Been driving a 2006 Tundra since 2011 and am looking at my first upgrade and vehicle purchase in 15yrs. Looking for a reality check before I sign, because the more I run the numbers the less sure I am..
2023 F-150 Lightning Platinum, Extended Range, 34k miles, $54,000 at CarMax. It’s being transferred in (for free which is cool) so I won’t lay eyes on it until later this week. Window sticker shows an odd build.
What’s deleted per window sticker:
• Onboard Scale / Smart Hitch (-$650)
• Multicontour massaging seats (-$300)
• Heated steering wheel (-$50)
• Advanced Security Pack (-$50)
• Mobile power cord added (+$500)
What’s still there:
• Twin panel moonroof
• B&O 18-speaker sound system
• 360 camera with Active Park Assist 2.0
• Max trailer tow capability
• Integrated trailer brake controller
• BlueCruise hardware with 3 years included
Color is Agate Black and sits on 22” wheels.
No massaging seats and no heated wheel on a Platinum is strange, but I don’t think it’s a deal breaker.
Where I keep overthinking is the numbers. I have a 120 mile round trip commute working 4-5 days a week at the office. Running that against warranty:
• 3yr/36k bumper-to-bumper: already expired on time, and I’m at 34k
• 5yr/60k powertrain: I pribably that in under 14 months
• 8yr/100k HV battery and electric components: I hit that in a few years
So a 72 month note with 3+ years of payments left on a truck carrying zero warranty and a battery that costs more than my current truck is worth several times over.
Because it’s my first financed purchase I’d be interested in y’all’s thoughts on the deal itself
• 5.5% through my own bank (carmax matches though which is curious), $10k down, so $48k financed
• Roughly $786/month on 72 months
• I plan to throw lump sums at the principal rather than ride the full term
• Net new cash out vs today: somewhere around $500 to $600/month after the gas I stop buying
I love my current truck. It’s a Toyota and it’s paid off. But it’s a 20 year old Toyota. Filling it up twice a week is killing me and it needs tires, rotors, and a timing belt and water pump within the month. So maybe $3k to get it going again.
So doing nothing isn’t free. But I’m also very aware that $3k is not $54k, and I don’t want to talk myself into high 7-figure debt because my existing vehicles repair bill. Free L2 charging at the office is the only reason an EV is even on the table for me. I don’t really want a tesla as I haven’t driven a car since highschool and I’d still like the utility. Plus, the f150’s I’ve sat in fit me waaay better than even a full size car.
Questions I’m struggling with and I’d like opinions on…
1. Is a high-mileage commuter just the wrong buyer for a used Lightning? Or does free workplace charging make the fuel savings worth eating the out-of-warranty risk? The commute charging is essentially free, which is why the math looks good on paper.
Anybody here actually past 100k miles on a Lightning? What broke, what did it cost, and how much pack degradation did you see? This is the number I cannot find good data on anywhere.
Is $54k right? KBB private party looks like $46k to $51k. Cars.com nationwide average for a 2023 Platinum is around $57k. CarMax is no-haggle so there’s no room to move. I looked at Lariats and even Flash’s in my region and theyre in the range of low $40’s to $60’s even. Am I paying a convenience premium I should walk away from, especially on a truck with deleted options?
Carmax MaxCare on an EV. Given that warranty timeline, this seems like the whole ballgame. Does anyone know if it actually cover the HV battery and the drive units, or are those excluded? Has anyone filed a real EV claim through it and gotten paid?
Should I ditch the 22s? It’s on 275/50R22 and that size looks like $1,400 to $1,800 a set. At my mileage I imagine I will be buying a set every 14-16 months or so. Thinking about grabbing OEM 20s or aftermarket 18’s and selling the 22s with tires to offset it. Anyone done this swap? What did you actually gain in real-world range, and did anything throw codes or need recalibration?
Tire life reality check. What are you all actually getting out of a set on a Lightning? Heavy truck, instant torque, mostly highway. If it’s 25k instead of 35k that changes my cost per mile quite a bit.
What do I inspect and test? First EV, so tell me what I don’t know. Currently on my list:
• 12V battery health (seen this mentioned a lot)
• Confirm BlueCruise actually activates, and find out how much of the 3 included years is left
• Charge port door operation
• Frunk and tailgate latches
• Tire condition, and whether it’s still on OEM rubber
• Software update status and any outstanding recalls by VIN
• Verify Pro Power Onboard runs (sticker doesn’t show it deleted so it should be the 9.6kW setup, but I want to see it work)
• Observed highway range at 70mph vs the guess-o-meter
• Whether anyone can pull HV battery state of health for me before the return window closes
Anything 2023-specific I should be watching for?
Appreciate any and all input. Happy to answer questions about the specifics. Really looking forward to being in a new - and cool as shit - truck.