Hey everyone, I’m looking into getting a Lightning, and I’ve almost convinced the wife, just need to figure out the numbers first! Since there’s no oil changes or typical maintenance like with gas vehicles, do they still try to sell you service plans for the Lightning? And if they do, are they even worth it? Any other things I should watch out for? Thanks in advance!
Don’t buy an extended warranty from the dealer. Most of the time it’s from a third-party company, not Ford ESP, and it’ll cost you more. You can get a Ford ESP warranty online for a better price (unless you live in FL or CA). I paid $1900 for 125k miles/8 years. Why did I get one? The truck is full of sensors and electronics. One failed headlight or taillight could cover the cost of the warranty.
@Remy
I found Zeigler Ford had the best prices, and there’s usually a discount code that puts it below Granger. I got the 125k, 7-year plan and added coverage for the exterior lighting because the Lightning has a lot of fancy lights that aren’t covered by default.
@Anne
I noticed Zeigler sells EV-specific plans called ‘Ford Protect ESP PremiumCARE EV Plans.’ Did you go with that one?
Hollis said:
@Anne
I noticed Zeigler sells EV-specific plans called ‘Ford Protect ESP PremiumCARE EV Plans.’ Did you go with that one?
Yep, I did. Don’t forget to search for the discount code—I found mine on this forum.
@Remy
Any recommendations for warranties if you live in FL or CA? I’m in CA, but I’m sure some Floridians would like to know too.
Ollie said:
@Remy
Any recommendations for warranties if you live in FL or CA? I’m in CA, but I’m sure some Floridians would like to know too.
I’ve heard you can use an out-of-state mailing address to get around the restrictions, but I’m not sure how reliable that is.
Just rotate the tires every 10k miles and change the air filter when needed.
Eliot said:
Just rotate the tires every 10k miles and change the air filter when needed.
Don’t forget to keep the windshield washer fluid topped up!
Eliot said:
Just rotate the tires every 10k miles and change the air filter when needed.
Yep, that’s about it. Don’t bother with a service plan, and I skipped the extended warranty too. You can always get an extended warranty later if you decide you want it. I never understood why they sell it from day one when your new car warranty starts the same day.
Eliot said:
Just rotate the tires every 10k miles and change the air filter when needed.
I’d recommend rotating the tires every 5k miles instead, but yeah, other than that and washer fluid, there’s not much else.
Some dealerships will still try to sell you service plans—even offering ‘free oil changes’ for an EV!
Honestly, there’s no reason to buy a service plan for the Lightning. The first scheduled maintenance at 10k miles is just rotating the tires and changing the cabin air filter. I rotate my tires when I switch between summer and winter sets, and the cabin filter is cheap and easy to replace.
The biggest question is, can you charge at home? That makes a huge difference.
Blair said:
The biggest question is, can you charge at home? That makes a huge difference.
Exactly. And don’t forget to factor in the installation costs and whether you can get any tax credits for it.
I didn’t get pushed too hard on service plans since it’s mostly tires and brakes. They did try to sell me coverage for things like the wheels, though. The whole financing process was pretty quick—way better than what I’ve experienced before. The Tesla purchase process was even easier, all done through the app.
@Tsuna
When I went in, I told them right away, ‘I’m not interested in any extended warranties or anything that’ll increase my monthly payment.’ The guy just laughed and said, ‘You just made my job easier.’
They tried to sell me ‘oil for life’ on my Lightning!
Yeah, I said, ‘Come on, really? Oil changes on an electric truck?’
Don’t forget to check the coolant levels. When I got my truck, the coolant was below the normal line. It’s not on the regular maintenance schedule, but it’s worth checking. Only use Ford Motorcraft coolant. Tire rotation every 10k miles is a must, and at 150k miles, the transmission fluid needs changing. It’s kind of weird since there’s no traditional engine, but there’s still a differential to maintain.
@Bailey
The manual says to ‘inspect levels’ every 10k miles, but you don’t need to change the coolant until 200k.
Piper said:
@Bailey
The manual says to ‘inspect levels’ every 10k miles, but you don’t need to change the coolant until 200k.
Here’s a pic: https://placehold.co/600x400.png
