I've had my Honda Element for about a year now. I bought it with about 95,000 miles on it, driven it about 10 thousand additional miles and now it has a little over 96k showing on the odometer. Nice feature, what? My Element, while being "just another small SUV," is unique in many ways. It has always had only a four cylinder engine available. It has a large, tilt-up sunroof, but it's in the back where it can't be opened without getting out of the car. It has a ridiculous shape that provides better than average interior space, and the ability to remove the back seats for dog kennels or what have you. It is very cheaply made, but mine, a 2005, doesn't show any corrosion anywhere on the exterior of the vehicle.
Over the years, I have been fascinated by the number of times that Honda has introduced vehicles that were different from what everyone else was selling, apparently just for the hell of it. In many ways they just don't seem to care what other manufacturers are doing or even, incredibly, what the buying public wants.
Many of us were totally perplexed by the Prelude, a car that was sold as being sporty, but had the same drivetrain as an Accord. Eventually, they added a bit of performance in the later Preludes, but they never went to a V6, even when every other Japanese car with sporting pretensions had done so. Today's CRZ continues the Honda tradition of the mildly-performing "sporty" car. They could sell a lot of them if they were as fast as they look, but Honda doesn't seem interested.
Honda's Ridgeline is unlike anyone else's version of a pickup truck. It is functional in its own way, but for carrying lumber or plywood (a significant consideration for most pick-up purchasers), you might as well have a car. It looks ridiculous and it is rather expensive, considering. They sell very few of them, even compared to the rather unsuccessful pickups from Toyota and Nissan.
In motorcycles, Honda has always been willing to try new engine designs, an automatic transmission or two, and who knows what else. Consider some of their models over the years. The GL500 and 650 featured a sideways-mounted V-2 engines like Moto Guzzi, and they also were sold in a touring bike configuration called the "Silverwing." They made the first high-performance in-line six cylinder motorcycle engine (the CBX), a number of fabulous V-4's (VFR, V65 Magna, ST1100/1300), and, lest we forget, horizontally-opposed 4's and 6's, leading up to today's Goldwing. All this in addition to their basic two and four cylinder UJM's and sport bikes - like everybody else makes.
The Honda Rune was a completely unique motorcycle that they had to know wouldn't sell worth crap with its unique looks and horse-choking pricetag. I saw new ones being offered for sale three years after they were produced at about $10k less than the original MSRP.
Now they are "selling" the DN-1, which is a fantastically futuristic looking bike, but has zero utility beyond transportation for one, coupled with a relatively stratospheric price. $15k for a REALLY NICE 700cc SCOOTER? Are you kidding me?
It must be fun to be a designer for Honda. No matter how crazy your concept is, it has a chance of going into production.
Honda
Re: Honda
True dat...The Hen wrote:I wonder how many miles your Honda had actually done when you bought it if it is now only recording every 10,000 miles as a thousand?
Sometimes it seems as though one has to cross the line just to figger out where it is
-
quaddriver
- Posts: 759
- Joined: Mon May 17, 2010 4:40 am
- Location: Wherever the man sends me
- Contact:
Re: Honda
cept that it is a 3/4 scale chevy avalanche....dgs49 wrote:Honda's Ridgeline is unlike anyone else's version of a pickup truck. .
Re: Honda
Well, kind of...it's a Honda Pilot with the roof hacked off. Unlike an Avalanche, it actually ISN'T capable of hauling any real weight or towing a large trailer. (A 2500-series Avalanche will tow over 10,000lbs.)
Treat Gaza like Carthage.
Re: Honda
Other odd things Honda has done over the years...
They refused for YEARS to put a V6 in the Accord, even when every competitor had one.
The refuse to produce any RWD Acura's, and tried to price the RL against other comparable luxury cars (upwards of $50k), ALL of which have RWD or AWD. They sell about one of these a month, although it is reputed to be a fine car. It's just that nobody wants a FWD superLux.
They refuse to put a V6 in the CRV, although it is hard to fault them with this runaway best-seller.
They have never gone to turbocharging, even though all their Japanese competitors have done so.
Interesting company.
They refused for YEARS to put a V6 in the Accord, even when every competitor had one.
The refuse to produce any RWD Acura's, and tried to price the RL against other comparable luxury cars (upwards of $50k), ALL of which have RWD or AWD. They sell about one of these a month, although it is reputed to be a fine car. It's just that nobody wants a FWD superLux.
They refuse to put a V6 in the CRV, although it is hard to fault them with this runaway best-seller.
They have never gone to turbocharging, even though all their Japanese competitors have done so.
Interesting company.
-
quaddriver
- Posts: 759
- Joined: Mon May 17, 2010 4:40 am
- Location: Wherever the man sends me
- Contact:
Re: Honda
they are developing a fwd platform but the 3,5,7 series are safe, most likely within our lifetimes. who do they think they are? VAG?keld feldspar wrote:Beemers are fixin ta be FWD...