I have owned a 3.5
i have owned a 3.5 ecoboost, a 5.0 F150 and now a powerboost, it tows excellent, gets between 23 and 24 mpg and has boat loads of power. A couple of minor issues at first but nothing to lose sleep over. I would highly recommend a PB for an everything truck.
Have you ever considered using the clear wrap on the front of the hood. I had it factory installed on my last vehicle and it worked great in terms of protecting the paint. It has its pro’s and cons like most products but the pro’s far outweigh any of the cons.