I wouldn't hesitate buying the V6, even better if you can find a manual transmission. I've leased (3) newer generation F150s (2004-2006), had all the available engines. The V6 is almost on par with the small V8 that was in my '04 STX. My last trade in was an '06 XLT 4WD scab with the 5.4, great engine but more than I ever needed, (it worked out cheaper lease-wise to buy a loaded up truck). With my current truck I bought it, and saved a bundle coming off-lease and applying all the other rebates, and between my kids and I it will be a good dependable work truck for years. It does have a few options (cloth, slider, tow pkg, am/fm cd, cruise, limited slip and privacy glass. The only upgrade I made was to ditch the steel wheels and smallish tires. Had the dealer throw in 265/70 tires, and I bought some used aluminum wheels off craigs cheap. If your keeping the truck you wouldn't need to consider resale, and I believe there is always a market for a solid worktruck, V6 or V8.

 

I think the v6 will be plenty for you. I have an 04 f150 hertiage XL that I use as a farm truck. Its a 5spd manual 2wd with a 3.08/ open diff. I have 101,000 on it which has mostly been highway miles with the truck unloaded. I plan to put a 3.55 LS in but other then the high gears i have no complaints. I have a gooseneck hitch in the truck. I personally can say i have pulled around 8,000lbs with this truck. I mainly use it to haul lumber, feed, or fencing supplies and it does just fine. I do pull trailers with it, i don't expect to have an extreme amount of power because it is a V6. My truck has been very reliable.

 

I towed 6,000 lbs with my '99 with the 3.55 LS with the 5 speed scab. It handled it great for a v6. Being it was manual and I could hold the engine's rpm really helped out big time. That truck has 200k+ miles on it...

My '07 is great too.

 

okay well i think the V6 will be just fine for your application david. like they said its not going to be a dragster... but it is prly the most relaiable V6 out there... i have a 98 V6 5 speed manual... i am 18 and have had it for 5 years now. i have put 58,000 miles on it now it has 113,050 and it does not get drove easy... and all i have had to do is put oil in it. and change the u-joints and brakes... other then that i have not did one thing to the pickup and it never seems to wanna stop! it just keeps going no matter what i put it through... the 4.2L is gunna be the best engine for what you need to do with it... and it will save you some money to... about a year ago i had to pull my dads boat... it is a 2006 crestliner 20 foot long... 200 horse motor so it is a pre big boat trailer has 2 axels... anyways... i thought that the pickup would not even think about moving it... well i pulled it 230 miles for him and the road i was on had alot of little hills but alot of them... pre much just like a wave... but ill tell you what... if i woulda kept it in 4th the motor would of been screamin but i woulda pulled it just fine. but i dont like reving the engine to much. so i left it in 5th... i tell ya what... i had that thing to the floor for 90 miles im not kidding never left the floor board once... but! i never got below 65 miles an hour either... yeah i shoulda kept it in 4th but i didnt... that pickup just sang right along the speed limit on the road was 65... and i tell ya what i would speed up to about 75 going down one side of the hill... then come to another and it would slow down to around 65... that pickup pulled that thing way way way way better then i thought it would. i was so proud of it. i got 11 miles to the gallon to... and it was floored for 90 miles straight.... this being said the V6 will have no problem pulling your wave runner and hauling the things you need... i love these engines no there not the most powerful things out there but they are very very reliable... go with the V6 and save some money is my recomendation to you.

 

Mines for sell
https://www.f150online.com/forums/tr...rformance.html

 

These Trucks are just as strong as most half ton trucks out there. So you won't regret anything about it. They will work as long as you can keep working them. They will suprise you all the time.

 

I'm constantly surprised by how much the truck works.

 

they will suprise you all the time! that is true for sure! mine is still suprising me and i have owned it for 5 years now.

 

I don't stop by the v6 forum very often but figured I would add my 2 cent's into this topic. My dad has a 99 F150 xl sport with the 4.2 v6 and 5 speed tranny. I used to alway's borrow his truck when I needed to tow a trailer cause the 3.0 ranger I had just didn't have near the power the 4.2 has. His truck currently has over 150,000 mile's on the odometer and the only thing he has ever done to it beside's normal maintenance is replaced the tps sensor. I have towed a 14' trailer with two 600 pound atv's loaded on it at 70 mph on the hwy. It's no hotrod but for what you plan on using it for the v6 will provide plenty of power for your need's unless you live in a mountainous area then maybe a v8 will be better. I have the 3v 5.4 v8 in my current truck but even when I drive my dad's truck the v6 still is fun to drive.

 

I've driven mine in the mountains up to about 11000 feet. You DEFINITELY know that there's not all that much under the hood, but not loaded and not towing, it gets the job done up there and gets excellent gas mileage at altitude - 20+ consistently on 85 octane mountain gas. If I lived up there and had to drive it daily and/or haul loads and tow, I'd get a turbodiesel, I don't care how strong a V8 is, you need forced induction at those altitudes.

 

this is true.

 

I have an 06 v6 and its hauled everything ive tossed at it. Did have trouble with a closed uhaul trailer hauling a 900lb pooltable maintaining 65-70mph. It did a lot of downshifting to maintain. Do a k&n and exhaust and it really wakes it up. I did that after the pooltable tho.

 

Your definatley right on that statement. I've had my v8 over 10,000 feet in elevation before and I was wishing for a deisel. Luckily where i'm at now the road's are flat and we are only a couple hundred feet above sea level so my truck run's like a scalded dog around here.

 

It was funny a couple years ago - I was out in Colorado pulling a long straight uphill grade - I was at about 9000 feet, I was in 4th flat on the floor doing about 70, barely maintaining speed. I was PASSED by a Dodge 2500 crew cab diesel doing 80+, he was towing a 2 axle car trailer with a Ford Escape on the back.

 

i didnt have time to read all the other posts, so sorry if someone else has stated this...

The payload capacity of the V6 is not much different than that of the V8's. youre really limited by suspension, tiers, etc... ive had more than the payload capacity of the V8's in my '01 V6 and it did fine. the real difference between the 2 is towing capabilities, and since you won't be towing more than a wave runner, you will be fine. it could even tow more than that, but i wouldnt recommend towing over say 6000 lbs. or so. thats where a V8 will make a difference.