Well my wife has hated my 96 Mystic Cobra since I bought it so I listed it for sale and it is possibly already sold (not even listed a week). The deal was, if I sold the Mystic, I could get a new Super Duty. I am looking at 2013s because I like the way the interior looks. CCSB is a must, obviously the Powerstroke is a must for me as well. I know many might think I don't need it, but I have a trusty old 7.3L now and just can't give up the Super Duty or the diesel. Currently there is a Gray F-350 FX4 Lariat set up pretty much as I would want it. Things it has that I don't want include: Tailgate Step and Snow Plow Prep. The step doesn't bother me, but will the snow plow prep package greatly reduce the ride quality of the truck? I will never put a plow on the truck, it is strictly to tow and drive back and forth to work. I am pretty nervous about about buying a new truck (never spent this much coin before) but I am looking forward to it as well. I know I would have some sort of rust proofing done as well as a spay in bed liner, power tailgate lock and a tonneau cover. I have been lurking on the 6.7l forum since last year when I took one for a test drive and was highly impressed. Cant wait to hook it to the trailer and see how it does compared to my old 7.3l

My rambling is over now, thanks guys.

 

My truck has the snow plow prep, I have no idea if it has reduced the ride, as this is my first Ford.
I also have the tailgate step. As first I thought it was a waste of good cash. Now I sing a different tune, love it.

 

I forget what the suspension differences are but I know my mechanic told me that they also change the cooling fan programming to ensure there is adequate cooling when the plow is on. I was looking at a truck that had that option too and asked what the differences were. He said that if I wasn't going to be plowing they could reflash to reduce the frequency that the cooling fan runs.

 

I used to make fun of Fords and their "man step". I love my man step now and will have it on my next truck. As far as the snow plow prep...I'd do that again in a heart beat. It gets the truck closer to level and I' don't like the rake in the truck at all.

 

Alright, I think I am sold. Once I get all the details worked out on the mystic, I think I will have to make a trip to go look at this truck. I even have a $50 gift card to go test drive a new truck from ford from the autoshow...

 

i have the same F350 you described in a 2012, no complaints here. swapped the fake rancho's ( steering stab also) for 5100 bilsteins at about 3,500 miles. Well worth the time and cost.
congrats on the new ride,
Dave

 

I love the man step, What I don't care for is the stripper pole. But that is easy to remove. Pull the plastic tail gate cover off and buy the standard flat metal cover for $60 from Ford and do it all before you have the Spray in liner done, So the liner coats the new flat cover. And then you have a smooth tail gate to slid stuff across and still have the man step.

 

I went and test drove 3 trucks today at the local dealership. First up was a f-350 king ranch cclb with the 6.7l. The drive was awesome, the truck rode great and the wife liked the truck. Wasn't my color of choice and I'm not looking for a king ranch but overall a nice truck. Up next was a f-150 fx4 with the 5.0. It had almost every option. The only thing I don't care for is the really short bed. Truck sounded great, had great power and a smooth ride. Last was an ecoboost f-150. This was a little bit stripped down but I wanted to compare them. I have driven a 6.7 before and a 5.0 mustang gt but never the new f-150s.

The wife is ok with whatever truck I get but I have to make up my mind. The super duty wins in the outside looks category. Love the power, the ride is leaps and bounds above my truck and just love the overall feel.

The fx4 was an awesome truck as well, comfy great ride lots of power, awesome sound. The interior is nice, not so sure about the console shifter but something I could get use to. The one thing I don't care for on the f-150 is the layout of the steering wheel controls. The super duty layout is awesome, easy for me to work without looking and such, where the f-150 has the buttons right on top of each other and my fat fingers didn't want to work as well.

Lastly, the ecoboost. I was not impressed. Not comparing the interior because I just wanted to experience how it drove, it just didn't give me that I gotta have it feeling like the other 2 trucks did.

I did drive the super duty the farthest today but I took both 150s on the same route.

Here is the killer. As I said my wife will let me get the truck I want, but also mentioned that she really liked the fx4 for a vehicle for herself. I would love to buy both a super duty and the fx4 but I just can't afford that. I threw the idea that I could get the fx4 and once it's paid off jump up to the super duty and she could have it, she likes this idea. Now I don't know what to do, the 150 could tow what I tow now (cobra and car trailer) but I am so use to the heavy duty truck that I'm not sure I want to give it up.


Ok enough babbling for right now. Let me hear your guys thoughts...

 

Are you towing an enclosed race trailer and how heavy? I would look at the economist but really your towing needs to be less frequent and under 7000 or so lbs. if you are an enclosed plus 10k trailer then a F350 diesel is better but it's what you can afford. I like the lariat or even an XLT for trim level vs price. Are you trading in or selling the 7.3 too? I a, driving an 8 year old 6.0 in the signature. I would love to buy a new 6.7 but it ain't in the cards for a while. Have fund, test drive, make your list and what you can pay and fight for it. Maybe even trade in the wife's truck too LOL. In which case a crew has room to sleep or the race trailer?

 

Cobra and trailer are about 6k loaded... I would love to get an enclosed but I just don't have the need currently... I just take it to the strip when I can and tow a 4 wheel on the car trailer. The idea would be sell or trade the 7.3, it's got 327k, it's time to upgrade. I don't want a king ranch, that's just what they had on the lot. Ideally I want a ccsb lariat fx4 f-350 and the wife would like a camper soon as well. Currently she drives an 08 Taurus but misses setting up when she drove our mountaineer. So the fx4 would become hers in say 3 years

 

You know I don't know what the dealers are like where you are but likely deeper discounts are available on the diesel F350 lariat than a ecoboost 150 with tow package and lariat. Get them to work for it and write them both up and see what they can do. You can always walk away if you don't like either deal, make em work for it. The upside is the ecoboost running empty is capable of 30 mpg, versus the heavier 6.7 at 21 mpg summer fuel. I am purposely not test driving 6.7s cause I don't want to know LOL.

 

I haven't seen the ecoboost getting that good of mileage... The 2 I'm between are the 5.0 and 6.7...

 

They are EPA rated at 32 here in Canada and my Father in laws early build was doing it easy empty. (I watched him fill up and hand calculated liters against Kms because I did not believe his lie o meter). It was getting 18 mpg pulling his 32 foot RV on the prairies, which is super flat, his trailer weights 8000 so he says. I am thinking this gives you pretty good occasional towing but still the economy that is way better than a 5.0. What would the 5.0 coyote get? I don't think there is any way it will compete with direct injection and twin turbo of the ecoboost in the mpg and useable towing power. If my trailer was a little lighter I would consider it, but when loaded with Benny, has, extra diesel, firewood and all my wife and kids cloths we are just over 21,000 lbs total weight. For me diesel pulling power is addictive. Plus, I am in western Canada and we have lots of big hills, corners, and pulling with the bigger truck is much more comfortable. Up here the lariat sticker oat 70k and the ecoboost equivalents are at 50k, you have a serious advantage there on price and negotiating power. Good luck in your decisions. I would still make em work up both and see which one they want to sweeten the pot on. Don't be afraid to walk away a few times. Wait till they call you back at the end of the month and need that one more SD to make their numbers. You are in the drivers seat, you are spending the money. My uncle told me that, he sold and was manager at ford for 35 years. He sold a lot of vehicles

 

Ah, is it imperial gallons up there? Sorry for my ignorance. Down here they are rated for 19 mpg.. Highway

 

So if she gets the F150, does that mean you get to keep the Cobra?

You stated you wanted the SD with the diesel, but you're looking at 150's with the gas as well? What about a happy medium, an SD with the 6.2? Don't expect any kind of mpg's comparable to what the 6.7's getting though.

You can always order the truck and get EXACTLY what you want. I say get the SuperDuty, you may not be satisfied otherwise... My .02.