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F150 with the 3.5L twin turbo eco boost

236 messages,  Last post on Apr 21, 2013 at 8:42 PM

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Messages Page 5 of 24

#39 of 236 Advice Needed For Purchasing An F-150 by tigerjon1

May 15, 2011 (5:15 pm)

Hello,
 
I have no idea if anyone is going to see this question or if I will be able to find it once I am finished, as Edmunds does not make it really easy to just post a new discussion. If anyone can recommend a forum for F-150 enthusiasts, please let me know.
 
I am soon to be in the market for a new vehicle (my wife's van will be paid off in a few months). I have never owned a truck, but it looks like now may be the time to pull the trigger. I work in sales, so even though I get 55 cents a mile, good mileage is important to me. I work in the construction supply business and a truck would be handy for lugging some pretty heavy stuff around. In addition, I hunt, so a truck will be handy for that too.
 
Right now I drive a 2006 Honda Pilot w/155k miles on it and it has been a pleasure owning it, as it has given me virtually no problems. Prior to this vehicle I owned a 2001 Explorer. I swore after dumping the Explorer with about 70k miles on it I'd never own a Ford again. It was the first Ford I'd ever owned, and it didn't leave a very good taste in my mouth. This vehicle gave us tons of trouble, most notably the rear-end diff going out on us twice. Conveniently for Ford, both times occurred after the 36k mile warranty had expired. Aside from changing the oil, brake pads, and plugs, I am not very mechanically inclined when it comes to motor vehicles, but I know my driving habits had little to nothing to do with the problems I had with this vehicle. I do not tow anything. I baby our vehicles as much as possible (to get the best mileage I can), and I just plain take care of my stuff.
 
Anyway, to get on with it, I have never owned a truck, but for the stated reasons, I can justify getting one. I will not get a Ram due to stories I've heard about Chrysler's reliability (no offense, Dodge owners). I will never go near a GM due to the Obama bailout ( I didn't vote for the guy). So I guess it's Ford again. However, other than an unproven engine (in a truck anyways), I am not worried as much as I thought I might be. I have always heard that Ford trucks are fine, they stumble sometimes in their SUVs. Also, I understand Ford has made strides in quality since our old Exploder was manufactured.
 
With all that out, I am looking for some solid advice on if this is the best truck for me. I would love to hear from Ecoboost owners and what they think so far. Also, would it be out of the question for a dealer to offer an extension of the factory warranty (at least on the PT), or a good deal on an extended warranty. Also, I understand I just missed Truck Month. I have already told one dealer we are not in a big hurry to buy, but if Ford threw out some more rebates, we might be encouraged to jump on them. Any advice on how I should go about this would be greatly appreciated. BTW, we can get the X plan, so divulging this to the dealer will come last.
 
Thanks for any help.
 
TJ
Kansas City

#40 of 236 Re: Advice Needed For Purchasing An F-150 [tigerjon1] by twweber

May 16, 2011 (7:11 am)

Replying to: tigerjon1 (May 15, 2011 5:15 pm)
The short answer is that only buy as much truck as you need. Look at your needs (towing, hauling etc) and choose accordingly. While it's nice to have a big truck, you pay on fuel economy. I've had several F150's and think they are great trucks. By far, better than the rest.
 
In regards to negotiation, there is no real reason to hold back on the X plan info. You are really only negotiating trade in at that point since X plan basically sets the price. As you may guess, I have it as well. The good news is that the price is below invoice. The bad news is that Ford does not mark up their vehicles as much as some others. Another tip is that options have more markup than higher trim levels. So for example, you could find that X plan on an XLT with lots of options (leather etc) is cheaper than X plan on a Lariat with no options.
 
You get all rebates with X plan and my gut tells me that $4 gas will cause trucks not to move. If that happens then I expect the mfgs to slap $4K of rebates on trucks in the next 60 days. Now, who knows if Ford will restrict rebates on the Ecoboost, but I do expect higher rebates on trucks.
 
With X plan, you are better off buying when inventory is high and not at the end of the year. That way, you get the rebate, the cheap price and have an easier time picking out the truck you want. I swapped my last F 150 in Jun 2010. I kept watching and the deals the rest of the year did not improve upon the x plan and rebates. That would not be the case for everyone, but it was for x plan.
 
Good luck.

#41 of 236 Re: Advice Needed For Purchasing An F-150 [tigerjon1] by donl1

May 16, 2011 (11:52 am)

Replying to: tigerjon1 (May 15, 2011 5:15 pm)
www.F150online.net and www.Ford150.net are a couple of forums with plenty of discussion on the Eco-Boost and Ford 150's in general. Hope this doesn't upset Edmunds.

#42 of 236 press request by kirstie_h HOST

Jun 10, 2011 (11:45 am)

A reporter is looking to interview owners of the Ford F-150 EcoBoost. Please email predmunds.com with your daytime contact information no later than Monday, June 13, 2011 if you'd like to share your thoughts on the vehicle.

#43 of 236 Re: F-150 3.7 Engine [temj12] by cat125

Jun 15, 2011 (5:23 pm)

Replying to: temj12 (Apr 09, 2011 10:35 am)
Very interested in hearing comments - looked at the 3.7 today and also the 3.5 eco and there is a difference in initial pick-up however was wondering how the 3.5 eco drives at higher speeds since it has more torque - is it a subbtle ride or more torque inspired - how does it compare overall to the 3.7 besides having more initial power

#44 of 236 Re: F-150 3.7 Engine [cat125] by stonesi

Jun 16, 2011 (6:08 am)

Replying to: cat125 (Jun 15, 2011 5:23 pm)
I just received my special ordered 2011 F-150 regular cab, 2 wd, 8' bed, equipped with the 3.7 and 3.73 limited slip rear end. It seems quicker than my '04 with the 5.4, although not as much torque, as I feel the load when hauling even 1000 lbs. Engine sounds fantastic, much smoother than the 5.4. The transmission shifts to high gear quickly, which is part of the reason. An excellent truck over-all, much improved over the '04. Love the gauge package, sync, sirrius radio,and the new look. I'm getting 18.1 mpg, a 3+ mpg improvement over the 5.4, and I use it as a truck. Haven't towed a trailer yet. I test drove a eco-boost before I ordered my truck, and it was very quick! The 3.5 is supposed to tow much better than the 3.7, however I couldn't order the 3.5 and the custom package together. I'm very happy with the performance of the 3.7

#45 of 236 Re: F-150 3.7 Engine [stonesi] by cat125

Jun 16, 2011 (6:24 am)

Replying to: stonesi (Jun 16, 2011 6:08 am)
wonder if the crew cab will move as well as the regular cab - probably - Im thinking of the 5.5 bed - the 3.73 rear end makes a big difference - thanks for your input -

#46 of 236 Re: F-150 3.7 Engine [stonesi] by temj12

Jun 17, 2011 (11:39 am)

Replying to: stonesi (Jun 16, 2011 6:08 am)
I purchased an F-150 Supercab in March with the 3.7 engine. It currently has 2500 miles on it. I am happy with the engine. The thing that I had to get used to was the low rpms of the engine. It just sounded different than my five speed. Not a complaint, just an observation. I have not clocked the mpg that the sticker shows. With true around town driving with a lot of stops and starts, I get 14.7 miles per gallon. On the road, I get 20 mpg typically. I changed the 17's that were original equipment to 18's. I don't know whether that contributed to less miles per gallon. The truck is tight and the ride is good. It is a much nicer handling truck than my 2007.

#47 of 236 Re: F-150 3.7 Engine [temj12] by cat125

Jun 17, 2011 (3:29 pm)

Replying to: temj12 (Jun 17, 2011 11:39 am)
The low rpms in happening to a lot of US manufactured suvs and trucks - new chevy Tahoes are the same way and in fact the change was so dramatic it was a deal breaker for me from the 2008 version - thanks for the feedback

#48 of 236 Re: F150 with the 3.5L twin turbo eco boost [acdii] by cat125

Jun 20, 2011 (6:13 pm)

Replying to: acdii (May 11, 2011 6:52 am)
Is there too much torque in this engine ??? probably sounds stupid but keep hearing comparisons between the eco-boost and the 6.2 engine in the raptor and frankly I'm looking for a pick-up truck that provides cargo space but mostly interested in comfort - so far people that I've asked have been unable to explain the difference in torque from one of these eco-boost trucks and the other engines. Does the extra torque make the truck drive like Porsche or an SUV ??? \not sure if this makes sense but appreciate any comments

Messages Page 5 of 24

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