7:00 p.m. tonight....The Raptor got delivered and they took the Shelby truck.
For about 30 seconds I thought I made a bad call trading it (*The Shelby is an awesome looking truck) - But as soon as the Raptor was on the ground and I saw the wide stance and 3 marker lights, I knew I made a good decision.
I already had a 2017 Ford Raptor. I drove it for 14 months and put 33K miles on it. It had a few upgrades (wheels, tune, lights, bedcover, intake,etc.). So I would say I have a pretty good understanding of what it felt like driving and owning one.
I traded that vehicle about 2 months ago for a 2018 Ford Shelby F150. I put 2200 miles on it and can give a close comparison for folks.
I got the 2019 tonight and put about 45 miles on it to see how it felt and what changed.
1. The Raptor drives 100% better and smoother than the Shelby. The Raptor feels like a luxury car compared to that truck. Especially on the Highway - its really hard to explain how much nicer it was to get back into a turbo vs. the supercharged V8. The suspension is much more comfortable comparative to the Shelby and since its not raised up 4+ inches, it feels more nimble and agile.
2. The Raptor vs. the Shelby acceleration. Its really not as far apart as you might think. If my Raptor was tuned like my 2017 Raptor, the linear acceleration in the Raptor feels faster in some aspects. I would say if the Shelby lined up to get onto an on ramp with a Shelby and it was a straight line, the Shelby would be one car length ahead (sounds like a jet aircraft ready to take off).
2019 VS 2017 Raptor comparison:
(My Opinion)
Color - Agate vs. Shadow Black. - That Agate black is really black!! To me it looks like a darker black. This was at night and in my garage but I believe its a richer looking black.
Decals - The 2019 decals are much more aggressive looking for sure. The outline really makes them pop out at you as I hardly remember seeing the ones on my hood. When I washed the truck tonight, my towel kept getting hung up on the rear decals. The back decals also feel thicker and have more texture to them. They also pop out more visibly.
Suspension - To me the suspension feels absolutely amazing. The truck does not feel stiff or jarring. It feels like it is more planted and sure of itself. Case in point - I took an on ramp that had a large sweeping right hander (recommended speed is 25 mph - but I usually go a bit faster as its like a 2 lane put together and had tons of room to drive it hard) I took that sweeper at about 45 and it was very sure and level. My 2017 Raptor had more lean to it.
On acceleration in a straight line and up to 80-85 it felt like I was in a car. It was very smooth and uneventful. There are a few dips on that section of road and to me the 2019 handled them better. Less floaty and again it seems more planted. This suspension is for sure an upgrade but I do not think its a night and day difference. My 2017 felt awesome and was one hell of a machine to drive.
Blue Interior (Recaros) - Probably my favorite option that I chose compared to my 2017. I had an upgraded interior in the Shelby and wanted something that felt like an upgrade in the Raptor. The blue stitching and accents really pull it together. The upgraded carbon around the ac vents and center console are very nice. The seats are very comfortable and the bolsters are much much more noticeable. I am 5ft 11inches and 215 - the bolsters are right in the correct place and hold me in place. They are not tight but I notice them for sure. On my fun sprint onto the highway around the on-ramp, they really helped keep me in place. The only thing that worries me is I am hoping I don’t stain or ruin the inserts. They are very nice and I will probably ask a detail shop what I can put on them to protect them. I am not having any issues with the leather as I have seen with some others. My seats and bolsters seem wrinkle free.
Wheels (Bead Lock capable) - These wheels look tough! I mean really tough! I had the other bead locks and sold them (I have already sold these ones) but man its very nice. All I can say is Ford has done a great job with these and they look and feel like a million bucks. They have a little bit of con cavity to them and seems almost aftermarket. The color is grey but more like anthracite.
Overall Summary:
I probably should have just kept my 2017 Raptor but I traded it for the Shelby. I likely would have gotten the 2019 due to the amount of miles I was driving and would have traded it before I lost to much value on the Raptor truck. I lost my ass on the trade and learned a good lesson (*stick with the Raptor).
Now that I have the 2019 I absolutely love it. My 2 favorite items of this truck is the interior for sure and how nice the black looks. But again, the interior is really what had kept a smile on my face all night.
Either way - The Raptor (GEN 1 or GEN 2) is a bad ass truck. WHen you really think about it, Ford builds this truck out of the factory vs. a stock F150 tuned and modified (*Shelby). This truck is built with a purpose and is simply amazing. If you are lucky to have one, enjoy it!
For about 30 seconds I thought I made a bad call trading it (*The Shelby is an awesome looking truck) - But as soon as the Raptor was on the ground and I saw the wide stance and 3 marker lights, I knew I made a good decision.
I already had a 2017 Ford Raptor. I drove it for 14 months and put 33K miles on it. It had a few upgrades (wheels, tune, lights, bedcover, intake,etc.). So I would say I have a pretty good understanding of what it felt like driving and owning one.
I traded that vehicle about 2 months ago for a 2018 Ford Shelby F150. I put 2200 miles on it and can give a close comparison for folks.
I got the 2019 tonight and put about 45 miles on it to see how it felt and what changed.
1. The Raptor drives 100% better and smoother than the Shelby. The Raptor feels like a luxury car compared to that truck. Especially on the Highway - its really hard to explain how much nicer it was to get back into a turbo vs. the supercharged V8. The suspension is much more comfortable comparative to the Shelby and since its not raised up 4+ inches, it feels more nimble and agile.
2. The Raptor vs. the Shelby acceleration. Its really not as far apart as you might think. If my Raptor was tuned like my 2017 Raptor, the linear acceleration in the Raptor feels faster in some aspects. I would say if the Shelby lined up to get onto an on ramp with a Shelby and it was a straight line, the Shelby would be one car length ahead (sounds like a jet aircraft ready to take off).
2019 VS 2017 Raptor comparison:
(My Opinion)
Color - Agate vs. Shadow Black. - That Agate black is really black!! To me it looks like a darker black. This was at night and in my garage but I believe its a richer looking black.
Decals - The 2019 decals are much more aggressive looking for sure. The outline really makes them pop out at you as I hardly remember seeing the ones on my hood. When I washed the truck tonight, my towel kept getting hung up on the rear decals. The back decals also feel thicker and have more texture to them. They also pop out more visibly.
Suspension - To me the suspension feels absolutely amazing. The truck does not feel stiff or jarring. It feels like it is more planted and sure of itself. Case in point - I took an on ramp that had a large sweeping right hander (recommended speed is 25 mph - but I usually go a bit faster as its like a 2 lane put together and had tons of room to drive it hard) I took that sweeper at about 45 and it was very sure and level. My 2017 Raptor had more lean to it.
On acceleration in a straight line and up to 80-85 it felt like I was in a car. It was very smooth and uneventful. There are a few dips on that section of road and to me the 2019 handled them better. Less floaty and again it seems more planted. This suspension is for sure an upgrade but I do not think its a night and day difference. My 2017 felt awesome and was one hell of a machine to drive.
Blue Interior (Recaros) - Probably my favorite option that I chose compared to my 2017. I had an upgraded interior in the Shelby and wanted something that felt like an upgrade in the Raptor. The blue stitching and accents really pull it together. The upgraded carbon around the ac vents and center console are very nice. The seats are very comfortable and the bolsters are much much more noticeable. I am 5ft 11inches and 215 - the bolsters are right in the correct place and hold me in place. They are not tight but I notice them for sure. On my fun sprint onto the highway around the on-ramp, they really helped keep me in place. The only thing that worries me is I am hoping I don’t stain or ruin the inserts. They are very nice and I will probably ask a detail shop what I can put on them to protect them. I am not having any issues with the leather as I have seen with some others. My seats and bolsters seem wrinkle free.
Wheels (Bead Lock capable) - These wheels look tough! I mean really tough! I had the other bead locks and sold them (I have already sold these ones) but man its very nice. All I can say is Ford has done a great job with these and they look and feel like a million bucks. They have a little bit of con cavity to them and seems almost aftermarket. The color is grey but more like anthracite.
Overall Summary:
I probably should have just kept my 2017 Raptor but I traded it for the Shelby. I likely would have gotten the 2019 due to the amount of miles I was driving and would have traded it before I lost to much value on the Raptor truck. I lost my ass on the trade and learned a good lesson (*stick with the Raptor).
Now that I have the 2019 I absolutely love it. My 2 favorite items of this truck is the interior for sure and how nice the black looks. But again, the interior is really what had kept a smile on my face all night.
Either way - The Raptor (GEN 1 or GEN 2) is a bad ass truck. WHen you really think about it, Ford builds this truck out of the factory vs. a stock F150 tuned and modified (*Shelby). This truck is built with a purpose and is simply amazing. If you are lucky to have one, enjoy it!
