Huge decision soon and I need some serious help!

[Antimatter Tremor]

I was thinking this exactly. I realize the first one is the 'Better' truck and the more I think about it, Im the type of guy that needs something different every 5 years or so. I think the ecoboost with max tow will have higher resale, or easier resale anyway... Not sure if thats true.. I was shocked, i thought most ppl would say get the second truck. So far every single person ive asked said the first one. Im 37 years old, i guess it may be time to make the right decision instead of the 'fun' decision. And look at me, calling a 400hp with 510lbs torque twin turbo 'no fun'. Lol. Im sure ill be very happy with it. And when the tunes start coming out for it, well i think ill be having a lot of fun in it.. Really appreciate the input! Thanks!

My current ride is a '19 Lariat Sport SE FX4 SCrew 3.5. Previous was an '18 XLT Sport SCrew 3.5 Prior to that I had a '14 Raptor SCrew for almost 4 years. And before that I leased an '11 SCab FX4 5.0 for 27 months. You really have to watch how you pull out into traffic with a 3.5EB. The low end torque is ridiculous (375HP 475TQ) . You either start to spinning the tires and bog down when the traction control kicks in. Or if you have the TC off, it just destroys the rear tires and you go nowhere. Wasn't as bad with the Raptor, even with 434TQ because it wasn't as low in the RPM range. Same with the 5.0

I haven't driven a '21 yet. I would imagine the 25 more HP and 40 TQ makes it even of a challenge to beat on coming traffic when pulling out into the street

You won't be bored with a 3.5Ecoboost ??

Aftermarket exhaust makers are coming out with systems for the Eco-boost and the sound clips sound promising.

I keep hearing rumors that the new Raptor (and Tremor both) have different exhaust than previous years.

Sponsored

 

[Trucky McTruckface]

My current ride is a '19 Lariat Sport SE FX4 SCrew 3.5. Previous was an '18 XLT Sport SCrew 3.5 Prior to that I had a '14 Raptor SCrew for almost 4 years. And before that I leased an '11 SCab FX4 5.0 for 27 months. You really have to watch how you pull out into traffic with a 3.5EB. The low end torque is ridiculous (375HP 475TQ) . You either start to spinning the tires and bog down when the traction control kicks in. Or if you have the TC off, it just destroys the rear tires and you go nowhere. Wasn't as bad with the Raptor, even with 434TQ because it wasn't as low in the RPM range. Same with the 5.0

I haven't driven a '21 yet. I would imagine the 25 more HP and 40 TQ makes it even of a challenge to beat on coming traffic when pulling out into the street

You won't be bored with a 3.5Ecoboost ??




I keep hearing rumors that the new Raptor (and Tremor both) have different exhaust than previous years.

So if you were to buy a '21 XLT I assume you would choose the 3.5L again? Do you miss driving th 5.0L at all?

 

[Antimatter Tremor]

So if you were to buy a '21 XLT I assume you would choose the 3.5L again? Do you miss driving th 5.0L at all?

I have 2 2021s on order. An Antimatter Blue Tremor and a Space White XLT Sport FX4 3.5 Max Tow. If I had to choose between my FX4 5.0 and '14 Raptor, I'd take the Raptor in a heartbeat. I towed 7K# with the Raptor several times no problem. Not saying the 5.0 couldn't do that, but the power just wasn't all that impressive. Yea I know it was a Gen1 5.0. But it was also a SuperCab and had 3.73s. I towed with it a couple of times, but it just wasn't in the same league as the 3.5 My brother and a couple of my buddies have 2018+ 5.0s and the just don't tow as good as the 3.5 My son had a '14 FX4 SCrew Gen1 3.5 and it towed better than the 5.0s in our snowmobile group. He now has a STX Sport SE 2.7 and it's ridiculous how fast that truck is. Haven't towed with it ever, but I know it would be fine towing 7-7,500 with 3.55s


Do I miss my 5.0? Not really. Best MPGs I got was 18.5 and it was only slightly faster than my Raptor (because of the weight) Only thing I don't miss about the Raptor is the 13.5 avg MPGs.


If I want to go fast, I have a Supercharged Cobra that I did a 4R70W swap. ???

 

[Trucky McTruckface]

I have 2 2021s on order. An Antimatter Blue Tremor and a Space White XLT Sport FX4 3.5 Max Tow. If I had to choose between my FX4 5.0 and '14 Raptor, I'd take the Raptor in a heartbeat. I towed 7K# with the Raptor several times no problem. Not saying the 5.0 couldn't do that, but the power just wasn't all that impressive. Yea I know it was a Gen1 5.0. But it was also a SuperCab and had 3.73s. I towed with it a couple of times, but it just wasn't in the same league as the 3.5 My brother and a couple of my buddies have 2018+ 5.0s and the just don't tow as good as the 3.5 My son had a '14 FX4 SCrew Gen1 3.5 and it towed better than the 5.0s in our snowmobile group. He now has a STX Sport SE 2.7 and it's ridiculous how fast that truck is. Haven't towed with it ever, but I know it would be fine towing 7-7,500 with 3.55s


Do I miss my 5.0? Not really. Best MPGs I got was 18.5 and it was only slightly faster than my Raptor (because of the weight) Only thing I don't miss about the Raptor is the 13.5 avg MPGs.


If I want to go fast, I have a Supercharged Cobra that I did a 4R70W swap. ???

Wow, that cobra sounds fun! I was thinking along the same lines. I should buy my truck to be the best possible truck it can be. (Towing, hauling, etc) If all i care about is being loud i can pick up a muscle car or whatnot for that aspect... In all honesty I think my current 2.7L is the fastest vehicle i've ever owned and has a magnaflow exhaust which I think sounds good. Not loud but deep tone. Ive never had anyone make fun of the sound and have had 2 people compliment the sound in my 2.5 years of owning it. So I think the fact that my truck will look badass and could be towing a 12,000lb trailer outweighs the sound coming from it. And with the 5.0L i'd probably get the same amount of compliments as complaints, haha. I think 3.5L with a light exhaust and a nice whistle will be enough music to my ears. Plus we get the fake V8 sound pumped in anyways.. ?

I was 99.9% going to switch to the V8. Until I decided to make this thread. You all have given me plenty of confidence in my original decision. And the fact it will arrive in august (I hope and think) makes me excited all over again! Also the 3.5L is about $4000 cheaper because of the discounts i received at order... The more i break it down, the more sense the 3.5L makes. I wish i didnt have another 1.5 months to deliberate..

 

[Antimatter Tremor]

Wow, that cobra sounds fun!




I was thinking along the same lines. I should buy my truck to be the best possible truck it can be. (Towing, hauling, etc) If all i care about is being loud i can pick up a muscle car or whatnot for that aspect... In all honesty I think my current 2.7L is the fastest vehicle i've ever owned and has a magnaflow exhaust which I think sounds good. Not loud but deep tone. Ive never had anyone make fun of the sound and have had 2 people compliment the sound in my 2.5 years of owning it. So I think the fact that my truck will look badass and could be towing a 12,000lb trailer outweighs the sound coming from it. And with the 5.0L i'd probably get the same amount of compliments as complaints, haha. I think 3.5L with a light exhaust and a nice whistle will be enough music to my ears. Plus we get the fake V8 sound pumped in anyways.. ?

I was 99.9% going to switch to the V8. Until I decided to make this thread. You all have given me plenty of confidence in my original decision. And the fact it will arrive in august (I hope and think) makes me excited all over again! Also the 3.5L is about $4000 cheaper because of the discounts i received at order... The more i break it down, the more sense the 3.5L makes. I wish i didnt have another 1.5 months to deliberate..

It is. Going with the 4R70 instead of a TKO or T56 was the best decision ever. When I'm on it, it's always in the boost. Even power shifting, there's a slight bit of time where you're shifting that you're not in the boost. With an auto, that's not the case.



The 2.7 is a great engine. My brother had a '15 or '16 F150 with a 2.7. With the 6spd it was a slug when you hooked a trailer up to it. With the 10spd, it's a completely different story. My son's '20 STX is night and day better than my brothers old 2016. I tried to talk my brother into another 2.7 when he was getting a new truck. But that 6spd and the 2.7 left a bad taste in his mouth. He went with a 5.0. It's definitely better than the 2.7 towing, but he doesn't tow that often of that much weight. He definitely could get by with a 2.7 , he just didn't get another one because he hated the one he had with the 6spd.

 

[Trucky McTruckface]

Tuning unfortunately hasn’t been cracked yet for either engine, and with the encrypted ecu’s and the over the air updates may cause serious delays for any reputable tuners..

Im still getting the ecoboost, but will just have to patiently wait to crank it up. Intercooler right now is gonna be the best power added at this point.

Any idea if previous Gen intercoolers will fit the same? Any recommendations on one? I have an Air Raid CAI that i took off my 2019 2.7L ecoboost, im assuming it fits the 2021 3.5L eco? I want to get this truck as ready as it can for when tuners are available..

 

[12Lariat21]

I picked up my 3.5 EB Lariat about a week and half ago, and I can say that the 3.5 from inside the truck sounds great! I don't know if ford is pumping some sound to the cab or what they have going on, but when I get into 3/4 throttle it sounds like growls!

Granted there will never be an exhaust system that will make a turboed v-6 sound good from the outside, Especially when compared to a V8, but ford did something right with driver experience, where it at least sounds good within the cab.

I also have the max tow, 6.5ft bed, 3.55 gears, and driving with cruise around +5 over speed limit I was able muster 20 mpg on it, and with a week of my normal commute and a combination of city/highway driving the lifetime average is down 19 mpg but my 2012 would average 15 mpg so I'm overly please with the mileage you can get out of the 3.5 EB, granted the more you are into the turbos, that is going to drop significantly.

 

[Doyouevenboost]

Any idea if previous Gen intercoolers will fit the same? Any recommendations on one? I have an Air Raid CAI that i took off my 2019 2.7L ecoboost, im assuming it fits the 2021 3.5L eco? I want to get this truck as ready as it can for when tuners are available..

No confirmed fitments on anything I’ve seen to date.

 

[Trucky McTruckface]

I picked up my 3.5 EB Lariat about a week and half ago, and I can say that the 3.5 from inside the truck sounds great! I don't know if ford is pumping some sound to the cab or what they have going on, but when I get into 3/4 throttle it sounds like growls!

Granted there will never be an exhaust system that will make a turboed v-6 sound good from the outside, Especially when compared to a V8, but ford did something right with driver experience, where it at least sounds good within the cab.

I also have the max tow, 6.5ft bed, 3.55 gears, and driving with cruise around +5 over speed limit I was able muster 20 mpg on it, and with a week of my normal commute and a combination of city/highway driving the lifetime average is down 19 mpg but my 2012 would average 15 mpg so I'm overly please with the mileage you can get out of the 3.5 EB, granted the more you are into the turbos, that is going to drop significantly.

You know, i gotta say, I had the fake engine noise on my 2.7 eco and i removed it through Forscan. I dont know why. Youre right, it actually did sound really good.. I just did what everyone was telling me to do. But in all honesty, if I get the 3.5L i will keep that noise cause yes, it actually does sound pretty accurate. The sound of the V8 with the power and performance of the Ecoboost? What we all want right? Haha. Well except for that exhaust thingy...

 

[Trucky McTruckface]

I have an update on this... I have 100% made my decision to go with the 3.5L ecoboost. My 2 reasons for this decision is first and foremost, all of your feedback (all of which says go for the 3.5L) So thank you for helping put my mind at ease.. Secondly, I just got back from the dealer and test drove both engines back to back. So i arrived in a 2.7L, test drove a 3.5L, then test drove a 5.0L, then headed back home in my 2.7L. When i first started the 5.0L I looked at my buddy (my dealer as well... for cars not other stuff) and i said to him, this must be warmed up hey? But no, the RPMs were at 1500 so it was a cold start. VERY underwhelmed... So whatever, lets see what she sounds like revved up. Revved er up, looked at my buddy again and laughed and said, dude, this is a V6. He said it was a V8. Whatever. Took it for a rip. Floored it, red lined it, sport moded it... Buddy, theres no whistle, this is the 3.3L V6, stop fucking with me. (Which he would do). No, its the V8 he said. I told him when we get back and I pop the hood and I see its a V8 I am 100% buying the 3.5L. Got back, WTF!! It was a V8. I now have ZERO clue what these V8 guys are talking about when they say growl and V8 rumble. This thing was a pussy cat. It sounded exactly the same as my 2.7L (which i removed the fake engine noise on). Actually it sounded worse because there was no turbo whistle. Even right now I still cant believe it wasnt a trick of some sort to make me not buy the V8. As im aware the employees are told to push the ecoboosts to give ford a greener image. (Although mileage says otherwise) Well, anyhow, im super happy now cause i dont have to think about this anymore... Im still shocked and really curious as to what i missed, but from MY personal experience, if you choose the V8 over the 3.5L eco, you're a nut. The ecoboosts were rocket ships after I drove the 5.0L. Now ive heared clips on youtube of the coyote and it did sound good. But in real life, i didnt hear a thing. So my decision had to come down to power. Which we all know is a no brainer... So again, thank you all for your help and if anyone else is on the fence, drive both back to back. Dont take anyones word for it.

 

[Rod507]

I have an update on this... I have 100% made my decision to go with the 3.5L ecoboost. My 2 reasons for this decision is first and foremost, all of your feedback (all of which says go for the 3.5L) So thank you for helping put my mind at ease.. Secondly, I just got back from the dealer and test drove both engines back to back. So i arrived in a 2.7L, test drove a 3.5L, then test drove a 5.0L, then headed back home in my 2.7L. When i first started the 5.0L I looked at my buddy (my dealer as well... for cars not other stuff) and i said to him, this must be warmed up hey? But no, the RPMs were at 1500 so it was a cold start. VERY underwhelmed... So whatever, lets see what she sounds like revved up. Revved er up, looked at my buddy again and laughed and said, dude, this is a V6. He said it was a V8. Whatever. Took it for a rip. Floored it, red lined it, sport moded it... Buddy, theres no whistle, this is the 3.3L V6, stop fucking with me. (Which he would do). No, its the V8 he said. I told him when we get back and I pop the hood and I see its a V8 I am 100% buying the 3.5L. Got back, WTF!! It was a V8. I now have ZERO clue what these V8 guys are talking about when they say growl and V8 rumble. This thing was a pussy cat. It sounded exactly the same as my 2.7L (which i removed the fake engine noise on). Actually it sounded worse because there was no turbo whistle. Even right now I still cant believe it wasnt a trick of some sort to make me not buy the V8. As im aware the employees are told to push the ecoboosts to give ford a greener image. (Although mileage says otherwise) Well, anyhow, im super happy now cause i dont have to think about this anymore... Im still shocked and really curious as to what i missed, but from MY personal experience, if you choose the V8 over the 3.5L eco, you're a nut. The ecoboosts were rocket ships after I drove the 5.0L. Now ive heared clips on youtube of the coyote and it did sound good. But in real life, i didnt hear a thing. So my decision had to come down to power. Which we all know is a no brainer... So again, thank you all for your help and if anyone else is on the fence, drive both back to back. Dont take anyones word for it.

BOOM! And that’s how is done.

congrats on your decision and ease of mind! Plus the space white is a beaut

 

[Trucky McTruckface]

BOOM! And that’s how is done.

congrats on your decision and ease of mind! Plus the space white is a beaut

Thanks!! ETA is Aug 11th! I have what i think is a pretty cool build with aftermarket stuff so i will keep everyone informed on how everything fits and looks!

 

[12Lariat21]

You know, i gotta say, I had the fake engine noise on my 2.7 eco and i removed it through Forscan. I dont know why. Youre right, it actually did sound really good.. I just did what everyone was telling me to do. But in all honesty, if I get the 3.5L i will keep that noise cause yes, it actually does sound pretty accurate. The sound of the V8 with the power and performance of the Ecoboost? What we all want right? Haha. Well except for that exhaust thingy...

So it is a fake noise! Figures, those sneaky bastards. So is it noise they put into the speakers or how do they accomplish it.

 

[Trucky McTruckface]

So it is a fake noise! Figures, those sneaky bastards. So is it noise they put into the speakers or how do they accomplish it.

Yes, apparently its done through the speakers. And I heard it was the sound of their Coyote engine.. You're absolutely right about tailoring to the driver experience because fake or not, it does sound pretty real. I was under the impression it was real at first too. Only when i was reading about Forscan mods did i see one to remove fake engine noise. Then i looked it up, and only then i realized it was fake. I mean, I guess i shoulda known but it was my first new truck and i had zero experience with ford engines.. I will keep the noise on my new truck.

 

[mclroy]

Hi, I'll start by mentioning I currently drive a 2019 2.7 ecoboost XLT. I have ordered 2 new 2021's (You'll understand why) and I need to decide which I want.

So my first order - 02/25/21

Space White, Supercab, 4x4, XLT
3.5L Ecoboost, 302A High, FX4, Sport package, Max Tow, 360 camera, work surface, B&O sound, spray in, wheel liners, Tow mirrors, 20" 6 spoke black wheels.

So this was one of those orders that got pretty delayed from the kansas shut down. It was built on june 26th and ETA is Aug. 22. So i figure i have until about then to make up my mind. I asked my buddy at the dealership mid june if we could order another to see if it come faster... But really i wanted to change one major thing.. He agreed. So on 06/16/21 I made another order for the same truck with a few changes. Which are :

5.0L V8, 2KW onboard power, 3.73 locking, NO FX4, NO Max tow, 18" standard whatever wheels.

So I made the change because I think I want a truck that sounds bad ass. Or do I want a truck that can be tuned easily and fast as hell? I dont know.. I already have 20" rims and tires and performance shocks ready to go on so that was the main reason for the FX4 and 20" wheel delete. And I've never towed but planning on towing a boat or like 18' trailer at some point of owning so figure Max Tow wasnt necessary..The 2KW power is not a game changer but something i didnt think to add the first time. Probably be handy once and a while. So my overall question is which one would you choose? And dont say whatever will work best for me please. Both will be great. So it has to come down to what everyone else thinks is coolest... Thanks for reading ?

The second that you ordered is exactly the copy of the one i ordered on march 17. Lariat 5.0 501A, 18 in tires, no max tow, 360 camera, bed liner, power tailgate, 3.73 4x4, blue velocity. I actually own a 2015 3.5 eco. I choose the 5.0 because all that years i missed the rumble of the V8. The 3.5 tow great and i never had an issue. But i tow about 6500lbs. So i like better to have the sound instead of the full power. By the way i drove the V8 and i can tell you that i will not miss the 3.5 power. For my needs.

Sponsored