GTwannabe Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 If by "short-bed" you mean 6 ft, I'll agree. My cab needs have changed since I bought my Ranger. I'm married with kids, and if I'm going to invest in a new vehicle, I'd prefer it be capable of safely carrying all of us. BUT, I'd have a hard time giving up bed capacity (read: length) to get it. I'd probably just keep my Ranger and just buy a car. Since the Ranger only has a 5.5 foot bed, you're only giving up 6" with a RL or double cab Tacoma/Frontier. You can get that back with a bed extender. For the 2% of the time when you really need a larger bed, you can rent a trailer from U-Haul or a 3/4 ton from Home Depot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark B. Morrow Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Main problem is GM's truck look like warmed over 1988 designs. GM caters their trucks to Mullets stuck in the past, listening to Hair Metal, over and over. Time to get over that fading demographic, and cater to buyers in this century! So the problem is that all of GM's truck buyers switched to Camaros? Actually, that makes perfect sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F250 Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 (edited) Since the Ranger only has a 5.5 foot bed, you're only giving up 6" with a RL or double cab Tacoma/Frontier. You can get that back with a bed extender. For the 2% of the time when you really need a larger bed, you can rent a trailer from U-Haul or a 3/4 ton from Home Depot. Good add for Ridgeline: Buy our truck but when you need a truck go rent a real one. edit: Just a reminder the EcoBoost F150 makes 420 lb/ft of torque can tow over 11,000 lbs and it gets better fuel mileage than the little Ridgeline. Edited July 9, 2011 by F250 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerM Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Since the Ranger only has a 5.5 foot bed, you're only giving up 6" with a RL or double cab Tacoma/Frontier. You can get that back with a bed extender. For the 2% of the time when you really need a larger bed, you can rent a trailer from U-Haul or a 3/4 ton from Home Depot. When did a Ranger (in America) ever have anything less than a 6 foot bed? No thanks. A 6-foot bed suits me just fine. Both Toyota and Nissan make a crew cab with a 6' bed, but they each have their faults, so I'd likely go with something else. If that be the Ranger I already have, then so be it. I can just get something else, and keep my Ranger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Yea, go ahead blink first. Lower your weapon (capability) and watch what everyone else does. I believe the Ram lowered capability in the latest Gen when they went to coil springs for a better ride. It did not negatively impact sales (though tough economic times and the recent bk did not help either). I'm curious to see what they do with the next Gen if they continue down this path. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Good add for Ridgeline: Buy our truck but when you need a truck go rent a real one. edit: Just a reminder the EcoBoost F150 makes 420 lb/ft of torque can tow over 11,000 lbs and it gets better fuel mileage than the little Ridgeline. ...and the shortest crew cab F150 is 2 feet longer then a Ridgeline. Your basic everyday suburban dweller would love a more compact package. Best of both worlds? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTwannabe Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 ...and the shortest crew cab F150 is 2 feet longer then a Ridgeline. Your basic everyday suburban dweller would love a more compact package. Best of both worlds? And $5-8k more money to pull the 11,000lb trailer I'll never own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F250 Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 And $5-8k more money to pull the 11,000lb trailer I'll never own. If you dont need a truck just buy an Explorer. I tow my 8,500 lb boat every chance we can get. :D And other times load coolers and gear into the bed and head down Hatteras island beaches (4wd). So the F150 is perfect for what I need. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F250 Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 ...and the shortest crew cab F150 is 2 feet longer then a Ridgeline. Your basic everyday suburban dweller would love a more compact package. Best of both worlds? If thats what so many people want why are Ridgeline's sales so low. Anyway, all Ford needs to do is get out a can opener and cut the roof off of the Explorer over the cargo area and they have a Ridgeline beater. They can bring back the Explorer SportTrac name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theDuff Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 If thats what so many people want why are Ridgeline's sales so low. Anyway, all Ford needs to do is get out a can opener and cut the roof off of the Explorer over the cargo area and they have a Ridgeline beater. They can bring back the Explorer SportTrac name. Yeah, that's what we need. A $40k truck with a 4 foot bed. I think that's why the last one failed. Not enough bed length and too much money. You really can't put a 6 foot bed behind that second row of seats. That, and it wouldn't be as cheap as a Ranger 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 If thats what so many people want why are Ridgeline's sales so low. The same reason the MKT's sales are so low. Good idea, horrible styling. The Sport Trac was a good truck, but it was priced at the Explorer's price point and not a pickup's price point. I do think it's a niche that hasn't been exploited correctly yet Dodge is working on the same idea now for the next Dakota. Maybe they will hit the sweet spot of utility, style, price and everyday usability. Time will only tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blksn8k2 Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 I think a lot here are missing one main issue....how many here could pony up for a 60k Superduty?....F-150s are still selling relatively well, but I have seen a definite swing AWAY from Platinums and the like...trucks sitting are usually reflective of higher window stickers, the mainstream XLTs are consistant....I will say it again, the higher the MSRP the fewer is the pool of those that can afford them....and FWIW Ford also NEEDS an f-100 or some type of upsized ranger replacement as well...even the XLT and basic F-150s are getting spendy, almost to the point of alienating anyone that doesnt NEED one for business purposes.... Bingo! We have a winner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanh Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Why? Ridgeline does have a frame, it's just fused to the cab and bed: Granted, you can't easily change cab and bed configurations, but a "lifestyle" truck buyer is going to want a double cab short-bed anyway. note the word fused....kinda a hybrid unibody really...and means the body takes responsibilty for stress as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edstock Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 note the word fused....kinda a hybrid unibody really...and means the body takes responsibilty for stress as well Just like L-R does it, I believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpd80 Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 (edited) note the word fused....kinda a hybrid unibody really...and means the body takes responsibilty for stress as well If all you were building was a dual cab, then an integral frame could be made strong enough to do the job but if there's a chance that another vehicle like a single cab and a tray of around 8 feet long then you really need a proper ladder frame to cope and support because I don't think that an integral perimeter frame would support heavy loads properly and you'd end tearing the truck apart, possibly with serious frame cracks... and if all you were building was a dual cab with a smallish tray, Id don't see why a mid sized SUV couldn't fill that gap, it would approximate the load capacity and space as well as giving a roof to cover it as well... Edited July 9, 2011 by jpd80 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTwannabe Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 If thats what so many people want why are Ridgeline's sales so low. Anyway, all Ford needs to do is get out a can opener and cut the roof off of the Explorer over the cargo area and they have a Ridgeline beater. They can bring back the Explorer SportTrac name. Ridgeline sales are low right now because Honda is switching production from the Odyssey line to the Pilot line. Go to a Honda dealer and try to look at a Ridgeline... there aren't any on the lot, but the dealer has at least 3 on order with no estimate when they'll arrive. Now go to some used lots and look for Ridgelines... they're all priced very high ($18-25k) and sell quickly. A new Explorer SportTrac would be good, but it better have something like the RL's in-bed trunk. That way I can securely store my tools and equipment without having to waste bed space with a toolbox or locking cover. I don't want my stuff sliding around under the rear seats or attracting thieves. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsvt Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 even the XLT and basic F-150s are getting spendy, almost to the point of alienating anyone that doesnt NEED one for business purposes.... Can't this be said of any Ford product? Its all about making $$$ not selling cheap trucks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F250 Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 Just like L-R does it, I believe. Yes, old idea. The VW Rabbit Pickup from the 1970's was bult the same way. The best application of the light uni-body pickup was the Jeep Comanche (1985-'92). It had a unibody subframe that supported a traditional separate cargo box / cab pickup and conventional truck RWD/4WD powertrain. The Comanche had the lowest curb weight and highest available payload capacity of any compact pickup in it's time. The Comanche was proof that a tough, light pickup could be built on an existing unibody SUV platform (the outstanding Cherokee). And AMC put this all together on a very limited budget. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F250 Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 Can't this be said of any Ford product? Its all about making $$$ not selling cheap trucks Yes, old Henry would not approve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsvt Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 The Comanche was proof that a tough, light pickup could be built on an existing unibody SUV platform (the outstanding Cherokee). And AMC put this all together on a very limited budget. Then why wasn't it more successful then it was? Yes, old Henry would not approve. My friend's 2001 F-150 shot out a spark plug about 2 weeks ago after 150K+ on the engine. We went to a couple dealers looking at trucks and the Average price for a decently equipped F-150 with either the Ecoboost or 5.0L V8 was roughly 40K or so (was quoted about $500 a month for a car payment). Maybe its just me, but I find that to be pretty fair for what your getting...meanwhile I saw a Ranger XLT extended cab at the same dealership and it was the same price as what my dad paid for his 1998! Keep in mind the average cost of a car is I think right around 28K or so...cars last longer and people are keeping them longer also. I don't see the issue if you can keep it for 10 years...if you change out a car every 5 years or less, it gets expensive..but isn't that what leasing is all about? A small pickup might be a good thing but at the same time, unless Ford can make decent coin on it...whats the point? I'm sure that part of the reason the Ranger was around was to help offset F-series sales when it comes to CAFE, but with the new V6 in the F-150 and counting CUV's as trucks, its become redundant. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkisler Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 Why? Ridgeline does have a frame, it's just fused to the cab and bed: Granted, you can't easily change cab and bed configurations, but a "lifestyle" truck buyer is going to want a double cab short-bed anyway. This type of construction is nothing unusual. There is some sort of vestigial "frame" welded into the body in all unibody vehicles. The type of construction shown for the Ridgeline is very typical of minivans and crossovers -- which makes sense as the Honda Ridgeline, Odyssey, and Pilot are all heavily related. Of course, in a true body-on-frame, the body is bolted to the frame, not welded. Ford has already investigated a Ridgeline type vehicle on several occasions. It could be done relatively easily. Could have been done with CD3s (Edge); could have been done with D3/4 (Explorer). But when put in the mix with the rest of the Ford ineup, it was not seen to offer enough of an incremental advantage to make the investment worthwhile. Ridgeline was an OK move for Honda because they weren't about to invest the big bucks to try to go head-to-head with the U.S. manufacturers, so they were able to develop an Odyssey/Pilot derivative and put it in a manfacturing system that was ready to accept it. It does have some advantages (some people like the compartment under the bed), but not very many. It certainly has not been a sales success. But given the relatively low investment, it wasn't really that big a risk for Honda; it offered them a small representation in a very large market, and they might even have broken even financially. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F250 Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 (edited) Ridgeline sales are low right now because Honda is switching production from the Odyssey line to the Pilot line. Go to a Honda dealer and try to look at a Ridgeline... there aren't any on the lot, but the dealer has at least 3 on order with no estimate when they'll arrive. Now go to some used lots and look for Ridgelines... they're all priced very high ($18-25k) and sell quickly. Bullshit. Rumor is Ridgeline will be discontinued after 2011. My link In 2010 Honda only sold 16,142 Ridgelines. Honda Motor Company (HoMoCo) has the base price over $29k and running up over $38k for this trucklet. For that kind of money you could buy an EcoBoost F150. The Ridgeline's only advantage (to some people) is it is smaller...so buy a Ridgeline and get a lot less of everything and use more fuel...but it looks like if you want one you better act fast. Edited July 10, 2011 by F250 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F250 Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 Then why wasn't it more successful then it was? It did well but you see AMC had a few problems in the mid 80's, actually the Jeep division was the only thing they were doing right. This resulted in Chrysler buying AMC pretty much just to get Jeep. Chrysler dropped the Comanche because they wanted all pickup trucks to be sold under the Dodge brand and they had their compact Dakota. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTwannabe Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 Bullshit. Rumor is Ridgeline will be discontinued after 2011. My link In 2010 Honda only sold 16,142 Ridgelines. Honda Motor Company (HoMoCo) has the base price over $29k and running up over $38k for this trucklet. For that kind of money you could buy an EcoBoost F150. The Ridgeline's only advantage (to some people) is it is smaller...so buy a Ridgeline and get a lot less of everything and use more fuel...but it looks like if you want one you better act fast. RT trim starts at $28k, no rebates or customer incentives. That's comparable to upper-trim Tacoma/Frontier/Dakota. A 4WD Ecoboost F-150 SuperCrew stickers for $38k and includes $2000 of incentives. Remember, you have to step up trim levels just to get power windows and you need to add the pricey "max tow" package to tow 11,000lb pounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpd80 Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 RT trim starts at $28k, no rebates or customer incentives. That's comparable to upper-trim Tacoma/Frontier/Dakota. A 4WD Ecoboost F-150 SuperCrew stickers for $38k and includes $2000 of incentives. Remember, you have to step up trim levels just to get power windows and you need to add the pricey "max tow" package to tow 11,000lb pounds. Yes and Honda is only chasing the upper end of that market where as Tacoma covers the whole trucklet market. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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