2000Firehawk
Well-known member
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- #1
Figured I would share my delivery, first takes, some plans for the future and a note about the ordering process. All of this will be my candid thoughts and opinions – including those that might frustrate some of those who are still waiting, but want to be honest about the process.
Let’s start at the beginning. I reserved day 1, but was at my daughter’s softball practice so it wasn’t until later in the evening. I put zero thought into the dealer selection because I figured there was no chance I was actually getting one in a practical time frame so I just picked the closest dealer to me (Apple Ford, Columbia, MD). They would not know me or prioritize me in any way based on relationship. Saw the threads with dealers prioritizing orders for crazy money – something I would not do. I saw the thread about the dealers with ADM (Apple was listed as $10K) and can confirm that they do have markups on the few vehicles on their lot of various models, so I had little hope my order would go through without ADM. I also had not seen the threads where you could move dealers once you had the invite. I never contacted anyone at the dealer and I didn’t know where I was in line or priority, didn’t ask about ADM before the allocation, nothing. Just figured I wouldn’t be able to order for a long, long time. I received my ready to order email on February 3 at 5 pm and when I went to place the order the site showed no ADM so I placed the order three hours later (Lariat ER, rapid red, bed liner). I contacted the dealer a few days later to ask for a signed contract with the full price, including TT&L and the deposits made. They were quick to send a signed agreement and at that point we were off and running. Throughout this entire process, I will tell you flat out that I had little confidence the truck would be built and delivered without a fight over ADM. I’m one of those people that just won’t pay it – right or wrong, but that is not for this thread. The first time I have ever paid MSRP was for the two RAV4 Primes I bought within the last 12 months. Those are fantastic vehicles by the way other than Toyota’s ideas for storage of small items around the driver. I buy a fair number of cars and help others (family and friends) in the buying process as well. I am the lunatic that enjoys the research and deal process. I’ve traveled half way across the country for deals factoring in shipping/commute back. I’ve flown in and driven back. I’ve dragged a 24’ enclosed trailer to a far off place and back in a short weekend to grab a car. When I picked the truck up, it was a quick 45 minutes, and everything was already set. No talk about changing prices, no talk of preventing resale, etc. Smooth and simple.
I live on both sides of the car isle. Performance gas guzzler cars (modern sports cars and classic muscle cars) and efficient cars. I’ve had a number of hybrid and PHEV’s but this is the first BEV so lots of tax credits along the way. Funny enough, even had a tax credit for a not so “clean diesel” Jetta. Below is a partial car resume so you can figure out where my opinions are coming from:
GMC Yukon Hybrid
Ford Fusion Hybrid
Ford Fusion Energi (2 of these)
Pacifica Hybrid
Toyota RAV4 Prime (2 of these)
I also have a 2022 Ram 3500 for comparison of other truck brands.
First impressions of the truck after 150 or so miles and several errand-type trips via backroads and highways:
One pedal driving is going to take getting used to. With the Fusions and the Pacifica, each had a quasi one-pedal driving. Really it was just a bit more regen, but it would slow the vehicle down to an extent. The Lightning is an entirely different game altogether. When you lift of the pedal it is like hitting the brakes hard. I will likely end up driving in this mode (and loving it); however, I would recommend turning it off if others in the family drive it on occasion. As others have said, the Lightning it is quick. Merging on the highway or changing lanes feels like you are in second gear in a sports car, but with even quicker reactions…at any speed. The nose lifts and you go.
The frunk is great; however, it is a bit deceptive in size since it is narrower at the bottom than the top. You can see from the attached photo of my daughter’s very large softball bag that the sides move up and away from the base which is great for volume, but not ideal usable space since you have to stack on top (e.g. my shoes shoved on the side). The decision to include the grille area as part of the opening hood was 100% the right decision. Load height is comfortable, although might still be a little high given the bumper height of a truck. I can’t imagine having to reach over the front like in the Rivian. The Ford method means I am 100% more likely to put heavier or more clumsy things in the frunk because I don’t have to worry about scraping that front edge. For additional size context, it will not fit a pop up canopy or oversized folding camp chairs (too long).
Blue Cruise – haven’t played with this much but did give it a try on my last short trip home. I’m a control freak and I love to drive, so I figured I’d never use this feature. I have to say I was extremely freaked out when trying it but did give it leeway to see what it could do. I saw this comment in the Out of Spec review, but the choice of what side of the lane it hugs is interesting and a bit stressful. It might be perfectly fine, but it does cause a bit of stress. It was interesting enough that I’ll keep playing with it – which is high praise given that I figured I would never use it.
Interior:
In general, I’m perfectly happy with the interior. I was one that thought the interior would be full black from the pictures and descriptions, which is what I would have preferred. The gray/black, given that the Platinum would have been a similar (although lighter) two-tone, is perfectly fine. What I like much less though are the upper parts of the door panels and the trim surrounding the dash. The softer touch material looks like dark denim which I don’t particularly like and there are a couple of wood-look pieces that look very cheap and dirty or smudged even though they are not. Additionally, even the couple of brushed aluminum pieces are just a bit off (panel around the screen and the glove box and other horizontal panels). Both are very nice, but one is more gray and the other is more of a nickel color. Not sure why they are different. The interior in my Ram is heads and shoulder a nicer place to be although it is a more cramped environment than the Lightning. This is not necessarily a Lightning thing vs. Ram, but general Ford vs. Ram. Same could be said for the big screen comparison. I prefer the Ram version as it has a wider color palette, is a bit more intuitive and user friendly for passengers who do not drive or ride in the vehicle a lot. Additionally, Sync takes significantly longer than the Ram product to connect to your phone. When you transition from out of the car from into the car it is instantaneous in the Ram and in the Ford you can back out of your parking spot and be on the road before it switches over which also includes a few seconds of dropped audio. Small matters and not a deal breaker by any means, but really noticeable. Overall the interior feels very gray and muted (even vs. all black in other vehicles). This is consistent with other Fords I’ve owned in the past though. One last thought, again not Lightning specific, the shifter fells extremely cheap and is completely unnecessary. I know Ford knows what they are doing…and I like to rest my hand on a shifter as much as anyone…but a column shift or even a knob or button selector would be so much more practical. I would rather have additional cupholders or storage or whatever – even though you aren’t short of any of them in the truck as is.
Other stuff:
I already had Weathertech liners front and back as well as a Bakflip MX4 waiting. The liners fit perfectly, naturally. The rear ones are tight, but seemed to be correct as long as I made sure to really get the front under the front seats and up to the rear of the center console. The Bakflip worked perfectly as well as you would expect since it is standard F150.
Bed liner – I know there is a lot of talk about this being a potential delay. Given the product that was delivered on mine, I would say don’t risk it and get it done locally. It is not bad, but there are things that I would ask a local shop to do differently. It also feels thin…but that is just my opinion vs the feel of my Ram.
Wheels – I wasn’t expecting to like these via the configurator and first pictures, but obviously didn’t have a choice in the matter when ordering. I have to say, the color and look is actually quite nice in person.
I do have a 24’ ATC enclosed car hauler that I pull with the Ram 3500. I will probably hook it up (trailer only, no car) and take it for a spin just to see how bad the range is with a brick towing a bigger brick, not that I would ever pull that with a ½ ton in general.
Let me know if you have any questions or if there is a detail you need from someone with a delivered truck.
Let’s start at the beginning. I reserved day 1, but was at my daughter’s softball practice so it wasn’t until later in the evening. I put zero thought into the dealer selection because I figured there was no chance I was actually getting one in a practical time frame so I just picked the closest dealer to me (Apple Ford, Columbia, MD). They would not know me or prioritize me in any way based on relationship. Saw the threads with dealers prioritizing orders for crazy money – something I would not do. I saw the thread about the dealers with ADM (Apple was listed as $10K) and can confirm that they do have markups on the few vehicles on their lot of various models, so I had little hope my order would go through without ADM. I also had not seen the threads where you could move dealers once you had the invite. I never contacted anyone at the dealer and I didn’t know where I was in line or priority, didn’t ask about ADM before the allocation, nothing. Just figured I wouldn’t be able to order for a long, long time. I received my ready to order email on February 3 at 5 pm and when I went to place the order the site showed no ADM so I placed the order three hours later (Lariat ER, rapid red, bed liner). I contacted the dealer a few days later to ask for a signed contract with the full price, including TT&L and the deposits made. They were quick to send a signed agreement and at that point we were off and running. Throughout this entire process, I will tell you flat out that I had little confidence the truck would be built and delivered without a fight over ADM. I’m one of those people that just won’t pay it – right or wrong, but that is not for this thread. The first time I have ever paid MSRP was for the two RAV4 Primes I bought within the last 12 months. Those are fantastic vehicles by the way other than Toyota’s ideas for storage of small items around the driver. I buy a fair number of cars and help others (family and friends) in the buying process as well. I am the lunatic that enjoys the research and deal process. I’ve traveled half way across the country for deals factoring in shipping/commute back. I’ve flown in and driven back. I’ve dragged a 24’ enclosed trailer to a far off place and back in a short weekend to grab a car. When I picked the truck up, it was a quick 45 minutes, and everything was already set. No talk about changing prices, no talk of preventing resale, etc. Smooth and simple.
I live on both sides of the car isle. Performance gas guzzler cars (modern sports cars and classic muscle cars) and efficient cars. I’ve had a number of hybrid and PHEV’s but this is the first BEV so lots of tax credits along the way. Funny enough, even had a tax credit for a not so “clean diesel” Jetta. Below is a partial car resume so you can figure out where my opinions are coming from:
GMC Yukon Hybrid
Ford Fusion Hybrid
Ford Fusion Energi (2 of these)
Pacifica Hybrid
Toyota RAV4 Prime (2 of these)
I also have a 2022 Ram 3500 for comparison of other truck brands.
First impressions of the truck after 150 or so miles and several errand-type trips via backroads and highways:
One pedal driving is going to take getting used to. With the Fusions and the Pacifica, each had a quasi one-pedal driving. Really it was just a bit more regen, but it would slow the vehicle down to an extent. The Lightning is an entirely different game altogether. When you lift of the pedal it is like hitting the brakes hard. I will likely end up driving in this mode (and loving it); however, I would recommend turning it off if others in the family drive it on occasion. As others have said, the Lightning it is quick. Merging on the highway or changing lanes feels like you are in second gear in a sports car, but with even quicker reactions…at any speed. The nose lifts and you go.
The frunk is great; however, it is a bit deceptive in size since it is narrower at the bottom than the top. You can see from the attached photo of my daughter’s very large softball bag that the sides move up and away from the base which is great for volume, but not ideal usable space since you have to stack on top (e.g. my shoes shoved on the side). The decision to include the grille area as part of the opening hood was 100% the right decision. Load height is comfortable, although might still be a little high given the bumper height of a truck. I can’t imagine having to reach over the front like in the Rivian. The Ford method means I am 100% more likely to put heavier or more clumsy things in the frunk because I don’t have to worry about scraping that front edge. For additional size context, it will not fit a pop up canopy or oversized folding camp chairs (too long).
Blue Cruise – haven’t played with this much but did give it a try on my last short trip home. I’m a control freak and I love to drive, so I figured I’d never use this feature. I have to say I was extremely freaked out when trying it but did give it leeway to see what it could do. I saw this comment in the Out of Spec review, but the choice of what side of the lane it hugs is interesting and a bit stressful. It might be perfectly fine, but it does cause a bit of stress. It was interesting enough that I’ll keep playing with it – which is high praise given that I figured I would never use it.
Interior:
In general, I’m perfectly happy with the interior. I was one that thought the interior would be full black from the pictures and descriptions, which is what I would have preferred. The gray/black, given that the Platinum would have been a similar (although lighter) two-tone, is perfectly fine. What I like much less though are the upper parts of the door panels and the trim surrounding the dash. The softer touch material looks like dark denim which I don’t particularly like and there are a couple of wood-look pieces that look very cheap and dirty or smudged even though they are not. Additionally, even the couple of brushed aluminum pieces are just a bit off (panel around the screen and the glove box and other horizontal panels). Both are very nice, but one is more gray and the other is more of a nickel color. Not sure why they are different. The interior in my Ram is heads and shoulder a nicer place to be although it is a more cramped environment than the Lightning. This is not necessarily a Lightning thing vs. Ram, but general Ford vs. Ram. Same could be said for the big screen comparison. I prefer the Ram version as it has a wider color palette, is a bit more intuitive and user friendly for passengers who do not drive or ride in the vehicle a lot. Additionally, Sync takes significantly longer than the Ram product to connect to your phone. When you transition from out of the car from into the car it is instantaneous in the Ram and in the Ford you can back out of your parking spot and be on the road before it switches over which also includes a few seconds of dropped audio. Small matters and not a deal breaker by any means, but really noticeable. Overall the interior feels very gray and muted (even vs. all black in other vehicles). This is consistent with other Fords I’ve owned in the past though. One last thought, again not Lightning specific, the shifter fells extremely cheap and is completely unnecessary. I know Ford knows what they are doing…and I like to rest my hand on a shifter as much as anyone…but a column shift or even a knob or button selector would be so much more practical. I would rather have additional cupholders or storage or whatever – even though you aren’t short of any of them in the truck as is.
Other stuff:
I already had Weathertech liners front and back as well as a Bakflip MX4 waiting. The liners fit perfectly, naturally. The rear ones are tight, but seemed to be correct as long as I made sure to really get the front under the front seats and up to the rear of the center console. The Bakflip worked perfectly as well as you would expect since it is standard F150.
Bed liner – I know there is a lot of talk about this being a potential delay. Given the product that was delivered on mine, I would say don’t risk it and get it done locally. It is not bad, but there are things that I would ask a local shop to do differently. It also feels thin…but that is just my opinion vs the feel of my Ram.
Wheels – I wasn’t expecting to like these via the configurator and first pictures, but obviously didn’t have a choice in the matter when ordering. I have to say, the color and look is actually quite nice in person.
I do have a 24’ ATC enclosed car hauler that I pull with the Ram 3500. I will probably hook it up (trailer only, no car) and take it for a spin just to see how bad the range is with a brick towing a bigger brick, not that I would ever pull that with a ½ ton in general.
Let me know if you have any questions or if there is a detail you need from someone with a delivered truck.
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