Talk me out of getting this Lariat

[FloridaMan655321]

I almost wish I had gotten a Rivian, so I would say take a look at that. I haven't seen the amount of battery pack issues from them as I have with Ford, and it's a little smaller, so easier to park. So far I'm really happy with the Lightning, but the more and more battery pack issues I've seen, kind of makes me a little nervous if I were to take a long trip with it.

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[Yellow Buddy]

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

I daily drove a Honda S2000, a Honda Civic CX, a Honda Odyssey, a Honda Pilot, a Honda CRV, basically every Honda out there...except for an Accord.

I'll tell you the very first time I test drove a F150, I felt like I was driving a monster truck. I remember wanting one for the longest time and telling the salesman "I don't think I can do this, it's enormous"

So I walked away from it.

Several years later, I went and purchased a Honda...Ridgeline. It was the PERFECT size. It was basically an Accord, with a bed. It was awesome. The gas mileage was good. The bed was useful. The tailgate, the underbed storage was....ok that was stupid. The only thing it wasn't good at was when I wanted to tow.

So I sold it.

A little later I went and ordered a Rivian R1T. It was PERFECT. It was basically a Ridgeline. A tad bigger. Much more capability. A lot more tech. AND it can tow. But...it took forever to come in. I waited and I waited and it never came. Then, Ford said BAM. We have a Lighting.

So I placed a deposit.

A little while later, Ford called and said come get your peasant of a truck. A stripped down Pro that isn't even worth our time. I remember going to pick it up. It was gorgeous. I walked up to it and it was everything I wanted, a F150 that I have been wanting for almost a decade now. As I got about 5 feet away I turned, looked at my wife and said "Crap...it's big." We opened the door, my kids climbed in and I said "It's really big." My kids started jumping around in the back "It's stupid big"

So I started regretting it and sold it.

A month later, Rivian called. My R1T was ready, come pick it up. So I did! It was PERFECT! Turns out it felt really similar to a Ridgeline in size. But I missed the tailgate quite a bit and that underbed storage...I missed that too. The frunk on the R1T wasn't big enough for me, neither was the pass through. Boy did I miss that underbed storage. You know what would be nice? A bigger frunk. Or storage under the bench. Some door pockets, real cupholders. Ugh, you know what? This thing might be too small...

So...I sold it.

A month later, I bought a F150 Lightning Lariat ER. It was PERFECT. I no longer think it's big. Other people getting in do, but I don't. Common comments from Honda drivers include "it's like a limo back here" "WOW, you really know the dimensions of your truck" "this thing is enormous!"

Moral of the story is....it's big. You get over it.

I'm pretty sure I didn't help here...

 

[Yellow Buddy]

I almost wish I had gotten a Rivian, so I would say take a look at that. I haven't seen the amount of battery pack issues from them as I have with Ford, and it's a little smaller, so easier to park. So far I'm really happy with the Lightning, but the more and more battery pack issues I've seen, kind of makes me a little nervous if I were to take a long trip with it.

I didn't find it any easier to park than my Lighting. Navigating the parking lot was easier in general but the Ford has far better visibility from the driver seat which makes parking and checking much easier.

 

[FloridaMan655321]

Several years later, I went and purchased a Honda...Ridgeline. It was the PERFECT size. It was basically an Accord, with a bed. It was awesome. The gas mileage was good. The bed was useful. The tailgate, the underbed storage was....ok that was stupid. The only thing it wasn't good at was when I wanted to tow.

I had a Ridgeline and I thought the bed trunk was just a gimmick and I would never use it. I ended up really enjoying it. After I had a Gladiator and missed it. It was just so nice to throw things back there like hiking boots or my dogs towel for drying off, things that smelled bad, but need to keep with me.

As far as the tailgate, I did find this helpful if I put something in and wanted to move it all the way up to the cab without having to get into the bed (say like a big cooler). But, this was rarely used vs the bed trunk.

 

[Yellow Buddy]

I had a Ridgeline and I thought the bed trunk was just a gimmick and I would never use it. I ended up really enjoying it. After I had a Gladiator and missed it. It was just so nice to throw things back there like hiking boots or my dogs towel for drying off, things that smelled bad, but need to keep with me.

As far as the tailgate, I did find this helpful if I put something in and wanted to move it all the way up to the cab without having to get into the bed (say like a big cooler). But, this was rarely used vs the bed trunk.

It’s one of those things where I hated it when I had stuff in the bed and needed to access it. But not having it, I miss it

 

[FloridaMan655321]

It’s one of those things where I hated it when I had stuff in the bed and needed to access it. But not having it, I miss it

Lightning Frunk certainly helps, and I have found that I really enjoy it on trips for tossing in all the luggage. It's nice to not have the rear seats all full of stuff, though it does make it easy to buy things while traveling.....

 

[Randall Stephens]

You get used to the size, the 360 camera makes it a non issue for me.

 

[millieraider]

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!

What kind of deal did you get?

 

[millieraider]

I almost wish I had gotten a Rivian, so I would say take a look at that. I haven't seen the amount of battery pack issues from them as I have with Ford, and it's a little smaller, so easier to park. So far I'm really happy with the Lightning, but the more and more battery pack issues I've seen, kind of makes me a little nervous if I were to take a long trip with it.

I would love a Rivian but outside of my price range

 

[Dan C]

2.5 years is not almost paid off. You cannot afford the truck, nor will you like the day to day driving experience.

 

[RickKeen]

Once you get used to driving the larger vehicle, it becomes a non-issue. Sure, you have to find parking spots that the truck can get into, and sure, you have to plan to go past the spot and back up to get the back axle where it needs to go, and sure you have to learn how to skinny-limbo-your way out the door while not door-dinging the vehicle parked 6 inches away, but those are things that once you are used to doing, become 2nd nature.

Or just park at the end of the row furthest from the store and leave a blank space.

For those of us already coming from full sized trucks, none of those things are new.

 

[htobin]

Poor turning radius is about the only feature I don’t like. All the rest is positive, but as others have pointed out, I’m used to driving a truck

 

[flyct]

Once you get used to driving the larger vehicle, it becomes a non-issue. Sure, you have to find parking spots that the truck can get into, and sure, you have to plan to go past the spot and back up to get the back axle where it needs to go, and sure you have to learn how to skinny-limbo-your way out the door while not door-dinging the vehicle parked 6 inches away, but those are things that once you are used to doing, become 2nd nature.

Or just park at the end of the row furthest from the store and leave a blank space.

For those of us already coming from full sized trucks, none of those things are new.

When you are accustomed to driving and parking my red truck below, our Lightning feels like a Mini-Truck.

 

[DavidYo]

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

I absolutely love my 23xlt and think it is really the best vehicle I have ever driven let aside owned. I want the lightnings to sell like crazy but if you don’t really have a use case for a truck then I can’t recommend that you buy one. It is overkill and there are way more options in the electric vehicle category. The obligatory questions of do you have a garage, home charging options all the questions potential electric vehicle buyers need to be asking. If you really are ready to purchase an electric vehicle then look at the smaller options and why not just test drive the Lightning? It also has the pro power option that could be used in blackout situations so if you are interested in that sort of thing then I say give it some consideration. Happy hunting!!

 

[DavidYo]

I daily drove a Honda S2000, a Honda Civic CX, a Honda Odyssey, a Honda Pilot, a Honda CRV, basically every Honda out there...except for an Accord.

I'll tell you the very first time I test drove a F150, I felt like I was driving a monster truck. I remember wanting one for the longest time and telling the salesman "I don't think I can do this, it's enormous"

So I walked away from it.

Several years later, I went and purchased a Honda...Ridgeline. It was the PERFECT size. It was basically an Accord, with a bed. It was awesome. The gas mileage was good. The bed was useful. The tailgate, the underbed storage was....ok that was stupid. The only thing it wasn't good at was when I wanted to tow.

So I sold it.

A little later I went and ordered a Rivian R1T. It was PERFECT. It was basically a Ridgeline. A tad bigger. Much more capability. A lot more tech. AND it can tow. But...it took forever to come in. I waited and I waited and it never came. Then, Ford said BAM. We have a Lighting.

So I placed a deposit.

A little while later, Ford called and said come get your peasant of a truck. A stripped down Pro that isn't even worth our time. I remember going to pick it up. It was gorgeous. I walked up to it and it was everything I wanted, a F150 that I have been wanting for almost a decade now. As I got about 5 feet away I turned, looked at my wife and said "Crap...it's big." We opened the door, my kids climbed in and I said "It's really big." My kids started jumping around in the back "It's stupid big"

So I started regretting it and sold it.

A month later, Rivian called. My R1T was ready, come pick it up. So I did! It was PERFECT! Turns out it felt really similar to a Ridgeline in size. But I missed the tailgate quite a bit and that underbed storage...I missed that too. The frunk on the R1T wasn't big enough for me, neither was the pass through. Boy did I miss that underbed storage. You know what would be nice? A bigger frunk. Or storage under the bench. Some door pockets, real cupholders. Ugh, you know what? This thing might be too small...

So...I sold it.

A month later, I bought a F150 Lightning Lariat ER. It was PERFECT. I no longer think it's big. Other people getting in do, but I don't. Common comments from Honda drivers include "it's like a limo back here" "WOW, you really know the dimensions of your truck" "this thing is enormous!"

Moral of the story is....it's big. You get over it.

I'm pretty sure I didn't help here...

Man what a rollercoaster ride you just took us on. Do you have a therapist! Lol. Glad you ended up where you wanted to be. Enjoy that truck!!

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