Help me Choose a New F150
10-27-2017, 01:16 PM
#1
Help me Choose a New F150
Hi, Sorry for this lengthy post, but would like to provide all the relevant info I can think of and get the best feed back. At 73 yo I am thinking this truck should last me for the rest of my life, so I wish to choose carefully.
I will be selling my house within the next 2 to 5 months and am looking to buy a new truck, and could use your input to determine which model will best meet my needs. I am 99% sure it will be a Ford.I plan on moving from CA to a more rural area in a different state, maybe Idaho. With the anticipation of snow and some dirt roads I think 4 wheel drive will be a real necessity.
I currently have a 2001 Dodge RAM 1500 2X4 with the 5.2L V8 230HP and 300 ft/lbs torque. Rated towing capacity 6800 lbs. This is a plain Jane model with roll up windows and a tape deck, so any of the new models will be like science fiction Star ship to me. :-)
My current travel trailer is a hard sided pop-up trailer (little wind resistance) weighing 3300 lbs. My RAM 1500 is a gas hog. I get about 11 to 12 mpg not towing and about 10 to 12 mpg towing. Towing mpg will drop if there is a lot of uphill but if its not drastic I don't seem to lose any mpg. It is possible I could get a larger trailer in the future but probably not over 5500 lbs. My RAM will pull my current trailer pretty well without any problems. Yes I am an easy driver.
Now for my dilemma, do I buy a 2018 F150 4X4 with the 3.5L EcoBoost or a 2018 F250 6.7L 4X4 diesel? While the 10K difference is significant I can swing it.Looking at the specs the F150 should have all the towing capacity I will ever need and then some. That said the F250 diesel calls to me emotionally. :-) I do have concerns that the F250 will be huge over kill, and may not be the most practical as a daily driver.
Those with an F150 and the EcoBoost engine how has your towing experience been? What kind of MPG have you been getting in the real world. When towing on a flat freeway at say 70 mph what are the RPM's? When going up hill are you forced to pull high rpm's (4500 to 5000). What is your real world mpg without towing? What are the pros and cons of the new F150 trucks?
I went to a local dealer to just look at them and ask some questions. They weren’t busy and wanted me to take one for a test drive.While nice young men they really didn't know much about trucks or towing, accessories.
The test ride was all of 10 minutes. My first impressions: Much larger than my old RAM. Lots of power and torque. Aggressive/ a little harsh trans shifting. Very quite. Very soft car like ride. Horrible seating position. While on the small size I felt like I was being shoehorned into the drivers seat. The head rest was way to forward pushing my head forward. I found my old RAM to have a more comfortable seating. :-( I will of course make sure the seat is adjusted as well as is possible the next time I take a test drive. When I get to the point of having money in my pocket I am thinking to find a 2018 F150 and rent it for a day.
Now for those of you with the F250 diesel. What kind of mpg are you getting in the real world without towing? How about when towing a light load?I am wondering what the mpg is in the F150 towing and not towing compared with the F250. While the F150 mpg not towing should be better that the F250 diesel, how much better? How much will the mpg drop while towing with the F150 compared to the F250? I would expect that while towing a very light (for the F250 ) load of 3300 lbs to 5500 lbs the mpg on the diesel would hardly drop at all.I have been told the F250 ride when empty is very harsh when on dirt or bumpy roads.
What say you?To all who have persevered to read to the end.
THANK YOU!!!
I will be selling my house within the next 2 to 5 months and am looking to buy a new truck, and could use your input to determine which model will best meet my needs. I am 99% sure it will be a Ford.I plan on moving from CA to a more rural area in a different state, maybe Idaho. With the anticipation of snow and some dirt roads I think 4 wheel drive will be a real necessity.
I currently have a 2001 Dodge RAM 1500 2X4 with the 5.2L V8 230HP and 300 ft/lbs torque. Rated towing capacity 6800 lbs. This is a plain Jane model with roll up windows and a tape deck, so any of the new models will be like science fiction Star ship to me. :-)
My current travel trailer is a hard sided pop-up trailer (little wind resistance) weighing 3300 lbs. My RAM 1500 is a gas hog. I get about 11 to 12 mpg not towing and about 10 to 12 mpg towing. Towing mpg will drop if there is a lot of uphill but if its not drastic I don't seem to lose any mpg. It is possible I could get a larger trailer in the future but probably not over 5500 lbs. My RAM will pull my current trailer pretty well without any problems. Yes I am an easy driver.
Now for my dilemma, do I buy a 2018 F150 4X4 with the 3.5L EcoBoost or a 2018 F250 6.7L 4X4 diesel? While the 10K difference is significant I can swing it.Looking at the specs the F150 should have all the towing capacity I will ever need and then some. That said the F250 diesel calls to me emotionally. :-) I do have concerns that the F250 will be huge over kill, and may not be the most practical as a daily driver.
Those with an F150 and the EcoBoost engine how has your towing experience been? What kind of MPG have you been getting in the real world. When towing on a flat freeway at say 70 mph what are the RPM's? When going up hill are you forced to pull high rpm's (4500 to 5000). What is your real world mpg without towing? What are the pros and cons of the new F150 trucks?
I went to a local dealer to just look at them and ask some questions. They weren’t busy and wanted me to take one for a test drive.While nice young men they really didn't know much about trucks or towing, accessories.
The test ride was all of 10 minutes. My first impressions: Much larger than my old RAM. Lots of power and torque. Aggressive/ a little harsh trans shifting. Very quite. Very soft car like ride. Horrible seating position. While on the small size I felt like I was being shoehorned into the drivers seat. The head rest was way to forward pushing my head forward. I found my old RAM to have a more comfortable seating. :-( I will of course make sure the seat is adjusted as well as is possible the next time I take a test drive. When I get to the point of having money in my pocket I am thinking to find a 2018 F150 and rent it for a day.
Now for those of you with the F250 diesel. What kind of mpg are you getting in the real world without towing? How about when towing a light load?I am wondering what the mpg is in the F150 towing and not towing compared with the F250. While the F150 mpg not towing should be better that the F250 diesel, how much better? How much will the mpg drop while towing with the F150 compared to the F250? I would expect that while towing a very light (for the F250 ) load of 3300 lbs to 5500 lbs the mpg on the diesel would hardly drop at all.I have been told the F250 ride when empty is very harsh when on dirt or bumpy roads.
What say you?To all who have persevered to read to the end.
THANK YOU!!!
Last edited by Sam Linville; 10-27-2017 at 01:46 PM.
10-27-2017, 01:26 PM
#2
Based on a 5500# trailer (or below), either truck will be fine as long as the payload capacity is adequate. This is listed on a sticker on the driver's door jamb. Look for something that has at least 1500# capacity would be my recommendation.
You could also look for an F250 gasser if you want the extra towing capability but don't want to deal with the diesel motor (DEF, extra weight, extra cost, etc.)
Good luck with your search.
You could also look for an F250 gasser if you want the extra towing capability but don't want to deal with the diesel motor (DEF, extra weight, extra cost, etc.)
Good luck with your search.
10-27-2017, 01:27 PM
#3
Grumpy Old Man
At 73 yo I am thinking this truck should last me forthe rest of my life, so I wish to choose carefully.
You’re still young squirt. I’ll be 79 next week. I look forward to replacing my 2017 Highlander before I hit 90. The F-150 will probably last me "forever" because we don't drive it much anymore. We rarely "camp", we just travel. And Motel 6 doesn't cost much more than KOA. And I hope my runabout Corolla lasts as long as my son's 1995 Corolla that we bought new in 1995 so it shouldn't need replacing before I kick the bucket.
It is possible I could get a larger trailer in the future but probably not over 5500 lbs. …Now for my dilemma, do I buy a 2018F150 4X4 with the 3.5L EcoBoost or a 2018 F250 6.7L 4X4 diesel?
5,500 pounds what? Dry or GVWR? It makes a difference. If 5,500 pounds is the GVWR (or dry weight plus cargo carrying capacity = max weight the trailer will ever weigh when wet and loaded for the road), then any 2018 F150 4X4 with the 3.5L EcoBoost off the lot with options of tow pkg #53A, towmirrors #54R, S, W, or Y, 36-gallon gas tank #655, and integrated trailer brake controller #67T (ITBC) will be all the truck you’ll ever need unless you plan to load the bed and cab with more than one passenger and a small tool box. If you can find one with the max tow pkg #53C instead of the regular tow pkg #53A, then that includes the ITBC and 36-gallon gas tank, so the only additional option required for safe towing is the tow mirrors.
If that 5,500 is the dry weight of the trailer, then the wet and loaded weight will be about 7,000 pounds, with hitch weight of about 1,000 pounds including a good weight-distributing hitch. For that much trailer you need the max tow pkg #53C instead of the regular tow pkg #53A. 53Cs are much more rare than 53As, so start your search early, or better yet, order your new F-150 with exactly the color and options you want (and are willing to pay for.)
Looking at the specs the F150 should have all the towing capacity I will ever need and then some.
Define “towing capacity”. If you mean Ford’s tow rating, ignore it. That’s based on GCWR, and tells you only the max weight your drivetrain can PULL with an empty truck, but ignores the payload capacity of the truck’s suspension, frame, tires, wheels, axles, brakes, etc. The 3.5L EcoBoost drivetrain can pull a lot heavier trailer than it can carry the hitch weight of that trailer without being overloaded.
Your limiter as to max trailer weight will be the GVWR (and payload capacity) of the F-150, not the GCWR.
That said the F250 diesel calls to me emotionally.:-)
Me too. I towed a 9,000-pound 5er with a ’99.5 F-250 PowerStroke Diesel (PSD) for over 100,000miles, and put a bit over 200,000 miles on it all together over 10 years. Fond memories. But when downsizing to a 5,000 pound TT, the PSD was no longer necessary so I replaced it with an F-150 3.5L EcoBoost.
I do have concerns that the F250 will be huge overkill, and may not be the most practical as a daily driver.
Nonsense. There’s no such thing as overkill for a tow vehicle. You just have more wiggle room for hauling more stuff or upsizing to a heavier trailer. Parking a SuperDuty in tight parking garages in the big city might be frustrating, but so is parking a half-ton pickup. That’s why I like my Toyota Corolla as my runabout.
Those with an F150 and the EcoBoost engine how hasyour towing experience been?
Wonderful. More power than I’ll ever need for towing my TT over the Rockies. Of course I insist on a high-end WD hitch. The hitch on my 7k cargo trailer is a Reese Strait-Line trunnion bar, and on my TT it’s a ProPride.
What kind of MPG have you been getting in the realworld.
Most 4-lane highways in west-central Texas have a 75 MPH speed limit and 80 MPH ticket limit. So most of my unloaded miles are at 79MPH. I average about 17 to 18 MPG unloaded.
I usually tow at about 65 to 67 MPH if traffic allows, and get about 10 mpg. On one severely-overloaded 300-mile trip through the Hill Country northwest of Austin, I got only 6 MPG. When those twin turbos open up and work hard, they burn lots of gasoline.
When towing ona flat freeway at say 70 mph what are the RPM's?
Most trailer tires are rated at max 65 MPH. So if you tow at 70, you should be shot at sunrise.
My 2012 has a 6-speed tranny. My engine RPM is usually less than 2,000 when cruising at 65 MPH in 6th gear. But a little headwind or a slight hill and the tranny downshifts to 5th and the RPM goes up a bit over 2,000.
When going up hill are you forced to pull high rpm's(4500 to 5000).
No. Using tow/haul mode the tranny will downshift to 4th and RPM near 3,000 on 6% grades. I don’t remember the RPM on 8% mountain passes, but it was not excessive.
What is your real world mpg without towing?
About 17 to 18 MPG at 79 MPH. Occasionally I’ll see 20 to 24 MPG, but then the next hill kills it back to the 17-18 range average.
Horrible seating position.
With the 10-way power seats in XLT with 302A equipment group, and in any Lariat or above, if you cannot get a good seating position you’re not trying. If you cannot afford that fancy a truck, then the XLT with 301A equipment group has 8-way power seats.
I have been told the F250 ride when empty is veryharsh when on dirt or bumpy roads. What say you?
Sounds like someone that shouldn’t be allowed in a campground. A city dude perhaps?
Darling Wife is a city girl, but she never complained about the ride in our F-250 PSD, unloaded or towing. Most of those 200,000 miles on the F-250 PSD was with Bilstein shocks. The good shocks made a tiny bit of improvement in the ride of the F-250, but not enough difference to write home about.
Last edited by smokeywren; 10-27-2017 at 11:05 PM.
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Sam Linville (10-27-2017)
10-27-2017, 01:33 PM
#4
When it comes to towing with the F150, wind resistance is a bigger issue for MPG than weight. I get roughly the same MPG towing a 2200 pound enclosed V nose as I get towing the 6400 pound travel trailer, but throw 1100 pounds in the bed and I get much better MPG than towing.
For the weights you look to be pulling, the 2.7 EB would handle just fine, and give excellent MPG when not towing, but towing expect 8-10 MPG with either EB engine. The 5.0 may be the better choice though for your needs.
As for the Diesel, Maintenance costs will far outweigh any fuel economy savings, if any. Expect 18 MPG if driven conservatively as an average in the diesel, with towing around 14 MPG. Keep in mind that a diesel in the F250 will eat up any payload benefits of the 3/4 ton, and you would be better off in an F350 if you go that route.
If you can wait a while, and not be afraid of first year growing pains, the F150 will be coming out with the diesel soon, and hopefully tow ratings will be on par with the 3.5 EB and hopefully so will payloads.
I can say the ride will be totally different in the Superduty compared to the F150. If you want the ride to be tamed, you need to put weight in the bed, or it will be hopping mad on rough roads.
An F150 like the one I have, a Lariat 502a can handle a trailer up to 7300 pounds GVWR as long as I load the truck lightly with people and gear, and when not towing is comfortable and has plenty of gadgets to play with. You can get pretty much the same trims in the Superduty for 10K more with the powerstroke, and the F350 is about 1K more than the F250, so it is a better choice if you really want Diesel.
For the weights you look to be pulling, the 2.7 EB would handle just fine, and give excellent MPG when not towing, but towing expect 8-10 MPG with either EB engine. The 5.0 may be the better choice though for your needs.
As for the Diesel, Maintenance costs will far outweigh any fuel economy savings, if any. Expect 18 MPG if driven conservatively as an average in the diesel, with towing around 14 MPG. Keep in mind that a diesel in the F250 will eat up any payload benefits of the 3/4 ton, and you would be better off in an F350 if you go that route.
If you can wait a while, and not be afraid of first year growing pains, the F150 will be coming out with the diesel soon, and hopefully tow ratings will be on par with the 3.5 EB and hopefully so will payloads.
I can say the ride will be totally different in the Superduty compared to the F150. If you want the ride to be tamed, you need to put weight in the bed, or it will be hopping mad on rough roads.
An F150 like the one I have, a Lariat 502a can handle a trailer up to 7300 pounds GVWR as long as I load the truck lightly with people and gear, and when not towing is comfortable and has plenty of gadgets to play with. You can get pretty much the same trims in the Superduty for 10K more with the powerstroke, and the F350 is about 1K more than the F250, so it is a better choice if you really want Diesel.
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Sam Linville (10-27-2017)
10-27-2017, 06:35 PM
#6
Senior Member
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10-28-2017, 10:51 AM
#7
Senile member
Couple things.
F250 will give you a bit more stability towing whatever it is you'll tow, even if it's possible to tow it with the F150.
F250 gives you some headroom to get a bigger trailer/camper/what-have-you.
Diesel will give better towing mpg and therefore range. But as you know, when we get older, we have to pee more frequently....so gas stops aren't necessarily a bad thing as an 'excuse'.
I wouldn't get an F250 gasser simply because of 2 things: Poor resale (who generally wants a used non-diesel super duty? not many folks), and terrible mpg.
F250 will give you a bit more stability towing whatever it is you'll tow, even if it's possible to tow it with the F150.
F250 gives you some headroom to get a bigger trailer/camper/what-have-you.
Diesel will give better towing mpg and therefore range. But as you know, when we get older, we have to pee more frequently....so gas stops aren't necessarily a bad thing as an 'excuse'.
I wouldn't get an F250 gasser simply because of 2 things: Poor resale (who generally wants a used non-diesel super duty? not many folks), and terrible mpg.
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Sam Linville (10-28-2017)
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10-28-2017, 11:15 AM
#9
Couple things.
F250 will give you a bit more stability towing whatever it is you'll tow, even if it's possible to tow it with the F150.
F250 gives you some headroom to get a bigger trailer/camper/what-have-you.
Diesel will give better towing mpg and therefore range. But as you know, when we get older, we have to pee more frequently....so gas stops aren't necessarily a bad thing as an 'excuse'.
I wouldn't get an F250 gasser simply because of 2 things: Poor resale (who generally wants a used non-diesel super duty? not many folks), and terrible mpg.
F250 will give you a bit more stability towing whatever it is you'll tow, even if it's possible to tow it with the F150.
F250 gives you some headroom to get a bigger trailer/camper/what-have-you.
Diesel will give better towing mpg and therefore range. But as you know, when we get older, we have to pee more frequently....so gas stops aren't necessarily a bad thing as an 'excuse'.
I wouldn't get an F250 gasser simply because of 2 things: Poor resale (who generally wants a used non-diesel super duty? not many folks), and terrible mpg.
The F250 diesel seems to get about 14-16 non-towing and my reading / utube / etc seems to show about 10 mpg towing (12000 load!) so I am thinking with my current trailer and anything I can conceive of getting down the road would be an absolute breeze for the F250 and should get significantly more than 10 mpg.
In summary it appears that the combined mpg is pretty close or even a little in favor of the diesel.
Now my mind shifts to comparing the daily drivability, comfort and dirt road minor off road capabilities. The f250 should be more stable/solid on long trips but how about those short trips?
This is harder than choosing a new wife!
10-28-2017, 11:17 AM
#10
