doug97gxe

the way you guys think amazes me.. you can't compare gas saved to going up a trim level .. so you decided to get a 2.7 Lariat instead of a 3.5 XLT .. what you gonna do? drive in eco mode all year round? are you going to some how decide you can't take trips with your family because your budget for gas for the month is less the payment on the trim level you increased? so what if gas prices drop considerably are you going to then feel bad you didn't get a 3.5? what if gas prices go up considerably are you going to stop driving your truck?

the arguments you guys come up with to justify stuff is hilarious

Vengenz

Because the payload for the 2.7 is much less than the 3.5 and they won't be able to haul the family, and box full of cargo on any trip and have any sort of passing power.

I kid, I kid..

RX1Cobra

Hmmm. You're more comfortable with a block that is separate pieces bolted together than one made of one chunk of aluminum? Sure both are fine but I'll stick with the old method.

jetjoe

I agree but would add one thing. That is, most folks do not order their vehicles. They buy what's on the lot. I don't have the source handy, but I saw a video produced by Ford where it stated very clearly that 35% of the F150's are special orders. And that includes fleets and lease holders which obviously is the vast majority. Drive by any dealer and gaze at the hundreds of new F150's lined up like birds on a wire. Get real folks! Some of you guys act like every little detail of your truck is exactly to your liking. Just the way you ordered it! Right!

I also agree the determining factor being the monthly payment. Choosing between what's on the lot is almost always decided by what the finance company will allow you to buy. If you can afford a $300 dollar a month payment, and buy a $600 dollar Platinum, I guarantee you won't be doing many weekend excursions with you family and the mileage thing becomes a very large issue. Nothing takes the shine off a new truck faster than the first three payments. We're not all young kids using daddy's credit card.

RubyRed18

In terms of fuel cost between the 2.7 and 3.5 and how important it is to some people because of budget.... If you are planning your budget so close that a $40 per month increase in fuel cost will make or break you then you are a complete idiot for buying a $40,000+ new vehicle.You should be buying a used 4 banger that gets 40mpg if that is your financial situation.

bisonp

You implied that $4K was a reasonable assumption for additional cost given initial price, lower availability (fewer dealer incentives), and ongoing fuel costs. Yet you think it's "hilarious" to take that cost into account when purchasing? If your dealer is reading this he's licking his chops waiting for you to walk in the door again.

bisonp

Nobody has said the monthly cost is a "make or break" thing. The argument presented is that it doesn't make much sense to pay for something you don't need when it adds up to thousands of dollars over the life of the truck.

This is really simple stuff to understand, not sure why some people have such difficulty following along. If you need the 3.5, by all means buy it. Heck if you simply want it because you like it, go ahead. But don't sit here and claim money shouldn't factor into a purchase decision.

doug97gxe

you're confusing me with some one else.. i implied no cost

jetjoe

Here we go again! Few folks "plan their budgets" when buying a vehicle. Their budgets are a result of the purchases they have made. All of them! Including those that pop up the day after your new truck hits your driveway. These days fuel is relatively cheap. $40 per month may not be a big deal. But not that long ago that number would have been $80 per month. (using your numbers) And you can bet those higher prices will once again return before the 60 payments are all made. Buying more truck then you really need becomes a part of that budget forever. The idiot who buys that new truck seldom knows he/she is an idiot until the reality sets in down the line when life throws a curve at you. That payment is cast in concrete until its paid off. Buying a truck with features you might use less than 1% of the time is what an idiot might do.

Getting back the question that started this thread, if necessary, buy what you can afford. If you're wealthy, buy what you want. But if this guy was wealthy, I doubt he would have posted the question in the first place! Apparently his budget was a factor.

bisonp

I thought we were in agreement. And then evidently we were not anymore. Yet through that my argument has not changed.