I got my '24 6 weeks ago, and posted here. I still held on to my '21 lariat, because they told me i needed to finish out the lease. What ever… water under the bridge.
Today I returned it to the dealer. Someone said in my original post that other trucks would be ruined for me… and damn it if they were 100% spot on.
Don’t get my wrong. I loved my '21 – Great truck. Took it on many many road trips. Almost maxed out leased miles.
but the friggin '24 F150 Raptor is like driving a fighter jet in comparison. While driving bak to the dealership, i was like… damn, this '21 FX4 lariat 302A ( I think it was a 302A ) is like driving a 20 year old beater compared to my Raptor. God damn… what a truck.
I’ve owned around 70 vehicles to date, and the 2020 802A I recently got is by far my favorite newer one (though my '72 Chevelle restomod is tough to beat). I’ve had a 2020 GMC Sierra, a 2018 Ram Lone Star Silver edition, a 2015 Silverado, and a 2023 Frontier Pro4X, but the Raptor just feels better than all of them. It’s not a sports car, but I get what others mean when they say it has that vibe. The Raptor is such a fantastic representation of what it’s designed to be. It feels like, “Hell yeah, this thing is incredible.” I don’t see any area where they cut corners or made compromises. They built a powerful Baja-style off-road truck that’s still practical for everyday use on the streets, with just the right amount of attitude without going over the top. Could it use another 100 horsepower? Sure. But is it lacking without it? Not at all. I might sound like a fangirl here, but I stand by it—it’s just an excellent truck.
Damn you all to hell—damn you again! My 2015 Lariat 5.0 (302A) is the love of my life (in truck terms), but at 175k miles, she’s starting to have some electrical issues. You’re not making this decision any easier for me!
I’ll say this. Just read this post and subsequent comments before pulling out of my driveway to run up the street. We just had a bit of rain and with no effort at all I smiled the entire time I was fishtailing out of my neighborhood. Is it a proper sports car, no. Is it the coolest truck I’ve ever driven,hell yeah!
I’ve had so many of my friends drive my truck for this exact reason. They don’t understand it until they get behind the wheel. I’d have a hard time going back to another truck, and honestly, I doubt I ever will.
I remember my first Raptor—it gave me the exact feeling you’re describing. It’s pure joy and constant happiness. These days, I’m not really into high-performance, sports, or muscle cars anymore because I rarely have the chance to fully enjoy them. My lifestyle doesn’t allow it, and honestly, you can’t really enjoy them on regular roads unless you’re driving like a jerk. Coming from a muscle car background, I’ve sold them over the years because I keep finding myself choosing the Raptor instead. The Raptor is the king—it ticks so many boxes all at once.
It’s funny this post showed up as I have been thinking the same. Just picked up my 24 a couple weeks ago. It is my first non lifted diesel 3500 truck in almost 20 years and oh my hell is it the most fun I’ve had in a truck. Haven’t got a chance to beat it off road but fully intend to get my money worth in the desert. I’ve already taken a 600 mile road trip in it and it’s nicer to drive than my wife’s X5. Couldn’t be happier.
