I will buy a new 2011 F150 sometime next year. After reading the information avaliable on the 6.2 and 3.5 turbo I would like to know which one would be best for my situation. I will be pulling a travel trailer (6500#) offten. I want to make sure I have enough engine to do the work. Both engines are rated the same for pulling weight but would one be better than the other for economy when not pulling. The 3.5 is a v6 and that just does not seem like it would be tough enough. Also does anyone know if these engines will have to use premium fuel?

 

Don't need premium. Which one is best... We simply don't know yet.

 

I wouldn't judge it based solely on the fact that it is a v6 as to rather or not it will be tough enough. Really in order to do that those motors need to be on the market for a couple of yrs, then there will be enough of them out there in the real world to see how the everday joe is "enjoying" that new engine.

Ask this question in a yr when you are planning to get that truck. Even though in my opinion that would still be too soon for a proper evaluation, but certainly better then asking about how those engines hold up now.

 

I wouldnt be to worried about the 3.5L turbo not being a durable drivetrain to work in a truck platform. Its just a matter of time (less then 10 years) and all half tons trucks will be V6 style drivetrains. Ford spends billions of dollars in R&D and in extreme testing in order to release a solid drivetrain in vehicle. For me and my towing needs (7000lbs and under) I wouldnt bat an eye at a 3.5L twin turbo in a F150.

BTW I have drove a 3.5L TT F150 and it is very impressive....

 

I have to be the devil's advocate and say that if I were pulling that kind of weight frequently, I would upgrade to the superduty.

While I have no doubt that the team at Ford is bringing us the best factory half ton truck that can be had, the SD's have a very justifiable purpose.

I think Ford is putting a lot of stock in the ecoboost and that's great. But, will the engine last as long as we're used to seeing Ford's V-8 last? Again, time will tell.

 

Finally, some common sense. If you are regularly towing 6500+ pounds, you want to be in an F-250. No need to spend the money on a 350.

If you can swing it, go purchase a 2011 6.2L F-250, with your needs, no reason to spend the extra $8k on the diesel.

The issue is not power, it is durability, braking, and accident avoidance. You want the extra capacity that the 3/4 ton offers. Trust me, I have towed 7-8k pounds with so many different options and every time, I end up going back to the 3/4 ton options, never because of the pedal on the right, always because of the pedal on the left and the steering wheel.

 

I didn't see the OP say 6500+, he said 6500#. Slight difference. Also is this "sticker" weight or is this weight gotten from the scales? Also different. That weight figure just seemed to "round and even" to me.

6500 is not something that I would see as an issue with a half ton. Yes, the bigger brakes are huge and I'm not trying to mitigate the safety factor behind having them especially on the heavier trucks in the SD lineup. Also bare in mind that the v8 that's in the 150 will lose some of it's HP/TQ output with going with that heavier truck as well. I really hated the 5.4 when I was using a 250 for a couple of weeks, I think that it is much better mated to the 150, so I would keep that in mind as well. Same thing is going to apply to the 6.2 as well. Might not be as extreme as it was with the 5.4, but it will suffer some.


I would agree with you on the safety aspects of having the bigger truck with the bigger brakes, however, don't think that the half ton isn't capable of handling 6500lbs(don't know if that's the true weight or the "sticker" weight) that would include brakes as well. This is coming from someone that regularly tows ~16k(15,834lbs on the scales) worth of live cargo(horses and related equipment). No, not in the 150.

Now I'm not one of those delusional F150 owners that thinks it can do everything, but based on what I'm reading here I don't see anything on its face that would say a 150 wouldn't work. Now if more info comes about, I might change my position, but until the OP comes out with more info, I don't see it.

 

So your admitting you were driving too fast for the conditions...

Equipped the rigth way on the right terrain(no mtns) a 150 can easily tow 6500lbs, but you have to drive accordingly. Just cause the interstate is 75, you can still drive 55.

This debate is getting old. Totally depends on where you live, speed, conditions etc. There is not a blacket one size fits all to the question: a F150 shouldn't tow more than "_______".

 

Look guys, no one said that the truck can't do the job capably. But everyone on here has agreed at one point or another that it's better to have more truck than you need rather than not have enough truck just once when it really counts.

 

Actually, the brakes on the F150 platform was questioned as to rather or not it was up to snuff for the load.

With the addition of how the T/H works and the addition of the TBC I do believe make up for quite a bit of what is lacking on the F150 brakes versus the SD ones.

Unfortunately though I don't believe this is one of those times. To me, it would really depend on how close to the borderline that someone is between getting by with a 1/2 ton versus an SD. Take it up a notch, how borderline a person is between getting by with the entry level engine versus upgrading to a v10(well can't really do that upgrade easily anymore starting in 2011 models) or even upgrading further to a diesel. Otherwise, it gets really too easy to say might as well go all the way for perhaps that one incident that would really need that big beast of a truck combination. That may or may not come.

"Better to have it and not need it then to need it and not have it" is sometimes just an excuse to get the bigger toy. Not all the time, but I would actually say more times then not it is(I just need 51% of the time to qualify for that, I think I could get that).

 

Tex, I made that post for your benefit. I knew you would pick it apart and you make some very good points. But, I still stand by my post. Now, I'm not suggesting that anyone drop 60K on a 6.7L dually crew cab and 8' bed just to have a riding around truck. This is purpose built vehicle and should be looked at nothing more than a very beautiful mule.

I'll start shopping in February. I could easily be swayed into a SD on looks alone. I need a SD as much as I need another hole in the head.

 

It's a disease that I have. It really is. I can't help myself. I'm trying to seek treatment. I really am.

I think at heart your post is a valid one. I just, unfortunately, live in this grey world of "it depends".

 

I would take the 6.2 anyday over a turbo 6-bager gas motor!!!

 

It's all good dude, it keeps it interesting.

 

According the Ford website for the Taurus SHO, which comes with the 3.5 L EcoBoost, it requires premium 91 octane fuel.

Now, I'm all for new technology and all that jazz, but requiring premium octane for a truck is pretty darned ludicrous.

As for mpg, the SHO is listed at 18/25. You can't possibly tell me that a truck that's probably 1500 lbs higher weight is going to get the same mpg as an SHO with the same engine. Physics doesn't lie.

I'm expecting the mpg to be more like 17/22-23 ish for the EB F150. So, the requirement for more expensive gas will pretty much offset any increase in fuel economy.

I'm not so sure the EB that everybody is raving about is really all that great. Give me a normal 5.0 and I bet you it will last longer, and run on regular unleaded, and you'll save money on the option (EB will be a premium option) and you'll save money not having to buy the 91 octane.