Timing of purchasing a Raptor

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dc1gator

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^^^ This!

Richiemitchell said: a vehicle that is 3 years newer, more capable, with less millage for roughly the same cost?

I respectfully disagree (mostly with the more capable part), but good luck in whichever way you decide to go. Any Raptor is better than no Raptor.
I'll put my money on a Gen2 over a Gen1 for performance anytime. This, based on live observations. If I owned a Gen1 I would stay away from a super charger. A super charged 6.2 still won't hang with a tuned Gen2. Super charged 6.2's (from what I have seen) tip-toe around blown engines. In the end, I think the preference for a Gen1 is the V/8 sound.
 

Badgertits

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I'll put my money on a Gen2 over a Gen1 for performance anytime. This, based on live observations. If I owned a Gen1 I would stay away from a super charger. A super charged 6.2 still won't hang with a tuned Gen2. Super charged 6.2's (from what I have seen) tip-toe around blown engines. In the end, I think the preference for a Gen1 is the V/8 sound.
One massive/significant difference between the gen1/gen2 Raptor & all newer F150s is the fact that they’re all aluminum....despite the obvious power advantage the gen2 has its enhanced even further by the lighter weight. The fact that every year the gen1s w/ steel body panels age/pit/corrode a lil bit more & the gen2’s essentially don’t is a major selling point especially if you plan on keeping long term and/or live in an area that uses sand/salt/brine on roads in winter....or if you launch watercraft in salt water.

also consider simply “matter of factly” having an all AL body is over the top design that was relegated to only very high end luxury vehicles/exotics - Aston martins, range rovers, etc. just a decade or so ago- to be able to have that design in a bad ass Baja offroad truck that you MAY want to hold onto for a long time? That’s pretty cool.

then you also gotta consider much stronger frame/chassis all around w/ beefier shocks - again on a significantly lighter truck- only mean that much better performance right outta the box

and as for a potential cross-comparison between a gen2 & a gen3 “base” unless we find out they slapped on Ford GT sized turbos or changed out the cams for more aggressive profile most gen2 owners know fully well a tune alone ups the performance in a major way- so it’s probably going to be an easier decision to hold onto a well sorted/low mileage/tastefully modded gen2 vs diving into a brand new design gen3 built/designed partially during crazy covid times & I fully expect there to be growing pains/QC issues outta the box.

also the difference in exterior design is very muted vs the change from gen1 to gen2....if anything the gen3 trucks look like a more refined/reserved design than the gen2 which appears more aggressive looking - and at the end of the day, the new f150 design in general is very close to the previous gen...I can totally see gen2 trucks being confused for gen3’s once they start hitting the streets & vice versa. Not so w/ a gen1 - and some may think the gen1 looks best- but w/ a steel body- it ain’t gonna age best no matter which way you cut it.

main draw (for me & many other gen2 owners I’d imagine) of the gen3 Raptor would be the coil-over rear suspension, the 37” tire option w/ beefier shocks/mounting points, & the overall updated/nicer interior design/tech features which you could say for any current gen F150
Owner.

All that being said....between a gen1 w/ a steel body dated tech & lots of miles w/ a sweet exhaust tone & a gen3 that may not provide much improvement in drivetrain performance but could very likely come w/ some issues that need ironing out.....in the current market w/ crazy pricing & limited inventory I think the best bet is for sure a 2019-2020 Raptor that has all the best features, engine quirks worked out (cam phasers & plastic pans & TCM updates etc), live valve shocks, & 801a trucks that get the big digital gauge cluster etc etc - i think that’s the best deal for now & will have the best reliability.

that’s what I did personally, in a new 2020, could have played waiting game on a gen3 & driven some beater for a year or so, but I know I’d be LIVID to get a new gen3, overpay for it, & then wind up being one of Ford’s free public guinea pigs for their R&D team lol
 

dc1gator

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One massive/significant difference between the gen1/gen2 Raptor & all newer F150s is the fact that they’re all aluminum....despite the obvious power advantage the gen2 has its enhanced even further by the lighter weight. The fact that every year the gen1s w/ steel body panels age/pit/corrode a lil bit more & the gen2’s essentially don’t is a major selling point especially if you plan on keeping long term and/or live in an area that uses sand/salt/brine on roads in winter....or if you launch watercraft in salt water.

also consider simply “matter of factly” having an all AL body is over the top design that was relegated to only very high end luxury vehicles/exotics - Aston martins, range rovers, etc. just a decade or so ago- to be able to have that design in a bad ass Baja offroad truck that you MAY want to hold onto for a long time? That’s pretty cool.

then you also gotta consider much stronger frame/chassis all around w/ beefier shocks - again on a significantly lighter truck- only mean that much better performance right outta the box

and as for a potential cross-comparison between a gen2 & a gen3 “base” unless we find out they slapped on Ford GT sized turbos or changed out the cams for more aggressive profile most gen2 owners know fully well a tune alone ups the performance in a major way- so it’s probably going to be an easier decision to hold onto a well sorted/low mileage/tastefully modded gen2 vs diving into a brand new design gen3 built/designed partially during crazy covid times & I fully expect there to be growing pains/QC issues outta the box.

also the difference in exterior design is very muted vs the change from gen1 to gen2....if anything the gen3 trucks look like a more refined/reserved design than the gen2 which appears more aggressive looking - and at the end of the day, the new f150 design in general is very close to the previous gen...I can totally see gen2 trucks being confused for gen3’s once they start hitting the streets & vice versa. Not so w/ a gen1 - and some may think the gen1 looks best- but w/ a steel body- it ain’t gonna age best no matter which way you cut it.

main draw (for me & many other gen2 owners I’d imagine) of the gen3 Raptor would be the coil-over rear suspension, the 37” tire option w/ beefier shocks/mounting points, & the overall updated/nicer interior design/tech features which you could say for any current gen F150
Owner.

All that being said....between a gen1 w/ a steel body dated tech & lots of miles w/ a sweet exhaust tone & a gen3 that may not provide much improvement in drivetrain performance but could very likely come w/ some issues that need ironing out.....in the current market w/ crazy pricing & limited inventory I think the best bet is for sure a 2019-2020 Raptor that has all the best features, engine quirks worked out (cam phasers & plastic pans & TCM updates etc), live valve shocks, & 801a trucks that get the big digital gauge cluster etc etc - i think that’s the best deal for now & will have the best reliability.

that’s what I did personally, in a new 2020, could have played waiting game on a gen3 & driven some beater for a year or so, but I know I’d be LIVID to get a new gen3, overpay for it, & then wind up being one of Ford’s free public guinea pigs for their R&D team lol
Well said. Mine is a 2017 with 54K nodded to my likes (maybe not through yet) and I have had zero problems with it.
 
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Richiemitchell

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^^^ This!

Richiemitchell said: a vehicle that is 3 years newer, more capable, with less millage for roughly the same cost?

I respectfully disagree (mostly with the more capable part), but good luck in whichever way you decide to go. Any Raptor is better than no Raptor.
I can understand the perspective of a gen 1 having a more proven reliability record. It is a V8 with less going on electronically. The 6.2 has proven itself through 2xxxxx miles. Great truck.
I have driven both gens in the desert and there is absolutely no way one can argue the Gen 1 is more capable in stock form. it weighs 500 pounds more, The steering is not as responsive. it takes longer for the back end to straighten out, it has less travel, not as balanced, it's much slower, etc. (I still love the truck but it is not as capable.)
I am on the hunt to getting one. Just afraid of cam phaser issues, plastic oil pan, and the cost of maintenance on a gen 2.
 
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Richiemitchell

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One massive/significant difference between the gen1/gen2 Raptor & all newer F150s is the fact that they’re all aluminum....despite the obvious power advantage the gen2 has its enhanced even further by the lighter weight. The fact that every year the gen1s w/ steel body panels age/pit/corrode a lil bit more & the gen2’s essentially don’t is a major selling point especially if you plan on keeping long term and/or live in an area that uses sand/salt/brine on roads in winter....or if you launch watercraft in salt water.

also consider simply “matter of factly” having an all AL body is over the top design that was relegated to only very high end luxury vehicles/exotics - Aston martins, range rovers, etc. just a decade or so ago- to be able to have that design in a bad ass Baja offroad truck that you MAY want to hold onto for a long time? That’s pretty cool.

then you also gotta consider much stronger frame/chassis all around w/ beefier shocks - again on a significantly lighter truck- only mean that much better performance right outta the box

and as for a potential cross-comparison between a gen2 & a gen3 “base” unless we find out they slapped on Ford GT sized turbos or changed out the cams for more aggressive profile most gen2 owners know fully well a tune alone ups the performance in a major way- so it’s probably going to be an easier decision to hold onto a well sorted/low mileage/tastefully modded gen2 vs diving into a brand new design gen3 built/designed partially during crazy covid times & I fully expect there to be growing pains/QC issues outta the box.

also the difference in exterior design is very muted vs the change from gen1 to gen2....if anything the gen3 trucks look like a more refined/reserved design than the gen2 which appears more aggressive looking - and at the end of the day, the new f150 design in general is very close to the previous gen...I can totally see gen2 trucks being confused for gen3’s once they start hitting the streets & vice versa. Not so w/ a gen1 - and some may think the gen1 looks best- but w/ a steel body- it ain’t gonna age best no matter which way you cut it.

main draw (for me & many other gen2 owners I’d imagine) of the gen3 Raptor would be the coil-over rear suspension, the 37” tire option w/ beefier shocks/mounting points, & the overall updated/nicer interior design/tech features which you could say for any current gen F150
Owner.

All that being said....between a gen1 w/ a steel body dated tech & lots of miles w/ a sweet exhaust tone & a gen3 that may not provide much improvement in drivetrain performance but could very likely come w/ some issues that need ironing out.....in the current market w/ crazy pricing & limited inventory I think the best bet is for sure a 2019-2020 Raptor that has all the best features, engine quirks worked out (cam phasers & plastic pans & TCM updates etc), live valve shocks, & 801a trucks that get the big digital gauge cluster etc etc - i think that’s the best deal for now & will have the best reliability.

that’s what I did personally, in a new 2020, could have played waiting game on a gen3 & driven some beater for a year or so, but I know I’d be LIVID to get a new gen3, overpay for it, & then wind up being one of Ford’s free public guinea pigs for their R&D team lol
I appreciate all the insight, I'm hoping to see a small dip in pricing once people start ordering their gen 3's. I Maybe completely wrong on this but I'd imagine there will be a lot of raptor owners wanting to trade up for the latest and greatest.

You are probably right on a 19 or 20 being my best bet for reliability and long-term ownership. I am on the hunt for one and I'm leaning towards a Scab. The main issue is trying to find a low mileage well maintained Raptor in the 50k Range. I would be willing to fork out some extra cash if the truck is exactly how I want it but haven't stumpled across the right one yet.
 

Justbob

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To be honest I don’t think you will see much of a dip in prices for the next year, even with the Gen 3 coming out. There isn’t enough supply to meet the demand and with the emergence from the pandemic, a lot of people are getting out there and “spending”, add in the lack of new production and the higher profit margin on used vehicles and I just don’t see it. But then again if I could predict the future.....I would be typing this from my private island.....
I agree on the assessment that a 2019-2020 is probably the sweet spot of better reliability and capability without paying a premium for “new” or “classic”. That being said I got my 2014 SCREW with 50k miles about 1-1/2 years ago and felt at the time that I was paying a premium.....not anymore. I also did a Sync 3 upgrade and don’t feel I am missing a TON of other tech that I need for what would be a $20k more, add in the V8 /exhaust/reliability and I’m not looking to change anything for quite sometime.
 
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Richiemitchell

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To be honest I don’t think you will see much of a dip in prices for the next year, even with the Gen 3 coming out. There isn’t enough supply to meet the demand and with the emergence from the pandemic, a lot of people are getting out there and “spending”, add in the lack of new production and the higher profit margin on used vehicles and I just don’t see it. But then again if I could predict the future.....I would be typing this from my private island.....
I agree on the assessment that a 2019-2020 is probably the sweet spot of better reliability and capability without paying a premium for “new” or “classic”. That being said I got my 2014 SCREW with 50k miles about 1-1/2 years ago and felt at the time that I was paying a premium.....not anymore. I also did a Sync 3 upgrade and don’t feel I am missing a TON of other tech that I need for what would be a $20k more, add in the V8 /exhaust/reliability and I’m not looking to change anything for quite sometime.
Well, I hope you are slightly off about the price dip after the Gen 3 coming out. I just don't understand how you could ask someone to pay 75k for a slightly used 19 or 20 Raptor when you could order a brand new 21 base Raptor for 64k. I'm guessing 801a for less than 70k. 802a for less than 75k and 37's for roughly the same that you could build out a gen 2 to support 37's properly.
Haven't seen the build and price, hoping they release that soon for the Gen 3. If gen 2's don't come down then shit. maybe I will order a gen 3.
Selling my Platinum F150 and Cherokee this week for almost 15k more than they were worth 6 months ago so now I will be looking diligently. Luckily I have the next 3 months slammed with work and will be in a rental most of the time. Hoping to see a slight dip in that time and jump on the right Raptor.

I'm sure there is a thread about this on the forum but how difficult was it for you to upgrade your gen 1 to sync 3 and has it given you issues since?
 

NLarson801

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I think it will depend on how many new trucks the dealers are going to be able to get this year. If the demand is still high due to a low quantity of trucks, the prices on used Raptor's will stay high. But, if there are a lot of trucks coming in it will be difficult to sell used ones for the same price as the brand new model. Anyone know what kind of numbers are to be expected?
 

bjork

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Like many others, I was disappointed with the gen 3. Hard to say exactly what will really happen with the market in response to the return of a raptor with an 8 cylinder when the R arrives. I think demand will be so high that the supply will struggle for a while, driving the markups higher for the R and keeping the gen 1 V8’s popular as a much more affordable alternative.
Like others have said, everything is inflated right now (not just the raptor market) and most likely won’t have a dramatic drop this year. With that being said, I’m considering selling my ‘13 because I’m not expecting to see prices like this again.
 
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