I’ve got a 2016 3.5L EcoBoost with 350,000 km, and it’s been solid for me.
I’m right at the edge of its towing capacity, and I’ve been thinking about moving up to a Super Duty F-350 with a diesel. I don’t tow all the time, but when I do, I can feel it pushing the limits of my F-150. It handles it fine, but I can tell it’s working hard. The smaller bed and towing cap on the 150 have me looking at something bigger, but I’m also trying to justify the cost.
Am I overthinking this?
If you’re not towing regularly, I’d look at an F-250 or F-350 with the Godzilla gas engine instead. It can still handle a heavy load, but a gas engine will cost way less to maintain long-term.
Shay said:
If you’re not towing regularly, I’d look at an F-250 or F-350 with the Godzilla gas engine instead. It can still handle a heavy load, but a gas engine will cost way less to maintain long-term.
That’s a fair point.
I’m at 228k miles on a 2013. About 65k of that has been towing heavy loads. One time, I grossed over 21k combined weight on a 1000-mile trip through the Rockies with a trailer that looked a lot lighter than it was.
I’ve done my timing chains twice and really pushed this truck hard since buying it new. But now, I’m starting to question how reliable it will be going forward, so I’ve been looking at newer options.
If you don’t need a new truck, you might just want to fix up the one you have. A new engine and transmission could easily give you another 300k.
@Hadden
I was originally hoping to hit 500,000 km, but a few things are starting to go wrong. Good advice, thanks!
@Hadden
2013 EcoBoost? I just bought one with 130k miles. What should I expect?
I already know I need to replace the vacuum pump because it’s leaking.
Dru said:
@Hadden
2013 EcoBoost? I just bought one with 130k miles. What should I expect?
I already know I need to replace the vacuum pump because it’s leaking.
They’re pretty reliable overall. If the timing chains haven’t been done yet, you’ll probably need to do them soon—budget for that (first time I had mine done at 110k by the dealer). From 0 to 110k, all I did was oil changes, spark plugs, and coil packs. From 110k to 211k, I still didn’t have many issues.
At 211k, things started popping up—AC stopped working, exhaust manifold bolts broke (causing leaks), and I had some typical turbo coolant leaks. I ignored those for too long, and eventually, the dealer had to replace a cylinder head and a turbo. Spent about $12k fixing it all, but if I had handled it earlier, it would’ve been half that.
Then at 220k, I got a P0016 code (stretched timing chain). The dealer didn’t replace it the first time they had everything apart, and I later found out the crank bolt wasn’t torqued properly, which messed up the crank dowel. Had to fix that myself.
If you do the timing chains, make sure everything is Motorcraft, and you shouldn’t have to do them again.
Honestly, 2013 is about as new as I’d personally want to go. It’s still simple enough to work on, and the 3.5 EcoBoost is solid if you stay on top of maintenance. Mine’s never actually broken down on me—I even drove it 1500 miles in limp mode with no boost at 4500 RPM the whole way, and it just kept going. It’s a tough truck if you don’t let problems snowball.
If you don’t tow that often, why not look at an F-250 instead? Seems like it would be a better fit than jumping straight to an F-350.
Your F-150 has clearly held up well with what you’ve thrown at it. A diesel will last longer if you take care of it, and you’ll get better fuel economy when towing. But the maintenance costs are way higher.
If I had an excuse to buy a diesel, I’d go for it just because I like them. But that’s just me.
@Penn
Yeah, an F-250 would probably make more sense if I go diesel. Thing is, the F-350 diesels in my area are actually priced better than the 250s right now.
I think a big part of me just wants a diesel, but realistically, the F-150 is probably fine.
@Ellington
And let’s be honest… the 350s look damn good. If you go at least 250, you’ll get more strength all around, and honestly, I’d rather have something a little overbuilt than underbuilt.
At the end of the day, if the diesel truck is going to make you happier and give you more peace of mind, that’s what really matters. (Unless it’s going to get you in trouble with your partner, in which case… maybe reconsider! 
)
If you’ve made it to 350k km, I don’t think you’re pushing it as hard as you think. Do you really want to spend way more on fuel when you’re not towing most of the time?