My daughter turns 16 this fall. Instead of trying to find a decent used vehicle for her, I'm going to let her start driving my 2000 F150 and order myself a 2014 tomorrow.

So far, I'm looking at:

F150 4WD SCREW STX 5.0L, 201A, Sport. For those of you who haven't bought in a while, this will include center console, carpet/mats, 20" wheels, black step bars, etc. etc. I actually don't care one way or the other about any of those upgrades, but the console is only available in the package deal and I don't like the full height folding center seat.

Now for your help...

Rear end. My 2000 4wd SCREW XLT has 3.55 limited slip and has been great. The new truck will be on the road most of the time along with some farm work. I won't be mudding just for fun. Other than full out mudding, why should I get an e-locker over limited slip? Should I look at something other than a 3.55 ratio? 3.31, 3.55 locker, and 3.55, 3.73 limited slip are available.

Color. I've had only white vehicles for decades. Please talk me into (or out of) race red or blue flame. I've been going through the official picture thread and still can't decide.

 

As far as the rearend i would do the 3.55 With Elocker OR the 3.73.. Between the two i'd pick the 3.73s with the 5.0..

As far as color Blue Flame all the way!

 

Yup, 3:55 w/elock.

 

If you plan on doing much heavy towing with the 5.0 I would go with the 3.73. That engine needs to rev a little to get into its power and the tighter gears will help it out. If you don't plan on pulling a lot then the 3.55s will work.

 

Sounds good. My 5.4L has a 3.55LS. The new 5.0L has 100 more horses and 30 ft/lbs more torque, albiet at a higher rpm. I tow cattle a few times a year and have never had any issues with the 5.4's pulling ability, so I think the 5.0 with 3.55 e-locker will do fine based on your info. It will have select shift, so I can gear down to get the rpm's if I need to unleash the 5.0's power potential.

Ok, 3.55 e-locker is settled.

Now I need to decide on color. My daughter likes the STX black grill with Oxford White and with Sterling Gray. I like it with both of those colors and with Race Red. I'm leaning toward another white truck. I think it will look better with some XLT/FX4 style black fender flares to match up with the grill and black bumper components. Too bad something inexpensive like that can't be an option for STX just like the wheel liners. I'll have to keep my eye on eBay for some take-offs.

 

I really like the gray on the STX. That and the new red color is really nice. I think it's called sunset orange or something.

 

I think white looks sharp on the STXs, but Blue Flame and Race Red look great too! If it was an XLT, I'd definitely prefer a color other than white.

 

How often do you plan on washing it? Both of those colors look good if you pound pavement, but if you do time on dirt any tiny bit (or more) shows up too clearly.

Personally, I like either of those colors, but white can't be beat for saving a few trips to the car wash.

I'm getting 19.8 mpg mixed mileage now with 3.73 gearing, although it's with an EB. I don't believe the 3.73 will kill your gas mileage. There have been a fair number of posts here when the e-locker is better than limited slip. When I pull the whale out of the lake (my boat) the e-locker is what I need, but if were 4x4'ing in the mountains I'd go with the l-slip.

And- I hope you enjoy 16 years old daughter. Mine was a doll until 11 when puberty set in. She came to her senses again at 24 - those were some very long years, but I'm pleased to report everyone is happy again. Enduring those years is probably a thread all by itself.

 

Mine's still a sweetheart right now or I'd keep driving the 2000 and she'd be getting a beater compact car. I still love my truck just like it is and have been torn with keeping it or starting over with a new one. Hopefully my girl will keep behaving and drive it all the way through college. Crossing my fingers...

I think I'm going to go with white. What's so bad about having four white vehicles in one household?

BTW, I'm looking at SCABS, not SCREWS. Don't know why I typed that in the OP.

 

Instead of giving my kid a hand me down car, I just bought her a new one. I gave her a 2013 focus.

 

So? Not everyone can afford to do that, and I think it makes sense to. Even though my parents are about to let (no "giving" of cars in my family) my little brother and sister (gonna share) drive a new car (potentially a Focus too actually), I won't be doing that with my kids. Most get into accidents, so why give them something nice and new to mess up?

 

Both my stepdaughters' first cars were hand me down beaters. The first one got Mom's old Camaro that was on its last legs and the second one got my old Toyota Celica that was well on its way to the junkyard. Both of them put them in the junkyard. Camaro lasted 6 months, Toyota lasted 3 months, they both wrecked them.

 

3.55 gear's with the 5.0 show 7,700 lbs towing compared to 9,300 lbs with the 3.73's. That ought to tell you something right there. Mustang engine in a truck need's lower gear's to get moving! My '11 truck with the 5.0 and 3.55's was slow from 0 to 40 mph but would scream from 40 mph up.

 

Well, I may regret it, but I put the order in for Oxford White with a 3.55 e-locker.

 

You won't regret it, good color and diff choice.........