FTE members,

I am new to the Forum and newish to Ford. I am currently down-range in Afghanistan. I have limited access to the internet and I have very limited knowledge of these trucks. Basically what I have seen advertised.

I have owned a Ford Ranger, Dodge Dakota, and a Nissan Frontier. I sold my Nissan prior to this deployment. I am in the market for a new truck upon return and I am needing guidance or suggestions for the new truck.

I will not be using the truck for major construction or towing anything significant. I like the looks of both and I am familiar with the Ford trucks' quality.

This is what I am wanting, 4 wheel drive, crew-cab with most of the options. I think I want the F250 but I am not certain that it would be a waste of money and truck for me to purchase it since I might not ever use it to its full potential. I do not have access to a dealership and for that matter I would trust your opinions over a car salesman.

Fuel efficiency, cost of ownership, reliability, ease of use. If anyone has a suggestion, please feel free to guide me down the right path.

Thank you.

 

Thank you sir for your dedicated service.

Base on your description, I voted for the ecoboost F-150.

However, a friend of mine and FTE Moderator just bought a 2011 F-350 single rear wheel with the 6.7L diesel and he's reported empty highway MPG's in excess of 20, may be a little higher but I don't remember 100%.

Try to stay tuned in to FTE and surf as much as you can for information on your selections.

Come join us in the ecoboost forum for some more indepth information and likewise, jump into the 6.7L forum and ask those guys as well.

With either truck, you'll be well served.

 

I ordered a 2011 F150 Lariat with ecoboost about 5 weeks ago. I am a returning Ford owner. The folks at Timbrook Ford in Keyser WV said that if I can talk to a Ford rep. I might get some incentives eg. Additional rebate or other perks. I spoke to the Customer Relations at Ford and then they switched me to Ford marketing. I have not heard any thing from them. I have the VIN #. I would really appreciate hearing from someone at Ford.

 

OP, Welcome to FTE and THANK YOU for your service!

Based upon what info you've provided, I do believe that the EcoBoost is best for you. But it does come down to what YOU want.
Remember that the SD Diesel has a higher buy-in (initial cost), higher fuel prices, and requires more costly maintenance. I believe the 6.7L Diesel requires 13+ quarts of oil at each interval, not to mention 5 gallons of DEF every 1000-1500 miles depending on your driving habits etc.
If you will be doing a bunch of long hauls often (road trips, etc) then a diesel is good. If you have a lot of short commutes, where a diesel cannot get hot and stay hot, then the EcoBoost will be the better choice.

Good luck with your purchase.

 

First let me thank you for your service. In trying to answer your question let me say that I am a big advocate for diesels. There should be smaller diesels available in the F-150. Having said that since you are not planning on towing heavy or hauling heavy I would not suggest that you get a diesel at this time. With the 2 vehicles you have given us to choose from your TRUE cost of ownership would be much higher with the F-250 diesel. Having said all of that depending on information you have not given us yet it is possible that an F-250 GAS engine would be the best choice. If you are wanting to lift the truck and put say 36" tires on it I would suggest the F-250 gas with the 4.30 gear ratio. If you are wanting to stay stock or close to stock with your tires then get the F-150 of your choice. If you are wanting to get say some heavy 34" tires then I would suggest the FX4 with the 4.10 rearend. All of the information you can give us as to your anticipated driving habits and use for this truck would help us to help you.

 

I would vote for the EcoBoost based on your information. I currently have a 2011 F-350 SRW 6.7. It is a great truck, but I would rather have the smaller sized F-150 for everyday driving. I do have a 5th wheel or I would have bought the F-150.

I can get 20mpg on the highway, but so can the EcoBoost. One correction though... The DEF is a non-issue. It goes through about 3 gallons every 6,000 miles for me. That does add about $15 every oil change, but it is not an issue where you have to add it at every fill up or anything.

Lastly, Thank You for your service! Good luck on the truck purchase.

 

Thank you for your Service!!

Based on my experiences with my 2011 Ecoboost, it would be a toss up for me. While I like the power of the EB, most folks are getting better MPG out of their 6.7 than I am out of my EB.
On the other hand, overall fuel, maintenance, and the fact that the new 6.7 requires (just forgot the proper name) Urea? will make owning/driving it more expensive.

Having been in your shoes (spent 22 years in the military) I know the lifestyle....I would probably go with a gas engine truck. Don't discount the 3.7L engine....I drove one, and if I had it to do over again, I would have ordered it instead of the EB.

 

Welcome to FTE and thank you for your service. I voted F-150. I loved my F-250 and the diesel, but I didn't work it at all so it was a bit on the overkill side for a daily driver.

 

How do I get to the ecoboost forum? I don't see it under the models drop down.
OP, really depends on what you want and will be happy with. If you want a diesel then get a diesel. If you just want the super duty look then the 6.2 gazer would be an option but they're fuel economy is low, porbably around 13 maybe...? I have an ecoboostand like it, lots of power. 5.0 is a great motor too and more traditional, no turbos. The ecoboost can take a little getting used to as far as acceleration goes. I personally wouldn't confided the 3.7 v6. I test-drove it....

Thank you for your service

 

Your memory is spot-on Tim.

To the OP, HUGE difference in the two trucks. You really need to sit back and make a list of your intended uses for the truck. Consider what, if anything, you'll be towing, keeping in mind future upgrades to any trailers, etc. (i.e. travel trailer, heavier fifth wheel, etc.) Look at the capacities and capabilities of each truck.

The F-150 is a fantastic platform and a more than capable truck. If you're going to be towing anything heavy such as a large fifth wheel trailer, heavy gooseneck trailer, or other heavy trailer either now or in the future, go with the Super Duty. However, if your towing is going to be limited to lighter trailers towed only occasionally such as utility trailers, ATV trailers, lighter travel trailers, etc., go with the F-150. I won't get into the ratings of each truck because they are readily available on the Ford site. Review them as well as your needs and decide based on that.

That said, the other part of the equation is getting what you want and will be happy and satisfied with. If you really want a Super Duty, go for it. Just be prepared, as was mentioned above, for the added and increased cost of routine maintenance and fuel. The Super Duty is a fantastic truck and I love mine. One reason I stayed with the Super Duty this time is future plans my wife and I have related to towing heavy. I didn't want to buy a truck only to have to upgrade to a heavier one within two to three years. If I wasn't towing a lot or towing heavy, I'd have an EcoBoost F-150 in a heartbeat.

Honestly one of the best things you can do is to sit down and make a list of advantages and disadvantages of owning each truck. Compare the two to your list of needs. Definitely go test drive each truck in as close to your ideal configuration as you can find. Afterwards, look at your lists and compare again. It's a huge decision to buy a new truck and you don't want to have any regrets after you drive off the lot.

As Tim mentioned above, he and I spoke recently and I told him about a trip my family took in my '11 F-350. From my home to Myrtle Beach, SC and back. The trip down averaged 19.9 MPG and the return trip was 20.1. Comparing the truck's trip computer / MPG display to my hand-calculated averages showed only about a .2 difference. So it's very accurate. Mileage will vary greatly depending upon your usage. With the EB F-150, it's entirely possible to see numbers in the low 20s very easily. Nice thing about the F-150 is that you have a wide variety of axle ratios available to you. If I recall correctly, Tim has 3.31 gearing in his truck, has absolutely no lack of power, and is getting very good fuel mileage.

If you'll look at this thread:https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...2012-when.html, in post #9, I've attached the 2012 F-150 order guide. You can look at it to find what's available on the trucks. I also have the 2012 Super Duty order guide but you can also find it here:ProFleetSales.com - Professional Fleet Sales of Ford Cars, SUVs and Trucks! at the top of the page under "downloads".

Sorry for the long post but there are a lot of variables to consider here.

And last but not least, Thanks for your service my friend. Get home safely and soon.

EcoBoost (3.5L, 2.0L) - Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums

 

^^^^^^ Bravo Zulu John!!!! Well written my good friend and thanks for the xtra info. Oh and like you told me, your memory is also quite good.

 

Another issue that I haven't seen brought up is that the new diesels need to be worked HARD. If you don't work the diesels hard and get them up to temperature, you will have DPF clogging issues down the road or more frequent regeneration events (which means more fuel consumption). Diesels are also more work to maintain. The diesel rigs do offer fantastic fuel economy from what I've read, but without being put to work occasionally, you will never get a good burn out of the DPF system. you also have the new worry of the DEF system (Diesel Exhaust Fluid). There have been a few gremlins on the board about it, but it doesn't seem too common. If you are a light duty user with occasional towing of something like a boat, the Ecoboost should certainly live up to the task. I only wish I waited a year for one LOL.

As a military brat, I want to say thanks for your service. Freedom certainly isn't free and I wish more people would realize that.

 

Here you go my friend.

EcoBoost (3.5L, 2.0L) - Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums

 

Gentlemen, thank you very much for all of your posts. I really did not expect this type of turn out. Luck for me, I have about 10 months to decide. I will take John's suggestion and test drive both trucks when i go home for R&R. One more thing, which truck will last longer? If I am not mistaken a good diesel will last 100k miles longer, is that accurate or a myth?

Thank you all for your posts.

 

Here's a link to the Ecoboost torture tests that Ford was kind enough to share with us.

2011 Ford F-150 | EcoBoost Torture Test | Ford.com

Answering your question in the Forums could very start a war!

The 6.7L is no doubt a pure beast built to work, period. I think you'll find the scoboost videos entertaining and enlightening.