GEN. 2 FORD RAPTOR OVER KILL OR JUST RIGHT ?

[Hawaiian Time]

Better to have Overkill than Underkill for your truck's abilities. I have owned 4 compact/mid size off road vehicles before. My 2017 Raptor SCREW is my first full size pickup.

My first 4x4 was the 1979 Toyota HiLux Short Bed Standard Cab that I special ordered and waited 6 months to get. Manual steering, no A/C, manual everything else, bench seat, solid axles, leaf springs at all 4 corners. It had 1.8L 4 cyl & 4 speed standard. Just barely enough power. All metal was prone to rust. Had to do rust control every 6 months. But, this truck was a mountain goat. It could fit on any trail, stradle ruts, handle crazy inclines and side slopes. It was economical, utilitarian, and fun to drive. It rode like a metal milk crate, a bucking bronco! Hit my head on the back window on big bumps. I took it everywhere, NEVER got stuck.

Fast forward to my 2017 Raptor 802A. It is the Pinnacle of 4x4 pickups! It has every capability I want and need in a 4x4 pickup. With the Ecoboost it gets the same MPGs as the 4 cylinder 4x4's I've had. All the luxury and technology is perfect. The ride is OUTSTANDING! Smoother than my wife's Highlander. I towed a 5500 lb loaded to the roof dual axle Uhaul box trailer with it cross country no problem. Surprising power! Handles great for a vehicle of this size and height. Sure it will not fit on mountain goat trails but I would not want to take it pushing through the bush anyway. I live in the desert now and it is PERFECT for this environment.

Sure the Gen 2 Raptors have a few issues but every vehicle does. Would I buy one again? Yes, absolutely! If Ford ever puts a V8 in a Gen 3 Raptor, that might get me back to the dealer. Until then, I'm going to put dual 3" Flowmaster 40's and straight through mid pipes to see if I can make her sound better. Although, the Raptor's Ecoboost dual exhaust sound does grow on you over time.

The main factor is that I look forward to driving my Raptor everytime! It never stops being fun. JUST RIGHT!!!

Aloha, HT

 

[Ricoman]

HAHAHAHA....I thought the same thing when I bought mine last month...maybe even more than you because I went into it fully knowing it was going to be a Pavement Princess....at best I might take it on the Beach by us a couple times a year...I know...some on the sight might give me an A** reaming for buying a Raptor and NOT using it for what its for...but on the other hand,I can see others saying Are You A F*#)@ Idiot for taking a Shelby off road....LOL
So,bottom line...if you can afford it and like it...WHY NOT..!! (was going to be my plate,but went for BADBRDY instead)..
The guy I bought it from bought it new,shipped it to Shelby,and used it for his DAILY driver to his office everyday...always garaged,never off road...
Why Ford makes the Raptor really shouldnt be a concern....no one says if you own a 4x4 you have to take it off road....its the best and most comfortable truck I've even owned....and my Mechanic friend says "Its like driving a Cadillac on Steroids"... Thats good enough for me!!

 

[xrocket21]

The sound of the V8 is why I'm sticking with a Gen1. She done everything I've put her up to; offroad, in the snow, mountains, desert and on the roads. Always fun to drive and looks badass on and off road. You made a good choice even if you never fulfill all your trucks abilities.

You just gotta have that V8 sound in a truck!

 

[Ricoman]

AMEN Wickkid....Love the Gen 6.8 V8....and have to turn down the Stereo every time I hit it and my Supercharger kicks in...now THATS Music...
I sold my Tacoma 4x4 to buy my Raptor...loved the Tacoma...BUT.....OMG...this is a real Truck..!!

 

[WH7]

I started with a Tacoma, loved it. Then moved up to an F150 Lariat. Tons of mods and loved it too. Then up to an F250 King Ranch 6.7 thinking we were going to get an RV. Loved it too, just wasn't thrilled that I couldn't get it all the way in the garage.
Ended up getting a boat instead of an RV and traded for the Raptor. Most comfortable, fun, tech filled truck I have ever been in. Puts a smile on my face every time I get in. Look forward to driving it, have a company truck so the Raptor sits at home a lot. Hope to keep this one a while. It also fits in the garage, barely but it fits. I was on the forum lurking and reading a lot before I bought it, knowing some had issues. Still took the dive. In answer to the question "Is this too much truck", NO WAY! Life is too short, drive what makes you happy.

 

[Loufish]

The main factor is that I look forward to driving my Raptor everytime! It never stops being fun. JUST RIGHT!!!

Well said!

 

[Kyle F]

Hell, if I drive the truck around my backyard,it’s nobody’s business but mine,as long as I make the payments. Trophy truck ? Not hardly...just a pickup truck that I happened to like, that happened to be a Ford, and cost $74,000. I don’t drive it to impress anyone but myself. Nobody cares in VA.

 

[Squrtcap]

I get asked in Colorado,if it is worth buying a Raptor. As a truck owner for over 40 years, I say yes, unless you need a work truck. Great vehicle for camping, touring and vacations.
Good for off-road trails, if they are wide enough.
We have sand dunes in Northern Colorado.
Good in snow and rain.
I was going to purchase an SUV, with prices so high on them, decided the Raptor was better all around, unless you need third row seating.
It is a truck that is in a niche of it’s own like nothing else on the planet. Brings joy to me and probably most owners, no matter how they use or drive it.

 

[zombiekiller]

I am posting this thread because I am curious how other forum members and raptor owners actually use their ford raptors and if their ford raptors are their daily drivers, weekend trucks, or a truck you bought for only off road use.

I currently have a 2019 raptor, fully loaded, and I live in maine. We do not have deserts and for the most part our off roading up here really is gravel pits and or paper company gravel roads up north. A lot off the true off road trails up here are not like being in Colorado, Nevada, or Arizona its more of narrow deep woods trails that maybe a ford ranger would fit down.

Most of my driving is on pavement, I'd say 85 percent, due to where I live in maine. So the other day I was thinking, why did I buy a ford raptor living in coastal maine ? Well here are my reasons :

1) I love the look the look of the raptor. I think its the best looking truck period.
2) I love the interior
3) The seats are the most comfortable seats I have ever been in, this includes some high end euro trash sedans.
4) I love the way it handles and drives, except in the snow but that is more about the tires.
5) I really like the sound of the engine with the stock exhaust and the eco boost.
6) I love the technology in the raptor.
7) I love the over all performance = speed and acceleration-engine.

Ok after listing all the reasons why I love the ford raptor I still sit back and say to myself, " Am I REALLY using this truck for what it was built for ?". I have never been air borne in the raptor and we have no deserts in Maine. Is the raptor overkill for using it as a daily driver when it is spending 85 percent of it's time on paved roads. I'll probably only 50 percent of the trucks capabilities.

I honestly feel like maybe a SUV or a Ford platinum would have been the better choice for me , due to the environment I live in. I do a lot of hunting, so the back bed is important to me, because if I get a deer that's where it goes, and I have had 800 pounds of payload in the bed 3 times this winter.

So I apologize for the long winded thread, but I am just curious how other raptor owners use their raptors and where they live.

I live in Louisiana. 99.9% of the raptors here never even see dirt, let alone the desert.

You can take a look at my build thread, but to be blunt, there is no reason that I NEED a mid-travel, carbon fendered, fully kitted out 18' raptor in Louisiana. I drive every week around town. Parking it sucks. I just got back from my first trip to Baja with a truck ( went with EXO ). I don't NEED this truck for that either.

BUT, I wouldn't trade horses now. If I do part with this truck, it will be to build something bigger, badder and far more ridiculous being that I live in Louisiana.

do it, you'll love it. The hell with the haters.

 

[NYC_Raptor]

Daily drive the crap outta my beast in Manhattan! hahahaha... necessary? Nope. But every drive is hilarious... and I do feel like pounding over the broken city pavement is just the same as pre-running lol!