Another *should I buy an PB* thread

[Rexracer]

I know, going to a forum dedicated to the PB is going to get very lop-sided opinions. I have been shopping around for a truck for the last couple of years. It started with being an early Lightning reservation holder, but evidently not early enough to get a Pro before they raised the price 21k!!!

I originally was looking for a Ram Diesel, or a Chevy diesel, but reliability issues and cost of ownership has me pulled away from them. Long story short, the PB appears to give me decent mpg with my short commute (3 miles each way), comfort on long trips with family, ability to pull our 6k camp trailer, and the ability to act as a home generator in power outages (one of the biggest reasons I wanted a lightning).

But, seeing consumer reports having the PB as virtually the lowest reliability vehicle has me scared. I wouldn't buy new, letting someone else take the depreciation hit, so want to know if buying a 21 with 20-40k miles is worth it. Or is having a factory warranty required to work through all the bugs? Are the 22s better then the 21s? Are the issues largely minor inconveniences? I currently have a Fusion Energi, so understand the transmission between electric/gas operation feel, and have read about fords poor programing of the 10speed. Are the problems mostly those with issues yelling the loudest?

Talk me into/out of buying a PB.

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[Tosh]

'21 PB Lariat 501A here - bought new, got it in May of '21. I've had no issues other than the stuck APIM (prevents further OTA updates) and that was resolved at my dealership.

17000 miles in it now, all of them trouble free.

I'm not the only owner likes their F-150 PowerBoost.....

 

[imnuts]

Your short commute is going to be terrible for any engine choice when it comes to fuel economy, and the hybrid will be slightly worse than a standard 3.5 EB most likely, especially in winter months. For that short commute, the 2.7 EB (or 3.3 NA) would probably do best.

However, there's no other good option when it comes to a rolling power source. If you really want to use it for a home backup source, read the threads on what's required to power a panel in your house. There's more than just a breaker, interlock and outdoor plug. Unless you're going to just run extension cords, that may be a make/break option for you.

Personally, even with the cons over other power train options, I think the Powerboost is best if you aren't doing heavy towing. If you are doing heavy towing, you need to be much more conscientious with the options check boxes. Most of the "issues" have been software related and are more or less figured out now. The hardware/parts problems continued into '22, but don't seem to be as prominent anymore. There are still delays for parts though, but I don't think it's exclusive of Powerboost parts and does effect other engine options too.

 

[Rexracer]

Your short commute is going to be terrible for any engine choice when it comes to fuel economy, and the hybrid will be slightly worse than a standard 3.5 EB most likely, especially in winter months. For that short commute, the 2.7 EB (or 3.3 NA) would probably do best.

Hmm, my Energi has been fantastic for my short commute, just enough range to get me through most days on 100% electric. But yeah, the PB doesnt have enough battery to be all electric, and as soon as the ICE fires up, it will want to run until its warm, which would be about the time I am getting to work. I come home for lunch, so 4x times per day. =\

At this point should the 21 models be mostly fixed? Is there anything about the PB that makes it worse for towing then a regular EB? Having a quite generator when camping sounds like a big plus.

 

[Snakebitten]

I live down a 2.5 mile long rural dead end road. Then my driveway is about a 1/4 mile to my abode.

So I'm imagining your commute as you describe it, and you basically work a distance from home equal to the stop sign at the beginning of my road.

I can't really get my head around that. Lol
I'd be riding my SideXside to the office.

Anyways, after 2 years of operating my Powerboost, I can tell you that it's not a Powerboost by the time I get to that stop sign. At least not on a coldstart start.
It's barely beyond its closed loop fueling stage heating up the cats.

But admittedly, that's true for almost any modern vehicle.

 

[imnuts]

The only Powerboost specific issues I'm aware of that aren't software/programming are the exhaust heat exchanger and an issue with an odd noise from the transmission from a pump or lack of shifting in electric mode.

The exhaust heat exchanger is the more common issue, and I think that dealers are able to fix it more really now.

The transmission issue isn't common at all and only affected a few people that I've seen. More people have had odd noises in cold weather that could just be a fluid level problem. A couple have had issues with the transmission not shifting while slowing down and being in electric only mode. I don't think there's a big delay to get either fixed once it is properly diagnosed.

For towing, the Powerboost has a lower payload than an equally equipped 3.5/5.0 truck. For what you've mentioned, it shouldn't be a problem. If you're looking to tie heavier, towards the top of the range (10k+ lbs), it could be an issue. The engine will easily pull the heavier loads, but it legally can't without being overweight.

Of all the Gen 14 trucks, I think '21 is the year to have as you avoid most/all of the feature deletes due to shortages.

 

[DcnPat]

Back in the distant past I bought a Suzuki Samauri. About 3 months later CR came out with a hysteria creating (and value destroying) "report" that they were prone to roll over. News flash, any narrow wheel base high center of gravity vehicle is prone to roll over compared to a wide wheel base and/or lower center of gravity vehicle. That Samauri was a blast and I drove it for more than 10 years and 2 kids. Never rolled it over but did 360 a time or two on icy I-75 around Toledo, OH.

In January 2016 I bought a Jeep Wrangler JKU (that's the 4 door version). Shortly after CR came out with a report on how unreliable the thing was supposed to be. The only real issues I had were a wheel bearing went bad (40k miles in and the dealer caught that at an oil change appointment and it was covered on my service contract) and the clockspring/steering angle sensor went out (45k) and took forever to replace due to supply chain issues. Clockspring was covered under a 15 year extended warranty in lieu of recall. Oh - and I replaced the windshield twice. Once it cracked and the other time my dog went all Cujo and ripped the rear view mirror off the windshield taking a chunk of glass with it. I traded in Jeep in on my powerboost for over 50% of what I paid for it.

I picked up my powerboost Jan 31, 2023. It's great. I suspect it will have some minor issues but I don't expect it to be unreliable.


TLDR; YMMV, CR is full of crap most of the time. Take what they say with a grain or three of salt.

 

[HammaMan]

I took a trip to FL yesterday, mixed interstate / state highways on the way down, on the way back I got to see the back-wood's back-woods of Alabamastan due to nav fastest route (traffic). Took snapshots of the high speed run there and only a single shot of the return. Both had ~12m stops in them. On the way back I did pass a log truck and 2 cars hitting 90mph by the time I was passed the truck doing about 40 mph at the time. Outbound speed at times of 90mph - wasn't going to not keep up with traffic. Truck is 'leveled' w/ a 2.5" up front (yields about 2" on the PB) Trip 1 did start about 10 miles outside of town.

Didn't catch the end of trip one on arrival, here's 2's, followed by 1's cumulative.

 

[Blue]

To me these trucks have more than enough problems with just the basics. I had a 18 and now a 21 2.7 and the engine has more than enough to pull various trailers up to 7k. I have a Honda 6.5k generator hooked to the house, this way if I need the truck the house still has power, to me it is a gimmick.

 

[HammaMan]

To me these trucks have more than enough problems with just the basics. I had a 18 and now a 21 2.7 and the engine has more than enough to pull various trailers up to 7k. I have a Honda 6.5k generator hooked to the house, this way if I need the truck the house still has power, to me it is a gimmick.

You'd have to own and use one to understand. Is the honda an inverter generator or a cheapie modified wave inverter. There's nothing 'gimmicky' about having a built-in 7.5kW hybrid power generation capability in a truck. Especially one that costs so little when spec'n the truck to begin with.

 

[Pedaldude]

Toyota also decided that the built in generator is a gimmick and says to buy a generator with the money saved

One of the big problems with the separate generator option is that many people lack the inclination, discipline, or skills to maintain a small generator that is only used for occasional power outages. Not to mention that many are much louder than an idling truck and run at an obnoxious RPM. A 7.5KW generator is also going to weigh a lot and for certain situations; the Powerboost will be superior.

Really; the only thing added to the PB hybrid drivetrain to make it into a generator is the DC to AC inverter. Everything else is already there. IMO, it’s not a gimmick but a no brainer at that point. Keep in mind that this is the first iteration; I also feel that the hybrid truck has a better future than the all electric Lightning for all but a few applications but it’s not as sexy as the new BEV vehicles and doesn’t share the big fat tax credits or virtue signaling clout.

If someone wants a Powerboost and has the money; I would say go ahead and get one but just put it through its paces on a test drive if it’s used and try to get all the maintenance records to stay away from one that’s a lemon.

Good luck!

 

[HammaMan]

Toyota also decided that the built in generator is a gimmick and says to buy a generator with the money saved

Toyota has been behind the modern tech curve for a while making excuses on their customer's behalf. I could see how someone that's tried the joke 2.0 system not liking it, but the PB's is a whole other class of unit. It works, it's reliable, it doesn't require 200lbs of payload and several cubic feet to house it and its gas -- of course there's the whole loading it too.

They swore up and down for years that EVs aren't tenable or practical while having a clear use-case. They then tore apart a new model Y and praised its design and engineering. I found that most shocking of all -- publicly admitting their praise for it. All of the manufacturers dissect the competition, but to praise it is something else. My guess is once they tore it apart and looked at the advancements tesla is making, their engineers quickly realized they're going to have to reevaluate their business model just as everyone else is having to do right now.

 

[jeffcrum]

I didn't even read your post. Just the title.

The answer is yes!!!

 

[DJH74011]

21 Powerboost owner here. The only advice I can give to you is to do your research and most importantly test drive one to see if it would suit your particular needs.

My truck has been in the shop numerous times with both mechanical and electrical issues (see my thread in the same forum), so there is a little bit of a gamble you will be taking by purchasing a truck with an all new powertrain like I did when I ultimately decided to go with the Powerboost.

I will say that there are positives to the Powerboost when working properly. It's incredibly powerful compared to the other powertrains like the 3.5 Eco and 5.0 V8.
I have a 4" lift with 35" tires and I feel little to no difference in performance compared to when my truck was stock. I also get damn good fuel ecomony ( approx 17.5-18.5 mpg) despite the added weight of the lift and tires, so the fuel economy aspect is definitely legit.

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