I wanted a 6.5' also but my problem is with the extra wheel base. It looks like I could get hung up much easier with the screw 6.5'. I will be going from a scab 6.5' to a screw 5.5. Just my 2 cents.

 

sorry, but that information is wrong...

the limits on a business vehicle are determined by the GVWR of the vehicle...

http://www.cookco.us/truck_suv_tax_write_off.htm

the IRS doesn't want people to know about this...in the current manuals there is NO mention of this concept, only the limitation...

the last time I depreciated a vehicle was over 10 years ago...in the interim I was leasing...I got my 2007 with 0% financing and actually got a lower payment than if I had leased, so I jumped on it (before this deal I was forced to lease as I couldn't afford the payments to purchase)...the point being I had to relearn the math for depreciation...the first time I did the math (over a decade ago) the concept of GVWR limitations were clearly written in the available manuals from the IRS...THEY NO LONGER ARE!!!!!!!...when I called the IRS to talk to them about it they shuffled me around for over 2 hours and I still got no answer...while on hold for the next thief (that is the way I view IRS employees) I found the above website and proceeded to hang up on the IRS jerkwad who would NOT give me a straight answer....

the real point is that if you want a business/work truck then get a 6.5' bed (and that's still rather short)...I've noticed that Ford has continually made the GVWR of F-150's to be above the IRS limitations (since my first truck, a 1989 single cab 8' bed)

I've laughed in the face of people who wanted me to tote their stuff around because I had the longer bed...pffffft....I already have enough stuff to carry and I refuse to cover some other person's butt (and put extra wear on my truck) because they got a short bed work truck....its a work truck damn it not a damn SUV to look cool in! (actually my sense of proportion says the short beds look awkward not the other way around)

 

I like having a 6.5 bed!

 

My 6.5ft bed fits in my garage... barely but it fits. haha of course it won't once I put my 6" lift on it.

 

look forward to seeing that!

 

I've had both and I prefer the 5.5. It's a little easier to park and it's got a better break over angle if you ever take it off road. As an electrical contractor I have not had a problem working out of the smaller bed. I also prefer the look of the shorter bed. I have also made a deck about 18" off the floor to keep my tools under and am able to load material on the top side.

 

I guess my statement was incomplete...for TRUCKS the limitation on depreciation is unlimited if the GVWR is above 6,000 lbs...

for an SUV (which an F-150 is NOT (even though I put that quip in about 'open air SUV)) the IRS says the following:

Limit for sport utility and certain other vehicles. For sport utility and certain other vehicles placed in service in 2008, the portion of the vehicle's cost taken into account in figuring your section 179 deduction is limited to $25,000. This rule applies to any four-wheeled vehicle primarily designed or used to carry passengers over public streets, roads, or highways, that is not subject to any of the passenger automobile limits explained under Depreciation Limits , later, and that is rated at no more than 14,000 pounds gross vehicle weight. However, the $25,000 limit does not apply to any vehicle:

*

Designed to have a seating capacity of more than nine persons behind the driver's seat,
*

Equipped with a cargo area of at least 6 feet in interior length that is an open area or is designed for use as an open area but is enclosed by a cap and is not readily accessible directly from the passenger compartment, or
*

That has an integral enclosure, fully enclosing the driver compartment and load carrying device, does not have seating rearward of the driver's seat, and has no body section protruding more than 30 inches ahead of the leading edge of the windshield.



People are obviously getting confused by this...again a truck is NOT an SUV...

if you take the time to wade through this: http://www.irs.gov/publications/p463/index.html

you will find confusion, and IMHO direct avoidance of the concept of NO LIMITATIONS for a TRUCK with a GVWR of over 6,000 lbs

 

well, you are right, no cargo management system or side steps with the 5.5 foot bed.

I don't know if there's any aftermarket cargo mgt. systems, but there are universal side steps out there: http://www.realtruck.com/bully_steps...1496P1C1T.html


as far as the bed size debate, it's all personal preference and how you will use your truck. For me, I don't haul that much, but when I do, I still can haul just about anything I want in my 5.5 foot bed, sometimes you just have to put the tailgate down and use some tie down straps.

 

Overall, I am glad that I got the 6.5ft, I did not get the CMS, but I really like the side steps. It is one long SOB though.

 

After reading through this thread a couple times, I felt the need to comment on another aspect of the bed size which is wheelbase.

I've owned 2 different wheelbase F-150's on three different configurations of cab/bed size.

Scab w/6.5 bed - 145" WB
Scab w/5.5 bed - 133" WB
Screw w/5.5 bed - 145" WB
I've also driven a Screw w/6.5 bed - 157" WB

My daily drive in the winter takes me 42 miles over mountains - all paved roads - that are very poorly maintained. I will drive in anything from 1/2" slush to 8" snow on a regular basis.

I find that the shorter wheelbase trucks perform better than the longer as far as traction/handling is concerned.

Since my latest purchase, I absolutely wanted a Screw, I went with the 5.5 bed mostly because of trying to keep the wheelbase as short as possible.

I guess my point here is that depending on your cab configuration, your bed size will also determine your wheelbase - and the wheelbase was a prime consideration for me.

Sure, I'd love to have a 6.5 bed, but bought a 5.5 to keep the wheelbase down.

 

I know there is a GVW rule, but my Tax accountant is the one that told me to avoid buying any pickups, no matter what GVW was with beds shorter than 6 foot, or to just be aware the there was a 25k Cap just like on an SUV if I do buy any with beds under 6 foot. I pay him to know the Tax codes for my business. I was just repeating what he told me.

I have herd or read other people post the same informantion on different forums as well about the 25k limit on tucks with under 6 ft beds. For example there were some of the GM guys that were complaing that GM did not offer a crew with a 6 foot plus bed for there tax purposes, also herd the same thing from somne dodge guys wanting the new Crew cab dodges but they only had 5 foot beds as well.

So as far as I am aware that even if it has over 6k GVW that it still has to have a 6 foot plus bed to avoid the 25k cap.

 

Here is a link that might explane this better than I did, but it states must have 6 foot of bed or more pretty clear to me.

http://www.section179.org/section_17...eductions.html

 

I admit to having gotten a little mixed up and confused on this subject...

first: there is a big difference between a depreciation limit and a schedule 179 limit...

I depreciate and do NOT include anything via a schedule 179...from what I understand a 179 deduction can be used in cases where you don't have the ability to pay all of your taxes so you, for all intensive purposes, deduct future depreciation in the present...in a nutshell its a way of claiming an expense that is meant to be depreciated over time at once...by doing this you of course negate any future ability to continue taking a depreciation write off on your taxes (though of course you are still able to deduct the business portion of gas/insurance/maintenance/etc)...evidently there is now another limit on that type of deduction...

I will stand by my statements about there being NO limitation of a pickup truck/van with a GVWR above 6,000 lbs for depreciation....


when one decides to take a schedule 179 deduction, that amount must be deducted from the 'basis' and then normal depreciation is calculated from that...

I think the difference in our thoughts is based upon your original posting where you said "The IRS limits the write off on the 5 foot bed truck to the same thing as an SUV. Where you can write off 100% of a truck with a 6ft plus bed lenght."

you made no mention of a schedule 179 deduction, which as I noted is not the same thing as depreciation...

make sure your or any accountant knows what they are talking about...I got into an argument with a CPA on this subject and he ended up walking away admitting he had learned something of importance...just because they are an accountant doesn't mean they are right....and considering the twisted and intentionally confusing way the tax codes are written I can understand...

as a note said 'argument' was 13 years ago and came about because my employer was bitching about being limited on his deduction on his F-250, and I pointed out there is none on a truck that big (hell, there wasn't on my 1995 scab F-150), and he pointed out (in his usual superior minded smug a$$ tone of voice) that his CPA said it was that way so it must be right...uh huh...I made him call the guy up and we had a little talk about it all...

in case you're wondering, I do stand educated on this subject in its totality and if I need to use a schedule 179 deduction I'm glad that I now know the implications even though they don't apply to me (as it will be a cold day in hell when I ever get a work truck (and I would only own a truck for work purposes) with anything shorter than a 6.5' bed)...as a note, you can only take a schedule 179 deduction for the year you put the vehicle in use, not for any following years...

 

Won't be able to get the 5.5' bed with a SuperCab in '10

 

I am more than happy with my 09 screw with 6.5ft bed. Much more room in from hauling than the 5.5. If you are ever going to bed loading the back with what ever you need to laod it with you are going to with you have the extra ft in length. I have not driven an 09 with 5.5 bed yet, but there is a distinct difference in turning radius between my dads screw with 5.5ft bed and my 6.5ft bed. But dont forget, my truck is nearly 18 longer than his.

They dont look as long with a lift/ level with wheels and tires either!!!