Convince Me...

FordTechOne said:

If this will be your only vehicle, a pickup may not be your best choice with a baby on the way. You’re cargo capacity will be limited with the car seat and related diaper bags, etc. When I pick up family at the airport I take my SUV, as the Raptor doesn’t have enough room for 3 people and their luggage. You can invest in a tonneau cover, but the secure ones are expensive and it’s still tough to access, as cargo tends to slide all the way to the front by the cab.

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JoeSC said:

I have to respectfully disagree. Get a tonneau, it’s worth it and solves many of those issues. This was my first year doing one of our road trips in the Raptor and there was soooo much room. And better yet, no one had to have stuff all around them and I could easily see out the back. I didn’t have anything shift around but I have a spray in liner.

The kids and my wife (who could not possibly care less about vehicles) love it. We’ve just been taking drives during Covid to cure boredom. Everyone is different but I’d be surprised if you regret it.

Also, the back seat is gigantic. I think I could fit my previous car in it.

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LoganW said:

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!

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