Talk me out of getting this Lariat

[millieraider]

I currently daily drive a 2022 Honda Accord, im thinking of selling it and getting the 2024 F150 Lighnting - Lariat. I've been wanting a bigger car for a while but this one is BIG. TBH my only use for a truck is hauling bigger items every now and then and home improvement store runs. I dont work a trade and I wont be towing anything. How is this deal and is it worth moving on from my Accord that has treated me really well and close to paying it off (2.5 years left). I'm not sure if I will regret getting such a big truck, but I did enjoy sitting in the cabin and driving it!

Lease Terms in CA

MSRP: $79590
Discount and Rebates: $17918
Adjusted Price: $61672
12k miles a year
$2500 DAS
$599 a month, 39 months 9.75% tax rate included

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[Maxx]

If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Parking a lightning is a PITA. An aircraft carrier has a better turning radius. You will be downgrading things you do 90% of the time to improve things you do 10%. Drive the Honda until it blows up and use the money to improve your life in other ways. My truck was 20 years old when I replaced it with Lightning. And if I had to do it over again and there was an electric ranger, I would probably go for that. Battery tech and EV options are improving every year. Wait until you NEED a new vehicle and by then you will have much better options.

 

[Maineiac12]

It’s a classic need vs want situation. You obviously don’t NEED the truck, but if you want it and you can afford it, go for it! It’s a great truck, especially as a daily driver because of the frunk and how well it drives.

Only you know your financial situation.

 

[millieraider]

If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Parking a lightning is a PITA. An aircraft carrier has a better turning radius. You will be downgrading things you do 90% of the time to improve things you do 10%. Drive the Honda until it blows up and use the money to improve your life in other ways. My truck was 20 years old when I replaced it with Lightning. And if I had to do it over again and there was an electric ranger, I would probably go for that. Battery tech and EV options are improving every year. Wait until you NEED a new vehicle and by then you will have much better options.

Thats my main concern - daily stuff since it'll be my daily driver. Parking at home is fine and can charge at home. But how about out and about, shopping centers with smaller spaces, drive thrus, parallel parking. But man the tech in it and the comfort is great. My wife still has her sedan though.

 

[RickLightning]

It's a full-sized pickup truck. I never take my vehicles through drive-ins, especially a bank one that is tight. It has 360 degree cameras.

I never park close, and would never park in a small space. Parallel parking is a non-issue with cameras, but it's big.

 

[Maxx]

Thats my main concern - daily stuff since it'll be my daily driver. Parking at home is fine and can charge at home. But how about out and about, shopping centers with smaller spaces, drive thrus, parallel parking. But man the tech in it and the comfort is great. My wife still has her sedan though.

My wife has an outback and when we know parking is going to be a problem we take hers. On very long road trips when most of the juice has to be expensive DCFC, taking hers makes more sense. So if your household is a combo or if you don't do super long distance traveling frequently you probably be OK.

Where I live, most of the time in places I visit parking is not a problem. I park farther in parking lot where there is more space. However, I have missed many good parking spots because the truck wouldn't fit.

I have to admit spacious interior and bed is nice but for 95% of my use, a smaller zippier car would do better. The wife certainly feels safer in Lightning but she is surprised I have not hit anything yet backing into and getting out of our driveway (so am I).

On the Pro side; moving from a sedan to a truck was a bit transformative in the range of things I was able to do. I made that move before Lightning but I always wondered if a capable SUV would have been a better choice.

Be honest with yourself on why you are looking at it. If watching you tube videos gives you the impression that you will be happier with a Lightning than you would be with a Honda, it is probably true. But not because it is a better vehicle for you, but because it is a newer shinier toy. That will wear off. There are so many cheaper ways to be happy than shopping. Unfortunately, there are no commercials for them. I use my Lightning to go to a table tennis club that makes me happy. A Honda would do just as well in that regard. I am old and not big on taking more money to my grave so I got the Lightning (my first EV). If you have time, wait.

 

[Henry Ford]

If you can afford it, go for it. You'll use the truck part more than you think. Your neighbors and friends will too.

It's big but it has cameras. Backing into parking spots is the way to go because the turn radius is awful.

I find it easy enough to maneuver in tight spaces but my last two vehicles were F150s with a low res back camera and no camera, respectively. Your perspective will be different coming from a modern sedan. Your perspective on reliability will be a whole lot different too, coming from a Honda.

 

[Whammy Bar]

Grab one on Turo as you need it and save the money. Its not a good deal, but its not bad either.

 

[millieraider]

Grab one on Turo as you need it and save the money. Its not a good deal, but its not bad either.

Curious whats a good deal for a lariat, thats a huge reason I was considering this since it seemed like a good deal

 

[JRT]

So you are almost paid off to own the Honda and now you are going into a lease, which you won't own at the end after those payments and have nothing to trade in? I'm not a lease person and feel ownership is best to be. $599 / month is pretty big payment to me for something I'll never own.

That said it is a truck, it is big for you, but this isn't any bigger then all the F150 Crew cabs on the road you see now. I park juat fine, drive through all the time, honestly I had a long bed RAM before so this is way easier to park and maneuver.

 

[Whammy Bar]

https://forum.leasehackr.com/t/deal...150-lightning-platinum-almost-90k-msrp/657235

Lariat deals can be very cheap. Make sure you need the 12k miles... its often wayyyyyy better to grab a 7500mi lease and pay the penalty if you go over

 

[gbuydos]

The truck is nice and I'm sure you will like driving it. Looks like a Ca vehicle and in CA you tend to drive everywhere and longer distances. So beware of that, where you can just jump in the Honda and drive up and down the state with no issue. Not the same for the inefficient F150 EV. I have multiple cars, so I don't worry. To me, the F150 EV is not a one household car. For certain errands, I had to rent a gas F150 for my needs. No big deal for me. Its a great car if you charge at home and do all your stuff within a 100 mile radius of your house.

 

[Timeless Epoch]

To be honest, I was not in the market for an EV truck at this point, but the incentives Ford has right now and willingness of the dealer, with 12 2024 Lightnings on his lot, to negotiate made it stupid not too. And I am glad I did, I am really enjoying the truck.

I've been driving a full size truck since the 90's, so I was already used to the size and cannot help you there. Honestly, I am amazed that any home owner can live without a truck!

 

[flyct]

2 weeks ago I signed one of these lease deals that Ford has going on a:
$91,735.00 STAR WHITE 3 YEAR BLUECRUISE, FLOOR LINERS, BEDLINER, PWR BOARDS 24 Star White Platinum, using X-Plan and a $2000 PCO with nothing out of pocket. I took a 7,500 mile lease with no money down.

I sold my 2023 Lightning Lariat to the dealership at the same time. With X-Plan, the only negotiation was the price they would give me for my 24 Lariat.

It included $21,615 in rebates and incentives plus 0.05% interest (essentially zero interest). Several of the sales staff and sales managers also leased at the same time due to the excellent incentives.

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

We have both a Lightning and a Mustang Mach-E. We love both of them. We take the Lightning on longer road trips. We drive the Mustang when we know we're going to be parking in tight spaces.

I just spent a month in the LA area. I drove a family member's Bolt EUV instead of the Lightning and was much happier in town.

I use the truck as a truck all the time. Can't give up the truck.

If you're not a truck person, I suggest you look for a cheaper and more sensible EV instead of a Lightning.

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