Skyler said:
@Hadi
How are your tires? I’m about to hit 10k km, thinking it’s time to rotate.
I’m in Canada, so I just swap to winter tires. When I put the all-seasons back on in spring, they’re rotated automatically. If you have winter weather, I’d do the same!
@Hadi
Honestly, any new F-150 is gonna be pricey.
Kirby said:
@Hadi
Honestly, any new F-150 is gonna be pricey.
True, but the annual cost for a gas F-150 is around $1,000 for maintenance. For my Lightning, it’s only $6 a year so far. I don’t count tire rotations because I do those with my winter tire change anyway.
@Hadi
How do you get $1,000? Oil changes are only about $100 each, and you don’t need more than 4 a year.
Dani said:
@Hadi
How do you get $1,000? Oil changes are only about $100 each, and you don’t need more than 4 a year.
I just Googled it and that’s the number I found. I think it includes tire rotations and other little things.
@Hadi
Ah, that makes sense. That’s pretty standard for most vehicles, not just gas ones.
Salesmen are pushing you away from the Lightning because they don’t make money on it. Could be lower commissions or less service revenue. They just want to sell you what benefits them.
Jade said:
Salesmen are pushing you away from the Lightning because they don’t make money on it. Could be lower commissions or less service revenue. They just want to sell you what benefits them.
Dealers also can’t tack on as many “extras” with EVs. Some people reported their dealer tried to sell them a maintenance package with free oil changes… for an electric truck.
@Lex
Isn’t it illegal for them to force you to buy those add-ons?
Lous said:
@Lex
Isn’t it illegal for them to force you to buy those add-ons?
Nope. You can always walk away if they won’t take it off.
@Ben
Those are small complaints and apply to EVs in general, not just the Lightning. I did a 2,000-mile road trip this summer and loved it. Charging wasn’t a big deal, especially with Tesla Superchargers.
And yeah, upgrading to Level 2 at home was a game changer. I put it off for six months, but once I did it, I wished I had done it sooner.
@Keats
Agreed! We’ve had an EV since 2015, but the old one was just for commuting. Our new house needs a panel upgrade to add a Level 2, so we’ve been putting it off. But yeah, I think it’s time to finally do it!
@Ben
Definitely. When I was shopping around, some electricians told me I’d need a new panel, but one guy actually checked everything and said I just needed to replace a few breakers. He was right, and now everything’s working great.
@Ben
Totally agree. The Lightning fits my needs perfectly. Just find a dealer that treats you right for buying and service.
Salesmen almost made me swear off Ford forever! The Lightning is the best truck I’ve ever owned, no question.
You’re not alone, by the way. Lots of people have had the same experience with dealers trying to steer them away from it. They’re the truck’s biggest enemy.
Just to clarify, I don’t tow anything. I drive about 80 miles a day (40 miles each way to work, mostly freeway, light traffic). I can charge at work or at home, and I live in California, which seems to have a decent charging network.
@Harlan
You’ll be fine with the Flash. I drive 120 miles a day and have no issues, charging only to 80% daily.
As for why the dealerships don’t push EVs, it’s simple: no after-sales service money. The dealership I bought from straight-up told me that. Their service department hated the rise in EVs because they couldn’t sell oil changes and other routine services.
But yeah, the Lightning is the best truck I’ve ever owned. I’m never going back to gas.
@Dustin
My salesman was great, but the finance guy was awful. He tried selling me a service plan (what’s the point besides tire rotations and washer fluid?) and an extended warranty for the battery, even though the Lightning already comes with a 100k mile/8-year warranty.
@Ali
Same experience here. The sales guy liked EVs, but the finance guy acted like I was crazy for picking the Lightning over a regular F-150.
@Harlan
I’d buy the Lightning again without hesitation. The only issues are with the infotainment system, and that’s the same for gas F-150s too.
Dealerships make most of their money on service. Lightning doesn’t need much maintenance, aside from more frequent tire replacements due to the weight.
Be sure to look into getting a Level 2 charger at home. Costs and setup can vary. Who’s your power company? That can really impact your costs. PG&E, for example, is expensive.
Check out this savings calculator: https://chooseev.com/savings-calculator/