Ford F-150 Ecoboost long term test drive.
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daddyjt
Posts: 2,329
As my assignment in California nears an end, I feel compelled to comment on this truck. I rented in SLC on December 18th, and this far I’ve put just over 20,000 miles on it. It’s been through CO, KS, MO, OK, AR, WY, NV, and of course CA. I've driven in snow, ice, and torrential rain, driven with the bed fully loaded, pulled a loaded trailer, and had 4 oil changes and 2 tire rotations since I’ve had it.
Being a Chevy guy myself, I will say it’s high-praise when I tell you that I’m going to miss this thing. It has all the creature comforts, but the one I’ll miss most is CarPlay - plug your phone in, and virtually every function is available on the console screen - GPS, audio options, phone calls (just no texts, but it WILL read your texts to you). The sound system is surprisingly good, although most of my listening has been podcasts and audio books.
The real appeal is the power train - the Ecoboost engine is a very versatile power plant, and seems to most everything well. Acceleration is stout - in sport mode, the rear wheels easily break, and then actually will chirp at the first shift point under full power. 60-80 acceleration is also impressive. Mileage on the open road, in eco mode is about 22mpg, IF one keeps it under about 73mph. At 80mph, mileage drops to 19. City driving nets about 17mpg, IF you stay out of the boost. About the only Achilles heel I’ve found is towing. A small 5x7 uhaul trailer with about 500lbs drops mileage to 14 at 70mph.
The 2 main issues reported on the Ecoboost are timing chain stretching, which apparently has now been addressed, and can be somewhat mitigated on older models with synthetic oil changes at a strict 5k miles regiment, and sticking of the waste-gate(s) on the turbos. This is easily mitigated by letting the turbos breathe occasionally (no problem for me, lol).
So in short, I’m going to miss this girl - we’ve been through a lot together. Might almost make me a Ford guy again. Almost...:-)
Being a Chevy guy myself, I will say it’s high-praise when I tell you that I’m going to miss this thing. It has all the creature comforts, but the one I’ll miss most is CarPlay - plug your phone in, and virtually every function is available on the console screen - GPS, audio options, phone calls (just no texts, but it WILL read your texts to you). The sound system is surprisingly good, although most of my listening has been podcasts and audio books.
The real appeal is the power train - the Ecoboost engine is a very versatile power plant, and seems to most everything well. Acceleration is stout - in sport mode, the rear wheels easily break, and then actually will chirp at the first shift point under full power. 60-80 acceleration is also impressive. Mileage on the open road, in eco mode is about 22mpg, IF one keeps it under about 73mph. At 80mph, mileage drops to 19. City driving nets about 17mpg, IF you stay out of the boost. About the only Achilles heel I’ve found is towing. A small 5x7 uhaul trailer with about 500lbs drops mileage to 14 at 70mph.
The 2 main issues reported on the Ecoboost are timing chain stretching, which apparently has now been addressed, and can be somewhat mitigated on older models with synthetic oil changes at a strict 5k miles regiment, and sticking of the waste-gate(s) on the turbos. This is easily mitigated by letting the turbos breathe occasionally (no problem for me, lol).
So in short, I’m going to miss this girl - we’ve been through a lot together. Might almost make me a Ford guy again. Almost...:-)
"Conservative Libertarians love the country, progressive leftists love the government." - Andrew Wilkow
“Human beings are born with different capacities. If they are free, they are not equal. And if they are equal, they are not free.”
― Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
“Human beings are born with different capacities. If they are free, they are not equal. And if they are equal, they are not free.”
― Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
Comments
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I like my 1995 F150 but love the ride of a friend's 2018 truck that looks like the one you were driving.
Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them. -
Love mine.
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Love my Ecoboost as well. It’s only about a year old so we will see about reliability but man it sure is a lot more fun to drive than my 2010 Ram Hemi was. -
Are these Fords still made from aluminum? If they are they probably don't hold up too well as work trucks. For hauling household goods maybe but probably not for heavy type work.
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^ it IS only a 150. They're not built for long hauling like the diesel 250s are. Use it for it's intended purpose and it will serve you well, abuse it and don't expect it to survive.
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Sorry, I guess I'm just a Chevy guy.
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Sorry, I guess I'm just a Chevy guy.
Chevy/GMC, Ford, Dodge, Toyota, etc 1/2 ton trucks are anemic as actual work trucks.
"Conservative Libertarians love the country, progressive leftists love the government." - Andrew Wilkow
“Human beings are born with different capacities. If they are free, they are not equal. And if they are equal, they are not free.”
― Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn -
So you enjoy popped exhaust manifold studs and weak transfer cases too?
Nothing out there is bullet proof, and those that were close are now being left to rot due to age and poor water control. When 50 year old brake lines out last those less than half their age, there's a problem... -
So are you saying there IS a 1/2 ton truck that stands up to a real work environment?"Conservative Libertarians love the country, progressive leftists love the government." - Andrew Wilkow
“Human beings are born with different capacities. If they are free, they are not equal. And if they are equal, they are not free.”
― Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn -
No. Never said that. I was still typing as you posted in response to @krazypolk
1/2 ton trucks are more or less status symbols and fashion statements these days. As much as I dislike FCA products, I would put my beat 98 v8 Dakota up against any new 1/2 ton and do the same work. They made them (all trucks) different 20+ years ago and they didn't cost half a house to buy either. -
I agree. I have a ‘72 Chevy 1/2 ton 4x I inherited from my grandfather. I still have the window sticker - $3,100.
Most people don’t USE their trucks anymore (as trucks, that is). In my opinion, they’ve traded price and durability for comfort and fuel economy/emissions."Conservative Libertarians love the country, progressive leftists love the government." - Andrew Wilkow
“Human beings are born with different capacities. If they are free, they are not equal. And if they are equal, they are not free.”
― Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn -
Sold my f150 back in 2011, picked up a scion xb and a 5x8 utility trailer and I will never go back.
I have hauled upwards of 2k pounds with the scion and I have racked up between both of my scions 300k miles.
In those 300k miles, I haven't had a single window fall through the door, transmission slip, or a rear brake light leak like my f150.
Bulletproof mileage drove hard.
Unless you are doing heavy duty work, pulling a large trailer, rv or boat, I don't see the purpose of a 1500 size truck for 99% of people.
The new trucks are very nice, but hardly practical. Not to mention they keep getting bigger and bigger.
I loaded up 11 sheets of plywood the other day in my utility trailer in less time than a guy loaded up some lumber in his 6 ft bed f150 and strapped it down. I was starting the car and pulling away before he finished.
Just my point of view.
- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit. -
Well the Ford F series pickup trucks are the top selling thing with four wheels in North America for the past four decades.
(meaning they far outsell even the top selling cars) -
Most people don’t USE their trucks anymore (as trucks, that is). In my opinion, they’ve traded price and durability for comfort and fuel economy/emissions.
I tend to agree with this statement. All you have to do is look at the condition of the bed to spot a faker. I, on the other hand, USE my truck. My latest truck is a RAM 1500 EcoDiesel. It’s a dud and I would trade it for just about anything under the sun. The only good thing about it is that is has nothing remotely close to luxury in the cab. A work truck does not need such things...
I’m also confused by the opinion of having a trailer being more convenient and faster to load than a truck for general lumber. Good thing that’s an opinion
Where’s the KABOOM?!?! There’s supposed to be an Earth shattering KABOOM!!! -
The trailer is far lower to the ground. I can literally load plywood sideways on to it without even lowering the gate.
Most people have a 6 ft bed, you would have to lower the tailgate, load it at a much higher height than my trailer, which is under 2 ft off of the ground. Then you would have to strap it so it doesn't slide out on inclines.
11 sheets of plywood into a trailer takes mere minutes with no thought on the trailer, no straps, etc.
But even loading couches, speakers, etc... Drop the gate and simply walk up into the trailer. No hopping up 3 ft, muscling it in.
- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit. -
Well, I don’t know about anyone else, but yes - my personal truck has a 6’ bed. Lowering the tailgate does not provide undue challenge, and I strap all loads, wether they are on a trailer or in the truck bed.
My problem is, I seem to either be picking up 60 sheets of Sheetrock, (too heavy for a small trailer), or one sheet of MDF (too much hassle to hook-up a drag a trailer to HD. My truck bed is faster, can haul more, and is far more convenient to drive in traffic. Plus, I don’t have to find a place to store a trailer, nor do I have to insure and license it.
Not a knock on anyone else’s way of doing things, but I just can’t imagine not having a truck in the garage..."Conservative Libertarians love the country, progressive leftists love the government." - Andrew Wilkow
“Human beings are born with different capacities. If they are free, they are not equal. And if they are equal, they are not free.”
― Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn -
All you have to do is look at the condition of the bed to spot a faker.
That's not rally true.
The bed of my truck is in pretty good shape. It's a 6 foot bed which disappoints me but Lightnings didn't come with 8 foot beds.
Anyway, I have a Bedrug bed liner and while that's a little worn from almost 20 years of use, the bed underneath is in pretty good shape. You'd never know that I haul my johnboat in it, I've had a thousand pounds of mulch/stone/soil in it, all kinds of car parts, appliances, TVs, etc. It's helped several people move and even moved me...twice. It even goes camping with me.
Just because it looks nice doesn't mean it doesn't work. Just means I take care of it.
And yeah, I disagree on the whole trailer thing.
I also disagree with what anyone else thinks that I need to meet my needs. If a little car and a little trailer work for you, great. This is America, you have that choice. Just like I have a choice to have a truck. I use my trucks but if I want something overkill, that's my choice. What's the difference if it's a barebones stripper of a truck or a loaded, TOTL model? It's still the same vehicle, same engines, same efficiencies. If I can and want to spring for the extra comforts why can't I? Because YOU don't think I need it? Well, I don't think I need to spell out where you can take that and shove it.
Expert Moron Extraordinaire
You're just jealous 'cause the voices don't talk to you! -
And the f150 thread falls into disarray.
Modern tech has caught up to trucks.
Lets hope Ford fixes the issues and the Eco series engines live up to their
potential. Sounds like the the problems have been identified.
Please, Ford management, follow through with fixes.
"The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg." --Thomas Jefferson -
Why is it in disarray?
People can't disagree with each other?
You people are pretty boring to begin with. Could you imagine how boring you would be if you all thought the same and agreed all the time?Expert Moron Extraordinaire
You're just jealous 'cause the voices don't talk to you! -
To clarify I never said don't buy what you want.
I'm saying for most truck owners, you know, the ones who are loading groceries in their ford raptor, don't need a Truck. For most people, a 500 dollar trailer from Northern tool is enough.- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit. -
It's a review of a f150. Not a poll of who needs a truck.
I no longer have the longbed regular cab f150.
I miss the utility, but don't miss the low MPG or
parking hassle. I'm thinking about a regular cab
short bed when I retire. Most likely a well used one.
So I'll be following the ecoboost stuff pretty closely.
"The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg." --Thomas Jefferson -
Every other thread here gets derailed with ancillary BS that usually turns less than civil.
What's your worry now?
To keep on track, I've driven EcoBoost F-150's. While they are nice and have good power, I missed the low end grunt of a V8. Then again, I'm comparing it to a supercharged 5.4L V8 soooo...
Still, I will likely get a beater truck and it's likely going to be a gigantic diesel truck.Expert Moron Extraordinaire
You're just jealous 'cause the voices don't talk to you! -
Although, the Rangers are nice fully loaded.Expert Moron Extraordinaire
You're just jealous 'cause the voices don't talk to you! -
I guess they don't even make a regular cab truck, other than a stripped
white fleet unit?"The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg." --Thomas Jefferson -
Not anymore.
And typically, most dealerships won't even stock a barebones reg cab. You have to order it and they will often send you through the fleet sales to get it.Expert Moron Extraordinaire
You're just jealous 'cause the voices don't talk to you! -
Same with a manual transmission. I had to hunt for a small truck with a stick shift for my teen son. Ended up with a nice little ‘99 Ranger.
I am a firm believer in my kids learning on a manual transmission."Conservative Libertarians love the country, progressive leftists love the government." - Andrew Wilkow
“Human beings are born with different capacities. If they are free, they are not equal. And if they are equal, they are not free.”
― Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn -
It's a shame they don't still make a truck that's the size of the old Ranger.
With a Eco-boost 4 it would be a great bang around truck.
I guess if I want one, I'll have to build one.
1. early 2000's Ranger
2. wrecked late model non-gt Mustang
3. lot of elbow grease"The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg." --Thomas Jefferson -
There's a reason I still have my '87 Ranger.Expert Moron Extraordinaire
You're just jealous 'cause the voices don't talk to you! -
There's a reason I still have my '87 Ranger.
Yeah because it only costs 50 cents to fix them, and $1 to replace the engine2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC
erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a -
Don't be jealousExpert Moron Extraordinaire
You're just jealous 'cause the voices don't talk to you!
