marshallr

If you're going to be towing much over 5K I think the edge goes to the EB. Especially in mountains. I like the 5.0 better, but facts is facts, the EB has more pulling power.

I bought my 14 Screw 4X4 in May of 2016 used. At the time I was looking at 12-14 trucks and started out wanting the 3.5 EB. But after driving them both I really liked the 5.0 better. Price was the deciding factor for me. I narrowed my options down to a 14 with 5.0/3.55 gears with 17,000 miles and an otherwise identical 13 with 3.5EB/3.31 gears and 27,000 miles. Both were the same price and the difference in gearing all but made power equal.

If they had been the same price with same miles I'd have probably gone with the 3.5 EB. But after 18 months and 20,000 miles I have zero 2nd thoughts about making the right decision for me.

I've towed my camper with no problems. If it were bigger though I'd have no option other than the EB.

dajohu

To me it the differences come down to great sounding V8, and simpler engine vs more power of the Eco (especially at altitude).

How much does the sound mean to you? Do you want to do your own mechanical engine work? Do you ever drive at altitude where you want to not lose power?

I also seem to be able to get great MPG in the eco where with the 5.0 I couldn't in my limited testing.

I preferred my 6.2l in my Raptor I just sold, that thing sounded awesome with the exhaust I put on it, but I needed a truck that got better MPG so I would drive it every day. I knew I would miss the V8 sound, but the 5.0 didn't have the get up and go I wanted, and the sound had to take a back seat to fuel economy which was more important to me.

Spiky

Or a SD.

XtimberX

I have a V8 and love it.
My friend has the Eco and I love driving that truck too ..
Both are great , both also have its benefits ..
Go test drive them both and you'll figure it out .

Kenneth Conner

I worked at a Ford dealer for 7 years and I will say we didn't work on the eco boost no were near as much as the regular v8 most of the time it was nothing major eco boost had to do alot of computer and module updated plus most complaints with the eco was with in the first month of owning it for shift weird and fluctuations of power but that gets better because the truck Has to learn how you use and drive it to best fit your driving style and the v8 models the main problem was the timing Chain guides malfunctioning causing alot of noise till they wear and cause it to get out of time but the main thing with both really all new vheicals is to keep up with oil changes like clock work and use the proper weight oil cause they have some very tiny oil passages that easily get clogged and will burn the engine up i always recommend to the owners to change the oil at 4k instead of 5k especially if you do alot of idling but if you do keep up with all the fluids both should last a long time just eco will do everything atlest a little better if not alot better especially fuel milage depending on how you drive it

tanked_darren

Not one mention of axle size, also math don't add up, 5.0 is a dog compared to the EcoBoost and 6.2


Why would he need repair shops? I got well over 100k and all I had to do was change oil and take it in for a brake booster recall.

Both trucks are reliable


How is the 5.0 cheaper to service? It has 2 more spark plugs, other than that its just oil changes and air filters.

I never had a problem towing with using regular octane...
Its not required to drive or tow with an ecoboost.
I towed through the rockies many times, what you are saying simply is not true.



They are both reliable, and the eco power band is superior to all other engines in these trucks

MUFFMAN

Both are good engines. I myself have a 2012 3.5 EB with 321,000 kms on it, and it is still going strong.

rrp0968

If I would have a need to tow anything near 10,000 lbs, it is not going to be with the F150 in any configuration. Would be like the tail wagging the dog in my opinion.

mass-hole

I love how people just blindly claim that the 5.0 has better MPG. Same goes for maintenance cost or reliability. None of you actually have any evidence to suggest one is any better than the other in either category, just anecdotal evidence and rhetoric(its turbo'd so the Ecoboost MUST be worse)

The best source I know of for real life driving is Fuelly and on average the Ecoboost does an incredibly small amount better.

For 11-14 the ecoboost averages 15.475 and the 5.0 averages 15.4.

For 15-16 the ecoboost averages 16.4 and the 5.0 averages 16.2.

I didnt count 2017 or 2018 because the ecoboost got the 10 speed in 17 and the 5.0 did not. The 5.0 did in 18 but there are 3 registered on fuelly so far so not really a great variety of driving conditions and configs represented.

Thats pretty insignificant and I would basically call it even/white noise.

What we do know is true is that the ecoboost has better low end torque which makes trailer towing much more relaxing.

Spiky

That's right Darren and m*******, we're just all after your engine, out to denigrate it into non-existence. Total ****** we are.

Of course, you guys attack the people, so that's ok.