i need serious help on this decision

[Deleted member 20419]

I wouldn’t advise doing this but if you’re dead set on it, buy a used one. Rolling negative equity into a new vehicle that will depreciate into more negative equity is a bad idea. You’ll deaden some of that with a used one.

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[flyct]

sticker

True, paid mid $50k for my XLT, and 11 months later it’s market value is $34k….HOLD!!

After reading you have the means, just keep the car and lease a Lightning until you can get out from under it. Have both.

Joke!

I just ran my 23 Lariat ER through KBB.
$80,000 MSRP
$64,000 paid after rebate, discount PCO tax credit
$60,375 private party sale
$52,334 Trade in value

 

[Grease Lightning]

I rather let my money sit and grow then dumping it on a car that’s what 0% is for.

That’s the part so so many people miss. Use other people’s money, especially when it is free to use. My purchase price of the Lightning is sitting in a high yield account making me interest. So I am ahead by financing then paying cash. Glad to see you are doing that too! ?

 

[nolavet504]

That’s the part so so many people miss. Use other people’s money, especially when it is free to use. My purchase price of the Lightning is sitting in a high yield account making me interest. So I am ahead by financing then paying cash. Glad to see you are doing that too! ?

THAT PART!!! also i look at it partially the truck sticker is 71k to start.. i dont get tax credit they still added rebates nto drop truck down and enough to make the whole deal 71 k out door with gap. it seems 24 flashes are selling for 55-60 k right now used. if i did walk out at 70 ill be 15-20 upside down. but i also feel thats what im down on the mach e. kbb have my car at 29,carvanna offered me 29. they giving me like 35 and i owe 45. so im 10-15 under in either car to be real.

 

[nolavet504]

I just ran my 23 Lariat ER through KBB.
$80,000 MSRP
$64,000 paid after rebate, discount PCO tax credit
$60,375 private party sale
$52,334 Trade in value

what are you gonna do keep it or trade in

 

[Grease Lightning]

thats tough y did u pay so much for xlt though the flash would be cheaper with the trade in

You do realize the Flash is new to the 2024 model year and didn’t exist 18 months ago? And my model is the maxed out XLT, so basically most of what the flash is, but without the lame vertical screen, plus 80 amp charging and a bit of things that they deleted when they created the flash.

 

[nolavet504]

True, paid mid $50k for my XLT, and 11 months later it’s market value is $34k….HOLD!!

After reading you have the means, just keep the car and lease a Lightning until you can get out from under it. Have both.

Joke!

i am debating that or transferring my loan to someone else. i aint never said im rich by far but i can afford a darn vehicle i just always want the best deal.

 

[chl]

I currently have a 2023 Mustang Mach-E GT that I've had for about a year. I really like it, and I got it at 0% APR. I still owe around $45k on it, and the best offer I’ve gotten for it is $35k, so there’s some negative equity. I’m thinking of upgrading to a Ford Lightning 2024, and here’s the breakdown:

• The Lightning will cost me $71k OTD, factoring in the negative equity from my Mach-E (it’s about $10k rolled over).
• My monthly payment will go up by around $150/month, but my insurance drops by $100/month, so the net increase is about $50/month.

I test drove the Lightning and loved it – the space, the driving experience, everything. But here’s the catch:

1. Negative Equity: I’m worried about the $10k I’m rolling over from my Mach-E. If I don’t love the Lightning in a few years, I might be stuck with it or take a loss when I trade it in.
2. Battery Range: I’ve heard the Lightning’s bigger battery can burn through range quicker, especially compared to my Mach-E. Does anyone with a Lightning feel like it’s a “gas-guzzler” in terms of range, even though it’s electric? I know the battery is bigger, but I’m wondering if it drains faster, especially with some speed and power driving.

I like the idea of the truck, especially for the extra space with my growing family, but I don’t want to make a decision I’ll regret.

What do you all think? Should I make the jump now, or wait until I’m in a better equity position with my current car? i have 3 sons who fit n mach e now but in due time growing i think ill get more use from the truck. family wise and side hustle wise. and ill personally enjoy the new found room for my back and comfortability compared to mach e. 71k for flash with trade dont seem to horrible to me

1) We pretty much always have negative equity when it's a vehicle we're talking about - the only time I ever had positive equity in a vehicle was when there was a waiting list and some one was willing to pay to get one sooner (a Honda Civic back in the 1980's believe it or not).

So that is one reason I never do trade-ins, unless I am really unhappy with the vehicle I own and want to unload it fast and easily.

2) Timing: if you wait long enough, that 2024 Lightning will drop in price. The closer you get to the next model year the better the deal will be. And it isn't like Lightnings are selling like hotcakes.
Even if the new administration guts the $7500 tax credit like they say they want to, the dealers will have to cut their asking price or take a chance the vehicle will sit on their lot a long time.

3) You still really like the mach e. Maybe you like the Lightning more. For $50 more a month you are on the fence? You didn't say what your term was, or what financing you can get on the Lightning. You will be starting a new loan - will it be 0%? How many years and dollars will you be adding to the payoff - just one year and $300, or more? That's the cost of switching to the Lightning.

4) Do the calculations to decide if the Lightning will be economical for you, and provide adequate range. I get about 2 to 3 miles per kWh in winter in my Lightning on average.
That is adequate for me. My cost per kWh is 5 to 6 cents overnight at home, so it costs me about 2 to 3 cents per mile.

I suggest you do an extended test drive of the Lightning - take it through an average day's driving and see what your resulting miles per kWh are.

Do you charge at home?
Can you charge to an adequate level to meet your range goal based on your test drive? Determine if it is going to cost you significantly more - that is, is the price per kWh low or high?

You will be getting fewer miles per kWh than in the mach e and so you may need to charge more often, you will charge longer and add more kWh to the Lightning.
So will that be a major additional cost or not?

5) You have 3 sons. Some day as teenage drivers they might be driving your hand-me-down vehicle. The Lightning is a powerful and fast beast. Maybe not the best thing to put in the hands of a teenager. But then maybe a mach e isn't either. Their mother might be thinking along those lines. Maybe she drives something less 'sporty?'

Good luck.

 

[nolavet504]

1) We pretty much always have negative equity when it's a vehicle we're talking about - the only time I ever had positive equity in a vehicle was when there was a waiting list and some one was willing to pay to get one sooner (a Honda Civic back in the 1980's believe it or not).

So that is one reason I never do trade-ins, unless I am really unhappy with the vehicle I own and want to unload it fast and easily.

2) Timing: if you wait long enough, that 2024 Lightning will drop in price. The closer you get to the next model year the better the deal will be. And it isn't like Lightnings are selling like hotcakes.
Even if the new administration guts the $7500 tax credit like they say they want to, the dealers will have to cut their asking price or take a chance the vehicle will sit on their lot a long time.

3) You still really like the mach e. Maybe you like the Lightning more. For $50 more a month you are on the fence? You didn't say what your term was, or what financing you can get on the Lightning. You will be starting a new loan - will it be 0%? How many years and dollars will you be adding to the payoff - just one year and $300, or more? That's the cost of switching to the Lightning.

4) Do the calculations to decide if the Lightning will be economical for you, and provide adequate range. I get about 2 to 3 miles per kWh in winter in my Lightning on average.
That is adequate for me. My cost per kWh is 5 to 6 cents overnight at home, so it costs me about 2 to 3 cents per mile.

I suggest you do an extended test drive of the Lightning - take it through an average day's driving and see what your resulting miles per kWh are.

Do you charge at home?
Can you charge to an adequate level to meet your range goal based on your test drive? Determine if it is going to cost you significantly more - that is, is the price per kWh low or high?

You will be getting fewer miles per kWh than in the mach e and so you may need to charge more often, you will charge longer and add more kWh to the Lightning.
So will that be a major additional cost or not?

5) You have 3 sons. Some day as teenage drivers they might be driving your hand-me-down vehicle. The Lightning is a powerful and fast beast. Maybe not the best thing to put in the hands of a teenager. But then maybe a mach e isn't either. Their mother might be thinking along those lines. Maybe she drives something less 'sporty?'

Good luck.

I really appreciate your response. I’ll wait it out unless the dealer drops the price even more so I can take advantage of additional savings. At this point, I'm ready to walk unless we can get closer to $65k out the door with GAP coverage. I do love the Mach-E, and the Lightning has the same interface, but my concern is the extra charging requirements and the increased daily kWh consumption. I’m also worried it’ll take longer to charge on road trips and potentially require more frequent stops. It might be best to wait for a really great deal, especially as the current Lightning models clear out before the 2025 refresh. I do fear that the 2025 refresh could include a better charging port location or improved charging speed, and I’d regret not waiting.

 

[flyct]

what are you gonna do keep it or trade in

I have no desire to get rid of it. I just ran the numbers because I was curious.

 

[flyct]

I really appreciate your response. I’ll wait it out unless the dealer drops the price even more so I can take advantage of additional savings. At this point, I'm ready to walk unless we can get closer to $65k out the door with GAP coverage. I do love the Mach-E, and the Lightning has the same interface, but my concern is the extra charging requirements and the increased daily kWh consumption. I’m also worried it’ll take longer to charge on road trips and potentially require more frequent stops. It might be best to wait for a really great deal, especially as the current Lightning models clear out before the 2025 refresh. I do fear that the 2025 refresh could include a better charging port location or improved charging speed, and I’d regret not waiting.

The 2025 order guide is out. No significant changes.
https://www.f150lightningforum.com/...-guide-price-list-msrp-invoice-pricing.21083/

 

[Matfus11]

The 2025 order guide is out. No significant changes.
https://www.f150lightningforum.com/...-guide-price-list-msrp-invoice-pricing.21083/

There is an updated order guide, came out a couple weeks ago (1/8/25). The Flash trim level goes from a 131 kWh to a 122 kWh battery. Also loses power lift gate, interior work surface, onboard scales (I think all 2025 lost this), spare tire (I think). Added is active x seats.
https://www.f150lightningforum.com/...-pdf.94541/?force-system-browser=1&_appload=1

If you’re thinking of a flash trim and if Ford really puts a reduced battery in the 25 and range is an issue, you might want to get into a 24 before they switch over. Other than what was recently posted there isn’t much info on the 122kwh battery. If it’s true and it’s technology.

Life is short and it’s only money. You can always pay a little extra to help offset the trade balance on the loan.

 

[nolavet504]

There is an updated order guide, came out a couple weeks ago (1/8/25). The Flash trim level goes from a 131 kWh to a 122 kWh battery. Also loses power lift gate, interior work surface, onboard scales (I think all 2025 lost this), spare tire (I think). Added is active x seats.
https://www.f150lightningforum.com/...-pdf.94541/?force-system-browser=1&_appload=1

If you’re thinking of a flash trim and if Ford really puts a reduced battery in the 25 and range is an issue, you might want to get into a 24 before they switch over. Other than what was recently posted there isn’t much info on the 122kwh battery. If it’s true and it’s technology.

Life is short and it’s only money. You can always pay a little extra to help offset the trade balance on the loan.

Facts. Can be dead any day. I may gone grab it. I’ll def enjoy it. My only issue a be the charging wish was faster

 

[Matfus11]

Facts. Can be dead any day. I may gone grab it. I’ll def enjoy it. My only issue a be the charging wish was faster

In November I got a 24 Flash and have loved it. So far my winter highway range (65-75mph) has been 1.5 - 1.9 mi/kWh. But I haven’t driven it above 40F yet. Yesterday it was -20F and drove 145 miles and got 1.5 with 23% left when we got home. For me that was great, but living in Minnesota can have it downsides. Can’t wait for summer. Drives well in snow.
Whatever decision you make will be the best one :^)

 

[nolavet504]

In November I got a 24 Flash and have loved it. So far my winter highway range (65-75mph) has been 1.5 - 1.9 mi/kWh. But I haven’t driven it above 40F yet. Yesterday it was -20F and drove 145 miles and got 1.5 with 23% left when we got home. For me that was great, but living in Minnesota can have it downsides. Can’t wait for summer. Drives well in snow.
Whatever decision you make will be the best one :^)

Yea I gotta make mind up today for sure. See y nobody speaks of 80-85. I’m never just riding going 70. My Mach e always 80 with blue cruise at a minimum

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