Lightning lovers needed inside..... Question

joegt38

joegt38

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Im really considering picking up an L.
I have a few things I need to take care of b4 hand so Im hoping in the next few months and I had a few questions...

What would be the "better" years to be lookin at? I know the first few years they were down on power and didn't have the strongest internals. Well atleast thats what I was told and read that the internals were alittle different throught out the 99-04 years. Can someone shedd some light on that for me to??

Dumb question but how bad would it be if I needed to drive it in the snow?? Ya know Im from Chicago here and one day it can be 90* and the next 3ft of snow lol... I know they got some weight to them so I figured that would help but they got loads of torq to so..... Maybe some sand bags and snow tires, just incase I had to drive it in the winter.

Also what would be a decent price for lets say an 03 or 04 with between 25-40K miles??? I guess I should look that one up to.

Is there any real probelms or common problems I should look for when looking to purchase one?

Thanks Joe

PS. I'll probably have more questiong to come!
 
Dusten

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What would be the "better" years to be lookin at? I know the first few years they were down on power and didn't have the strongest internals. Well atleast thats what I was told and read that the internals were alittle different throught out the 99-04 years. Can someone shedd some light on that for me to??
Click to expand...

03-04 are the better years, the hads have more threads for the plugs and are less prone to blowing a plug. As far as i know, all the internals are the same from year to year. The difference in power was in tuning, and intercools and blowers. 04's sit higher in the rear and have a higher payload capacity, if that matters. 01 and newer have bigger driveshafts and 3.73s out back, as opposed to 3.55's.

Dumb question but how bad would it be if I needed to drive it in the snow?? Ya know Im from Chicago here and one day it can be 90* and the next 3ft of snow lol... I know they got some weight to them so I figured that would help but they got loads of torq to so..... Maybe some sand bags and snow tires, just incase I had to drive it in the winter.
Click to expand...

I havent had mine in the snow yet, but i would think with some snow tires and a few bags of sand they would be just like any other 2wd truck. The truck is very docile to drive until you really get on it.

Also what would be a decent price for lets say an 03 or 04 with between 25-40K miles??? I guess I should look that one up to.
Click to expand...
I would suggest looking in truck trader, or kbb, and just seeing what they seem to go for. Out here i was seeing 01's for 20K or so, I paid almost 29K for my 04 with 13,000 miles on it, but the book for my area was 31K.
 
Skrapmetal

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joegt38 said:
Dumb question but how bad would it be if I needed to drive it in the snow?? Ya know Im from Chicago here and one day it can be 90* and the next 3ft of snow lol... I know they got some weight to them so I figured that would help but they got loads of torq to so..... Maybe some sand bags and snow tires, just incase I had to drive it in the winter.
Click to expand...

While mine hopefully wont be getting driven in the snow... being in Iowa I get the same type of winters you get. I would say the L should get around fine as long as you use your head. Weight in the back will help, so will some snow tires.

I spend winters driving my crappy company truck (2wd isuzu hombre), and it doesn't have limited slip... during the worst of blizzards I can usually manage to get where I need to go, it just takes 10 times as long. I'm as comfortable with a 2wd in the winter as I am with a FWD, it's harder to get moving with a 2wd, but you don't lose your ability to steer if your tires start spinning like you do with a FWD (which is why you see a ton of FWD's in ditches along highways when it's really slick).
 
Dusten

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philip said:
wow you got screwed.
Click to expand...

Considering blue book, miles, condition, warranty, and what i was trading in, i didnt have alot of room to bargain.

Here is the KBB on the truck



More Photos Condition Value
Excellent $32,700


Suggested Retail Value Assumes Excellent Condition... More

and here is NADA


TOTAL PRICE $25,725 $29,275
 
Last edited:
roach4047

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As a basic rule... you want to get your hands on the newer models as they eventually addressed various issues as each yr was produced. The 03-04's are evenly matched. The next best are the 01-02's they're essentially the same, then finally the 99-00's are pretty much the same. So as far as the Gen II's go you can basically break them down into those yrs when comparing the various issues that each had.

ROACH
 
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mifordman

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i drove min in the snow....with the f1's on it........it was crappy, but then about a month later i was detaling it and seen the sticker on the door that says dont drive this truck in the winter with out changing the tires.
 
H

HalfTime

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I thought they were rated at 8000 lbs? hummm, oh well, the truck weighs damn near 5000lbs anyways, but it has no problem with that. lol

btw, Red 2000 Lightnings, thier the ones to get.








03-04 Less updating you have to do. Better stock tune, threads, pump. By 03-04 all the new model quearks were worked out.
 
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00blacksvtl

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Mine sucks in the snow, if you want to get around get another set of wheels and tires that are more suited for snow....Mine gets parked and the Jeep comes out to play when the snow flies. I haven't had any trouble with my 2000, and for the money I saved I bought mods for it, your call on the years though.
 
philip

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Cobra_Dusten said:
Considering blue book, miles, condition, warranty, and what i was trading in, i didnt have alot of room to bargain.

Here is the KBB on the truck



More Photos Condition Value
Excellent $32,700


Suggested Retail Value Assumes Excellent Condition... More

and here is NADA


TOTAL PRICE $25,725 $29,275
Click to expand...

i think that is rediculous since they could be purchased for undar 30k brand new.
 

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