MIA - Where are the certified Lightnings?

[Cutlass70]

Been on the hunt for a certified used '23 Lightning. In AZ it's been a challenge to find anything. Just did a search via Truecar with a 250 mile radius and nothing. Seems.....odd to not find one but perhaps the EV Certification process is too rigorous (doubt it though). Looking for an XLT or Lariat w/ extended range and a tow package. Finding a fair amount of non-certified vehicles, even at dealer lots, but they are overpriced (go figure) currently (Lariat @ around $57-60k, XLT @$50-55k each w/ approx 15k miles). Just curious if others have found any....

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[invertedspear]

As they said in Tommy Boy:

Tommy:
Let's think about this for a sec, Ted, why do they put a guarantee on a box? Hmm, very interesting.

Ted:
I'm listening.

Tommy:
Here's how I see it. A guy puts a guarantee on the box 'cause he wants you to fell all warm and toasty inside.

Ted:
Yeah, makes a man feel good.

Tommy:
'Course it does. Ya think if you leave that box under your pillow at night, the Guarantee Fairy might come by and leave a quarter.

Ted:
What's your point?

Tommy:
The point is, how do you know the Guarantee Fairy isn't a crazy glue sniffer? "Building model airplanes" says the little fairy, but we're not buying it. Next thing you know, there's money missing off the dresser and your daughter's knocked up, I seen it a hundred times.

Ted:
But why do they put a guarantee on the box then?

Tommy:
Because they know all they solda ya was a guaranteed piece of sh*t. That's all it is. Hey, if you want me to take a dump in a box and mark it guaranteed, I will. I got spare time. But for right now, for your sake, for your daughter's sake, ya might wanna think about buying a quality item from me.

Ted:
Hmm. Okay, I'll buy from you.

You're not finding them certified because certified is just added effort that's not needed to help sell them. Buy used, get a used extended warranty from Granger or Flood or whoever, and enjoy. When it comes down to it, there's pretty much no required maintenance for EVs, so you can buy used without worrying about the previous owner not knowing that oil needs to be changed or whatever. Especially if there's only 15k miles on it. The only service that could have been missed was a tire rotation.

 

[Cutlass70]

As they said in Tommy Boy:



You're not finding them certified because certified is just added effort that's not needed to help sell them. Buy used, get a used extended warranty from Granger or Flood or whoever, and enjoy. When it comes down to it, there's pretty much no required maintenance for EVs, so you can buy used without worrying about the previous owner not knowing that oil needs to be changed or whatever. Especially if there's only 15k miles on it. The only service that could have been missed was a tire rotation.

Thank you very much, Tommy Boy, for your input. Appreciate you taking the time to provide it. I agree re: little, to no maintenance; however, glitches in software, non-functioning window switch, back-up camera not working to name a few, are potential (this is definitely the key word) for failure. The following would apply to a 2022 vehicle: A vehicle first registered in say March '22 will have its 3 yr bumper to bumper warranty expire in March '25 - that's only about 4 months from now. A certified vehicle would, in most circumstances, covers bumper-to-bumper warranty for a 12 month / 12k mile time / distance span from date of purchase (i.e. November 2024 purchase - certified warranty expires November 2025). So that gives me a full year vs only 4 months. If the vehicle is a model year '24 or even a '23, then the certification piece is mute due to the 3 yr / 36k mile factory warranty still being in play for at least another year +. Absolutely agree w/ the use of an extended warranty but I would purchase that at the end of the 12 month certified time period approaches or as the 3 yr factory warranty is about to end. In my humble opinion, it's "easier" to deal w/ a dealership to get work completed under their certified plan than it is to deal w/ an aftermarket warranty and jumping through those hoops. While the 'drivetrain' and battery would be covered under Ford's standard, new car warranty which comes with the vehicle, the remaining items, such as those I mentioned above, would not be covered past the initial 3 year 36k warranty. Again, this is only relevant to a '22 model. In my mind, if, for example, a '22 Lariat w/ 7k miles on it is not certified, I would wonder why. These vehicles aren't exactly flying off the lots so it would seem useful(?) for the dealership to give as much peace-of-mind as possible to a buyer. Sorry for the long response but wanted to provide my thoughts since you were kind enough to provide yours.

 

[invertedspear]

Thank you very much, Tommy Boy, for your input. Appreciate you taking the time to provide it. I agree re: little, to no maintenance; however, glitches in software, non-functioning window switch, back-up camera not working to name a few, are potential (this is definitely the key word) for failure. The following would apply to a 2022 vehicle: A vehicle first registered in say March '22 will have its 3 yr bumper to bumper warranty expire in March '25 - that's only about 4 months from now. A certified vehicle would, in most circumstances, covers bumper-to-bumper warranty for a 12 month / 12k mile time / distance span from date of purchase (i.e. November 2024 purchase - certified warranty expires November 2025). So that gives me a full year vs only 4 months. If the vehicle is a model year '24 or even a '23, then the certification piece is mute due to the 3 yr / 36k mile factory warranty still being in play for at least another year +. Absolutely agree w/ the use of an extended warranty but I would purchase that at the end of the 12 month certified time period approaches or as the 3 yr factory warranty is about to end. In my humble opinion, it's "easier" to deal w/ a dealership to get work completed under their certified plan than it is to deal w/ an aftermarket warranty and jumping through those hoops. While the 'drivetrain' and battery would be covered under Ford's standard, new car warranty which comes with the vehicle, the remaining items, such as those I mentioned above, would not be covered past the initial 3 year 36k warranty. Again, this is only relevant to a '22 model. In my mind, if, for example, a '22 Lariat w/ 7k miles on it is not certified, I would wonder why. These vehicles aren't exactly flying off the lots so it would seem useful(?) for the dealership to give as much peace-of-mind as possible to a buyer. Sorry for the long response but wanted to provide my thoughts since you were kind enough to provide yours.

I'm picking up what you're laying down, the only thing I'll clarify, Granger and Flood sell 1st party Ford extended warranties even for used cars. (PS Granger is a site sponsor, so go with them) It's probably effectively the same plans that certified used cars would come with. All those potential glitches can be covered for as long as the battery is, even longer if you wanted. If I were you, I'd get the quote for the warranty, and use it as a bargaining chip when buying used.

I think there are other factors in them not selling many and not certifying them, which is mostly that Ford dealers seem to hate EVs. There isn't a lot of service money to be made off them, and they're different enough from ICE that the sales guys just don't want to bother learning. The sales guys have way more margins to earn easier sticking with gas, so they'll let the EVs rot till someone seeks them out.

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