I think the Lightning is on it's way out...
#1
I think the Lightning is on it's way out...
I've reached the point where I have to make the decision between spending another 10K on my truck, to get to the next level, or leave it alone. I'm getting tired of it actually. 6 years is the longest I've ever kept a vehicle; and, the fun just isn't there anymore. I can't see spending that much on a vehicle I'm not sure I want to keep around any longer. 10K would be a nice start on some mods for a new Vette. The GT500 would be nice, but not for what they are going for.
Is this a normal feeling, at this point of ownership, for some of you guys that have been here?
Is this a normal feeling, at this point of ownership, for some of you guys that have been here?
#2
#6
I was able to drive an 06' Vette Coupe (not the ZO6) and I have to say for a 50K sticker it's quite a nice piece, 400HP stick is a ton of fun, not a lot of extra room for a 6 4' guy like me but I had zero issues driving it, which really makes me think-for what guys are paying for a new Shelby you could buy a new vette and save 10K plus and still have a sold performer, or just buy a ZO6.
#7
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#8
Your decision making must include your performance expectations.
If you've kept the L pretty calm along the years then maybe a vette will fill your needs, (but maybe not) and I use the vette only as an example.
All I can add is somehow I've managed to own @80 vehicles (mostly performance) through the last 30 years of driving so I too never keep anything too long. The 02 Lightning broke all the records but I too grew tiried and sold it.
I then put myself in another 6yr note on the SRT8 and although it'll drive circles around a stock Gen II all day long it just doesnt fill my need for speed.
Thats pretty bad considering it'll do 166 MPH off the showroom floor, run the 1/4 in hi 12's low 13's, and out 0-60 pretty much anything, (inc a L). But the fact is the Lightning has made me addicted to a Supercharger the rest of my life There's NOTHING like a Supercharger , I even built the most Beautiful Procharged GT Convertible I've ever seen, sob ran easy 12's spinning the entire track on street tires first time out (with a MPH capable of 11's). But even that didnt fill my need, then it was back to a Lightning, then another.....
Bottom line if I kept the original L and put the 10K in it I was on the fence to invest, I would have saved an easy 50K and not have another 5yrs of notes. But life isnt all that bad now I have 2 great choices to make every day, the 400+ HP Vehicle, or the Weapon of Choice
Owning a L the 2nd and especially 3rd time IS MUCH BETTER so if you do sell dont sweat it, YOU CAN ALWAYS COME BACK
Good Luck on your decision...
If you've kept the L pretty calm along the years then maybe a vette will fill your needs, (but maybe not) and I use the vette only as an example.
All I can add is somehow I've managed to own @80 vehicles (mostly performance) through the last 30 years of driving so I too never keep anything too long. The 02 Lightning broke all the records but I too grew tiried and sold it.
I then put myself in another 6yr note on the SRT8 and although it'll drive circles around a stock Gen II all day long it just doesnt fill my need for speed.
Thats pretty bad considering it'll do 166 MPH off the showroom floor, run the 1/4 in hi 12's low 13's, and out 0-60 pretty much anything, (inc a L). But the fact is the Lightning has made me addicted to a Supercharger the rest of my life There's NOTHING like a Supercharger , I even built the most Beautiful Procharged GT Convertible I've ever seen, sob ran easy 12's spinning the entire track on street tires first time out (with a MPH capable of 11's). But even that didnt fill my need, then it was back to a Lightning, then another.....
Bottom line if I kept the original L and put the 10K in it I was on the fence to invest, I would have saved an easy 50K and not have another 5yrs of notes. But life isnt all that bad now I have 2 great choices to make every day, the 400+ HP Vehicle, or the Weapon of Choice
Owning a L the 2nd and especially 3rd time IS MUCH BETTER so if you do sell dont sweat it, YOU CAN ALWAYS COME BACK
Good Luck on your decision...
#9
#10
Originally Posted by Odin's Wrath
I've reached the point where I have to make the decision between spending another 10K on my truck, to get to the next level, or leave it alone. I'm getting tired of it actually. 6 years is the longest I've ever kept a vehicle; and, the fun just isn't there anymore. I can't see spending that much on a vehicle I'm not sure I want to keep around any longer. 10K would be a nice start on some mods for a new Vette. The GT500 would be nice, but not for what they are going for.
Is this a normal feeling, at this point of ownership, for some of you guys that have been here?
Is this a normal feeling, at this point of ownership, for some of you guys that have been here?
#11
Hey Odin, have you ever been to someones house and they take you out to the garage and pull back the cover on a Buick GNX, 69 Camaro, Bandit Edition 79 Trans Am or any other cool *** car that is no longer made...? I always thought about how cool it would be to keep something like that. While you may not think like that now, several years from now the L will be in the same category. A few more get wrecked every year, and since the generation II's are so limited the cool factor will be around for many years. With Fords current market share and finance woes I doubt they ever make another performance truck. If Ford doesnt and Chevy doesnt then it will not be long until Dodge lets theirs go. Gas is never going to get cheaper and hot rod trucks will be a thing of the past. If your L is paid for, park it, cover it and get you something else.....
You and I have talked before about the WS6 Trans AM. I have owned one, also an 87 GN, 85 Mustang GT, 90 mustang GT hard top and a convertible, a 95 TA then the 97 WS6....I guess Rob is right, I cant explain it. I like the L better than any of them. I am almost finished with the mods and some day I will park it.
What ever you do good luck, 10 years from now you may look back and be glad you kept it....You can always sell it, once it's gone.... it's gone. Again, good luck.
I still say the TA wasnt that difficult to speed shift
The skip shift drove me crazy.
You and I have talked before about the WS6 Trans AM. I have owned one, also an 87 GN, 85 Mustang GT, 90 mustang GT hard top and a convertible, a 95 TA then the 97 WS6....I guess Rob is right, I cant explain it. I like the L better than any of them. I am almost finished with the mods and some day I will park it.
What ever you do good luck, 10 years from now you may look back and be glad you kept it....You can always sell it, once it's gone.... it's gone. Again, good luck.
I still say the TA wasnt that difficult to speed shift
The skip shift drove me crazy.
#12
Originally Posted by rotorwash
Hey Odin, have you ever been to someones house and they take you out to the garage and pull back the cover on a Buick GNX, 69 Camaro, Bandit Edition 79 Trans Am or any other cool *** car that is no longer made...? I always thought about how cool it would be to keep something like that. While you may not think like that now, several years from now the L will be in the same category. A few more get wrecked every year, and since the generation II's are so limited the cool factor will be around for many years. With Fords current market share and finance woes I doubt they ever make another performance truck. If Ford doesnt and Chevy doesnt then it will not be long until Dodge lets theirs go. Gas is never going to get cheaper and hot rod trucks will be a thing of the past. If your L is paid for, park it, cover it and get you something else.....
You and I have talked before about the WS6 Trans AM. I have owned one, also an 87 GN, 85 Mustang GT, 90 mustang GT hard top and a convertible, a 95 TA then the 97 WS6....I guess Rob is right, I cant explain it. I like the L better than any of them. I am almost finished with the mods and some day I will park it.
What ever you do good luck, 10 years from now you may look back and be glad you kept it....You can always sell it, once it's gone.... it's gone. Again, good luck.
I still say the TA wasnt that difficult to speed shift
The skip shift drove me crazy.
You and I have talked before about the WS6 Trans AM. I have owned one, also an 87 GN, 85 Mustang GT, 90 mustang GT hard top and a convertible, a 95 TA then the 97 WS6....I guess Rob is right, I cant explain it. I like the L better than any of them. I am almost finished with the mods and some day I will park it.
What ever you do good luck, 10 years from now you may look back and be glad you kept it....You can always sell it, once it's gone.... it's gone. Again, good luck.
I still say the TA wasnt that difficult to speed shift
The skip shift drove me crazy.
#13
Originally Posted by rotorwash
Hey Odin, have you ever been to someones house and they take you out to the garage and pull back the cover on a Buick GNX, 69 Camaro, Bandit Edition 79 Trans Am or any other cool *** car that is no longer made...? I always thought about how cool it would be to keep something like that. While you may not think like that now, several years from now the L will be in the same category. A few more get wrecked every year, and since the generation II's are so limited the cool factor will be around for many years. With Fords current market share and finance woes I doubt they ever make another performance truck. If Ford doesnt and Chevy doesnt then it will not be long until Dodge lets theirs go. Gas is never going to get cheaper and hot rod trucks will be a thing of the past. If your L is paid for, park it, cover it and get you something else.....
You and I have talked before about the WS6 Trans AM. I have owned one, also an 87 GN, 85 Mustang GT, 90 mustang GT hard top and a convertible, a 95 TA then the 97 WS6....I guess Rob is right, I cant explain it. I like the L better than any of them. I am almost finished with the mods and some day I will park it.
What ever you do good luck, 10 years from now you may look back and be glad you kept it....You can always sell it, once it's gone.... it's gone. Again, good luck.
I still say the TA wasnt that difficult to speed shift
The skip shift drove me crazy.
You and I have talked before about the WS6 Trans AM. I have owned one, also an 87 GN, 85 Mustang GT, 90 mustang GT hard top and a convertible, a 95 TA then the 97 WS6....I guess Rob is right, I cant explain it. I like the L better than any of them. I am almost finished with the mods and some day I will park it.
What ever you do good luck, 10 years from now you may look back and be glad you kept it....You can always sell it, once it's gone.... it's gone. Again, good luck.
I still say the TA wasnt that difficult to speed shift
The skip shift drove me crazy.
#14
I had the same scenario hit me when I sold mine. Dump another $10-$12k on a truck I was getting bored with or move on. I ended up buying a new STi while I still had the L. Short story was the L sat for a couple of months then I opted to sell it. The STi filled the speed/power urge until I bought a new bike. I occasionally miss the L, usually when I see one on the road but not sorry I sold it. For me the decision not to dump extra money into the truck was the right one. No regrets. Now eyeing a Z06 myself.
#15
Sup old timer?
I was the same way with the Lightning and chose to move to the HD F150 crowd. While it weighs more, and doesn't corner nearly as well as the Lightning, it was a good move overall. I can still see it as a local bud has it now. LOL
The truck is starting to get a bit boring too. Probably since it is driven maybe three days a month. The SVT Contour 'mule' gave me back the twisty fun and then some.
The blower whine never gets old however.
Bob
I was the same way with the Lightning and chose to move to the HD F150 crowd. While it weighs more, and doesn't corner nearly as well as the Lightning, it was a good move overall. I can still see it as a local bud has it now. LOL
The truck is starting to get a bit boring too. Probably since it is driven maybe three days a month. The SVT Contour 'mule' gave me back the twisty fun and then some.
The blower whine never gets old however.
Bob