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3 Reasons The Ford Raptor Is Worth the Price, or Is It?

The Ford Raptor is arguably one of the coolest trucks you can buy straight off the show room floor, but it doesn’t come cheap. With a base MSRP, manufacturer suggest retail price, of $49,785, nearly double a base model F150, why does the Raptor cost so much and is it worth the money?

For starters, look at it. Ford Raptor boasts a seriously aggressive widebody, stretching 7.2 feet fender to fender. The whole time front facia is a unique offering from Ford for the Raptor, commanding block letters displaying the manufacturers name as opposed to the normal oval Ford insignia.

Yet a “Raptor Conversion Kit” can be purchased from aftermarket companies to convert a standard F150 to the Raptor widebody look for between two and three thousand dollars. And on top of that many Raptor owners find themselves converting to aftermarket fender for more tire clearance as they push their trucks harder.

Second, the Raptor packs some serious suspension, a set of Fox racing coil overs in the front along with widened a-arms deliver 13” of wheel travel and a modified leaf pack paired with Fox internal bypass shocks deliver 14” of wheel travel out back, also giving the tuck enough lift to clear 35” tires. The suspension is race fueled and Baja tuned by Fox and Ford, yet something of equal performance can be bolted onto a stock F150 for five-grand or less.

Furthermore, you could probably pickup this exact suspension from a Raptor owner off an online forum as many who do use their trucks for off-road racing seem to upgrade many of the suspension components before long although the predesigned off-road capability was the one of the main reasons for purchasing the Raptor in the first place.

Third, Ford Raptor is also now only propelled with the eco-boost V6, the 6.2L V8 is a thing of the past. But frankly, there’s hardly anything special about it. Sure, it has 450 horsepower and 510 lb-ft of torque but the stock motor is at 375 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque; which any tuner who has worked on these motors before will tell you is majority based off the tune of the motor with minor upgrades and someone competent behind the computer those numbers can be met relatevely inexpensively, accompanied by the fact that current Ford Raptor owners still want more when flying through the desert.

My Conclusion on Ford Raptor

All in all, I just don’t see the value in the Ford Raptor price if you truly plan on using it for what it was designed for, but then also it’s not that useful of a truck when you break the numbers down either. It can’t tow or haul as much as a standard Ford F150. The Raptor appeals to two people, those who want a pickup but don’t want to use it as a pickup, still want it to be quick and still want to look cool driving it but will rarely if ever take it off-road.

Also appealing to those who want to take a venture into the off-road world only to have the truck serve as, a type of gateway drug metaphorically, into the world of off-road performance, where they’ll reinvest into the truck what they only would have needed to once if they knew what they were getting themselves into at the start.

Comments

Jeff White (not verified)    September 2, 2017 - 10:53AM

What you fail to mention is the "mode package" that reprograms the Raptor into a unique setting. There are six of them and they are so distinctly different that you just can't get that in any F150 and it is unavailable in the aftermarket.

One drive in Baja mode will make you change your mind.

frank (not verified)    September 2, 2017 - 12:25PM

In reply to by Jeff White (not verified)

who is this author above?? undercover Chevy or Dodge employee for sure. the new raptor is by far the baddest truck straight off the assembly line. truck enthusiasts, understand, admire and can appreciate such a well designed, mechanically and aesthetically, put together vehicle.

Steve (not verified)    September 3, 2017 - 12:02PM

In reply to by frank (not verified)

For me to agree with your assumption of the Raptor being "the baddest truck straight off the assembly line" you would need to go back and edit that statement with an additional 3 words to where it reads "the baddest truck straight off the assembly line for desert running".

Alex Reichenbach    September 8, 2017 - 9:43PM

In reply to by Jeff White (not verified)

You bring up a good point. But many who test drive it and are aware of how to race baja seem to relate the modes to "cheat codes" so... And everything that computer accomplishes could be accomplished by someone with driving experience and a manual transmission.

Stevon (not verified)    September 14, 2017 - 4:38PM

In reply to by Alex Reichenbach

@Alex, you have no concept of those modes, do you? It appears you are moving the goalpost here. Looking at Baja mode, Rock Crawl mode, and Weather mode shows three unique modes that aren't just "I can drive better than this".

Baja keeps Turbo open to reduce lag. It greatly changes the aggressiveness of the engine. It also monitors all 4 wheels to ensure you hold a straighter line and don't lose control.
Rock Crawl drops into 4 low which is easily enough accomplished by a regular F-150.
Weather mode turns on 4A and changes throttle response to make you less likely to spin tires.

If you want to state that "a driver can perform better" you are still ignoring that the MPG, acceleration, and overall handling greatly change beyond a driver simply pressing the gas harder. The closest you will get it changing tunes but even then you will have a much greater delay.

Stevon (not verified)    September 3, 2017 - 12:39AM

Let's keep it simple and compare an F-150 XLT to a base model Raptor. Supercrew 5.5' bed. $44k compared to $53k. That is a price difference of $9k.

Tires = $1000
Tune = $500
Lift/Shocks = $5000

Wow, real quick we got $6500 out of our $9k budget and we aren't even done yet. Let's think about labor (or our own time getting tools and such to make these parts work), the resale value of an "upgraded F-150" vs a Raptor, any possible warranty issue.

At the end of the day, even with all the upgraded needed, will it ride as nice, look as nice, or be a Raptor? No, it won't, it will just be an off-roader on par with the Raptor.

Alex Reichenbach    September 8, 2017 - 10:14PM

In reply to by Stevon (not verified)

As outlined in the article. If your keeping a raptor stock the price difference is not enough to build out a F150. However for the customer that buys a Raptor to get into off-roading is making a mistake he/she would be better off purchasing a stock F150 and building from their because after they get through replacing all the raptor OEM components with stronger and more aggressive ones they could have saved that additional difference of $9K

Stevon (not verified)    September 14, 2017 - 4:46PM

In reply to by Alex Reichenbach

Alex,

I would like a breakdown of the cost of parts you are recommending. You also have me lost saying you can build a F-150 for less than buying a Raptor and upgrading it but you also mention that you could put 2nd hand raptor shocks on your F-150 at a reduced cost which would only, at best, put it on par with a raptor. Again, your argument is weak.

Your only argument here is that you save $10k buying bare bones F-150 over a Raptor as a base and then changing everything on both trucks. Even still I would wager that the shocks, rims, tires would carry more resale value than those of the F-150 narrowing that gap. Even still you are looking at modified F-150 vs a modified Raptor. They wouldn't be the same...

Asian redneck (not verified)    September 3, 2017 - 4:12PM

There's an very very important point for downtown people, the raptor has a 199.5 cm ride height, which will fit into most, if not all underground or indoor parking lot. On the other hand a modified F-150 with fat shocks and beefier tires must be lifted to at least 205 inch. The Raptor CAN be your only ride but the modified F-150 or any other raised truck in general is too tall for cities.

Alex Reichenbach    September 8, 2017 - 10:21PM

In reply to by Asian redneck (not verified)

I really don't think anyone buys a raptor to drive around Manhattan with... and you're really trying to tell me that 2" will be the difference between practical and impractical, I don't buy it. Not to mention almost every raptor you see on the road had a LED light bar slapped on the upper wind shield, roof area which could easily be more than 2" higher than the roof line.

Jackson (not verified)    April 20, 2018 - 7:12PM

In reply to by Alex Reichenbach

You are aware there are other 'downtowns' in the United States other than Manhattan, right? And that roughly 100 million Americans work in them? And that parking garages also exist outside of downtown areas too....like urban apartment/condo complex.

I mean but yeah I guess acknowledging that would mean you'd also have acknowledge you just flat out missed a very valid point by the commenter.

MrsWanda (not verified)    December 17, 2018 - 11:04AM

Owner of 2018 Raptor........That MF just feels GOOD.....damn good I promise! It was love at first sight for me. We own the road in S.Fla.! Any and every road in any and every weather or condition! It is the Baddest Ass on the road or at least it makes you feel that way! Since I got mine, my husband has tried to modify his F150 I guess to look or act like mine...KeeeKeeeKee yeah it that funny! Raptor says "move bitch get out the way" his F150 says "Ooowah.....I wanna be YOU!" It really is the coolest and commands respect on these streets. I feel sooooo safe in this Raptor!