Every year for the last 5 years, we've heard Ford is going to drop the V8 or "next year will be the last year for the V8". Ford is having great success with the 5.0 V8...I don't see it going anywhere in the near future. Yes, the Ecoboost architecture is hot right now at Ford and they are investing in it heavily. But, they also continue to invest in and improve the overall performance of the V8. Ford knows that they need to keep a V8 in the line up, for all of us "old schooler's". It may die someday...but that day is a ways off yet.

 

I don't think they'd replace the diesels... yet. But they would be a great replacement, for similar cost and delivering similar/better fuel economy AND better performance, to the 6.2 and 6.8 gas motors.

That said... start adding up the costs. Oil changes are $50 versus $150-200. $10K savings up front. Typically lower repair bills (like the infamous $12K bad-load-of-fuel bill, plus 2 weeks out of service). And the new gas motors have substantially better longevity than motors of old... 250-300K in fleet service with proper maintenance would be no real surprise. If the motor was out there, putting pen to paper and running the numbers, I think you might be surprised at the (lack of) overall financial difference.

I'd still buy one in an up-level 150, just for bragging rights.

 

To me old school is a 300 cube straight six, standard shift, rubber floors and wing windows. ;-)

 

LOL! Don't forget flat heads!

 

I learned to drive a manual in a old school inline 6 with a 3 on the tree. Manual steering, manual brakes, no radio, no AC and crank windows. A base truck today is like a luxury truck back then.

 

Funny, people demand (and pay) that the work be removed from day to day life but then go to a gym and pay to...work.

 

Funny. Parking that beast was like doing 20 pushups and a few leg presses.

 

You can sell a new car to an old buyer, but you can't sell an old car to a new buyer. Younger folks (the ones who lease every three years, not buy a XL or XLT every 10-15 years) generally don't buy into the "no replacement for displacement". As it turns out there are lots of replacements. We didn't grow up only knowing performance as the sound of a V8. Simply put, we know Ford made the Ecoboost better than the V8, and we don't care. Sure, Ford could have put RD into the V8, but if the gains are better with the Ecoboost, why bother? Cummins has a nice 6 cylinder motor no one complains about (other than the truck its in), Hudson won NASCAR quite will with a straight six back when flatheads were still common (though to be fair it was a big displacement 6). It's about overall design and technology not just cylinder count. Don't get me wrong, I love V8s, and own a muscle car and a few few old trucks, and have more spare motors than I do cars (and I have 9 cars) sitting around my place. I'm pretty old school for being 32. I just don't see any value to getting a 5.0 in the truck.

 

Funny you should mention not seeing any value. Just this morning I went over 200k miles on my 2004 F-150 Heritage 4.2L and was thinking back to when I bought it new. At that time I heard the same thing about the lack of value with a 4.2L in a truck, plus the all-new 2004 re-designs were out so why not get one of them because they are so much better. (I'd much rather buy the last model year of a vehicle than a new model year, because the last model years are more apt have all the bugs worked out of them.) The truck has done everything I've needed over the years and has a payload over 2,000 lbs. (That was before Ford fattened up the F-150s so they could make them lighter again and advertise all the weight savings from switching to aluminum).

The only work I've done on the engine is oil/filter changes, plugs/wires/coil pack, and intake gasket. It still runs great and I have no plans to get rid of it. So to me, I've gotten plenty of value out of the vehicle. Moral of the story: I would say, while one person doesn't see any value in getting a certain engine configuration/vehicle, another person may. There could indeed be value and in the long run they might be right.

 

Especially since it is still one of the best selling engines! Latest by ford:

 

Both my Dad & brother always go for the base engine. My brother likes his 3.7L V6 better than the 4.6L V8 he had in his last ruck.

 

I certainly like my 3.7L better than my 4.6L. Engines have come a LONG way in the last ten years.

 

The first pickup I learned to drive in was a old '66 F100 with a straight 6 and a 3 on the tree.

 

In my latest conversation with my future selling dealer he seemed to agree with everyone that we would be able to get the V-8 in 2017 of course he said he could not guarantee it but he had not heard any solid rumors of the V8 ending at least not yet. So Waiting for 17 to order.
Thanks all

 

Will the 2017 be generally the same as the 2016?