Having Trouble Deciding Between Gen 1 vs Gen 2

[jvivlemore]

Hoping to get some help from the community on a dilemma I'm facing... I know this topic has (in general) been beaten to death but wanted to add some personal thoughts and opinions to it to see if someone could help me make a decision already! I'm so paranoid about making the wrong one that I'm still not driving a Raptor.

A 2011 Molten Orange Gen 1 with the 6.2L is my dream truck and has been since 2010. I recieved pre-approvals from my credit unions earlier this month and immediately started shopping (both private party and dealerships). I've found some great deals on Gen 1's that weren't Molten Orange and never seemed to pull the trigger due to the price and/or second guessing if I would regret buying 'that' one due to the COLOR (I know, it's weird).

To further complicate things I came across a super clean 2018 Gen 2 (Ruby Red) for only $45K with 87k miles last week. I waited a week to make up my mind and it sold the day I went to look at it. They had also sold a 2017 with similar miles for $47K the week before. According to a GM at a local dealership that I know the wholesale price for a 2018 Gen 2 with about 80K is around $45K according to their realtime system so they are clearly dropping in value. This dealership sat on both of these over 60 days and then dropped them to basically wholesale just to get rid of them.

My Dilemma - I wasn't even thinking about a Gen 2 a couple weeks ago but now that I've seen these prices I wonder should I be looking at a Gen 2 instead? Do I purchase a Gen 1 now or wait and consider both with a Gen 2 into the mix in 6-12 months when I have more of a down payment. Is a Gen worth the extra cost? Would I regret not having a Gen 1 exhaust note?

I went to drive a Gen 1 and Gen 2 back to back yesterday (something I hadn't done before). My thoughts below:

Gen 1 Positives:
- 2011 Molten Orange 6.2L (Dream Color)
- The exhaust note
- $30K gets me a 2011 w/ 90-100K from what I'm seeing in the current market
- Basically bulletproof

Gen 1 Negatives:
- Dated Interior (can't upgrade to SYNC3, etc on 2012 or older)
- On that note Molten Orange isn't available on 2013-2014 model years.
- Unless I buy Molten Orange I'm worried I'd regret not having that color. Probably be happy with Red or Blue though. Maybe white.
- 10 years old so credit union financing rates aren't as favorable as a Gen 2.
- Credit union financing for all 3 has to be within a certain range of the NADA (only slightly over) and prices have already returned to pre chip shortage prices so finding a Molten Orange 2011 within 105% of the NADA value has been difficult to say the least. Most are a $3-4K over that.

Gen 2 Positives:
- I think the exterior looks better vs Gen 1 (unless it's Molten Orange)
- Slightly better MPG
- Better interior and tech
- Drives really smooth and accelerates quickly.

Gen 2 Negatives:
- The exhaust note
- $15K more than Gen 1 with similar mileage in the current market
- No Molten Orange

So there you go! If the Gen 2 had a V8 exhaust note or was offered in Molten Orange this wouldn't even be a question.

Thoughts and opinions would be greatly appreciated!

 

[CoronaRaptor]

Gen 1, save a lot of money up front, that you'll never spend on 1 mpg difference, h e l l , I can get 18-19 mpg with my Gen 1 if I do the speed limit. They are way easier to work on than a Gen 2, but has a much dated interior and electronics, so that's why I always say Gen 1. Now the Gen 3's look so much better but still same gas mileage, go figure....

 

[smurfslayer]

It’s hard to take this post seriously. You mention exhaust note 4 times, you already know what you’re going to do.

 

[Donovan]

I went with the Gen 2 but it took me a year to wait for companies to make an exhaust.

I would never have bought the Gen 1 because its outdated. And the only reason why I got the Gen 2 is because they finally came out with a great exhaust.

I absolutely love how the R34 GTR looks, but its outdated as heck so I will never owe one. Heck, soon as my laptop starts getting slow, *trash*. Hence why I will always own Macbooks.

Long story short, you can wrap a damn Gen 2 and we have awesome exhaust now.

 

[jvivlemore]

It’s hard to take this post seriously. You mention exhaust note 4 times, you already know what you’re going to do.

I actually don't. I'm literally split down the dang middle. Love the sound and cheaper price of the Gen 1. I like the looks/tech of the Gen 2. Hence the post to see if others were in similar situations.

I went with the Gen 2 but it took me a year to wait for companies to make an exhaust.

I would never have bought the Gen 1 because its outdated. And the only reason why I got the Gen 2 is because they finally came out with a great exhaust.

I absolutely love how the R34 GTR looks, but its outdated as heck so I will never owe one. Heck, soon as my laptop starts getting slow, *trash*. Hence why I will always own Macbooks.

Long story short, you can wrap a damn Gen 2 and we have awesome exhaust now.

I'll lookup the one in your signature. The few exhaust mods I saw on YouTube sounded awful. Thanks.

Gen 1, save a lot of money up front, that you'll never spend on 1 mpg difference, h e l l , I can get 18-19 mpg with my Gen 1 if I do the speed limit. They are way easier to work on than a Gen 2, but has a much dated interior and electronics, so that's why I always say Gen 1. Now the Gen 3's look so much better but still same gas mileage, go figure....

18-19 in a Gen1 with the 6.2L? That's pretty impressive.

 

[Donovan]

Happy to help

CORSA Xtreme and SPD down pipes.

 

[W0n70n]

I like simpler vehicles that have the fewest electronics in them as possible but I have always wanted a raptor so I found a Gen 1 that a buddy of mine was selling and jumped on it. With the truck being as old as it is most common issues have been "figured out" and most issues I have run in to I have personally fixed without having to rely on a stealership or mech shop.

The Gen 2 is probably a better truck across the board being lighter, faster, better gas mileage, more refined, and newer creature comforts but I like my truck more for my own reasons.

After you drove both of them which one do you now wish you had more time with? If you only want a vehicle that sounds a certain way then by all means but performance wise, especially on the street the Gen 2 is generally just better but I would never give up my truck for one because Blue flame metallic 2010 Scab with the 6.2 is the vehicle I have wanted since the day I saw the announcement years ago and I waited until I found the perfect deal on the truck for me.

TLDR:
No one on this forum will ever tell you any piece of information that will cause you to just give up on what you want unless it's not really what you wanted to begin with. If you want a Molten orange gen 1 with the 6.2 in Scab or Screw format then go find one, if you want a better daily driver with a manufacturer's warranty get the Gen 2.

 

[Donovan]

Also keep in mind.

You can't really lose now, so start with the Gen 1 since its cheaper and sell it in six months and probably not lose any value to you, except TAX if you are in one of those states who TAX vehicles.

 

[CoronaRaptor]

I actually don't. I'm literally split down the dang middle. Love the sound and cheaper price of the Gen 1. I like the looks/tech of the Gen 2. Hence the post to see if others were in similar situations.



I'll lookup the one in your signature. The few exhaust mods I saw on YouTube sounded awful. Thanks.


18-19 in a Gen1 with the 6.2L? That's pretty impressive.

Yes it is, I just did a round trip through the mountains of 8 hours and got an average of 18.3 mpg, I posted the adventure in another thread. I was really taking it easy that trip and doing the speed limit, normally I get around low 17’s on that trip.

 

[Donovan]

Holysmokes. I thought I was proud of my 18.9 in the Gen 2 this weekend. Nothing over 75mph straight road.