Ford F150 Lightning

garfield

Has anyone out there taken delivery on one of
these? If so, what do you have to say about them?

mike147

I have all the literature and write-ups on this vehicle and have been watching it for well over a year. As soon as it came out in late March, I have been wanting to test drive her. Living overseas, I will have to wait until December.
From everything I have read, she is ALL sport and ALL truck. Handles like a car yet can haul 5000 lbs. Everything comes standard except for the three options. They say if you want more torque seek out a locomotive or a nuclear sub.

quadrunner500

Can tow 5000 pounds, not haul it. No 4wd version. Nice leather seats.

timken

I took delivery of my lightning in early May here in Austin, Tx. I think I'm still the only person in Austin with one of these bad boys.
It is proving to be everything I expected and more....
The quality and care SVT took in building this vehicle is evident throughout. The team took great pride in these machines, no doubt. Mine came with a sticker that read "this vehicle was randomly tested at the factory...26 miles.." I'm sure each of the lightnings is "randomly" tested. Haha...
I don't mind..they deserved to drive it. It is awesome...1300 miles and still loving it more each day....(not to mention blowing past bmw's, mercedes, older vettes(some newer too), and porsche's.....) Grin.

Brian

maxpress

What color is yours? I'm waiting for my red one to come in. Are you happy with the ride? What about gas mileage?

maxpress

Has anyone taken delivery of their Lightning yet? If not what have you been told about when you may receive it?

perfman

I test drove the red one today, but did not really drive it the way I wanted to since it was rush hour and the color was screamin for attention. The torque is awesome, and I'm sure the speed potential is real. I could'nt help but to focus on the whine of the SC.

I'm lookin to trade in my 97 Camaro SS, for speed and utility...more speed than utility! What do you owners think about the speed aspect?

barlitz

I read about the lightnings online and then went shopping for one and now I own one.I have driven corvettes,mustang gts nothing comes close to the lightning especially when the supercharger kicks in.Mine is black I'm thinking about putting a hard cover tonneau cover with maybe a saleen wing let me know what you think,

Barlitz from Boston

quadrunner500

Well, 98 and up Z28's, Firebirds and Corvettes are all turning stock 13 second quarter mile times, with trap speeds over a hundred.

Lightning is fast for a truck, but it's not in that class yet.

barlitz

exactly, the lightning is fast for a truck and it also weighs 500lbs more than either the z28,firebirds,and corvettes it can also tow up to 5000lbs and haul 800lbs in its bed,and its resale value is much better than any of those vehicles except for the vette.thats what I meant and there are only 4000 of them made not 20000 like every other sports car.thats why I preferred it over all those other cars I looked at including a used GNX.If you haven't test drove one yet try it you won't be able to wipe the grin off your face

xl_1228

Hey, Popular Mechanics tested a Lightning, and they did a 13.62 second/101.1 MPH quarter mile with it.

xl_1228

Yeah right Dave.

barlitz

Dave
What happens when one of those mods breaks and th e factory warranty won,t fix it.30Gs may be a lot of money but its not gonne depreciate in value like a silverado or a dodge.I've let 2 of my coworkers test drive my truck they both have Z71"s
with 5.7ltrs.they're jaws are still hanging down.

barlitz

Dave

I've got another comment for you,what comes first
thunder or lightning, where I live lightning strikes first and then you hear the thunder

mathisga

Ya know, I'm one of these "aging baby boomers" that had an itch for something fast. Today I traded in my 1998 Audi Quattro on a Lightning. My wife thinks I'm nuts.
But...the Lightning is a blast. Sure, it's not a sports car, but for something that big and heavy, there is nothing else quite like it. I'm seriously impressed. I just ordered a new radar detector, I think I'm going to be needing it.

brudner

also- dont forget that the SVT is a well rounded package, not just a blown truck. The skidpad figures and the slalom speeds put it it the catagory of some fairly serious sport cars. I cant wait to chase a bimmer or a Lexas down a twisty road. He won`t be able to figure out why he cant lose a 2 1/2 ton pickup truck on the straights or the curves. Don`t get me wrong, I understand and appreciate (and have owned) some fast European hardware but this is going to be fun!

waltrip66

Expedition is on the way out,Lightning is on the way in as we speek,No on understands,But I Do!

quadrunner500

It's hard for me to get worked up over a fast truck. Sure, the depreciation may be good, but it takes time to get it back. Meanwhile, if what you really want is to go fast, you need a car. In which case your savings are up-front $10K over the truck.

My opinion, 30K for a two wheel drive truck is a waste of money. Get a cheaper truck, and tow your race car to the track with it. You'll save insurance $$$, and maybe your license. Racing on the street is for losers.

quadrunner500

Which reminds me of what I would do with the extra $10K. Buy a stock Suzuki GSXR1300 Hayabusa. In Cycle World testing, did the quarter in 9.8 seconds, trap speed 144, 0 to 100 in something like 4.8 seconds, and a top speed of 194 mph. For about $10,000. Whew!

I can handle it. Please send me $10,000 and I will send you my timeslips. Still think the Lightning is fast?

brucec35

Late last year a boy stopped me in the parking lot as I was walking away from my Red '98 F-150 Flareside STX and asked "is that one of them thar electric trucks?"

It wasn't until I saw the new lightning on a magazine cover that I figured out what he meant by that.....

f250nut

chuckle, chuckle, brucec35 - I like that one. I've wanted a Lightning since I saw them in '93 but just couldn't quite justify it (got wife, 2 kids, and do lots of camping with trailer). But since the market is so hot for these trucks and are probably almost all scarffed up, I my have to buy a used one later. (price will probably go up).

sthigpen

I took delivery on a "White Lightning" about 3 weeks ago. Its just fun to go out and drive it to no place in particular. My wife thinks I'm crazy, she won't even ride with me. If she thinks I am crazy now, just wait until I put a NO2 bottle in my "White Lightning"

barlitz

today was a sad day for me,my lightning just turned 600 miles and it brought tears to my eyes maybe next time I'll close the windows when I'm doing 120 that way the wind don't rip my eyes out.

brudner

Can anyone out there tell me what kind of gas mileage they are getting on their Lightning?
Think the boost could be cranked up a couple of lbs safely with a pulley change??

cornell77

How much are you paying for your Lightnings?

brudner

many dealers are asking from 2-5000 over sticker and actually averaging about 2500 . I found a few whose store policy is to not try to screw anyone this way,but to go "only" full pop sticker. My dealer ate about $800 in my trade so technically I got mine for around 800 below.

barlitz

thats good news that they are selling for over sticker seeing I may have to sell mine due to job transfer.I paid 30800. for mine thats with the cd changer and lojack I have since put a bedliner and a hinge mount vynal tonneau cover plus I got a cover for it where it sleeps during the week.I'd hate to have to sell it seeing every time I drive it I like it more its like being in a movie as you drive, I especially like all the little features that you'd never notice like the rsd stereo that searches for the type of music you like and it gets louder as you drive faster and the svt seats are the most comfortablest I've ever been in did you notice you can take the seat covers off and have them cleaned if you wanted and the other thing I like is I haven't seen another one in my area so they're arent to many of them out there, at the end of the year svt sends out a plaque to each owner with the production # of your vehicle I'd like to be #1999 seeing this is the last year of the 20th century it could be a collectors

barlitz

you got a good deal.I paid 30205 with the cd player and I paid another 600 for the lojack.I've had mine for a month and it seems to drive better each time I drive it its breaking in.Today by accident I had to exit the highway going around 60 couldn't even tell ,felt like I was going 10mph it handles so good.I think you'll like it I haven't seen a white one yet only red and my black one.I'm sure the first day you drive it you'll have the biggest grin in the world and you'll probably put 500 miles on it,you'll look for excuses to go to the store ,I do and I live alone

lightning2

I can't wait to get my lightning, they told me about a week. I'm 19 and I own a 94 mustang gt. I'll tell you guys if it is fast.

teamford

Anyone out there have a general idea on the life expectancy of the Eaton Supercharger? Or a $ figure for replacing it should need be? Im a little paranoid about supercharged motors.... Butt, im still fired up about owning a Lightning!!

barlitz

I've had my lightning for about a month, just the 5.4 triton is powerful enough but when the supercharger does kick in the truck takes off and you can hear it screaming its exciting ,it does come with a 3 year bumper to bumper and if you were really concerned you could get an extended warranty through edmunds or through AAA. AAA is great my truck is about half paid off and I'm going to refinance the remainder through AAA better rates than any bank or credit union in my area. Speedvision did a show on the lightning,I haven't seen it but they gave it great reviews.Its gonna be tough to top this truck I don't even know what changes they could do to improve the lightning.

barlitz

the lightning will crush a mustang gt,1/4 mile in 13.62 seconds ,the cobra does it in 13.51 the lightning outweighs it by 1300lbs and has an auto trans throw in a kn filter you may beat that time,check out the july issue of popular mechanics there is a nice write up on the lightning ,13 quickest production vehicle made and only 1.54 seconds behind the quickest which would be the viper but at $73000 I'd rather have 2 lightnings and a blow up doll named Becky so I can drive around with her.

teamford

Thanks Barlitz and Johnny Blaze for all the info. Im counting the hours befor its Lightning time...
My next post will be after the first test drive.

gwiley1

Took delivery last night, WOW!!Red with all options, traded in my 1999 Ram 1500 v8 with 230hp
and was glad to "dump" the Dodge. First experience was "Very Fast" and pay attention to working really hard at maintaining 70 mph on the interstate, (just for the first 1000 miles) every time i looked i was doing 85!,with the greatest of ease! Will check gas mileage for first 1000 miles
then who cares?

Rocles

Quadrunner,

I would bet that the average clown couldn't even get 15 seconds on that Suzuki. I know, I ride. Trucks that are fast? Hmmm sounds like nobody can afford the premiums on a real sports car.

barlitz

Hmmm sports cars are nice, yesterday I picked up a yard of mulch and then towed my 2 jetskis to boston harbor zipped around the harbor with my buddie for a while came home washed my lightning and then drove up to the track in new hampshire and posted a 13.84 1/4 mile. I suppose if I had a ram air or ss I could of done the same or maybe not.

teamford

I finally picked mine up Friday afternoon. Im oh so happy with the whole package. The Power, ride, handleing.... The Supercharger is much smoother than i ever thought possible. Im sure the New Chevy SS and and Mopar products will be just as fine? You've got to just Love American Built HP!
Time for a drive......>>>>>>>>>>>>>

barlitz

140 mph

quadrunner500

I never had a stock bike that went slower than 12 seconds for me. But I'm not the average clown either.

Drop your rear tire pressure to about 14 psi, set the suspension on both ends to full soft, do a short burnout in the water puddle, get your weight over the tank to keep the front end down, launch like you would from a fast street start. Click up on the shift lever but don't use the clutch. When you hit red-line, touch the kill button for a power-shift into the next gear.

Rocles

Why?

I rather run a mountain road at a 12 pitch downgrade. That is adrenalin pumping in the veins as the cliff learches at every snake turn while riding the average stock bike. My "average" bikes are of the slow variety: Magna and the old but venerable FXR.
Running at the track is out of my league.

teamford

Hello Quadrunner!!! Motorcycle segment is just around the corner... Everyone is talking trucks,except you? Im sure your Roadrash stories would excite them, like they have myself! teeheehee.... For all the Nonbelievers.... The New Lightning is the Real Deal! If you have a "Truck that will run 13.62in the 1/4 mile." Plus, still pull a load. That is a Sport Truck. No, it wont pull like a diesel or scoot up a hill like some Harley Wannabee. AS of right now (available to the public) There is NO finer Sport Truck out there...

Rocles

Actually, I wrote that past statement responding to quadrunner. Harley wannabe? Last time I checked the side of my FXR-it says "Harley-Davidson". It's a Super Glide similar to a Low Rider. I'm just closed minded like most "HOG" owners: I own the Honda for reliability and fun.
But I digress......
Does the Lighting have different rears to choose from? What are the options on this "sport-truck"? I'm just curious because I've always seen them on the lot when buying work trucks for my buisness but never really got close to one.
I assume that it has the 5.4 in the half-ton,right?
Sorry about the bike segment.....it won't happen again.

teamford

Sorry for for thinking you were Quadrunner. The Bike thing had me confused at what topic we were discussing. "Lightning" No,the Lightning doesnt offer different rears. Options? Except for 4WD,im not sure what else you would want? I actually went looking for a f-150 lariet.. I drove both, the choice was easy for me. Have you driven one yet? I also have two work trucks. 69 f-100, 89 f-150.. The Lightning isnt the best vehicle ever made.. Just the best thing in the Ford lineup for 1999. I do admire your Harley Davidson dedication.

Rocles

teamford,
They offer the 4wd in the Lightning? Why? By the way, what trim package is avaiable? XL,XLT, or lariat?

quadrunner500

Speeding tickets and road rash are no fun!

I've moved on to the off-road trails with dirt bikes! (The most fun you can have with your clothes on)

barlitz

The lightning comes fully loaded the only options that are available are 6 cd changer,tonneau cover and class III trailer.They don't come in 4 wheel drive but I did read that they are looking into a V10 supercharged all wheel drive.

Rocles

It should be interesting if Ford can fit the V-10 in the F-150.

cobrar

just test drove a red 99 lightning. incredible truck just awesome performance I own 2 93 cobras one a r model and one a regular cobra and could honestly say that the lightning is as fast as the 93 cobra and handles better than it but the r model is a race car with awesome performance and handling. just put in my order for a red 00" lightning cant wait

ward3

what is the price range 2000 f150 larriate extendacab

abnpao

Hey all...I have a 97 Cobra Convertible--love it. But, since I first heard of the 99 Lightning I have drooled over having one. Can't afford both so am considering trading the snake in for a red one due in to the dealer on the 14th of August. Any comments or recommendations? Thanks for the great posts I have read so far.

Jim

barlitz

I have a black lightning and like you since I heard about them I had to have one.The cobras are nice but there's a lot of them around I haven't seen another lightning on the road in my area,so they are a lot more unique, mine is starting to break in there's nothing like taking off from a light and listening to the roar of the V8 and the scream of the supercharger. I don't think you'll be disapointed and they are a lot more practical because you can do more with them than a car.

Good Luck