Convince Me...

Hey all, been dreaming of a raptor for some time and now might be the time...

I just got a killer promotion and will be moving to West Texas. Also in the same week my wife and I found out we are having a baby. My '14 extended cab Sierra needs to go in exchange for something with a crew cab.

I'm torn, however. While I still drool over the raptor, it doesn't scream "family vehicle". This will be the only vehicle my wife and I have, other than my company car. Primary usage will be around town, frequent 4+ hour road trips, and the occasional trip into the mountains to hunt. Hoping there's some opportunity to hop into NM for some off-roading if I go the Raptor route.

Also in consideration is a Sierra 1500 AT4 with the 3.0 Duramax. Total budget for either vehicle is around $60k. This would get me a used '19 Raptor or a new AT4 with every bell and whistle. The AT4 is appealing from the standpoint of fuel economy (let's assume diesel and 91 octane are the same price) and towing capacity. While I like the idea of towing a travel trailer, it's not something that will likely happen anytime soon. Below are a few highlights that stand out to me:

Raptor:
Pro - Power and torque are both higher
Pro - appears to have more spacious back seat
Pro - off road capability is vastly superior
Con - fuel economy
Con - will be purchased used

Sierra AT4:
Pro - brand new with warranty (would likely put an aftermarket warranty on raptor as well)
Pro - fuel economy
Pro - the 3.0 Duramax I've driven is really nice - tons of torque at low rpm
Pro - more "family oriented"
Con - not great offroad
Con - Doesn't have as much cool factor

What do y'all think? Convince me that I need the Raptor!

My wife and kids only want to ride in the Raptor now that we have one. I run sport mode (until I tune her) and we pretty much go 0-speed limit WOT every time and they laugh and smile the whole time. You live in America for a reason; buy a Raptor.

Life is too short for boring vehicles. Ask yourself if you're in an AT4 and you see a Raptor drive past would there be a tinge of regret? I can say first hand that that regret doesn't go the other way.

inside the truck, they are the "same"...you either like the chevy or you like the ford. neither is more family friendly then the other.

I will say this. My kids 13 and 19 want to drive the truck when we go out, and not the Explorer.

My ‘14 is a daily with three car seats that get used every day. I bought the Raptor specifically to fit three car seats across.

Wife has an edge but she and all three kids ALWAYS want to ride in the Raptor - AND I SAY **** YES every time. Best purchase ever.

Jon_Solo said:

My wife and kids only want to ride in the Raptor now that we have one. I run sport mode (until I tune her) and we pretty much go 0-speed limit WOT every time and they laugh and smile the whole time. You live in America for a reason; buy a Raptor.

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I can confirm we do the exact same thing!

The crew Raptor has a ton of room in the back seat. My wife prefers to drive my raptor over her old BMW X3 and of course her current Honda Civic SI for more room and easier to get our boy in and out of it.

Funk factor and add-on aftermarket parts for the Raptor was the deciding factor for me. Had so may different types of cars from a 68 camaro to 991 Carrara over the last 30 years I finally decided on the Raptor. Another factor was the platform is proven solid.

Since you're asking here, just get the Raptor. You will not be happy with the GM. Every time you see a Raptor, it will needle you until you get one.

The Raptor is going to be worth a pile of money more than the GM in a few years too, if you worry about depreciation.

Kind of a no brainer here. The GM will lose its most value in the first year. Not only has the Raptor already been thru that phase but they retain their value so much better! There is so much room in the Raptor you will never take anything else with the kids again. If you keep your foot out of it you can pretty easily get 17.5-18.5mpg.