Why I'm Getting The F150 Lightning

[Crissa]

In my case…. the nearest Tesla service center is 339 miles away, where there are three Ford dealership within 40 miles.

You're going to be really sad when you find out none of them are qualified to work on the Lightning.

Dealers/service centers are a real problem, yes, but getting techs to actually learn up on an EV drive train seems more difficult than expected. This is a constant problem that Zero and Energica has had. GM has this problem, too, only a minority of their dealers would deal with Volts and Bolts.

Having all those existing service centers is a smokescreen when you want the one tech that's willing and able to take the course to fix your EV.

-Crissa

 

[Pappy]

You're going to be really sad when you find out none of them are qualified to work on the Lightning.

Dealers/service centers are a real problem, yes, but getting techs to actually learn up on an EV drive train seems more difficult than expected. This is a constant problem that Zero and Energica has had. GM has this problem, too, only a minority of their dealers would deal with Volts and Bolts.

Having all those existing service centers is a smokescreen when you want the one tech that's willing and able to take the course to fix your EV.

-Crissa

Yes…I agree 100%! People will always be who they are. Tesla will have the very same problems as ALL the rest of those companies that chose to build an Electric Vehicle. Not one company will have an advantage over another when it comes to “Training and Retaining” qualified technicians. Smokescreens? maybe, But, I’ll have several more options than Tesla at this moment. Crissa, for you to say; “none of them are qualified to work on the Lightning”, kinda of surprised me? It’s true right now but…. The dang truck hasn’t even reached the market yet. I’ve had this conversation with my local dealer, and again, I will share the thoughts of many on this forum with him to enforce OUR concerns about servicing ALL Electric Vehicles, not just the Lightning.

 

[Crissa]

It's good to have a dealer willing to put in the work.

it's just... That's no different than Tesla having service centers. You gotta train the techs. Having locations doesn't matter if the don't have techs.

And a year ago only a handful of Ford locations had techs capable of working in an EV.

So yeah, their dealer map is a smokescreen of locations which may or may not be able to help you.

-Crissa

 

[Firetruck41]

I abhor going to the dealer for service and haven't done so except for recalls, for about the last 20 years. It helps that I buy used vehicles that don't have any warranty left, and just do my own repairs for pennies on the dollar. However, for a new vehicle, one perk of Ford having many dealers, is that while they may not all be able to take care of EV Powertrain issues, they should all be able to deal with things like a seat rattling, a door latch not working, a window leaking and that sort of thing.

 

[Pappy]

Dang you Crissa… ya jinxed me. I just called Ford to get a leaking seal around my power sliding rear window on my brand new 2021 F-150 power Boost Hybrid fixed; Dealer #1 said July 26, Dealer #2 said July 29?, thank goodness, dealer #3 said this Friday at 10:00. Dealer #2 stated Ford will not give any dealership an EV without first proving you have qualified technicians to work on them. I’m getting worried that nobody going to be able to service anything for crying out loud. Nobody wants to work for a living anymore.?

 

[wgregory757]

I currently have both reservations for CT and Lightning, but here's what lead me to put in a reservation for Lightning.

Either truck was going to need to fit into one of 2 categories: ultimate road trip family vehicle, or cheap EV work vehicle. If I do end up getting the Lightning, it'll be the cheapest option they have. If I choose the CT, it'll be dual motor with hopefully announcements in increased range and charging speeds for those road trips.

What lead me to the Lightning is I believe it has a better $40k version. Yes, CT has a little more range, faster charging, a larger screen, autopilot, and SS body among others. However, the most important thing it doesn't have is dual motors. Unfortunately, it is a deal-breaker for me. And since I don't plan on taking this truck on long trips where most of the other Tesla features would be more important, the Ford wins out.

A couple last points, I am probably over the 700,000 mark for the CT, and it could be a while before I'd get it. So it is entirely possible I start with the Lightning, and then switch to the CT. The other point is Ford does still have the $7,500 credit. Even though this might change w/ Biden, at the moment I am factoring it into my reservation. Is there anyone else who had similar thoughts?

The F150 Lighting's body will crush like a beer can, my F150 did at 35 mph 9.000 damage

 

[firsttruck]

Dealer #2 stated Ford will not give any dealership an EV without first proving you have qualified technicians to work on them.

How many dealerships going to invest in equipment, tools, DC fast charger, tech training when Ford will have few F-150 Lightnings to ship?

One, Two, three sales of F-150 Lightnings will not justify dealer investment.

 

[Diehard]

How many dealerships going to invest in equipment, tools, DC fast charger, tech training when Ford will have few F-150 Lightnings to ship?

One, Two, three sales of F-150 Lightnings will not justify dealer investment.

Not only that, if EVs really do need less maintenance, it is even less of an incentive for dealers to invest. Ford may have to program high frequency warnings to get dealers on board; change your cooling fluids or your battery will explode. I can't get that wrench in Home Depot, Gotta go to dealer. Kaching $$$$$

GM told their dealers get on board or get out. Ford needs to do the same. Transition is going to be painful for customers.

 

[firsttruck]

GM told their dealers get on board or get out. Ford needs to do the same. Transition is going to be painful for customers.

As far as I recall GM only said get on switch to EV vehicles to Cadillac dealers. GM required quite large investment by each Cadillac dealers for EV stuff or get out.

Did GM say that to other dealer brands (Chevrolet, GMC, etc) ??

 

[MRTENNANT]

You're going to be really sad when you find out none of them are qualified to work on the Lightning.

Dealers/service centers are a real problem, yes, but getting techs to actually learn up on an EV drive train seems more difficult than expected. This is a constant problem that Zero and Energica has had. GM has this problem, too, only a minority of their dealers would deal with Volts and Bolts.

Having all those existing service centers is a smokescreen when you want the one tech that's willing and able to take the course to fix your EV.

-Crissa

I totally agree, our first electric was a Chevy Spark EV. You know how many emails we got about it needing an oil change from the service center? And when it had problems, no one knew how to service it. It was a disaster. Chevy basically made a throw away electric car to meet emissions requirements in California.

 

[Diehard]

As far as I recall GM only said get on switch to EV vehicles to Cadillac dealers. GM required quite large investment by each Cadillac dealers for EV stuff or get out.

Did GM say that to other dealer brands (Chevrolet, GMC, etc) ??

I have not checked into all of them but there were December articles that suggest that 1,900 GMC dealers agreed to fork over $140K each to support Hummer. It makes sense as other GM EVs come out, the same will follow for each of them. Either they think GM is joking about going all EV or they take it seriously. If they take it seriously, they have to decide if they are living for today or tomorrow.

 

[John K]

When I want to service my Volt and see those bright orange cables…nope…close hood and 3rd party service.

?

 

[2000prerunner]

The only advantages for the F150 lighting are :

1) Bolt on Long Travel kits for the front suspension will probably work due to similarities between F150 chassis (like this: https://www.bajakits.com/i-26380435...BGunt55k_R0kcYjs-bkn_3nI7yMiL2ehoCW4AQAvD_BwE). The rear suspension on the F150 lighting will still need to be custom (it's a swing arm style like a Baja bug/class 1 car, not solid axle like normal F150s which have available bolt-on Long travel rear options).

2) Bolt on wider fiber glass fenders will probably bolt right up to the F150 lightings body with minimal fitment issues ( like this: https://www.fiberwerx.com/products/2018-2020-ford-f150-fenders ). It's not a stainless unibody so there is a lot of flexibility in trimming / adding fenders and panels . Unlike a cyber truck.

3) Bolt on bumpers and rock sliders. The F150 will have a normal frame to bolt cool things up to or even weld to. Maybe the cyber will have bolt points on the unibody for bumpers/light bars and so on?

The cyber truck will be F**ked if you think you are going raptor / Baja mode. No way to add wider fenders to clear bigger tires or install Long travel suspensions. The suspension can always be custom fabricated (or wait till some aftermarket shop offers a "kit") , but because it uses a unibody we are screwed for shock mounts when going long travel (F150 lighting still has a steel frame , so you can add shock mounts / hoops for massive coil over/ bypass shocks and hydro bump stops). The only hope for a cyber to still be fun is just as a slow "crawler" with such a wide wheel base (like how a Hummer H1 can still crawl despite limited wheel travel and independent suspension). Better pray 37" tires fit stock under that stainless steel body.

Then again lets be honest. Most of the nerds getting the cyber truck think "off-roading" is a dirt road at 5mph. They probably are still pumped on the "air ride" suspension. Sad but true. Aw well . Lets wait and see.

 

[John K]

Then again lets be honest. Most of the nerds getting the cyber truck think "off-roading" is a dirt road at 5mph. They probably are still pumped on the "air ride" suspension. Sad but true. Aw well . Lets wait and see.

You could never be more wrong, driving while snowing on a ski trip is my 4x4.

only add chains if it gets more extreme.

 

[firsttruck]

The only advantages for the F150 lighting are :

1) Bolt on Long Travel kits for the front suspension will probably work due to similarities between F150 chassis (like this: https://www.bajakits.com/i-26380435...BGunt55k_R0kcYjs-bkn_3nI7yMiL2ehoCW4AQAvD_BwE). The rear suspension on the F150 lighting will still need to be custom (it's a swing arm style like a Baja bug/class 1 car, not solid axle like normal F150s which have available bolt-on Long travel rear options).
.....

The F-150 Lightning EV has less ground clearance than F-150 ICE (8.9" vs 9.4").
F-150s do not come standard with adjustable air suspension. I think RAM trucks have adjustable air suspension.

The Cybertruck adjustable air suspension has maximum ground clearance of at least 16" ( updated specs might be 20").

Since Cybertuck has so much more ground clearance & adjustable air suspension, maybe the Cybertruck will not need to add extra lift/travel kit to do Baja.

It might be that the F-150 Lightning EV is the one that needs lift kit for even simple off-roading ( non-Baja) & over-landing.

.....
2) Bolt on wider fiber glass fenders will probably bolt right up to the F150 lightings body with minimal fitment issues ( like this: https://www.fiberwerx.com/products/2018-2020-ford-f150-fenders ). It's not a stainless unibody so there is a lot of flexibility in trimming / adding fenders and panels . Unlike a cyber truck.

On the Cybertruck prototype the wheel fenders are a different color. Since Cybertruck is not painted that might mean the wheel fenders are not stainless steel and the fenders might actual be made of rubber bumper type material that is removable.