Tell me I'm completely insane for even considering this........

[GWBush]

This thread… Flame On!

 

[Fordus]

At the risk of getting blasted, here goes...........

Given the 3 bumps in my build date (now pushed out another 2 months to April), I started thinking whether this was a sign to perhaps not a get raptor. Accordingly, I started thinking about other options.
As I posted way back, I've always been intrigued by the 392 Hemi V8, and as such, cross shopped a Rubicon 392. Then I drove a Rubicon with the turbo diesel and decided quickly that there was no way I could live with this on long drives. I also have loved the Raptor from afar for years, but never seriously considered getting one until moving up here to the mountains and driving my buddy's gen 2.

When I drove his, I really liked it-- A LOT, minus the turbo lag in normal mode, and figured based on what I read about the Gen3, I'm going to like it even more. I live in a rural community at 6500 ft, and won't be doing hard core rock crawling, and likely won't be pushing the Raptor in the desert either, but am intrigued about doing some stupid stuff occasionally down in the desert w/o hopefully doing any serious damage.

I can't have a second 'fun' sports car right now, so having one vehicle that does it all is important.
So, the other vehicle I'm considering is.............

.......A Dodge Durango SRT 392.

Before anyone laughs too hard, the reasons are as follows:
-- Durango gives me a very good DD --similar to the Raptor. Not sure which would be more comfortable for long drives to Utah and CA, which I will do every couple of months, along with twice a month drives down to Phoenix.
--Durango would scratch the 392 itch, and from what I'm hearing, this engine may be retired soon b/c of emissions laws. I have no idea if this is true, but if it is, then it makes sense to own one for a couple of years and then get the Raptor later, as it's not going anywhere.
-- Off roading: I haven't done nearly as much as I thought I would in my current ride: 4runner TRD pro. Therefore, I'm not sure it's a big loss here. The Durango can get me to the light trails I need to get to for hiking. The big minus is no fun in the desert, but again, I wasn't going to push my Raptor too hard down there.

In terms of cons..........
--The Durango interior << Raptor. I much prefer the Raptor interior in terms of tech/design, and space, and on long drives, will probably enjoy driving the Raptor more with the new suspension set up in the 3rd gen. Durango will be a stiffer ride for sure, but probably fine in 'auto mode'. I can't find a SRT Durango anywhere around me, so there isn't a chance to compare the two.
--If I change my mind about off roading, I'm screwed.

In terms of fun factor:
--Not sure about this one. I love the way the Raptor handles on road, but that exhaust note isn't going to put a smile on my face the way the 392 will.

Unknowns:
--I'm not sure if the AWD platform with AS tires on the Durango (295/45/20) or the auto/part time 4wd system in the Raptor is going to be better for our winters when it does snow and the roads ice over. This is only relevant for 3, maybe 4 months out of the year.


--Bottom line is that I now KNOW I want a Raptor one day, after having driven one. I completely get the love people here have for them. I'm just proposing an alternative for maybe 2 years before I sell it and get a Raptor once this economy cools and the supply chain issues resolve.
--yes, I'll still have to order the Durango and there may be delays there too............no guarantees.
--Price wise: it's close to a wash. Durango built out is more expensive than the Raptor at MSRP by a few thousand, but I'll get about 5% off MSRP on the Durango.


Tell me I'm nuts for even considering this alternative.

Hey man do you and don’t let other words bother you. Cars or pick up trucks aren’t an investment they are just means to an end.

I placed an order on November and I haven’t heard a thing about a vin which is very understandable considering what’s going on the world.

I have a friend that let me drive his gen 3 code orange 37 package and I LOVE ita. No questions asked .Therefore I had to place the order.
However my friend drives European cars and he said that the raptor drives like a U-haul truck. (I drive a Mazda and a hayabusa what do I know?) so I felt the raptor is a very smooth drive and I love it.

So my friend texted me to go with him to test drive a TRX Which he placed an order 2 days after the test drive and I got to test drive it also , but a test drive wouldn’t tell you all about a vehicle but,so far in my POV

BIG DIFFERENCE between the raptor and the TRX.

TRX feels spacious from the inside no doubt and it looks bulkier from the outside.about the power in the engine the TRX is waaaaaay powerful.

At the end of the day they are both sexy trucks and both got enough power to get you out of the mud.

Now I placed 2 orders :raptor and TRX when they both come then I will keep what pleases me and sell the other.

 

[bruin1md]

Hey man do you and don’t let other words bother you. Cars or pick up trucks aren’t an investment they are just means to an end.

I placed an order on November and I haven’t heard a thing about a vin which is very understandable considering what’s going on the world.

I have a friend that let me drive his gen 3 code orange 37 package and I LOVE ita. No questions asked .Therefore I had to place the order.
However my friend drives European cars and he said that the raptor drives like a U-haul truck. (I drive a Mazda and a hayabusa what do I know?) so I felt the raptor is a very smooth drive and I love it.

So my friend texted me to go with him to test drive a TRX Which he placed an order 2 days after the test drive and I got to test drive it also , but a test drive wouldn’t tell you all about a vehicle but,so far in my POV

BIG DIFFERENCE between the raptor and the TRX.

TRX feels spacious from the inside no doubt and it looks bulkier from the outside.about the power in the engine the TRX is waaaaaay powerful.

At the end of the day they are both sexy trucks and both got enough power to get you out of the mud.

Now I placed 2 orders :raptor and TRX when they both come then I will keep what pleases me and sell the other.

Resolved since this thread............I placed a raptor in Jan, and it was built 3/31/22. Now I'm just waiting like many others on here for whatever chip(s) that are missing.

Where in Louisiana are you? I lived there for a long time.......

 

[Nex]

Raptor for the win.

 

[Fordus]

Resolved since this thread............I placed a raptor in Jan, and it was built 3/31/22. Now I'm just waiting like many others on here for whatever chip(s) that are missing.

Where in Louisiana are you? I lived there for a long time.......

BATIN ROUGE. congrats

 

[bruin1md]

BATIN ROUGE. congrats

Nice. I lived in Shreveport for 6 years and then Lafayette for 8+
Trained at LSU and Tulane