Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Ford 3.5 eco boost vs 5.0

Truck is for fleet use, F150 crew 4wd, mix of city and highway, maybe 25,000 miles a year. Very little towing. Basically concerned with reliability, maintenance costs etc…. MPG obviously favor the ecoboost and according to the specs so does towing capacity. Which is more likely to make it to 200,000 without major issues?

Anyone have experience with either of those vs the GM 5.3?

Haven’t owned a 1/2 ton in 23 years so not real familiar with what’s durable. I’d buy a tundra if it was for me, but the price difference is stark and it’s for an employee.

I’ve heard good things about the eco boost but have no first hand experience. 25k a year 200k in 8 years I’d expect anything I bought to be reliable over that span with just routine maintenance.

If I wanted reliable and maintenance free as possible I’d get the Toyota. You’ll get more back at resale with the Toyota assuming it isn’t something thats driven into the ground.

Know multiple people who have had issues with the ecoboost. 5L. V8 is the way to go. Love mine.

I own 3 F-150s
1 is an eco-boost
Not a fan
Not a terrible engine for what you described
But if you will be doing any towing at all go with the 5 liter
I will never buy another eco boost as long as a 5.0 or bigger is an option

I had a 2014 3.5 Ecoboost, it flew, gas mileage sucked (15 MPG), I have a heavy foot. I traded it in at 115K for a 2018 leftover 2.7 Ecoboost. No mechanical issues with the 2014 or 2018. The 2.7 isn't a slouch either, hope this helps.

I would take an eco boost over the 5.0 The 5.3 is not good for power but pretty dang reliable.

Good to hear, found a good deal on a low mileage XLT with a 5.0.

I’m die hard Toyota, but similar Toyota in our area is $7,000-$8,000 more than a comparable Ford. Employee driven so it will be beat to scheit in 7-8 years. Probably in 3-4. Not concerned on resale.

Not that I've owned any turbocharged or supercharged vehicles, but rather I much prefer not to own one...give me cubic inches working easy over small and frantically pumping it out. AFAIAC, a turbo just adds complexity and more schidt to break---in addition to making smaller engine component work harder. No thanks.

I do have a 5.0 F150, and it does everything I ask of it without so much as a sigh...and likely will continue to do so for the next 200,000 miles.

The 5.0 is good motor, it’s been a while since Ford has done that . My wife has a 5.0 mustang, it scoots. I did my research before we bought one, guys do crazy things to those engines and they hold up well.

Ecoboost.

5.0 is a good engine but EB bests it in all numbers at a lower rpm.

That may be true, looking at it all as just numbers and on paper. In the real world...maybe not so much.

A turbo will cost you $7k or more. There are two of them. If an employee is going to thrash it they will be harder on transmissions too.

I asked the service director at a dealership the same question. He said 5.0 hands down for long term use.

Ive got the 5.0 and like it, father in law has the 3.5. I still think I made the right choice, and I tow a 3,000 pound boat at least weekly with it, sometimes over the mountains and sometimes above 80mph. I’ve put 75,000 on it, at 110,000 now. It did lose some mileage when I put a livestock rack on it, and the. Gained some of it back when I took it off.

I bought a new f150 in 2018. Selected 2 on the lot, one with 5.0 and the other with eco boost. Before talking to a salesman i walked into the shop area and asked the shop foreman which was more reliable. He recommended the 5.0, which is what I bought. I've been very satisfied with the 5.0. My accountant has the same f150 except his has the eco boost. He's equally pleased with his truck. I'll get a new f150 in 2022, and I'll get another 5.0 if there still making them. Just a sample of one.

I've owned both. EB is what I drive.

The turbos on the ecoboost cost like $700, not $7000

Same story here.

Appreciate all the input. Going 5.0. Ecoboost. Went and looked at the one with the 5.0, 5 years old and the entire under carriage was rusted bad. Went with a 2017 with 2.7l ecoboost.