Biker wannabes will love the loud exhaust.

Honda Ridgeline - 1584lbs payload capacity in base versions, 1499lbs payload capacity in the luxed-out versions. That’s more than most mid-sized pickups, and quite a few full-size pickups.

Another tip: if you off-road often and don’t have a winch, a handyman jack (aka 48" Hi-Lift jack) can serve as both a come-along winch and a tool to jack your vehicle up out of a rut or to change a tire. Most hardcore off-roaders already have these, as do most ranchers worth their salt.

If you off-road in an area where anchor points for winching may be few and far between, here’s a solution. Carry a length of log chain (maybe 10'), a half-dozen pieces of re-bar and a good hammer. Lay the chain out in line with your rig, then pound a re-bar through a link, then another about a dozen links down, then…

I use a dirt bike. It goes places a Rubicon can only dream about, doesn't get stuck, and only costs a couple grand.

Here’s the thing, though....once that boat hits the water, there is very little pulling back on the truck. Certainly the traction can overcome what is essentially the weight of just the truck (and a trailer buoyed by water) at that point.

America is truck-happy. Nissan can’t compete in the full-size market, regardless of how good their product is, due to strong domestic brand loyalty.

How much cooling airflow could one expect from the Bernoulli effect? IOW, with side-mounted radiators, wouldn’t air rushing by help suck heat out of the engine bay?

But how much can it tow???

1st choice: Acura RDX

Is the Ranger really as bad as all the reviewers are saying? Apparently, the wild suspension settles down some if you add a few hundred pounds to the bed, which cuts into your MPG, which is already under investigation for being advertised as higher than it actually is...

Wat it comes down to, is that smaller = less capability, so people expect to pay less. Also, some think that a smaller vehicle uses less raw materials, so should cost less. That is true; however, raw materials make up a very small part of a vehicle. The vast majority of the cost is in labor, R&D, certifications,…

There’s still a solid quarter-inch on the pads, and brake feel is good, but i think I'll just change them out anyway and do a full flush on the fluid.  I hope the replacement pads are as good.

It’s amazingly balanced on icy roads. With good snow tires, you just about have to really try if you want to throw it out of control on winter roads.

True, their auto trans behind the V6 of that generation is a weak point. Same with the V6-auto combo in other applications, such as Odyssey, in the early 2000s. I think they got it sorted by the latter half of the 2000s, though. It’s been pretty solid in the G1 Ridgeline, as well as the G2 Ridgeline, but with an extra…

I took the MSF course back in the 90s, and it was everything you describe. Target fixation is real (focus on the open patch of road next to the obstruction, not the obstruction itself, because you do go where you look!). Focus on where your destination is when going through a corner, because if you focus straight…

My daily driver is a 6th Gen Accord, a 2002 coupe with the 2.3l and the 5spd manual.

I had a ‘92 Dakota. Yes, it is the previous generation, but an even better size, IMHO. Smaller, lighter, with a 230hp 5.2L V8 under the hood. BigBig engine, little truck, and i could still change all eight plugs in less than twelve minutes (won a few cases of beer making bets on that).

You sound like a good candidate for the Ridgeline. It is a little big for a mid-size, but is by far the easiest truck to carry 4x8 goods, including sheetrock.

Ok, now i want someone to enter a Pioneer 500.  That would be too cool and funny!