Chevy guy shopping for a Ford F450, help please

[perfpix]

If you want a decent no haggle price: Join the Experimental Aircraft Association https://www.eaa.org/eaa and get Ford x-plan pricing plus $750 off.

As long as the dealer will do x-plan pricing you get these prices, no questions asked. Even the "doc" fee is limited to $100.

Once you join EAA you get a code to log into the Ford x-plan website http://fordpartner.com and you can use the Ford Build-A-Truck app and it will automatically calculate the x-plan price. If you buy a truck off the lot like I did, then the x-plan price is calculated by Ford. The only "haggling" involved is if you have a trade. The dealer can of course haggle on your trade value.

These are the base x-plan prices. All options are discounted by a similar percent.

Trim MSRP1 X-Plan1 Incentives2 Net Plan Price3
F-350 XLT $38,545 $36,881 $1,000 $37,476
F-350 LARIAT $47,310 $45,176 $1,000 $45,771
F-450 XL $47,375 $45,237 $1,000 $45,832
F-450 XLT $52,255 $49,855 $1,000 $50,450
F-350 King Ranch $58,085 $55,311 $1,000 $55,906
F-350 Platinum $63,000 $60,021 $1,000 $60,616
F-450 LARIAT $63,905 $60,878 $1,000 $61,473
F-450 King Ranch $72,340 $68,731 $1,000 $69,326
F-450 Platinum $75,585 $71,791 $1,000 $72,386
F-350 Limited $81,415 $77,220 $1,000 $77,815
F-450 Limited $86,505 $81,960 $1,000 $82,555

[powerscol]

If you want a decent no haggle price: Join the Experimental Aircraft Association https://www.eaa.org/eaa and get Ford x-plan pricing plus $750 off.

As long as the dealer will do x-plan pricing you get these prices, no questions asked. Even the "doc" fee is limited to $100.

Once you join EAA you get a code to log into the Ford x-plan website http://fordpartner.com and you can use the Ford Build-A-Truck app and it will automatically calculate the x-plan price. If you buy a truck off the lot like I did, then the x-plan price is calculated by Ford. The only "haggling" involved is if you have a trade. The dealer can of course haggle on your trade value.

These are the base x-plan prices. All options are discounted by a similar percent.

Trim MSRP1 X-Plan1 Incentives2 Net Plan Price3
F-350 XLT $38,545 $36,881 $1,000 $37,476
F-350 LARIAT $47,310 $45,176 $1,000 $45,771
F-450 XL $47,375 $45,237 $1,000 $45,832
F-450 XLT $52,255 $49,855 $1,000 $50,450
F-350 King Ranch $58,085 $55,311 $1,000 $55,906
F-350 Platinum $63,000 $60,021 $1,000 $60,616
F-450 LARIAT $63,905 $60,878 $1,000 $61,473
F-450 King Ranch $72,340 $68,731 $1,000 $69,326
F-450 Platinum $75,585 $71,791 $1,000 $72,386
F-350 Limited $81,415 $77,220 $1,000 $77,815
F-450 Limited $86,505 $81,960 $1,000 $82,555

John - did they drop the requirement to be a member for a year before using the x plan? It was that way before I joined them 12 years ago. Just wondering. However with him knowing the x plan numbers he has a place to start haggling.

[perfpix]

John - did they drop the requirement to be a member for a year before using the x plan? It was that way before I joined them 12 years ago. Just wondering. However with him knowing the x plan numbers he has a place to start haggling.

I think they did. I used it in 2015 and wasn't a member for a year. Here's the EAA webpage with the details: https://www.eaa.org/eaa/eaa-membersh...nition-program I don't see anything regarding a membership length requirement.

I also think the Ford Mustang Club has a similar benefit.

[TheLexx]

Yes, Mustang Club of America has a similar benefit. I used that to get the X-Plan. Also if you look on the Ford Truck forums, sometimes there's $750 private cash offers floating around. I used both to get the best deal. And this was at a time where there was only one single Ruby Red F450 in stock west of the Mississippi.

[perfpix]

Yes, Mustang Club of America has a similar benefit. I used that to get the X-Plan. Also if you look on the Ford Truck forums, sometimes there's $750 private cash offers floating around. I used both to get the best deal. And this was at a time where there was only one single Ruby Red F450 in stock west of the Mississippi.

You gotta love that Ruby Red! I'm on my second Ruby Red F350. I've received more compliments on the looks of these trucks than all the other vehicle's I've owned combined!

Nice Truck!

John

[TheLexx]

You gotta love that Ruby Red! I'm on my second Ruby Red F350. I've received more compliments on the looks of these trucks than all the other vehicle's I've owned combined!

Nice Truck!

John

Thanks man! It's a crazy color. I've had more folks come up to me and say "nice truck!" than any other vehicle I've ever owned. And that includes some nice German vehicles lol.

OP, you're going to love this truck. I wish you'd consider the adaptive cruise option. It just makes driving so much easier. BTW, I'm a total newbie at towing. Before I got this truck, I'd never owned a pickup before. And I'd certainly never towed ANYTHING in my life! With some lessons from RVschool.com, some practice, a good rear view camera on the trailer, and all the technology that came with the truck, I took the family on a 6000 mile summer trip last year. This year we're going to do a shorter 3000 mi trip so we can spend a month in British Columbia afterwards.

[howson]

Thanks guys. I am a curmudgeon...

Being old school, I am pretty amped up about the 4:30 differential. Yes, more RPMS, yes lower fuel mileage. But since my max towing speed is 60mph and the majority of the rest of my travels is basically around town, it works for me.

Gotta go find the weight charts....

Dallas-- just trying to help.

https://www.ford.com/services/assets...Duty&year=2019

The F-450 DRW 4x4 has one engine option (6.7 diesel) and one axle ratio option (4.3) with a max towing capacity of 32,500. But it has a little number 3 above it. If you look for that note it says, 5th-wheel tow rating limited to 5th-wheel hitch rating of 27,500 lbs.

The F-350 DRW has the same note. The chart shows a max 27.3K w/3.55 gears and 31.3K with 4.1 gears, but not with a 5th wheel hitch. That extra towing capacity is with a gooseneck (think "horse trailer").

Conclusion: your max 5th wheel towing is 27,500 whether you have a F-350 or F-450.

Your Momentum has a GVWR of 20K, right? So the 27.5K max figure aligns very well with the rig you are towing.

Now consider your payload goes down by >1K lbs from a F-350 to an F-450 (4x4, DRW, 176"WB, 14K GVWR)! (6550 vs 5310)

Finally, consider the horsepower and torque numbers of your current truck to my '17 (should be close to what they are new):
2013 397 @ 3,000 rpm 765 @ 1,600 rpm
2017 440 @ 2,800 925 @ 1,600

All that to write a F-350 DRW with the 3.55 gears will return the most bang for your buck for what you tow. I'd guess that the overwhelming majority of new SuperDuty owners here have those gears and tow without a worry.

The only real gain is the sharper turn radius of the 450. I've never tried it myself, so can't make a judgment on how much of a difference it makes.

If you get the 4.3 gears you'll literally be throwing money away every time you step on the loud pedal.

OK, I'll stop. Regardless of what you get you're going to like your new truck!

[Txfivver]

Very well said Howard! I too think the F-350 with 3:55 gears is the best overall combo to tow a heavy Solitude or Momentum. I wanted the heavier payload (mine is 5264 versus 4700ish) of the 350 and didn't want the higher RPM's of the lower gears on the highway. The biggest benefit of the diesel is the lower revs when towing. Whichever one you get Dallas you will love it, These new Super Duty's make towing heavy such a pleasurable experience!

[keywestparrothead]

I have owned nothing but Chevrolet since I was 16. If I could wait around for the Chevy 2020's I might. But my 2013 Chevy is getting tired. I just put 5k in repairs and I am not confident in it doing the Seattle/NJ/TX loop. A discussion for another day.

So I am shopping Ford F450's. Not being a Ford guy I have trouble with the trim lines, Platinum, Lariat, XLS, STC etc. I have found an F450 that I am interested in; Newburg Ford F450

I am still fussing over the higher truck bed rail problem, not sure it is a problem, will just have to set my Momentum 376 on it and see, of course that takes extra effort on the part of the dealer, it'll be interesting.

The differential ratio is going to be important.

I am a no frills kind of guy, it's just stuff that will break. I have driven duallies a long time without back up cameras, leather seats, dual zone, chrome, back up assist, moon roofs, auto slide rear windows, Bluetooth etc. I plan on owning this truck 5 years and traveling 120, 000 miles most of it pulling a 20k 5th wheel.

So let er rip, all advise and information is welcome. Really important package information, opinions on doo dads, must have's, useless junk, do's, don'ts, beware of's, all of it.

Having both the F450 (2015) King Ranch and the 376TH, I think they do pair very well. One recommendation I have is to bag the rear to level under load. I sit about 2-3" nose low when hitched, but am just barely sitting on the overload spring.

[CloseToRetirement]

I went from a 2015 SRW 3:55 gears to my new 2018 DRW 4:10 gears. Higher HP and torque on the new TV but my fuel mileage is actually better both loaded and unloaded over the 2015 by approximately 1 mpg (marginal but better nonetheless). The 2015 had 45,000 miles on it when I sold it so fuel mileage was well established. My 2018 only has 13,000 miles on it presently so hoping for a little more on mileage with time and miles.

The 2015 pulled my Solitude just fine but was over on my payload number. The 2018 seems stronger when towing but definitely well under the max payload number and more stable with the duallys on the rear.