I'm looking at retiring my 97 Mazda B4000 -- 5-speed, 4WD.  Good truck
but need a little more bed room and it's having more problems than I
care to screw around with.  Looking at a new F-150 -- or gently used.
Want to spend the least amount of $$$ possible.  Plan to drive the
truck until I can't drive any longer (I'm 63 and in damn good shape).

Need some suggestions.

I see on the Ford website that the F-150 comes with V-6, V-8, or big
a.s Triton V-8.  I am certain the V-6 or small V-8 is all I need.

I DO NOT tow boat, RV trailer, 3 yards of wet concrete, horse trailer,
or a string of boxcars.

I DO tow:
-- 3-4 times a year a 5X10 utility trailer loaded with furniture;
-- 2-3 times a year an old VW Beetle, with a tow bar so it's on its
own wheels;
-- 5X8 enclosed trailer with household stuff.

time, not all together:
-- big pile of 4X8 plywood or drywall
-- cooler full of beer and ice
-- 1-2 cu yds of mulch
-- cooler full of beer and ice
-- half pallet of bricks
-- 12-inch Dobsonian reflector telescope
-- cooler full of beer and ice
-- 15 80-lb sacks of Sakrete
-- Troy-Bilt Horse tiller
-- 1-2 cu yds topsoil
-- cooler full of beer and ice
-- John Deere lawn tractor
-- old black-and-tan coon hound
-- damn cat sometimes sleeps under the tool box and ends up riding
around in the bed
-- misc carpentry, electrical, masonry, roofing tools including air
compressor and nail guns
-- cooler full of beer and ice

My B4000 is 4WD and I need 4WD every now and then.

I'd like to have a little extra room behind the front seats but don't
want the crew cab (too big, too many $$$).  Need the 8-foot bed.  Need
power steering and brakes, A/C, CD player.  Prefer 5-speed and manual
4WD but I guess I'll have to accept automatic.  Don't need power
windows, power seats, GPS, leather, any of that other sh.t.

Questions:

Is the V-6 sufficient for me??

Is it cheaper to have the dealer install frame-mounted hitch and
bedliner, or, should I get aftermarket?

Thanks.