Hi everyone, Im trying to pick between 2 Ford trucks. Both are on opposite sides of the spectrum, But I like em both. The one is the Ford Lightning, and the other Is an Lariat Super Crew. I really like the lightning, but when it comes down to it, the Lariat is more for me. The only major thing holding me back is the size of the truck, and the milage it'll get. I've heard with the lightning you can get 14-15 milage local driving, and 17-18 highway. Witch im ok with. But im not sure about what the Lariat gets.
The other problem I have with the lariat, is driving it in general, Im not sure if its going to be to big. Hard to park in lots. The lightning is the same size as the explorer im driving now, and I can handle that good enough. Will driving the lariat just take practice?

Thanks
Sean

 

The kids at work with their Lightnings get about 11 MPG around the city and maybe 14 on the highway. They all have a plethera of aftermarket gadgets on their engines, so it's hard to say what one would get with the "as issued" engine from Ford.

The new 3 valve 5.4L engine in the Super Crew seems to get decent gas mileage. I get better mileage than the guys with the old 2 valve engine and those with the slightly under-powered (for the SC) 4.6L. At first, gas mileage in the city was HORRIBLE! After the engine broke in, I'm getting roughly 15 MPG city and 21 on the highway with a 4X4 FX4.

The 4X2 Super Crews don't seem to hard to park. The 4X4's, especially an FX4, can be a tad hard to get into a parking spot. The reverse sensing system is a nice option I would highly recommend. The Super Crews do ride like a Cadillac and offer a very comfortable and spacious interior.

 

Thanks for the reply, Now that the gas milage question is answered, and that gets a thumbs up from me anyways. I can move onto the next problem. Is the parking, and I guess that just needs practice on my part. I think once I have the truck for a month or so I should be good at driving it.

I just wish the trucks weren't so far apart in what they're made for. Lightning is for speed, lariat is more of a "work truck", and I want both, its just witch one comes out on top?

Another truck I was looking at was the lincoln LT, that is one sweet truck. But its still a "work truck" with lots of leather and other gadgets. So I dont know.

Thanks again,
Sean

 

just ask a few around here about making their SCrew for speed. It has been done. You can have the best of both worlds with a modded SCrew.

 

Yeah, if I get end up with the super crew, Im going to do small little mods. But I dont want to supercharge it or anything becuase than my MPG goes way down.

Can you guys tell me about these tuner chips I keep seeing. What exactly do they do to the engine?

 

Not quite my specialgty... but my understanding is that they adjust the timing and aiir/fuel ratios to get some amazing increases in performance. And supposedly the more you mod your truck, the more they get out of the chip.

As far as the parking, the issues you have with the SCrew were 2 of the big things I have been looking at too. I haev since decided against an SCrew, maybe for an SCab. The reason occurred to me when I was walking into work the other day in the parking lot of Best Buy. There was an SCrew parked in our parking lot and was pulled all the way in. However the back end of it stuck out at least a foot and a half past all the other cars, and actually partly into the lanes. There's no way something that big turns good, and living down here with Florida(read: VERY VERY VERY BAD) drivers, Having my back end sticking into the parking lot lanes is not a good thing. And me coming from an Explorer Sport... chances are I shouldn't jump to that big a truck yet.

 

You would be QUITE surprised at the turning radius, actually. It is quite impressive...I think it is the same, if not BETTER than my Supercab 2002 Ranger was. Parking being an issue didn't even cross my mind- however I am very comfortable driving larger trucks and would consider myself an above average driver when it comes to tight spots and making things fit...so maybe it would be a little difficult for those intimidated by larger vehicles.

 

Im actually scared of driving smaller cars. My aunt let me drive her new mustang today, and I was afraid to hit 40 in it, I jumped into my explorer and hit 40 going down my block. I've ruled small cars out of my options now, even with gas pricing, I just hate being so low to the ground.

And I think what im going to do, is invest a little bit of money into my explorer, and than I'll get my truck after Im done with that. I dont think Im going to be able to afford a new truck right now. But than again, the lightning folks know how frequent I change my mind. :o

We'll see what happens I guess, as I always say, but nothing ever happens anyways.

Thanks,
Sean

 

I bought my '05 SCrew already lifted w/tire and wheel combo. The tires are about 1 inch outside the wheel wells but I don't have much problems parking it. There are some parking lots that are "high density" design that give problems but for the most part it's just fine. A matter of getting used to the footprint and turning radius. BTW the turning radius is better than my '01 SCrew.

I can't compare parking or performance with the Lightning because I never drove one. However with a tuner, intake, exhuast and efans my truck rocks compared to stock. Gas mileage is about a wash even with the occasional (OK alot) of hard acceleration.

The only reason I don't like the L is interior space other than that, you just can't go wrong.

Good Luck on your choice.......

 

my f150 screw turns almost the same as my ranger screw did..

 

My parents have an Explorer Sport Trac and it turns like a Winnebago. I have actually seen my parents have to go around and try to take turns again if they can't make it the first time.

Maybe I'm just spoiled by my Explorer Sport, it turns basically on a dime(for a truck). And down here we have around 60% high density parking.

Just out of curiosity, what kind of Explorer do you have? Mine's a '95 Sport.

 

The explorer I have is an 04 limited, But its not actually mine, its my parents, and I want to buy my own car sometime soon. So im just driving it for them, my dads jeep goes in sometime next spring, so I might get a truck than. I've been saving up for a while now, but I dont know if it'll be enough. My parents said they would help out a little if I needed it.

And I have no problems parking that, its just when there's a tight spot I'll pull in and end up taking 2 spots, so I have to pull out and do it again when that happens. those are tight spots im talking about, any normal sized spot I can get into amd out of easy.

Thanks
Sean