styrofoam and soft cheeses.

Honda should stick to bikes and generators.

Def

[dks]

cars ? 

[Syph007]

I'm with Grant on the Ridgeline, it upsets me enough that GM had something similar with the Avalanche.

Def does that Dodge have the new coil-over rear end or is it leaf springs?

I like the Avalanche, but then it is based on the Suburban, which is pretty well my absolute favorite SUV/truck, but I know a lot of people didn't like the Avalanche.  It struck me as odd that Honda took the Avalanche concept and said "Hmm.... I'll bet we could smurf that up even more!"

And that's how the Ridgeline was born.  They took everything truck like and removed it, replacing it with a combination of styrofoam and soft cheeses.

Honda should stick to bikes and generators.

Def

Honda does make the best generator for sure.  I got my eye on an eu2000i for camping/integration into my yet to be built truck camper

[NKlamerus]

You definitely won't beat a small Honda Motor, their motorcycles and even the Accord/Civic will run with a bullet in the block

But I have no idea what they were thinking with the Ridgeline

[G-Dizzle]

I think Jeep is coming out with a Jeep-style vehicle with a small pick-up bed next year, like the old Scrambler.

(Image removed from quote.)

i wonder if it will have a bigger engine

[Whoey]

I think Jeep is coming out with a Jeep-style vehicle with a small pick-up bed next year, like the old Scrambler.

(Image removed from quote.)

i wonder if it will have a bigger engine

If the trackhawk is anything to go by, possibly...

[Syncop8r]

Many people just want an SUV, an AWD not a 4WD, with  the ability to carry some more load.

What's the difference between an AWD and a 4WD? I thought they were the same but you use AWD if you can't count. 

[Syph007]

Many people just want an SUV, an AWD not a 4WD, with  the ability to carry some more load.

What's the difference between an AWD and a 4WD? I thought they were the same but you use AWD if you can't count. 

Those terms get pretty messed up and misused by the advertising people.  Also each company implements them differently but in very broad terms the main differences are the fraction of power transmitted to each axle and the wheel differentials. 

AWD systems typically are non user selectable and for the most part just drive the front wheel and only transfer some of the power to the rear when the front wheel slips. Generally speaking these are for on road foul weather use, not for deep snow or mud bogging.

4WD is user selectable and will have a Hi/Low range and at least a rear diff lock some have front too.  Power can be equally transferred to front and rear and all wheels.