longevity of the 3.5L ecoboost engine

I prefer the sound of a V8...such as the 5 liter...to a boosted V6.
That's just me and I know my love for the sound of a healthy V8 is in the minority.

Fordlover, thanks for the post and info. It is comforting to see some of these with reasonably high miles. I've not been overly concerned, but it creeps in my mind.

We've towed about 10k miles with ours, and it has never missed a beat. It has been more than we need in all situations.

Melanie, the power difference from your minivan to the 3.5 Ecoboost had to be amazing. But how do you feel about the handling and the ride, by way of comparison? Were there other factors that made an impression on you?

Enterprise Rent-A-Truck, Budget, Herz Equipment rental, Penske, United Rentals and probably others all have tow vehicles for rent. They are marketed for commercial users, which is the only reason you don't here much about it.

Also, many Ford dealers have a rental department, and some allow towing if you pay the extra surcharge.

Even some van rental outfits likeBandago allow towing.

Quick somewhat-related question: How did you rent a pickup truck such that it allowed towing? Every vehicle I've rented (well, short of box trucks) came with an agreement that specifically prohibited towing a trailer. Test-towing a trailer before buying the tow vehicle sounds like a great idea.

Melanie83103 wrote:
It was such an amazing step up from our minivan. I had no idea that towing with a minivan was so different than towing with a truck.

and you wonder why many of us don't recommend a minivan to tow a TT.:R

Well, if you are worried about the Turbo, there's Ford's 5L V8 which also has a good rep.

But it has less power at low rpms than the EcoB so, when towing, the engine will be running faster. Personally, I prefer the low rpm power of the 3.5L EcoBoost. We love ours and work it hard. But only about 50K miles so far.

If you are towing a lighter trailer, and buying a new 2015, you might also consider an F150 with the 2.7L EcoB. A lot of folks have been impressed with its capabilities. Or if good mileage while towing a lighter trailer is important, then the RAM 1500 with the EcoDiesel would be a good choice.

Point is: any of these trucks will be a major improvement for towing over your van. And these days, they are all very "car-like" in ride and comfort. (one of the reasons so many pickups are sold).

And like others have said: make sure the truck, or any vehicle, has enough PAYLOAD for your trailer.

Of course, nobody knows for sure, since it has only been out 4 years now. But I spend a lot of time on an Ecoboost forum, and it doesn't seem that there are a disproportionate amount of problems compared to other engines.

I love mine, and would have no qualms about buying another one. IMO, it is the best towing 1/2 ton engine out there.

Actually, now that the Ecoboost has been out for 4+ years, the miles are starting to pile up on some of them. A quick filtered search on autotrader.com showed the entire first page filled with Ecoboosts each with over 100K miles. One had 226K miles, another had 196K miles, another with 172K. You get the idea.



150K miles shouldn't be an issue for ANY engine in ANY mass production vehicle these days. My wife's previous turbocharged volvo went well over 100K miles without any engine issues, but we had to sell because we started a family and needed baby seat room. I still see it occasionally in the area.

One last thought, if you buy an ecoboost, you'll be in good company: Ford produces 5 millionth car with EcoBoost engine

Thanks! Just PM'd him.