Opinions on new truck

After almost 12 years and 200,000 miles with my Nissan Titan 4x4, I’m thinking about an upgrade.

Trying to decide between a new Ford Raptor, or a regular truck lifted 6 inches…maybe an F-150 Lariat/Platinum. I don’t purposely seek out any hardcore off-roading, but sometimes my lifestyle (camping, hunting, beach…) has put me in places that I’ve had to use my truck’s full capabilities such as creek crossing, climbing, mud, ruts, water, and rough terrain (East Texas pipeline stuff). Any 4WD truck would do what I need; the difference is mostly style. A Raptor has its own style with the wide aggressive stance and long wheel travel but seems to sit kind of low to the ground. On the other hand the regular F-150s lifted 6 inches look really nice, although not as tough in the suspension.

Humor me, which style of truck has more of the “fun/cool factor” in your opinion? I understand lots of folks are ok with normal trucks and don’t see the sense in what I’m asking, but hey I’m approaching middle age and I’m bored. So now that I have the means, I really want my next truck to have the cool off-road look.

I drive off road just about every day. Can be as mundane as a gravel/caliche ranch road or it could be crossing creeks and climbing hills. Don't see much mud these days because it doesent exist in my part of the world


I had good luck with both my ford and chevy 1/2 tons. I had a 3" lift on the ford and a 4" on my chevy. Both were great offroad trucks.


The raptor, to me, is a gimmick. If you are going to be driving 70 mph down a washboard road then yes, it works good for that. But it won't out off road a properly equipped non-raptor half ton the way regular people drive.

If I were to buy another half ton tomorrow I would go Ford and throw a 6" lift and 35's on it and drive wherever I wanted.


my Z71 did fantastic offroad btw as well....probably a tad better than the ford but the ford has rear A/C and larger back seats

Get the FX4, whatever lift and tires you want, and it will be a good off road truck. I miss the off road capability of my 2012 F150. The electric lockers sure makes a world of difference in the wet stuff

Here ya go

Tundra trd

I second the Ford recommendation....but not the FX4. The Chinese made Rancho branded shocks on the FX4 are garbage!!! Get straight 4X4 and add skid plate. Better ride and less $. I swapped out the crappy Rancho's on my FX4 with Bilstein 5100's (steering stabilizer too!) and couldn't be happier with the upgrade. Ford and Rancho have a "marketing agreement" with the FX4's...nothing but a cheap Chinese shock with Rancho logo/colors. Mine is an F250, but rides like a Caddy with the shock upgrade!

F-150’s don’t have steering stabilizers. The FX4 has more off road features than just shock & skid plates

You can lift a half ton 6" and then fit the same size tire the raptor has on it stock which means you have exactly the same ground clearance.

I've got a 2018 Raptor. Fun truck, but it's getting traded in next week.

You mention camping/hunting, guessing you pull a trailer from time to time....get the regular F150, you'll be a lot happier.

Yes and no. Under the axle yes, but the lifted truck will have more clearance under the frame, bumpers, etc. The Raptor clears the 35’s with wider A-arms and flared fenders

Get a regular late model Ford F-150 4x4 Platinum and put a modest lift kit on it. The Raptor is way overpriced.

Is your Nissan lifted?

Assuming this is a daily driver? I wouldn't want a to climb in/out of a jacked up truck every day, also they don't get along with parking garages. Just some thoughts to keep in mind.

Heck, my stock Z71 doesn’t get along with parking garages!

You can always find a dealer that sells “new” lifted versions of their 4wd pickups...that will carry a full warranty on the lifted truck parts...sometimes you can even sneak up on a screaming good deal on them, relative to the cost of doing it yourself and no warranty on the truck or parts...Just saying, after owning, driving, lifting many capable 4wd Chevy vehicles, given the IFS suspensions, I would let the dealer do it and warranty it as well.

How does your stock Z71 not fit in parking garages? My Ram 2500 gets in under the 6’8” parking garages.

I can tell you this....

After driving 50k miles in it, thru the deserts of West Texas, to the Mountains of Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona, thru rain, sleet, snow, and mud, My FX4 F-250 Powerstroke absolutely sucks off road.



in mud its maybe slightly better locked in 4low than my Z71 was in 2wd. Got a reminder the other day after a few inches of rain just how crappy diesels are in the mud.



Still pulls like a mug though, and for the miles I put on its probably the best option for me, but dang do they suck off road. in any mud at all its a butt pucker 100% of the time

Yeah my experience is the same. Those diesels are just too darn heavy to be decent off-road. It's major pucker in mud and sand. They are a joy to haul with though.

This.

Why wouldn't you buy a new Titan Pro 4X. I have 224K on my 04 Titan, it has been a great truck. Plus with the 5 year 100K warranty, its the best one out there.

Had F150 with lifts and 37.5s Open Country M/T. It was too tall. At a little over middle aged I wanted a 4wd comfort/style (concrete queen/Sunday ride) so I bought a 2016 F150 FX4 Platinum, picked out a 4 wheel shop to add 6" lift, 35s Open County R/T much better ride that M/T for in town, etc and had dealer take it to them for the work and had it rolled into the truck (no mark ups) so that all covered under dealer warranty before I took delivery. Rides and pulls my trailers/rv just fine. not my daily driver.

Check out that new Ford Ecoboost Diesel. Put a 4" lift and 35's and your ready to go.

Maybe because it’s the ugliest truck ever created?

Buddy just bought one and loves it. Insane fuel mileage and pulls really good.

But he paid $3k over what I did for my 250 in the same trim level. He did get a sunroof though...

Stock I agree, leveled or lifted with AT tires and you're wrong. Will last longer than any domestic.

If I could swing it, I’d buy the raptor. It’s a cool looking truck with some real off road prowess. A buddy of mine has a 2018 model and has been attending some local “raptor runs.” I’m impressed with what some of those guy are doing with stock trucks.

If not the raptor I’d look at a Tundra. 4” lift on 35s.. they look great.

.

Saw one with a 4 or 6” lift on it.

Made it look a lot better.

Pulled up next to it and it was the size of my superduty. So your getting a superduty sized truck with a diesel that has about 1/2 the torque and 100 less HP


I don’t see the benefit to owning one. The previous model was a lot smaller in body.

I hear you man for sure. The warranty to me is the only reason I would look at another Titan when mine old one runs it's course. I really don't tow anything of size so the xtra HP and torque don't mean as much to me as it would to some. This is my 4th Nissan product and the bottom line, they just last.

My thoughts exactly! That said, I gave a buddy of mine some serious grief when I found out he bought a Raptor. His comments from this weekend follow...well I don’t like half tons or Fords either, but the dual turbos on that six banger are impressive. You will love the ride this thing has, and YES we are taking it to Sonora on the mule deer hunt in January, dragging a Twelve foot enclosed trailer, so I can get all the deer mounts home. It tows that trailer like it’s not even there. I asked him why buy a new trailer, you already got scads of trucks /Trailers? He said, you don’t understand, The wheel travel and shocks on this truck makes those Mexico pothole roads seem like riding on the Autobahn...dude, when you get out here to pronghorn camp,next week, I am gonna show you...it’s like riding on air across the rocks...

That said, a Ford, really?! Needless to say, I am a fan of gas Z-71, and dodge diesel stuff. I will probably post a story, with plenty of pics, when I get back from pronghorn camp, as there are usually many book goats shot, every year. That said I may remember to update this post, if not, I will definitely include some impressions about the raptor. I hope it is as good as he says, if I am gonna have to ride/drive in it from Hobbs to Sonora and back...those Mexican roads are terrible, and my back hates them...

I have never seen a good deal on a lifted truck from a dealer. They are always over priced and most of the time they use cheap lifts like spacer blocks and such. I think they are trying to sell to the people that just want the look. If you want something that is truly off road capable then do it yourself or find a reputable shop. Lifts will not void warranty unless the lift directly caused the part to fail. Talk about over priced that defines the Raptor.

before I bought my truck I was gonna buy a 1/2 ton lifted from the dealer. They use the same shop across the road from the dealership that has done 3 lifts for me.


The prices they wanted to charge me were as follows:

$3500 for a $1500 lift

$1200 for $600 worth of Line-X

$2500 for a $1600 replacement bumper



The markup on aftermarket parts is crazy high at the dealership. I pointed this out to them, that I know prices and know the shop and they just told me, yeah, well that's what we charge.


So I bought a truck at a different dealership