Is anyone here cross-shopping other vehicles?

[Guithues]

I know many cross shop this to the TRX, and the Raptor R (if it ever becomes available), but what else are you looking at?
I know most here buy specifically for an off-road truck, but I think many buy it because they need a truck, but also something that is off-road capable. Off road is a relative term that means something different to everyone. As I shop, I looked at:
Raptor and R
TRX
Trackhawk
Durango hellcat
GMC Yukon
… and now the Escalade V

All of these vehicles would handle my off-road needs, and towing. The Escalade V stands out right now, so that may be what we go with. I can order that soon, so we will see if Raptor R news breaks before then.

I agree with others that all of our offroad "needs" vary. We find that as a couple we dont enjoy trails rated more than a 2, and I personally avoid anything over a 4. That said we probably have around 1-2k miles offroad including Mojave and Bradshaw Trails and lots of weekends around Big Bear, Joshua Tree Johnson and Death Valleys. Oh, and the truck is a snow monster, like it is the very finest vehical I have ever owned for going to the mountains for snow weekends. So with that context...

We traded our 2018 Raptor with 50k miles in on a 2021. The new truck is tighter, more tactile and quiet and comfortable than the old one, which was outstanding. We debated about waiting for the V8 Raptor R because we've never owned a supercar and we think this V8 has the opportunity to be something really special and even investment level collectible. But in the end, we don't really want for more speed and power. The truck pulls our 6500 lb boat across the I-40 hills at 90mph, in 105 degree temps with the A/C flowing. The twin turbos feed full horsepower as we get into altitudes of 5-6k feet. We've also heard rumors the TRX project is losing money, and if that goes away, we wondered if the R is really going to be manufactured at all with the engine problems which are widely circulated.

If you dont offroad but you tow, my advice is the Yukon/Tahoe. We loved ours. Well, those were our thougts, hope they are helpful to you.

 

[bruin1md]

I know many cross shop this to the TRX, and the Raptor R (if it ever becomes available), but what else are you looking at?
I know most here buy specifically for an off-road truck, but I think many buy it because they need a truck, but also something that is off-road capable. Off road is a relative term that means something different to everyone. As I shop, I looked at:
Raptor and R
TRX
Trackhawk
Durango hellcat
GMC Yukon
… and now the Escalade V

All of these vehicles would handle my off-road needs, and towing. The Escalade V stands out right now, so that may be what we go with. I can order that soon, so we will see if Raptor R news breaks before then.

Really interesting you posted this............
I just found out my Raptor build has been postponed from the week of Feb 7th to Feb 21st, and now....... April 4th.
I'm actually not very confident in Ford any longer and wonder if this is a sign to re consider getting a Raptor.

I'm more interested in the R in any case, and for my use purposes, I just need access to light trails for hiking, although having a vehicle with excellent traction in the winter months (only a few months here for us) is important.
But If I'm being honest with myself, how much desert running am I going to do, despite living in AZ? I am not going to be all that rough on the Raptor taking sand hills at 60mph......lol. Very few of us are actually using this truck for the purposes for which it was built.
Therefore, I'm considering a Durango SRT b/c I don't know how much longer the 392 engine is going to be around, given the changing emissions regulations. The hellcat has already been dc'd and it may not be long before their 6.4L engine is too.
The Durango SRT will give me more enjoyment for the majority of time I spend on road than the Raptor with better gas mileage on my 3 hour drives to Phoenix, and will likely be just as comfortable as the Raptor.
The downside is the lower profile tires and the 7.8" of ground clearance.

I haven't decided for sure, but this is something I just started contemplating.

 

[dspangler]

Really interesting you posted this............
I just found out my Raptor build has been postponed from the week of Feb 7th to Feb 21st, and now....... April 4th.
I'm actually not very confident in Ford any longer and wonder if this is a sign to re consider getting a Raptor.

I'm more interested in the R in any case, and for my use purposes, I just need access to light trails for hiking, although having a vehicle with excellent traction in the winter months (only a few months here for us) is important.
But If I'm being honest with myself, how much desert running am I going to do, despite living in AZ? I am not going to be all that rough on the Raptor taking sand hills at 60mph......lol. Very few of us are actually using this truck for the purposes for which it was built.
Therefore, I'm considering a Durango SRT b/c I don't know how much longer the 392 engine is going to be around, given the changing emissions regulations. The hellcat has already been dc'd and it may not be long before their 6.4L engine is too.
The Durango SRT will give me more enjoyment for the majority of time I spend on road than the Raptor with better gas mileage on my 3 hour drives to Phoenix, and will likely be just as comfortable as the Raptor.
The downside is the lower profile tires and the 7.8" of ground clearance.

I haven't decided for sure, but this is something I just started contemplating.

I was in the same boat.... looking at vehicles, and just was not ready to commit to the uncertainty of the ecoboost, or this latest gen 2/3 in general. My use case is same as yours. I am looking at everything now and just waiting to find the exact right deal. The economy is going to tank very soon - probably Q1 2023.... so, wait until then. There will still be plenty of great options then, and the pricing will be better as the slowdown will help fuel inventory of commodity parts, which will feed vehicle production. It sounds silly, but I don't think the top 3-4 vehicle manufacturers will see this coming (yes, I know they pay people to predict this) since they will be so arrogant about what is happening now. Summer/fall of 23 will be great for making vehicle purchases... just wait for it.

 

[bruin1md]

I was in the same boat.... looking at vehicles, and just was not ready to commit to the uncertainty of the ecoboost, or this latest gen 2/3 in general. My use case is same as yours. I am looking at everything now and just waiting to find the exact right deal. The economy is going to tank very soon - probably Q1 2023.... so, wait until then. There will still be plenty of great options then, and the pricing will be better as the slowdown will help fuel inventory of commodity parts, which will feed vehicle production. It sounds silly, but I don't think the top 3-4 vehicle manufacturers will see this coming (yes, I know they pay people to predict this) since they will be so arrogant about what is happening now. Summer/fall of 23 will be great for making vehicle purchases... just wait for it.

Not to be an a-hole, but I cannot WAIT for this artificially pumped up economy to come crashing down, so I am definitely with you.
The only point where I may disagree a bit is that I read that the chip/part shortage may continue well into 2023. If that's the case and demand continues unabated, I don't see how prices will fall signficantly.

I have a great vehicle in my TRD Pro 4runner and really have no reason to sell it other than wanting a more fun daily driver that has more power for living at altitude.
I can certainly wait until 2023 if need be, but life is short, and I'm not paying an ADM on my Raptor. The only question is whether I will actually get the truck in the forseeable future with all the build delays.

What are you concerns about the ecoboost? I thought most of these issues have been ironed out. Also, this is now the second year of the Gen3 model

 

[dspangler]

Not to be an a-hole, but I cannot WAIT for this artificially pumped up economy to come crashing down, so I am definitely with you.
The only point where I may disagree a bit is that I read that the chip/part shortage may continue well into 2023. If that's the case and demand continues unabated, I don't see how prices will fall signficantly.

I have a great vehicle in my TRD Pro 4runner and really have no reason to sell it other than wanting a more fun daily driver that has more power for living at altitude.
I can certainly wait until 2023 if need be, but life is short, and I'm not paying an ADM on my Raptor. The only question is whether I will actually get the truck in the forseeable future with all the build delays.

What are you concerns about the ecoboost? I thought most of these issues have been ironed out. Also, this is now the second year of the Gen3 model

Supply and demand will drastically shift back to the consumers favor. As the market rides the downhill train wreck, and picks up speed, manufacturers will be boosting builds, and supply chain for commodities comes back. The market will sideline people as well as the interest rates. So, everything resets, but a junk economy for everyone.
I am not a fan of the service issues on the ecoboost. Everyone will tear me up on that, but I am not interested in working on, or being without a truck. The gen 2 had enough tsb issues with the plastic pans, and cam phaser TSBs… just can’t get fully comfortable that the issues are not worked out. Just not worth it. For the 21/22 raptor, it has its own common complaints. I would only call it “less than a years worth” of production since 21 was a disaster, and the 22 switchover was slow. I don’t know how many 21/22 raptors have been made so far, but my guess is 20k units built total of gen 3.
My opinion is unpopular with a few here, so que the blasters.

 

[Grayson]

I'm cross shopping a 2023 Raptor just in case the multitude of 2022 deposits I have don't work out. The 2023 is said to come with a increased price tag and less features

 

[bruin1md]

Supply and demand will drastically shift back to the consumers favor. As the market rides the downhill train wreck, and picks up speed, manufacturers will be boosting builds, and supply chain for commodities comes back. The market will sideline people as well as the interest rates. So, everything resets, but a junk economy for everyone.
I am not a fan of the service issues on the ecoboost. Everyone will tear me up on that, but I am not interested in working on, or being without a truck. The gen 2 had enough tsb issues with the plastic pans, and cam phaser TSBs… just can’t get fully comfortable that the issues are not worked out. Just not worth it. For the 21/22 raptor, it has its own common complaints. I would only call it “less than a years worth” of production since 21 was a disaster, and the 22 switchover was slow. I don’t know how many 21/22 raptors have been made so far, but my guess is 20k units built total of gen 3.
My opinion is unpopular with a few here, so que the blasters.

That's interesting regarding the Ecoboost's continued issues. I too cannot be w/o my truck for even a few days, especially living in a rural community where it's uncertain what I would get for a loaner from a dealership here.

What are your thoughts on the 6.4L hemi V8 by Dodge? It seems tried and true and prone to less issues sans supercharger on the Hellcats.
I find it interesting that Ford's overall reliability and build quality have taken a bit of hit in recent years. By contrast, Dodge's build quality and reliability overall (in the Durango, charger, and challenger) seem to have improved. What's more interesting is why Dodge's reliability has gone up by Jeep's remains awful.

 

[Grayson]

That's interesting regarding the Ecoboost's continued issues. I too cannot be w/o my truck for even a few days, especially living in a rural community where it's uncertain what I would get for a loaner from a dealership here.

What are your thoughts on the 6.4L hemi V8 by Dodge? It seems tried and true and prone to less issues sans supercharger on the Hellcats.
I find it interesting that Ford's overall reliability and build quality have taken a bit of hit in recent years. By contrast, Dodge's build quality and reliability overall (in the Durango, charger, and challenger) seem to have improved. What's more interesting is why Dodge's reliability has gone up by Jeep's remains awful.

It depends on which 6.4 you are talking about. The one in the Scat Pack's or the 6.4 in the HD lineup. The 6.4 in the HD is anemic compared to the 6.6L GM or 7.3 Ford gas engines. Its fairly reliable though.

 

[FordTechOne]

Supply and demand will drastically shift back to the consumers favor. As the market rides the downhill train wreck, and picks up speed, manufacturers will be boosting builds, and supply chain for commodities comes back. The market will sideline people as well as the interest rates. So, everything resets, but a junk economy for everyone.
I am not a fan of the service issues on the ecoboost. Everyone will tear me up on that, but I am not interested in working on, or being without a truck. The gen 2 had enough tsb issues with the plastic pans, and cam phaser TSBs… just can’t get fully comfortable that the issues are not worked out. Just not worth it. For the 21/22 raptor, it has its own common complaints. I would only call it “less than a years worth” of production since 21 was a disaster, and the 22 switchover was slow. I don’t know how many 21/22 raptors have been made so far, but my guess is 20k units built total of gen 3.
My opinion is unpopular with a few here, so que the blasters.

You get "torn up" because your claims are baseless and exaggerated; you don't have the slightest clue what you're talking about. The composite lower oil pan leak issue was the result of poor RTV adhesion during manufacturing, which is easily corrected per the TSB. It affected a small population of production vehicles. That design went out of production early on, in 02/2018.

Cam phaser startup noise is entirely preventable by having recall 21B10 completed. For those that had an issue, a redesigned part was released with no repeat issue. The redesigned part went into production 11/19.

You simply hate anything that's not a Gen 1; it would be a lot easier to just state your opinion than to constantly bash the newer, better models because of your personal bias.

 

[New R3P7ER]

I was in the same boat.... looking at vehicles, and just was not ready to commit to the uncertainty of the ecoboost, or this latest gen 2/3 in general. My use case is same as yours. I am looking at everything now and just waiting to find the exact right deal. The economy is going to tank very soon - probably Q1 2023.... so, wait until then. There will still be plenty of great options then, and the pricing will be better as the slowdown will help fuel inventory of commodity parts, which will feed vehicle production. It sounds silly, but I don't think the top 3-4 vehicle manufacturers will see this coming (yes, I know they pay people to predict this) since they will be so arrogant about what is happening now. Summer/fall of 23 will be great for making vehicle purchases... just wait for it.

I see it coming….it won’t be fun for many