I Think Mr. Honda is Missed

Chuck · #1 01-06-2007, 05:01 PM

Not long after Gene Roddenberry died, Star Trek episodes suffered (my nickname Delta Flyer is the name of a "hot rod" shuttle on Star Trek: Voyager). I fear that when it's founder died, Honda Motor Co. started to lose it's way too.

Mr. Honda insisted that the Acura MDX not go into production unless it had better fuel economy than the BMX X5. Their entry into SUVs and esp. pickup trucks were delayed - fuel economy. Honda has the highest fleet mpg of any automaker. They made the CVCC engine in 1974 that ran so clean it would be a few years before catalytic converters were needed. Honda hopes to have the same magic on their clean diesel efforts.

I'm concerned about Honda becoming just another automaker. I hope their recent past is just honest miscalculations (Ridgeline, IMA can't EV....). Honda may be having problems, but I'd still be tickled pink if their management replaced GM management. I'd love Honda to see what they could do with a Two Mode hybrid.

msantos · #2 01-06-2007, 07:09 PM

Delta, I wouldn't get overly depressed about it.

Honda definitely has great stuff coming down the pipe but for now they continue to be busy broadening their IP porfolio - Event their shareholders are happy and it is not because of current world-wide profits, but rather the immensity of their new technology portfolio that has almost immediate application. Many analysts, even claim Honda is better positioned than any other car company on the planet to really turn a few heads in the upcoming future.

If you subscribe to their news and peek into their own internal releases you'll see that they are always (in typical Honda fashion) very quiet about it. It is no different now than it has been for the last 30 years. For most of us it may be a challenge to comprehend this quirky company but that is what defines it. Event though mr. Honda is gone, the original spirit is still very much alive and as busy as ever.

I would just suggest that like all good things, the better ones are worth waiting a little longer for. I defintely know they have some treats in store for sure.

Cheers;

MSantos

Chuck · #3 01-06-2007, 09:00 PM

MSantos,

Thank you for your support on two forums.

Got to take a break from those bashing Honda because they are....the competition.

Where can I read on some of the upcoming Honda stuff?

msantos · #4 01-06-2007, 09:35 PM

Delta, thank you for stepping in and helping chip away at their rather embarassing "bias-induced" ignorance. Also surprising is what they said about Wayne... talk about poison... Geesh.

Saddly, some of them don't even know when they are actually hurting their own cause. But that is a continuing story... I almost feel like starting my own Prius forum for "the open minded".

Anyhow, onto better things: You can subscribe to Honda news at their global site: "http://world.honda.com"

Also, it also helps to have a professional contact with your regional Honda and to become an investor.

Cheers;

MSantos

Chuck · #5 01-06-2007, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by msantos

Saddly, some of them don't even know when they are actually hurting their own cause. But that is a continuing story... I almost feel like starting my own Prius forum for "the open minded".

I came so close to suggestion the South Park writers must have read their posts before they made the infamous "Smug Hybrid" episode. Sorry - Toyota is not going to singlehandely save the planet and neither is Honda or any other automaker.

Quote:

Originally Posted by msantos

Delta, thank you for stepping in and helping chip away at their rather embarassing "bias-induced" ignorance. Also surprising is what they said about Wayne... talk about poison... Geesh.

It's gone from an intelligent discussion a senseless battle of egos. I'm amazed by the personal attacks on Wayne, and that individual is clueless as to how bad he looks to others. In general, it also amazed me that several times, MSantos and myself say you don't have to go as far as Wayne - you would even moderately speed and save some gas, yet it's ignored to bash hypermiling. Ironically, the Prius is perhaps the hypermiling vehicle of choice.

Sorry to vent some of my disappointment/frustration. I realize that it's just a few.

diamondlarry · #6 01-07-2007, 01:33 AM

I just got done reading the thread you mentioned. WOW! It's amazing the lengths people will go to for ignoring good sense.

psyshack · #7 01-08-2007, 09:36 AM

Investers maybe happy with Honda. Im NOT!!!

I think they are getting way to GMish, in size and tude. I think Mr. Honda is missed very much.

I gave up on Honda motorcycles years ago. Over all design and quality of production seemed to have taken a big hit.

The two Honda cars I own are not near the quality of my fathers 4th gen Accord or my mothers CRX Si.

I think Honda is getting way to big for there slacks. Im sure the cheap arse paint, fit and trim on my Honda cars is the result of money spent on jets and robots.

msantos · #8 01-08-2007, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by psyshack

The two Honda cars I own are not near the quality of my fathers 4th gen Accord or my mothers CRX Si.

In all likelyhood your father's Accord may have been either a Japanese assembled unit or one in the best production run from a US plant.
To some it may not appear so, but on average, North American assembled units seem to have more issues that the units imported from Honda's assembly streams in Japan. This is no surprise to me and neither has been to long time Honda fans.

Even the Acura brand seems to suffer a little from this problem too. Honda is silent but aware of this and so are its dealerships. Not coincidentally, this type of problem is not limited to Honda either. That is primarily why, Honda appears to want all of its advanced platform vehicles to be produced in Japan first and it will resist any temptation of assembling them abroad.

Many times when they assemble them abroad they have to compromize in the parts department by procuring and using parts from local suppliers (ie: a minimal amount of domestic content). In doing so, they do expose themselves to issues that they cannot control as well and hence the lower initial quality and owner reported issues. I see it a little like a political and economical balancing act that foriegn automakes have to make.

I also know that Toyota agonizes over this type of problem. So much so that in typical Toyota fashion (at least in their home market) you cannot be a parts supplier to Toyota unless they are allowed to buy enough of the company to control the design and manufacturing process of the parts. This is what some analysts often call "adding a new partner to the very large Toyota family".

Anyway, I don't know if Honda can easily change much of the existing problems. While there is room for improvements in quality the fact remains that if you want to own the better Honda vehicles you'll make sure that they are assembled in Japan. In my case, I've always make that VIN check. If they are not, then I buy an extended warranty. I actually do that for Toyota vehicles too.

Cheers;

MSantos

Chuck · #9 01-09-2007, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by msantos

Delta, I wouldn't get overly depressed about it.

Honda definitely has great stuff coming down the pipe but for now they continue to be busy broadening their IP porfolio - Event their shareholders are happy and it is not because of current world-wide profits, but rather the immensity of their new technology portfolio that has almost immediate application. Many analysts, even claim Honda is better positioned than any other car company on the planet to really turn a few heads in the upcoming future.

If you subscribe to their news and peek into their own internal releases you'll see that they are always (in typical Honda fashion) very quiet about it. It is no different now than it has been for the last 30 years. For most of us it may be a challenge to comprehend this quirky company but that is what defines it. Event though mr. Honda is gone, the original spirit is still very much alive and as busy as ever.

I would just suggest that like all good things, the better ones are worth waiting a little longer for. I defintely know they have some treats in store for sure.

Cheers;

MSantos

This article suggests Honda is going to be back in the hybrid market in a major way.

Very encouraging.

msantos · #10 01-09-2007, 03:55 PM

Absolutely !!!

As far as I see it, they were never out of the hybrid market, instead they were just executing the plans they had annouced some time ago (even prior to the release of the HCH-2). For many consumers that just seems to take forever though, but still I suspect they will continue to be very disciplined and disregard that until "curtain time" comes.

I guess, we just have to be patient with Honda for the 101th time.

Nevertheless, these are indeed interesting times and I am definitely looking forward to see them making a "few prints" in automotive history.

Cheers;

MSantos