They all have their issues. If you can afford to, try to get a 2013 or newer. They have the updates, and the 2013-14 is the best of this generation. If I was going to buy one this moment, my choice would be the 5.0.

 

5.0 has fewer parts to break.

 

Whatever one you find that has better maintenance records and looks like it has been taken care of better. Both engines have people that have well over 300,000 miles on them and both have had issues with engines with just over 10,000-20,000 miles. Most expensive for each: 3.5l has timing chain stretch which is about a $2500 repair and 5.0 has cylinder warp which requires a new engine. The ecoboost has a few more minor issues that can arise compared to the 5.0, but overall they are both solid with well over 95% success rate for both engines.
If you are towing a lot, the ecoboost was designed to replace the 6.2l as the towing beast in the line up, hence why the 6.2l is no more in the f150.

Overall though, with a 90k-130k truck it will be about which ones was taken care of better.

Also the 5.0 doesn't have that many fewer parts as it has 2 extra cylinders and all the parts required to run those.

 

Get the 6.2.

 

I had already pretty much made up my mind after months of research on which engine I wanted, but this video cemented it in my mind. Either engine I'm sure you will be fine, but the tech guys at the dealerships will tell you which one they prefer:
I bought a 2014 with the 5.0 and could not be happier.

 

^^^^^This^^^^^

 

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...le-towing.html

 

Both have proven to be reliable. Test drive them both and. See which you like better. Due to 6 speed, it will shift more than older trans with less gears. Neither will get excellent fuel mileage. EB for quiet, low rpm torque. 5.0 will review more to get peak torque. Very different animals.

 

I was dead set on a 5.0 till I started reading up on the Ecoboost with an open mind. My dad sold Fords at a local dealer for 25 years, so I new a few of the salesman still, in talking with one I've known my whole life he said people are happy with the Ecoboost and while the Eco and the 5.0 will do what I want I would be happier with the Ecoboost because its operates at such low rpms (he knows I don't like to run an engine hard). In talking with a contractor I know real well who has had about every Ford gas truck engine in the last 30 years and one of them was dead set on the Ecoboost.

A friend of mine who is a Ford mechanic advised the 5.0 for the same reasons in the video, but mechanics don't usually like new technology and big changes. He is a self admitted V8 guy, but when asked what problems he was seeing on the Ecoboost he said not really anything that doesn't happen with any other engine. He said you'll get problems with all of them but he said he really hasn't seen a large number of major issues.

So back in January I found 2 F 150's, both 4wd supercab, one with a 5.0 and one with a 3.5 Ecoboost. The Ecoboost had less miles, had every option you could have got on a 14 model, 21,xxx miles compared to 29,xxx on the 5.0 and the whole truck looked brand new still for $4000 less than the 5.0, every service done at the dealer.

I bought the Ecoboost, I have no complaints with it. I regularly tow a three horse bumper pull trailer with tack storage up front with two horses in it, hooking on to my flatbed with my tractor you're pushing 8500 lbs or I'll load the same trailer with hay... it doens't matter, put the truck in tow/haul mode and go. The truck will run hills and flat ground without going over 3000 rpms, and really if you get above 2500 rpms you're just showing off. It tows better than any V8 I've ever towed with (4.6, 5.4, the old 5.0, 5.8, 7.5 and the 350 Chevy), truthfully it acts like a 7.3 Powerstroke.

I had to laugh at the video with the guy saying 'if you stay in the throttle the Ecoboost will tow fine,' In my experience you can set the cruise at 60 and if it won't hold it is a major hill with a BIG load, you'll hear the turbos spool up but it rarely has to shift gears.

 

I went back and forth for a long time. I've always been one of those, if it's a truck it needs a V8, kind of guys, but I went with Ecoboost 3.5L after driving both and reading lots of reviews. I really like the towing without revving the engine so high. My F250 with 5.4 was constantly in 3200-3500 RPM range going through the hills of MA and NY when towing my Jeep and this F150 sits at around 2600 RPM and very rarely shifts gears. Even on the 7% grades it just holds 70 in 5th gear. For me it feels like this engine doesn't have to work to tow compared to the V8. I've been very happy with mine so far.

 

I've been a V8 guy my whole life. From a 78 bronco to a couple mustangs, and most recently a 6.0 psd and then a 7.3. But when it got to where I realized I didn't need a modded turbo diesel any more, I dove into the F-150 pool. I drove identical trucks, both 2011 screws, one with a 5.0, the other an ecoboost. I couldn't bring myself to buy a 6 cylinder truck. I chose the 5.0. But at the last minute the owner of the dealership decided taking a 7.3 on trade with 200k on it wasn't what he was going to do, and the deal fell through. So down the road I went to the other dealership and drove out with the ecoboost. And I absolutely love it. It tows 9000 lbs like a dream, is fun around town, and is the quietest drive on the highway I've ever experienced. Even on 35" nittos and a catback, you can have a normal conversation at normal volume. And I can count on 15+ mpg in town. I'm honestly glad that I had to change to this truck, having many friends that own similar trucks with the 5.0. It's not a bad motor by any means, don't get me wrong, but having a good side by side comparison I think the ecoboost is a better motor. The only thing the coyote does better imo is it sounds MUCH better with exhaust.