Hokerer
Member
No, you're not the only one. When I bought my 2012 last Summer, I avoided the Eco-boost too. I'm just not comfortable with the maintenance track record of gasoline turbochargers.
F150
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No, you're not the only one. When I bought my 2012 last Summer, I avoided the Eco-boost too. I'm just not comfortable with the maintenance track record of gasoline turbochargers.
I agree on turbo boosters, the track record while not awful, is a very expensive repair if not done by your self. The two areas I see the most problems with are the waste gate linkages and the compressor bearings. On the bearings really don't have a fix, but it is very important to be using the oem spec oil weight, with synthetic getting the nod and I would not double the time between oil changes just because its synthetic. Oil Passages in current engines are tiny due to weight reduction.
A good friend just got an F150 this year and while impressed by the acceleration of the eco-boost went for the 5.0L for the reasons we've discussed. He's been quite happy thus far and uses his truck like a truck - hauling and towing on a regular basis.
I won't tell you guys what I replaced my F150 with as the choruses of laughter would echo across the country ...
I won't tell you guys what I replaced my F150 with as the choruses of laughter would echo across the country ...
Ashful
Minister of Fire
Yesterday my (just a week until) 4yo saw an Avalanche, she says, "Daddy, look a pretend truck! It's not a car and not a truck!"
I said that to her once a few months ago when she saw one and I couldn't figure out how to describe it. She hadn't mentioned it since that day so I forgot all about it. I figured she did too.
So now I'll probably find myself talking to somebody with an Avalanche and she'll ask them why they drive a pretend truck.*sigh*
Matt
I said that to her once a few months ago when she saw one and I couldn't figure out how to describe it. She hadn't mentioned it since that day so I forgot all about it. I figured she did too.
So now I'll probably find myself talking to somebody with an Avalanche and she'll ask them why they drive a pretend truck.*sigh*
Matt
Ashful
Minister of Fire
Our kid is within weeks of yours (just turned 4yo), and he'll do a, "remember when..." about something from a year or more ago. Usually, it takes us a few minutes to figure out what he's recalling, but his memory is amazing.He likes to point out the "lunch box" cars. Not sure where he got the name, but he's talking about the many cheaper vehicles (Kia, Scion, etc.) that copied the aerodynamics of the Honda Element.
Hokerer
Member
Remember the old (Rex Harrison?) Dr. Doolittle movie? We've always referred to the Avalanche as the "Push-me-Pull-you".
eclecticcottage
Minister of Fire
Lol, we have the Subie version of the Avalanche, the Baja. If we could only have one vehicle for ever, it would be the one. It's hauled about as much firewood as either full size truck, gets WAY better gas mileage and kicks the rear end of any 4WD we've owned in the snow. I don't know that Chevy's version measures up though, lol.
I would never go back to less than a full size bed now after having one on our truck (we've had mini-trucks and Broncos before). But it does depend on what you do with it.
IMO, test drive all options. When we were looking to trade our last Baja, we test drove a Ranger and a Tacoma. We really liked the Taco, but after reading about the surging issues we just bought another Baja! The fit and finish on the Taco was WAY better than the Ranger and it better mileage, even though we were partial to Ford (as a brand).
Also, if you're willing to drive, check dealers outside of your area if budget is any sort of issue. We got this Baja for thousands less than we would have paid locally by driving about 4 hours one way for it. Same with our last one (that one was more like 6, but it was the color DH really wanted and had only 2K on it-for $17K-can't find one like that now, but even then it was a steal). I found internet shopping gave us more options for less $$.
I would never go back to less than a full size bed now after having one on our truck (we've had mini-trucks and Broncos before). But it does depend on what you do with it.
IMO, test drive all options. When we were looking to trade our last Baja, we test drove a Ranger and a Tacoma. We really liked the Taco, but after reading about the surging issues we just bought another Baja! The fit and finish on the Taco was WAY better than the Ranger and it better mileage, even though we were partial to Ford (as a brand).
Also, if you're willing to drive, check dealers outside of your area if budget is any sort of issue. We got this Baja for thousands less than we would have paid locally by driving about 4 hours one way for it. Same with our last one (that one was more like 6, but it was the color DH really wanted and had only 2K on it-for $17K-can't find one like that now, but even then it was a steal). I found internet shopping gave us more options for less $$.
I have the vehicle inbetween the baja and the avalanche - the Honda Ridgeline. To me the bed is too small for legitimate hauling, but the vehicle will tow 5000lbs, has great awd, fits the entire family, AND fits in the garage so no more scraping NEOhio snow at 6am before work. Further, like the baja it has independent rear suspension which makes for a significantly better ride than any vehicle with a solid rear axle (with the obvious tradeoff in lack of hauling capability) and also provides an in-bed trunk.
The ride of the newer trucks has come a long way. I remember a gf's father had a 58 Chevy truck and I couldn't believe how rough that rode.
Matt
Matt
eclecticcottage
Minister of Fire
We're a bit unsual I guess, we prefer the older trucks to the newer ones. We've got a 70's era "custom" F-150 now (I think the only thing they added was the radio and speaker in the dash, and maybe the cloth bench vs vinyl). I LOVE that truck. I wish they'd make a f-150S like the GTS Mustangs from the 90's.
thinkxingu
Minister of Fire
Buddy has an EcoBoost and I'm not sold--the power's decent (though you should check out the turbo dump in high humidity issue) but the mileage is nowhere near what they claim. I think the 5.0's are getting better mileage, there's no turbos to worry about, and they sound a lot better. I loved my 2009 4.6 SuperCab. Quiet, reliable, tight. BUT, Ford's sheet metal blows--they ding WICKED easily.
Good luck.
Good luck.
They're all made out of old soda cans now, we've got a mix of all the big 3 at work and they all feel like you'll crush a bedside leaning on it.
Seasoned Oak
Minister of Fire
Iv had em all,worst was a 1999 toyotas tacoma rust bucket,couldnt haul squat.sheet metal paper thin lousy MPG and liked a lot of expensive parts. Best was and is chevy. My current wood hauler is a 1995 K2500 4x4 Ext cab. Hauls 3-4K in back and pulls 12K almost 200000 on the clock and still looks and works like a new one.
Had 2 ford trucks ,they had a nice ride and not much else,but that was way back when, so i would not be afraid to bet on a newer one.
semipro
Minister of Fire
We had its predecessor, the Brat. It had two seats facing backwards in the bed.
Fun to drive but when we had kids we couldn't see mounting a car seat in the bed.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
"How else are we going to turn that pudgy little toddler into a man?"We had its predecessor, the Brat. It had two seats facing backwards in the bed.
Fun to drive but when we had kids we couldn't see mounting a car seat in the bed.
Nah... my wife wouldn't buy it, either.
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The Baja had an actual back seat. It was just an Outback with the back-out. Of course, installing a jump seat would add to the excitement
Finally up and did it- brandy new XLT super cab. Loving it.
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Neighbor has one of those. Makes me want to throw rocks at my Suburban. The cab is like a living room.
Yup- aluminum body, and the smaller eco boost. I wont be towing the Queen Mary- it's got decent pickup for a pickup.
I was going to buy the base model- the xl- but after looking at the huge list of rebates, I got the XLT. The rebates only got better for this one! The finance guy was saying the list of rebates that they offer can be crazy. You have a quarter Horse? You get a rebate for it.
A friend has a couple year old F150 with the 6 cyl ecoboost. He has a Hallmark camper on it and says no problem with power.
jharkin
Minister of Fire
Congrats adios... Very nice truck! I think you could load my Tacoma into the bed 
. I've had a smile ever since I traded my Acura for the baby truck last year. I thought I'd miss the sporty drive but the utility factor and go anywhere feeling is so much better. You will love 'truckin.
. I've had a smile ever since I traded my Acura for the baby truck last year. I thought I'd miss the sporty drive but the utility factor and go anywhere feeling is so much better. You will love 'truckin.
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