Aluminum F-150

[paiceman]

Vehicles on dealer lots are most often still on a Floor Plan through the manufacturer. The floor can be no payments for 90 days, interest only for longer etc. They can and often are structured depending on the vehicle and what the manufacturer wants to move at the time. Always keep in mind with government cafe standards the manufacturers need to sell X number of high mileage vehicles for every low mileage vehicle they sell ie our tow vehicles.

I would never pay MSRP, someone said start at X plan which is a good starting point. Also, I use Edmunds to determine the actual cost of the new vehicle as well as every option I want on the vehicle and then the value of my trade. I also back check with KBB and Black Book as well as NADA. With all four I go in for a discussion. If it does not or is not going my way, I thank them and walk. Fortunately I have a Ford dealer from whom I've purchased over 100 vehicles through the years for pleasure and for business, employees pick up trucks and SUVs mainly so they know me and my "policy" and I simply go in and order what I want, get the Y plan and dicker a little on trade.

Good Luck

Originally Posted by KJRitchie

Sorry, I asked this question before but when you are ordering a vehicle do you pay MSRP or can you negotiate the price? Vehicles sitting on dealers lots must accrue finance charges so is the dealer more likely to have more room to negotiate? Also given the options you choose can they tell you the range of expected payload?

Kelvin

[DKB_SATX]

Last week, Ford FINALLY released their official MPG figures for the 2015 F150s. They're showing improvement across the board over their 2014 truck, and crowing about the 2.7l EcoBoost having the highest official highway MPG for a full-sized gasoline-powered truck. It's still 2 mpg shy of the RAM EcoDiesel numbers, but the 2.7L F150 can be had cheaper and the lower cost of unleaded vs. diesel tilts the comparison there as well, so it's a decent choice for fuel misers, but the Ford engine isn't available in the really fancy trucks.

[Morgan guy]

I had heard that Ford was going to change from Microsoft to Blackberry for their SYNC system. My current SYNC system is a pain in the rear. Microsoft did not so a good job of developing a bug free system. Has anyone heard of this change by Ford and know the status of it. Is it on the 2015 models?

[Chuck]

how is "3000lbs +" payload a 1/2-ton truck?
Holy Cow!

[DKB_SATX]

Originally Posted by Chuck

how is "3000lbs +" payload a 1/2-ton truck?
Holy Cow!

It requires a VERY particular configuration to get anywhere close to that. I suspect the ones on the high side of 3k lb will all be Regular Cab trucks, and the ones in the high 2k range in Supercab and SuperCrew configs will mostly be XLs and base-config XLTs with the HD Payload option (read: LONG wheelbase) just like the previous generation.

For popular configs (blinged-out SuperCrews) at least there's a noteworthy increase from a similarly-configured 2014.

[KJRitchie]

I found this window sticker of a 2015 F150. Notice the 3.5L Ecoboost is a $1995 option vs the 2014 $1095 price. The 36 gallon fuel tank is a $195 option. It has a 7700 GVWR. I wonder what the useable load is on this?

Kelvin

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by KJRitchie

I found this window sticker of a 2015 F150. Notice the 3.5L Ecoboost is a $1995 option vs the 2014 $1095 price. The 36 gallon fuel tank is a $195 option. It has a 7700 GVWR. I wonder what the useable load is on this?

Kelvin

I suspect you can get those "extra" items included with certain packages, plus other "stuff"?

[Rocinante]

The only way I know of to be certain what a given truck can carry is to weigh it with a driver and a full tank of gas, deducting that figure from the GVWR. The dealer won't know or care when he tries to give guidance, so my current theory is that it's on you to try and get a weigh-in during your test drive.


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[graysailor]

Appears to have a payload capacity of close to 2000lbs. That is pretty descent.

[KJRitchie]

Some 2015s are showing up on local Ford websites. I downloaded a couple of window stickers for 3.5L EB Supercrew and despite being 4x4 they only had 23 gal fuel tanks. I guess the 36 gal is not automatic for 4x4 and an option.

Kelvin

[reelfastgreg]

i didn't find their mileage numbers very impressive. i know the RAM 1/2 ton uses a very slick shifting 8 speed automatic to get their numbers. that would have been a worthy addition to the new F150 or even to an upcoming revised Tundra. the premium for an aluminum body, at least for me, would have to suggest much better mileage numbers than those released.

[slowmover]

I see talk about ten speed automatics for Detroit. MPG will continue to climb.

[graysailor]

Yes, for the 2015 the larger 36 gallon tank must be specified. I have 36 gallon tank on my 2013 and very nice for extending your range when towing.

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by slowmover

I see talk about ten speed automatics for Detroit. MPG will continue to climb.

Just drove our 2012 F150 EB 44, SuperCab 1,230 miles (no AS in tow) from San Diego to our place in MT, average speed 70-80MPH. Read an earlier thread here about 87-88 octane giving better mileage than 85-86; I switched to the higher octane and noticed 3 miles better~ 18.4mpg for this trip. Typically I average 14-15 on this trip. Did not try 90+ octane...not sure if that would improve more?

[TinTin]

Originally Posted by gypsydad

Just drove our 2012 F150 EB 44, SuperCab 1,230 miles (no AS in tow) from San Diego to our place in MT, average speed 70-80MPH. Read an earlier thread here about 87-88 octane giving better mileage than 85-86; I switched to the higher octane and noticed 3 miles better~ 18.4mpg for this trip. Typically I average 14-15 on this trip. Did not try 90+ octane...not sure if that would improve more?

If you look around the web on this subject, most sources will say that higher octane won't improve mileage significantly. There will be more power per stroke, and improved performance in engines designed and tuned for higher octane, but for some reason these factors will not result in improved mileage.

I've played at trying to improve mileage for years with various RVs. My unscientific results: reducing speed can help somewhat, but the biggest factor seems to be wind velocity and direction. Love those tailwinds.

[reelfastgreg]

if your engine is not tuned for higher octane, you are wasting your money at the pump. i am sure your vehicle's owner's manual suggests the octane level for which the engine has been optimized. i'd stick with that recommendation. speed, weight, wind, probably in that order, limit what you can reasonably expect to achieve.

i also believe folks tend to think too small when considering tow vehicles. 'just enough' sometimes gets you worse mileage than going a step bigger. right now i can attest to the fact that the Ford 6.7 diesel is a real winner on both tow power and mileage numbers. i had considered the eco boost 6 cylinder but dismissed the notion sometime ago as i expected the mileage numbers to tank. folks i know that use that engine confirm my supposition.

current tow vehicle is a Ford F350 crewcab, 4x4, pretty much standard fare out this way, and towing a 25FB at highway speeds up to about 70, getting 15.5 via long division. not towing, this truck gets 22.5 at those same highway speeds. but most important, i can maintain any speed i choose both up and down the mountain passes.

[graysailor]

In the trucking business I learned early on that bigger was better. Maybe not so much with fuel milage but the engines worked much less with more horsepower.

My Ford dealer talked me out of a diesel because of the higher maintenance costs and in his opinion the EcoBoost was the way to go.

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by graysailor

In the trucking business I learned early on that bigger was better. Maybe not so much with fuel milage but the engines worked much less with more horsepower.

My Ford dealer talked me out of a diesel because of the higher maintenance costs and in his opinion the EcoBoost was the way to go.

My Ford dealer talked me out of moving to the diesel also...said why pay the extra costs of maintenance and fuel? Said for 7K-8K~ pound trailer, EB is what he would be using....still wondering about the fuel...going from sea level in SD to 4K+ altitude in MT, I did notice fuel improvement...could also be less ethanol?

[SCOTTinNJ]

Originally Posted by slowmover

I see talk about ten speed automatics for Detroit. MPG will continue to climb.

It's more than talk, it's nearly complete. This article suggests 2017 model year.

"The rumor has it the first prototypes were installed in test vehicles late last year, and the controller software development is in full swing right now. Unless the software team is working extra fast, 2015 CY is unlikely. Likewise for the production tooling, I doubt that it is possible to tool up this transmission within 18 months of first vehicles level prototypes. While it is possible that this transmission shows up for 2016 model year in late 2015, it seems more likely that it actually does not show up till the middle of 2016 for 2017 model year vehicles."

I think the real sweet spot for purchasing this truck is going to be 2017/18 after the aluminum and 10 speed have been out a while.