hello. i am about to buy my first pickup. a 2008 f-150. i have so many questions about which one i should buy, but for starters, whick engine should i get? does the V6 actually save a lot more gas than the V8? a salesman told me that i would burn just as much gas working the heck out of the V6 just to get what i would out of the V8. what do you guys think? also, as a first time buyer, are there any dos and don'ts i should know about when buying my first truck?

thanks.

 

Maybe you should wait a year for the totally redesigned 09' model year?

But if you must buy now, I highly recommend a V8 for several reasons. The fuel economy is barely any different, probably because the V6 must work harder than the V8.

The V8 isn't much more than the V6, and when it comes to resale, the V8 should sell for more anyways. Then there is the stigma of driving a full size truck with anything but a V8, which isn't cool.

Also, should you decide to use your truck to tow, the V6 is not a good idea. In short, get the V8, you will be happier and not regret the V6.

 

I've had trucks with both the 4.2 L V-6 and the 5.4 V-8.

My first ford was a regular cab two wheel drive with the v-6 auto, 3:55 Non-LS. It was ok for towing little stuff (i.e. small boats, utility trailors, etc) but really struggled to haul a horse trailer or tractor trailer. I averaged about 16-17 mpg with mixed city and highway.

The truck I have now is a supercab 4 wheel drive with the 5.4L V-8, with a 3:55LS rear. It has sufficient towing capacity. No problem pulling a 4-horse horse trailor loaded down going 75+ mph. Most of my driving with it is in the city. When it was bone stock I got about 14-14.5 mpg and about 19-20ish highway.

 

that sounds like some solid advice gpaje. thanks.

 

I would suggest for your first truck to get the 4.6 V8. Resale will be far better than a V6. Engine life will be better with the 4.6 and fuel mileage may actually be better than the 6. I priced an extended cab delivered to central Texas with the following options: 4.6 V8, XLT trim, 3.73 LS axle, 17" aluminum whells, optional 255/65/17 tires, audiophile radio, trailer towing and it came to $30,145.00. You should be able to buy that rig for around $22,000. If you want a different trim, Supercrew, etc., the price would change but always buy a truck with the trailer towing package. You will get the upgrade engine cooling/radiator and auxilary transmission cooler. These items will extend the life of your truck and for cheap. The 3.73 axle brings lots of power to road for a 4.6 and fuel mileage doesn't necessarily go down- it depends more on your driving habits.

Whatever you buy, remember, you are in the drivers seat. Bargain hard. All truck sales are down this time of the year and most of the dealerships are trying to make the numbers for their year end rebates/holdbacks. They can sell you the truck below invoice and make money on the backside. Don't be afraid to get demanding. All they can say is no and you have the option to buy somewhere else. Check online at Ford for first time buyers rebates/discounts, any area discounts or packages, any low interest rates, and check your credit rating. Some dealerships will cut you a bargain on the price but stab you with a high interest loan which they get a piece of. Know what your credit score is and if going thru Ford Motor Credit- get pre approved with an interest rate quote. Just don't tell the dealership until you are ready to close.

 

V8 for sure, and don't make the common mistake of under gearing. At minimum do 3:73, or 4:10 if you plan on doing any heavy towing. Your always better off with more truck than you think you need......

 

Great advice It just kills me when someone pays the dealer what they are asking. Shop around also. Go find the truck you want, get them off their price, then go somewhere else and see if they will beat that price. Do that until your satisfied. Just keep in mind...you don't have to buy the truck from them.

I'd get a V8 also. If you are looking to tow heavy, i'd even suggest the 5.4 though the fuel mileage is a little worse.

Good Luck

 

Hello

between me and my children i have a 4.2, 4.6 and a 5.4

the 4.6 has been the best as far as small problems

i like the power of the 5.4

i've had several problems with the 4.2
but it did have maintenance problems, or lake of, before i bought it
i just failed to catch them

i like the 5.4

 

What engine to get really depends upon what you need out of the truck. If you arent going to load the truck down heavily, the V6 will serve you fine. The gas milage most likely wont be any better, but it will be less expensive to buy.
If you are going to get one with a V8, go for the 5.4L over the 4.6L. More power, the same milage and better resale value. The 4.6L isnt a bad engine (far from it, actually) but other than purchase price there is no advantage in taking a 4.6L over a 5.4L.

 

Depends what you need the truck for, really.

If the truck is A to B transportation, the v6 is fine for that. That's about what my 03 SCab v6 is for, but I have enough stuff to pile in it that outgrew my Ranger that was running on three cylinders. I couldn't justify a 5.4L for an 8 mile drive to work and I average over 20 MPGs with my v6. 1400 RPMs at highway speed, FTW.

Then again, in the newer body styles, you can only get a SuperCab with a v8, unlike the Heritage body style. Correct me if I am wrong on that, but even the XL SuperCabs I have seen around the job for the contractors all have "TRITON" stamped on the badges. You can get a 4.6L standard on a reg cab, but only in 4x4 trim. The SCab I just built on the Ford website was a 4.6L base engine in it.

As for resale....slightly irrelevant. You're paying for a bigger engine, so of course the truck will sell for more compared to a v6 version of exact mileage and options, but since v6 trucks are almost all XL trucks with few options compared to a Lariat with a 5.4L and all power options and leather, well, there's my point.

 

The 4.2l v6 suites me well. I've got the 5 speed though, with 4.10's. Those gears help a lot. I can tow lots of stuff the 4.6l and 5.4l could tow. Depending on where I am, and what I'm hauling depends on how the truck performs... but I have no problem with keeping up with traffic. I've gone up long straight hills just dropping down to 4th doing 65 mph carrying about 5000 lbs, but I could have kept it in 5th, but I did it just in case some freakazoid decided to slow down in front of me, not only that, but it keeps the engine from getting too hot by dropping down a gear.

 

The v6 with a five speed manual is not a bad combination. There is just not enough power there to pull an auto trans.

 

wow!!

there is a HUGE amount of great advise in this thread!

thank you for everyones speedy input!

 

cant go wrong with 4.6. extra power there when u need it, reliable as well.

 

Look! Get the 5.4 or you will regret it down the road. Trust me!