Ford F150 Ecoboost?

[smnduck]

Test drove the new 5.0. 1 word WOW!

[CJH]

I would expect maintainence costs on a twin turbo engine will be higher too.

Haven't been on mine. Normal wear and tear, oil, etc....

[1968]

With the Audi, you should already be used to higher maintenance costs! As long as you are using VW/Audi spec oil. Their six speed tranny's also take $28 a liter fluid! Ouch...

Turbos greatly increase the demands on the motor oil. Add VVT and you have a recipe for problems. Sludge is the VVT's worst enemy. Not too good for anything else either. What worked on the old Ford probably won't cut it on the 3.5.

A "little" engine with those big numbers is gonna cook in more ways than one. If it specs syn and maybe comes with a real big oil pan, oil changes will be more expensive than many light truck owners are used too.

[CJH]

Pretty sure Ford isn't going to charge exorbitantly high prices, or that would drive people away in a mainstream vehicle.

The question was reliability and @ 167k, all original and still purring, I'd call that reliable!!!

[delcecchi]

Pretty sure Ford isn't going to charge exorbitantly high prices, or that would drive people away in a mainstream vehicle.

The question was reliability and @ 167k, all original and still purring, I'd call that reliable!!!

I still would like to see how things hold up when large numbers are in the hands of the average dude. I guess I am just old and skeptical. Or maybe scared is a better word.

[PurpleFloyd]

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

I just got done driving a Ecoboost in an XLT Crew Cab 6.5' box. I didn't spend a ton of time driving it, because it isn't the model I would get, but I wanted to get a feel for the motor.

It absolutely rips! From idle, up to ~6,000 RPMs, it is all power, and super smooth shifting. I'm coming from a '07 Lariat, with the 5.4, and this Ecoboost would absolutely destroy it at any RPM. I've never driven a turbo before, but I couldn't feel any sort of turbo lag that I have heard associated with a turbo motor.

What I was most impressed by is how quiet the whole truck is. I've heard there is extra insulation in the Lariats, compared to the XLT & lower models, but this thing had half the cab noise as my truck.

Working on the numbers, but hopefully I'll be driving one of these within a week or so.

[Scott K]

They sure are sweat to drive! I wish I had the money now to buy one, I would in a heart beat!

[TR21HP]

I've had my FX4 with the Eco Boost for 2 weeks now and It's by far the best F150 I've ever owned. Lip Ripper Guy, you will not be disappointed if you get one of these. The interior is extremely quiet, even more so than the previous Lariats I have owned. Can't wait to hook up the boat and get to the lake.

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

Good to hear! Mine will be a FX4 Supercrew with the luxury package (leather, moonroof, navigation). I'm trying to decide if I want the short or long box.

What are you seeing for mileage?

[muddpuppy]

My luck I went to the dealer yesterday and they had a couple of the Ecoboot truck but no 5.0 trucks to compare the 2. I really liked the ecoboost but with out driving one after the other I am thinking I like the 5.0 better.

1. less to go wrong

2. cheaper

3. like the sound better

4. MPG is withing 2-3 Time will tell.

I have noticed that the fords are 6-10k more then any other truck right now. depending on options and dealers. I think they are somewhat pricing themselves out of the market. Everyone else has big rebates Ford does not. I will have to wait til the end of the year I think to pull the trigger.

[TR21HP]

Got the same package with the 6.5' box. I like that option of laying in a 4'x8' sheet with the gate down and the 6.5 is perfect for that. Mileage right now, city and highway combined is right around 19.8-21 mpg depending on how much highway driving I do.I fuuly expect to get another 2 mpg when the computer releases things after 10K. I went from a 07 Lariat with the 5.4 as well and the one thing I do caution you about initially is when you go to pass someone make sure you are a little ways back. I've almost ran into the back of a few people passing them because when you put your foot down with that 3.5 turbo and the 3.73 gears you are on them in a hurry. Took a few times before I adjusted to that kind of torque and low end power.

[TR21HP]

Mudpuppy, I don't know where you are getting your info but I got 3.5 K in rebates on my FX4 and I just saw that the 5.0 XLT's are getting 6.5K rebates. By the way, I test drove both and there is very little difference in the feel of either. The sound on the 5.0 is a little deeper but honestly you can't hear a thing inside the cab. They have done a really good job of sound deadening these new ones.

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

These trucks seem expensive (and they are!), but they are dealing right now. To give an example, the truck I want stickers for just under $46k (FX4, crew, fx premium, 20", brake control, etc). I'm at $36,900 right now, including a lifetime power train warranty. I'm still working on that final few hundred.

In 2005, I paid more for a Lariat, and that wasn't 1/2 the truck this is.

[fishfearme]

The new F-150's I have seen at NC Ford have been about $5,000 below MSRP on average. A loaded Lariat is priced around $43,000. They only had a few 3.5, but there were lots of 5.0

I'm going to wait a couple of years and see if I can find a used 3.5

[muddpuppy]

These trucks seem expensive (and they are!), but they are dealing right now. To give an example, the truck I want stickers for just under $46k (FX4, crew, fx premium, 20", brake control, etc). I'm at $36,900 right now, including a lifetime power train warranty. I'm still working on that final few hundred.

In 2005, I paid more for a Lariat, and that wasn't 1/2 the truck this is.

That's exactly what I was looking at and was told 40k was about as good as it gets. Down the road the simular dodge was at 33k. The dealer had no problems letting me walk either. Guess I should look at other dealers.

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

I work with an auto-broker so he does the shopping for me. I also do some checking on my own, just to keep everyone honest. So far he is $1,500+ under my own personal lowest quote ($38,900), for the same truck, plus with him I'll get the lifetime power train & 9 free oil changes.

I'm at $17,300 for my trade. '07 Lariat, 4x4, chrome package, w/83k. It's a little under what I was hoping for, but then again everyone thinks they are sitting on a gold mine :-)

I do know that driving that Ecoboost gave me that "kid in a candy store" feeling. I would probably get about 3mpg for the first couple weeks!

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

Got the same package with the 6.5' box. I like that option of laying in a 4'x8' sheet with the gate down and the 6.5 is perfect for that. Mileage right now, city and highway combined is right around 19.8-21 mpg depending on how much highway driving I do.I fuuly expect to get another 2 mpg when the computer releases things after 10K. I went from a 07 Lariat with the 5.4 as well and the one thing I do caution you about initially is when you go to pass someone make sure you are a little ways back. I've almost ran into the back of a few people passing them because when you put your foot down with that 3.5 turbo and the 3.73 gears you are on them in a hurry. Took a few times before I adjusted to that kind of torque and low end power.

How many miles are you up to now? Any improvement in mileage? From what I've been able to find, it sounds like these trucks are getting about 14-18mpg until around the 2,000 mile mark, and then 18-22+ once they are broken in.

I wasn't able to find an FX4 anywhere in the 5 state area, so I switched to a Lariat and I'll be picking it up on Tuesday. I'm like a kid at Christmas!

[TR21HP]

Lip_Ripper Guy,

I have about 800 miles on it and took it up to Mille Lacs for a little fishing and got a little over 23 mpg at 68 mph. If I pushed it up to 75 I got around 21.5 or slightly above. The fuel history screen gives you some real numbers and you can set it anywhere from 5 minutes to 30 minutes. You are really going to enjoy that truck when you get it. What color did you get?

[tonkapat]

Lip_Ripper Guy,

I have about 800 miles on it and took it up to Mille Lacs for a little fishing and got a little over 23 mpg at 68 mph. If I pushed it up to 75 I got around 21.5 or slightly above. The fuel history screen gives you some real numbers and you can set it anywhere from 5 minutes to 30 minutes. You are really going to enjoy that truck when you get it. What color did you get?

Wow, Thanks for the reports guys and keep them coming. I was at a ford dealer saturday and I have never seen a place so busy. The ecoboosts are out the door as fast as they come in.

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

I ended up "settling" for a Lariat, but I will much prefer the tan interior over the black. I have black now and I HATE it. I got the Oxford White with moonroof, nav, 5.5' box, chrome package, brake controller, and 3.55 limited slip.

I can attest to the fact that these Ecoboosts are FLYING out of dealers. I spent the last 2 weeks searching the entire United States for the perfect truck (I wanted an FX4). Each day there would be a new one that would pop up in inventory somewhere, but by the time we could make contact with the dealerships, they would be sold. I finally told my broker "if you find one, I'll take it, DON'T call me first cause it'll be gone".

[jeffreyd]

could look for a good old gm 6.2 lt diesel, that was one kinda of beast

[CJH]

Lip_Ripper Guy,

I have about 800 miles on it and took it up to Mille Lacs for a little fishing and got a little over 23 mpg at 68 mph. If I pushed it up to 75 I got around 21.5 or slightly above. The fuel history screen gives you some real numbers and you can set it anywhere from 5 minutes to 30 minutes. You are really going to enjoy that truck when you get it. What color did you get?

Great to hear you are having good luck with that engine. The reviews have been mixed in the Taurus in terms of mileage, but it seems to be a great fit in the F-150. I previously wouldn't look at Ford's because I thought their engine lineup wasn't strong enough, but the 3.5TT will definitely get some consideration the next time around.

Don't worry Chevy guys, your version is coming soon, which I will also consider.

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

Just picked up the truck. I did a little bit of a "break-in" run for about 40 miles (the first 10 were getting a feel for the turbos-WOW!). Then I did a 25 mile county road run to test the mileage. Ended up at 20.1mpg, which is at least 7mpg better than my 5.4l would have done on the same run. The route I took had quite a few stop signs, so I'm impressed by that.

I should be up around 1,000 miles by Sunday, so I'll have a pretty good feel for the truck by then.

[Ufatz]

could look for a good old gm 6.2 lt diesel, that was one kinda of beast

Somebody at GM should have been prosecuted for that power-starved mechanical nightmare!