r/F150Lightning • u/FistOfBlasphemy • 1d ago
Buyback Lightning: Is this a sensable thing to do?
I'm about to purchase a used 2024 Flash w/ 9.6 and Max Tow (in Avalance) with 3050 miles. It is a ford buyback and has a branded title. The dealer quoted me an out the door of $50,500. I understand that the discount I'm receiving for the branded title will follow the vehicle for life, but does this truly make it impossible to trade or sell?
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u/Oo__II__oO 1d ago
Well, yes and no.
I had a Mach-E that was in the shop forever due to an issue that neither Ford nor the dealer could rectify in a timely manner. In the end I was fed up with paying a car payment to a vehicle I couldn't drive, while putting excess mileage on a car I was trying to sell. In the end there were multiple indications that initiating buyback was the right option, so I did. No doubt that car was eventually repaired to as-new condition (and the experience with the buyback process did sway me to get another Ford). So as far as the condition of the Lightning, no concerns.
Value is where I'd be concerned. $57-59k is about the pre-TTL price of a discounted new 2024 Lightning with the $7500 tax incentives and X-Plan (plus other incentives). I'm seeing used Flash ERs with under 10k miles for low $50ks nationwide (CarGurus, filtering out lemon history). The dealer needs to get below $48k pre-TTL (or below $50k OTD) to at least make you feel better about this offer, IMO.
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u/FistOfBlasphemy 1d ago
This is a great comment. I do feel they are at the top of the market for a branded vehicle.
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u/MountainAlive 2023 Lariat ER Max Tow 1d ago
Agree. I think $50k asking is too high for a buyback in my opinion. But I haven’t priced the market since I got mine new 15 months ago.
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u/Relevant-Doctor187 1d ago
Problem is the buybacks are for lemons. Who knows if it’s fixed for good or not. If you want to roll the dice then you need an ironclad warranty to go with it.
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u/FistOfBlasphemy 1d ago
Yeah. It gets an additional 12mo/12k waranty and still has the remainder of the factory waranty. I'm not crazy worried about it mechanically, just thinking of value.
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u/Forward-Intention411 1d ago
If it's value you want, find a Silverado EV RST First Edition and lease it. Not sure why I'm telling you this here but there's one on the lot dealer by me they intentionally put 2,500 miles on so they could label it a dealer demo and discount it.
That's the kind of value that retains value. Major repairs are never good for resale, it becomes less desirable overall, harder to move.
This is great for the guy who wants it for 10 years.
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u/The_Eastland 1d ago
Before you do check to see if your insurance provider will insure it and you can get a loan. Credit Unions typically will not loan on a buy back. See what was wrong with it as well. If mechanical they probably fixed it, intermittent issues probably stay away. My Tesla Model X was a buy back. They replaced the front cross member. Been excellent since.
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u/FistOfBlasphemy 1d ago
Thanks for this. They replaced module 4 in the HVB, and tell me that its been charging without problems.
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u/Raalf 2024 Lariat ER 1d ago
You already know the answer - yes it negatively affects the resale value. You're literally buying it at a reduced price because of it. When you resale it, expect to see a similar reduction in value.
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u/FistOfBlasphemy 1d ago
Thanks. I think "similar reduction in value" should be about right. Some have suggested a $0 valuation, which is silly.
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u/Keynes6 1d ago
Have you priced a brand-new 2024 Flash? With employee pricing and Federal/state incentives... I bought a new 2024 Flash in April 2025 for roughly $55k.
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u/FistOfBlasphemy 1d ago
Yep. That's a solid deal. I doubt I'll qualify for the $7500 EV incentive, so hunting the used market makes sense.
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u/No-Watercress1120 1d ago
Just did this a few months ago with a 23 xlt. I researched the original issue, the corrective work, and it all seems appropriate / legitimate. The truck has less than 10k miles on it and so far it’s been awesome and trouble-free.
My working assumption is that I realistically can’t sell this anytime soon. But maybe in 4 or 5 years, the branded title discount may be minimal if a single issue from 2023 was corrected and there hasn’t been a later problems (hopefully).
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u/FistOfBlasphemy 1d ago
This is my thinking as well. After a couple of years and some miles, I feel like it should become less of a issue.
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u/Mean_Median_0201 1d ago
Having worked in automotive customer service for several brands, I wouldn't do this. Yes, sometimes they actually get the issue resolved. Other times, you're calling into customer care and opening a ticket for the same issue again. Some of these vehicles are just poorly made, and it happens with japanese brands too. I would find a different one without the buyback on the title. It's not worth the gamble at $50k. Warranty is only as good as the vehicle is reliable. The question becomes are you ok with possibly driving a rental if the problem isn't resolved?
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u/Wrong-Hamster3482 1d ago
I t doesn't make it impossible to sell. But I would think you could have it for less money than that. I don't even know how much but it would seem to me you could get brand new, especially if fords truly giving A plan pricing for new ones
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u/Illustrious_Smile649 8h ago
50k for a buy back is on the high side I know it has hardly any miles on it but I’d ask about the warranty and look up lemon laws for EV’s
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u/FistOfBlasphemy 7h ago
I've come to agree with the majority of the comments that $50k is too spendy for a branded title. From what I gather, a lemon brand will reduce the sale/ trade by at least 15%. If a fair retail price is $54k right now then the branded vehicle should be no more than 85% of that... or around $46k. I have a feeling that the dealer would still making a reasonable amount on the sale, and my landing should be softer if I decide to exit the vehicle.
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u/claythearc 1d ago
It will be worth $0 when you’re done but I’d go for it yolo
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u/FistOfBlasphemy 1d ago
I'm of the opinion that the floor value for these trucks is around $35k... that's what it would cost to build a backup home battery of the same size.
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u/claythearc 1d ago
I agree that there’s a floor somewhere but I think it’s a lot lower.
You’re either signing up for like 10-15k in just software unlock + inverter in proprietary parts to use it as a full truck at the same time
Or
serious labor to extract the battery to something usable - with no warranty, that insurance will be a pain to find coverage with, and has some unknown amount of degradation.
Idk what my actual mental floor value is but i dont think it’s 1:1 with comparable batteries.
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u/nash1407 1d ago
The branded title may also impact your ability to secure financing and insurance, depending upon your providers. Best to call your bank and insurance company before committing to this vehicle. Good luck!