Like Stealth said, a lot of folks are gonna be biased based on their purchase. I bought an '05 4.6l because I was in a pinch and it was the only well priced one on the lot, no regrets. It's got enough grunt for hauling quads, camping and fishing gear, and what not and it handles the occasional towing just fine.

As I said in another thread, the 4.6 will do everything most people use a half-ton for just fine. It won't win any races, get a car for that, and it won't tow a house behind it, buy an F350 for that. It will haul what you need, tow when you need to tow (I've towed over 7k behind her once), and it'll get you around worry free.

Buy what you think you want and need. I may be more inclined to shop around when I get my next truck, but I'm hoping by then I can get a used EcoBoost For now, the 4.6 is just fine. NOT TO MENTION I came from driving older half-ton Chevys, this things got more nut than any of those did, even if I do miss having a manual trans

 

Mileage between a 5.4 & 4.6 is a wash! Get the 5.4 you will be happier in the long run!

 

I have driven each and I see nothing wrong with the 4.6. I drove a 2007 5.4 Lariat Screw 4wd and it felt good as did the 2006 5.4 scab 4wd and the 2006 Screw 4wd 4.6. I'm sorry, I highly disagree when people complain about power from the 4.6. I think people expect too much out of a truck that weighs as much as they do. This is coming from a 5.4 owner too. I ended up finding a gem... insanely low priced and really low mileage 2004 2wd 5.4 scab (loaded xlt - nearly all options you could get) back when I was buying in 09. I like the power my 5.4 has and even more so since I've had it tuned. But the 4.6 is a great engine, especially if you are just driving around/commuting. If my truck had a 4.6, I'd care less. It's a commuter vehicle for me. The 4.6 is reliable and nearly bullet proof. The one you listed, I'd take it: your favorite color, in that good of shape and low mileage. That's a no brainier imo. There's no such thing as a perfect used vehicle. It's always a compromise. You can always have it custom tuned and I bet you'd like it even more. Oh and my brother has a 2010 4.6 2v 2wd screw. It's not underpowered (not pulling a trailer of course)

 

I went with the 5.4 because at the time in 05 Ford was discounting them to almost the same cost as the 4.6, and the fuel economy difference was negligible. Plus Ford was offering the free tow package.

 

I would drive both and decide for myself.
I've towed 4500lbs with my 4.6 100 miles one way up and down steep hills on the interstate without a problem on a couple of occasions hauling a tractor and a car once with no issues, but you wont win any races with it either.
I'm not sure that I would trade mine straight up for an identical one with a 5.4 after reading about the "cam phaser issues" and the dreaded "plug changes" on the 5.4. (well maybe if it was a Raptor )

 

i get better mpg then any 4.6L Ive seen.

plus its nice having the extra power down low.

 

How much?

(Back on topic)
I only got mine so that I could get away from my Ford Ranger. I only cared that it had a V8. Wouldn't even bother if it had a V6. Since I only use it as a daily driver, the 5.4 wouldn't get to stretch its legs much in terms of towing performance, but the added power in my current trucks configuration would have been highly desireable.

 

Write down the Pro/Cons of each, sometimes when you see it on paper the answer is in front of you. If that’s still a wash here’s a tip I used. Take the 2 trucks and call them equal on the pro/con. List the things you don’t like and would have to deal with if you bought truck A or B. Now list how to address them. For example. You said you didn’t like red too much. You could paint it but that’s a big expense you might not want to do, or maybe your buddy works in a body shop and it’s no big deal. The 4.6, it might lack a little power for your towing in the long run. Plenty of go fast / HP bolt on’s out there. In my in no way data driven opinion, I bet a tuned 4.6 v a stock 5.4 would be a close battle if not the winner.

Have fun shopping.

 

Ill take you up on the bet

 

Thanks again for all the input. Unfortunately, the Gray truck with the 4.6 sold the very next day. I just pulled a Car-Fax on the red truck w/5.4 and found out that it was originally a Rental. That is a deal-breaker for me so I am back on the hunt. I have found several in Houston that I'm interested in but I won't have time to make that trip for another week or 2.

 

That graph looks like what my data would be with the 5.4L, but I don't recall ever getting through a tank with more than 18mpg out of it all hwy at 60mph. I average 15-16mpg mixed driving.

 

Gas for either is damn near the same...I drove my 04 5.4 from missouri to wyoming and averaged around 18 to, my buddy has an 06 4.6 and recently drove from wyoming to texas and said he got around 17, but he's a younger guy. I'm older and a tight wad so driving habits are the only difference I see

 

if you find a truck in north houston that you want looked at PM me.

 

IMO,2005-2008 i would go with the 5.4 for the extra power.Now if you were asking about 2009-2010 i would give the nod to the 4.6 3V with the 6 speed automatic.I have a 2010 F-150 F-150 Supercab 4X4 4.6 3V,6 speed automatic 3.73 gears.To my suprise i had a 2007 F-150 Supercab 4X4 5.4 3V,4 speed automatic and 3.55 gears.I raced them both 2010 F-150 16.25 at 84.89 mph and 2007 F-150 16.65 at 83.23 mph.

Later Mark.

 

I get 22 on the highway at 63mph.


my 5.4 gets those mpg all the time.