Picked up the new truck yesterday. Black STX 4.2v6 with 60 mi. on it today. We love it. Good time to buy with $4,500 in rebates plus great package discount. A few months from now, could be better-could be worse, we're happy with the bird in hand.

A couple of questions: I notice the severe oil change reccommendation is 5,000 mi. rather than the older 3,000 mi. Is this ok considering the synth blend that is now used. I don't do serious severe driving just lots of short trips in a small town. That's 5 or 6 starts and stops without going 10 miles. (If this horse has been beaten before please forgive me and just refer me to the proper thread.)
There is a phone button on the single disk cd player. It does nothing except say "No Phone" Is this something Ford plans to add to the truck later or is there some way to connect my cell phone through the stereo system?
That would be great since lots of cities around here are passing laws requiring hands-free in school zones. I personally think we'd be safer to be cell-free, but sometimes that's not possible.

Thanks in advance. Can't tell you enough how happy I am to have a truck back in the family after a few years without one.

 

Welcome to FTE

 

The 3,000 oil change recommendation was cooked up by quickie oil change and service departments as a profit generator. I used the 5,000 interval for many years and have never had a problem. I have friends who drive between 50 and 60K per year and change oil every 10,000 miles and their engines still don't use oil after 200,000 miles. Besides, 5,000 oil changes are easy to calculate and remember.

Check out what can happen if you use conventional oil and don't change the oil often. Home

 

I tow and warm my truck up on cold mornings and drive stop and go to work every day. This is concidered severe to Ford so I change my oil every 4000 miles. My oil barely looks dark at 3000 miles. The biggest reason to change oil at 3000 miles would be driving in very dusty conditions, a lot of very hot or cold driving in short distances, and a lot of long idling to name a few. The best thing to do would be to have your oil tested at certain mileage intervals to see when the oil would start to go bad. From what I have seen on the forums about this subject, most 5w20 semi- syn oils still have some good life left at around 4000 miles and more. 5000 mile oil changes should be fine for most F-150 oil changes, IMO.

 

The 2008's give a normal duty oil change interval of 7500 miles...

 

Could be part of the new Sync system from microsoft that they are putting in the new fords and lincons, and mecurey

 

I believe the "phone button" you speak of is for the Ford Mobile-ease accessory. Mobile-Ease