This is off the Ford dealers web site that I bought my truck from (north side ford in SA). If you go to the web site you will also find an additional $5,000 bonus cash. Their site says the bonus (not the $5,000, but what I posted below) doesn't apply on the ecoboost but at the end of 2011 I made sure it did (through negotiation) because they were hard pressed to get them off the lot (that was part of my haggling).

Take it or leave it...I paid $29,000 for my 2011 ecoboost in december of 2011. You'd be surprised how many of those rebate apply at the end of the year.

From http://apps.dealerconnection.com/dealers...lerPACode=04410

1 Valid from 2012-01-27 to 2012-04-02.
$1,500 Customer Cash (PGM #12040) + $1,000 Ford Credit Bonus Cash (PGM #12042) + $1,000 XLT Bonus Cash (PGM #12046) + $500 Bonus Cash (PGM #12082) + $1,000 Trade-In Assistance Bonus Cash (PGM #33948). Bonus Cash and Trade-In Assistance Bonus Cash not available on EcoBoost. Trade-In Assistance Bonus Cash requires trade-in of 1995 or newer vehicle, or terminate lease 30 days prior to or 90 days after new retail delivery. Ford Credit Bonus Cash requires Ford Credit financing; not all buyers will qualify. All offers not available on F-150 Raptor. Residency restrictions apply. For all offers, take new retail delivery from dealer stock by 4/2/2012. See dealer for qualifications and complete details.

A quick search on autotrader.com around the DFW or other large market will show multiple 2011 models brand new under $30K.

Yes, a 4x4 will make a very large difference when trying to get out the door for under $30K

You might have said it but somebody else didn't read it because their comment was it takes 200k to pay for the $5400 upgrade. Dumb comment by the way.

Im waiting mass produced CNG trucks. I know Ford tinkered with it in the late 90's and early 2000, but the infrastructure wasn't there. There is a CNG fuel station in the town I live in. The Chickasaw Nation is working on converting all there vehicles to CNG. I figure its just a matter of time.

He would have to get the truck for around $27k+ttl to get OTD at $29k.

Why is that a dumb comment? It would take a long, long time to pay back. Maybe I think it's stupid to compare the ecoboost to a V8 because I just don't trust it the way I do a proven V8 motor.

You want to compare a v6 to my inline 6 cummins? Apples to oranges in power, but they are both 6 cylinders. The ecos have been out for a few years now, how many complaints have you heard about? If you don't want one don't buy one! I have the Explorer eco boost and so far it's been pretty good, in a year or so I'll buy a eco truck too. And the 200k comment is stupid, if you want great gas mileage buy a car. If you want power to pull light/medium duty trailers and have decent power the eco is a good option. A regular v6 won't pull squat.

I guess I don't understand your Cummins comment. We'll just have to agree to disagree. As a fan of the eco, I'm surprised to hear you say "if you want great gas mileage, get a car". You still have to pay for gas, so it should still be part of the equation. If gas wasn't important, wouldn't you just save the $900 and get the more proven V8 motor? I think you're making my point for me...

Gas is part of the equation but it takes forever to pay back because it's a $5400 upgrade. The only argument for the eco is gas mileage, and that argument doesn't hold up.

Patriot the eco is fords plan to phase out the v8 entirely in the 1/2ton market. This is what I have heard from a few techs. Is it true????? don't know. Get used to hearing about turbo charged 6 cylinders in the 1/2ton market or get out of the half ton market. It's the future. Believe me when I say I thought I would NEVER buy a 6 cylinder in a 1/2 ton about 5 years ago when all this jibberish started. Guess what.....Patriot, have you watched any of the videoes on the ecoboost? Check them out. Why would ford lie in there test? they have ALOT ALOT ALOT riding on this engine and the technology within. They are the #1 seller of 1/2 tons in the world. I don't think they are going to jeopardize that whith an engine that is a piece of carp.

Thanks fellas!

Lots of good discussion/banter on value, power, price, etc.

So nitro, in your opinion if you're a do-it-yourselfer, working on the eco-boost 3-4 years down the road to replace such things as an alternator, water pump, belts, etc. shouldn't be a problem with two turbos under the hood?

That's my primary concern, though you already addressed accessibility of the spark plugs, apparently no forseeable problem with that maintenance item.

Eco-boost / turbo tech sounds very promising.

Heck, I remember only two years ago when the nay-sayers were digging their heels in on the premise that 4-strokes would never work on the back of a high performance bass boat!

That said, those four stroke outboards are not inexpensive and take mechanical understanding to work on 'em to a whole nother level!

If the ecoboost is a 5400 dollar option, then you have to consider the 5.0 a 4300 dollar option as well.

I agree the ecoboost is not comparable to the base v-6, it is designed and so far is doing a great job of replacing the v-8 option.

matt

The 200,000+ miles to pay back the $5400 capital outlay is not a dumb comment. It is just basic math. If someone spends $5400 and expects a quick payback on MPGs alone then they are a fool. If someone spends $5400 because the need or want the power and all else that goes with the upgrade then it makes sense. The MPGs should be treated as a bonus and not the main reason to spend the money. $5.00 gas in the near future was a dumb comment. If gas goes to $5 before net income rises porportionately we will no sitting around talking about eco boosts. Look at what $4 gas started.

As long as you don't count Chevy and GMC as the same company, right?

Maybe I'm just too old school to think about a turbo V6 as a replacement for the V8. I'm not saying it's not better as a fact. I'm just not sold it as a V8 replacement. Have not watched the videos. Too much bad blood in the past with Ford to even consider it. Me or someone in my family has owned two Fords and they were both total pieces of junk.

I originally just got into this thread to find out how much the upgrade cost because I couldn't believe the $29k figure, and then I sure couldn't believe it was a $5400 upgrade. Maybe my mistake was like Matt said (and I think the same point you were trying to make) that it needs to be compared to the V8, not the V6. I've had several trucks with the GM 4.3L V6 and towed boats and trailers with no problem, so I have no problem with the half ton V6 market. That's probably what my next truck will have. The specs on the ecoboost are certainly impressive, but that probably only matters if you need the power of a V8, which I don't. I would be getting the eco purely as a gas savings option if I went that route.

Anyway, I wasn't trying to start up anything. I am still impressed at getting OTD at $29k with that truck. After you subtract out TT&L (roughly $2000) and the $5400 upgrade, that means you could have had that same truck with the non-eco for $21.5k + TT&L. That's some very good rebates and a good dealer who isn't trying to make much on it.

I have a brother who is a car salesman. He's told me several times that with new cars, it is all about timing those rebates right. Dealers just don't make enough on the new cars to make much of a difference in price (usually a dealer is making less than $750 unless you don't haggle at all). You pick the dealer based on customer service.

Yes the 5400 taking 200k to pay back is stupid. You are comparing it as a v6 motor then. The ecoboost is an equivalent or better than the v-8's so it compares as one and is only a little under 900 dollars. The debate isnt should I get a half ton v-6 or the ecoboost, it is between v-8 and ecoboost, from what I see and there is only a 900 dollar dif to make up. A v-6 half ton is a car with a bed, the ecobost is a truck.

matt

Wow this is so simple and yet so hard for a few of you.

1. If you want great gas mileage, buy a car!

2. If you have to have a truck and don't need to pull a trailer buy a V6!

3. If you need to pull an occasional light duty trailer (boat, flatbed, etc.) and you want good gas mileage buy a eco boost!

4. If you need to pull an occasional light duty trailer (boat, flatbed, etc.) and you don't care about gas mileage as much buy a V8!

5. If you need to pull a heavy duty trailer you buy a 3/4 or 1 ton and the gas mileage sucks OR diesel is expensive!

6. Nobody is forcing you to buy an eco boost, so if you don't like don't buy it!

7. All car manufacturers are making it harder to work on cars/trucks, just a fact of life. On the Mercedes we traded in there wasn't even a dipstick for the transmission and the oil had to be sucked out throught the dipstick tube.

8. I hope chevy comes out with a turbo, competition is always good.

9. The 4 stroke comment was genius and never been a truer comment made. Yammy is proving that with the SHO.

You are comparing the V6 eco to a regular V6, they aren't the same thing. The Cummins is a 6cyl but in reality all 3 motors are completely different. It's not about the # of cylinders, it's about the hp. The eco can give the best of both (mpg & power) and that is its benefit for $900. Not sure why you don't see the difference? But then again I see plenty of people that have too much money buy diesels that never use the power they are really intended for. Eh hell, who cares?