The STX is by far the best value in the F-150 lineup.

The 2.7 is a good motor but I'd pay the extra for the 5.0 V8 if it was my money.

I'm at 170K on my F150 granted it's an 03, but other than ball joints plugs, and a few coils it's been a good truck, more than paid for itself in savings.

Looking at the Ram 1500 Limited, super nice, great ride, plenty of power with the Hemi and they have quite a few deals going.

You can't go wrong with the 5.4 v8, and the Eco Boost line is well tested across all Ford platforms. Nothing wrong with the 2.7 at all as a choice...

Thanks for all the great information, you guys. I don't think I'll be towing much, maybe a boat or pop up camper in the future. It does snow in my area (north/central Texas) once in a while, but I normally don't get out in it, and it melts in a day.

I have considered the electronic locking differential as a compromise between 4x2 and 4x4 in the hopes of getting a little more traction.

I like the power of the 5.0 V8, but the power seems to be in the higher RPMs, so I've

I've tried to respond individually to those who asked questions below.

bigdeal: I think the RAM is the best looking of the pickups, but family members who are RAM devotees seem to have lots of problems. Not necessarily with the drivetrain, but with every thing else it seems.

Hound Dog: It's perhaps my perception, but the ride and finish out of the Tundra don't seem up to the others compared to what you pay. I think the reliability is there, though.

I feel if you are getting a commuter type truck the small EcoBoost is a really good option. I got out of 5liter and last week got into a 3.5 EcoBoost. Power is much the same but feels quite different. EcoBoost feels all in by 3000rpm whereas the 5 liter hits beast mode at 3000rpm. The 2.7 is the equal of just about any small block you could find till about 2010, it drives fine till you experience the bigger options.

If you’ve never had a truck or rear wheel drive you may want 4x4 if snow is a thing. Tires and 3-500 lbs goes a long way though.

I moved from an XL trim level to XLT trim level. It’s a nice upgrade mostly a fancier grill and electronics pkg. If you are new to trucks and/or urban congested be aware they are big and quite wide. If you are worried and have the means all the tech can help I’d imagine.

You won’t save much money or gain a bunch of fuel economy but the Ranger might be something to look into if physical size is a thing. The inside is just a bit smaller than my old Expedition.

Just noticed the locker comment. Get one but be aware they shut off at 20mph and it’s a good thing because in the suck they’ll have you in a ditch so fast it’ll make your head spin.

Wanted a new Toyota Tacoma but shocked myself and bought a 2016 F-150 4 x 4 XLT brand new instead. Love the thing. Brother has a Ram and I love his as well. The F-150 will have less issues as it ages.

The list on the F-150 and the Tundra is close, but the Ford dealer took $11,750 off MSRP and Toyota dealers were selling at list at the time. That made the F-150 the exact same price as the Tacoma which they were not discounting at all at the time. The Tacoma sucked in many ways and despite my inclination to want the Tacoma, this F-150 is better in so many ways. Not least of which the wife liked it as the pedals move in and out with a button and she's a short lil Asian thing. (She was joking about Short Round and the blocks he had on his feet in that Indiana Jones movie to the dealer). The Tacoma didn't have that feature and she didn't like the fit at all.

Reliability rates higher on Toyotas per Consumer Reports, but the price you pay extra for that isn't worth it IMO. Ours has the stock 6 cylinder (not ecoboost) and has averaged over 22 MPG overall since we bought it. I do get it offroad and that's way low, like @9MPG, best highway fillup was 26mpg and that had 5 people plus a dog and all their shit in it including 4 bicycles and all kinds of camping gear.

I'm typically a Toyota guy and would consider another Tundra again but when we moved into a truck a few years back we got a 2015 F150 Platinum. The truck replaced a LX470 which has the V8. I get about 50% better gas mileage with the 3.5 eco and 4x4. Not sure how the newer V8s from Toyota would compare, the LX was a 2008.

I like the F150. Pretty solid truck I plan to keep for a while. It has had some minor recalls in certain years but so far nothing too crazy.

quote:

Originally posted by bigeinkcmo:
I'm typically a Toyota guy and would consider another Tundra again but when we moved into a truck a few years back we got a 2015 F150 Platinum. The truck replaced a LX470 which has the V8. I get about 50% better gas mileage with the 3.5 eco and 4x4. Not sure how the newer V8s from Toyota would compare, the LX was a 2008.

I like the F150. Pretty solid truck I plan to keep for a while. It has had some minor recalls in certain years but so far nothing too crazy.

My 6spd 2wd 5.7L Tundra gets about 3mpg more than my 4spd 4.7L AWD Land Cruiser.

I wouldn’t rule out a Tundra simply due to price. I can understand wanting the newer features and ride, but the pricing difference would be immaterial for me.

Also, a dealer asking full price for a Tundra is atypical. Granted, Toyota doesn’t invoke the silly healthcare-like prices & discounts used by the Big 3, but the Tundras don’t command full list.

Gosh I LOVE posts like this one! I read EVERY REPLY just to see how long until others chime in telling the prospective buyer to get a TOYota or a Nissen - as if they MISSED the OP's original thought!

FWIW, I’ve got a 2013 F150 FX4 with the 3.5 EcoBoost. It’s got 85K miles and it has been flawless. I like it well enough that I’m seriously considering taking it in to a shop and putting some money into it within the next year, rather than trade it in on a new one: paint correction, wheels, leveling (but maybe drop the rear down, rather than raise the front up). I don’t know, probably open a thread on it when the time for decision gets closer.

I think you can do w/o 4wd, Brett, but the limited slip is a good idea. Recommend interior upgrade too. Get leather so you can get heated and cooled seats. I would think the cooled seats would be worth their weight in gold in Texas. F150 is a great choice.

I bought my Heritage Ford F-150 V-6 in 2004 and she's still running the good run here in 2020.The only truck I ever owned.

quote:

Originally posted by TMats:
FWIW, I’ve got a 2013 F150 FX4 with the 3.5 EcoBoost. It’s got 85K miles and it has been flawless. I like it well enough that I’m seriously considering taking it in to a shop and putting some money into it within the next year, rather than trade it in on a new one: paint correction, wheels, leveling (but maybe drop the rear down, rather than raise the front up). I don’t know, probably open a thread on it when the time for decision gets closer.

I think you can do w/o 4wd, Brett, but the limited slip is a good idea. Recommend interior upgrade too. Get leather so you can get heated and cooled seats. I would think the cooled seats would be worth their weight in gold in Texas. F150 is a great choice.

Sorry for the quick drift.
Don’t bother opening another thread just buy this
https://www.stage3motorsports....ge-1-Suspension.html

As far as F-150s go, it is a good truck. If you decide to swap out the (three piece) radio, um... yeah. Make sure you get the audio & climate controls you want instead of wishing you did.

Four wheel drive is great when you need it, expensive when you don't. I'd think you'd be fine with two wheel drive in northern Texas. Seems like a lot of Fords still have the get-out-and-turn-the-dial-on-the-hubs four wheel drive, even on the King Ranch.

Let us know what you go with.

If I wanted a Tundra, I would wait for the new model. The old engines suck gas and have old technology.I had a Sequoia and just couldn't stand the 13 mpg and 20 gallon tank combo it had back then.

I wanted a new Tundra but refuse to reward Toyota for dragging their ass on updating.

I just bought a 2019 F150 Platinum 4wd and so far I love it, but I haven't driven it enough to brag on it too much.

I drove the Chevy and it just drove and rode poorly compared to the Ford and I hated the "view" out the front window, couldn't see the end of the hood.

Thanks again, guys!

I'm starting to consider the 3.5L Ecoboost.

I'm also running into another challenge. If I use the build your own on the Ford website, I configure the truck how I want it. However, the factories are shutdown, so I'm stuck with what's on the dealer lot.

It appears every dealer has their own strategy for outfitting their trucks. I can get most of what I want, but not everything.

I drive less than 10k miles a year and usually keep my vehicles for 10 years or more, so I'm wondering if I ought to wait and order what I really want when they factories reopen.

I like the idea of the 36gal tank, but I don't find any 4x2 trucks equipped with it. In this area it's usually attached to a Max Trailer Tow package.

285 k out of a 2007 f150 lariat only changed spark plugs 3 times, 1 transmission near the end of it's life at 250k I pull a heavy trailer, Bought a 2016 used to replace it. got the ecoboot twin turbo loooove it. Halls ASS

quote:

Originally posted by Brett257:
Thanks again, guys!

I'm starting to consider the 3.5L Ecoboost.

I'm also running into another challenge. If I use the build your own on the Ford website, I configure the truck how I want it. However, the factories are shutdown, so I'm stuck with what's on the dealer lot.

It appears every dealer has their own strategy for outfitting their trucks. I can get most of what I want, but not everything.

I drive less than 10k miles a year and usually keep my vehicles for 10 years or more, so I'm wondering if I ought to wait and order what I really want when they factories reopen.

I like the idea of the 36gal tank, but I don't find any 4x2 trucks equipped with it. In this area it's usually attached to a Max Trailer Tow package.

I think you'll run into some real challenges and delays if you wait and try and order a specific truck in a month or so. With the Rona virus shutdown and related economic issues, dealership lots are ripe with inventory that's not moving, rail yards are filling up with vehicles that were in transit when all this started and have no where to go. If the economy remains soft (which I think likely), dealers and manufacturers are going to have to get really creative to move the inventories they already have. That could be good news for someone like you in that you may be able to get quite a bit more truck for the money you want to spend. Who knows, maybe a 2x4 Lariat Edition with a 3.5L EcoBoost and a nice assortment of options (Ex. leather heated and cooled seats) might be within your reach.

^^^^ Not to mention 2021 is supposed to be a major revision of the F-150. That could make ordering a new one even more difficult.

quote:

Originally posted by Brett257:
I like the idea of the 36gal tank, but I don't find any 4x2 trucks equipped with it. In this area it's usually attached to a Max Trailer Tow package.

The Max Trailer Tow package is a good package and available on 4x2 as well as 4x4. Among other things it includes a receiver hitch, heavy duty front sway bar, reinforced rear bumper, 36 gallon fuel tank, and an engine oil cooler.

quote:

Originally posted by 2000Z-71:

quote:

Originally posted by Brett257:
I like the idea of the 36gal tank, but I don't find any 4x2 trucks equipped with it. In this area it's usually attached to a Max Trailer Tow package.

The Max Trailer Tow package is a good package and available on 4x2 as well as 4x4. Among other things it includes a receiver hitch, heavy duty front sway bar, reinforced rear bumper, 36 gallon fuel tank, and an engine oil cooler.

AND a locking differential.

If you do the build online it will ask if you want to check local inventory.