I am in Mississippi and my 2015 has leather seats and seat coolers. Those are a must have in the heat we have here.

My personal opinion about bed liners: I kept the bare/painted metal for these reasons - I don't haul a lot of rocks, the metal is aluminium and won't rust, bed liners collect dirt where the slicker metal is easy to blow out or spray out with water, if something is slick enough to slide around I'm going to strap it anyways, the price isn't worth it to me.

 

After driving ours for a few years, I have to say the same. When you are not towing or hauling, the thing is a camel, and seems to go forever between fills. When you are haling (or especially towing), it makes the distance between fuel stops a lot more reasonable. It also means you can fill up when you want to instead of when you have to.

We liked the leather seats in the Lariat, but not all the other fru-fru. Our dealer sold us a full leather re-cover for about $999 (or something like that). It was a killer deal, AND we got the seats in the color we wanted instead of the stock black.

 

Most of the trucks I see around here are equipped with the 36 gallon. Being able to go longer periods of time between filling up is very nice.

Someone posted a pic of a truck with the Katzkins, and I have to admit, it looked very nice and like it came from the factory. I do agree with the other poster about the cooled seats. They are another must have in Louisiana, with the extreme heat and humidity we have.

 

Two other features that are important to me are the BLIS and the keypad on the door.

 

I have a 2018 XLT 302A. I miss the power fold mirrors, and the memory seats/mirrors.

 

In the end, the fill ups will cost around the same so what’s the need for a larger tank.
Just curious.

 

In my case, it cuts me down to filling once a week or sometimes twice... not two and three times a week. On trips or when towing a large trailer, it prevents frequent stops and those where access dragging a trailer is difficult.

 

I like not having to stop as often to fill up.

 

Those two options, Homelink and LED headlights are things I would have liked, but couldn't get on an XLT. Homelink is easy enough, just haven't got around to it. LED headlights, I'l probably just do the bulbs. I wonder if memory and power fold/telescoping mirrors can be added via Forscan?

 

We have fuel discounts through our grocery store (Stop and Shop) with 10 cents off a gallon for every $100 of groceries. There is a 20 gallon cap when fueling at reduced rate. With a 36 gallon tank, I can run down below half a tank then fill at any time to maximize the savings. With a 23 gallon tank, I would be running uncomfortably low before refueling.

I honestly can't remember the last time I paid full price for fuel.

 

My most useful and annoying parts of the truck:

V8 because I'm crotchety and have seen too many turbo bills. I hear the new ones are great. For longevity and reliability, a turbo isn't for me. I hear the new ones are good, but I'm not convinced yet. My V8 actually has similar mileage if not ultimate power.
36 gallon tank is AWESOME. I can go 600 miles empty, towing I can still go a full day.
4WD because winter.
Factory Brake controller if you tow, it integrates with the truck systems. works great but an easy install if you buy it later. The harness is (was?) pre-wired.
Tow mirrors and heated mirrors would be nice. I bought used and that's one thing I didn't get. Winter defrosting and better visibility around this massive bed would really be nice. More glass is more better.
NOT 20" wheels unless it's a street queen. I use mine off-road so 20's are completely unfathomable to me. I'd wager there's more than a few bent wheels with those skinny tires, especially on the streets in my town. I bought takeoffs and got rid of my 20's.
Bed is too high. I really wish I had the tailgate step.
Fogs for lateral visibility to see deer and other critters at night.
Not factory but I got a Dashmat because I was getting some blinding glare off the dash. Fixed.
Not factory but folding bed cover because I'm sick of people using my truck as a trash can, plus secure storage, water resistant storage, mileage increase ~1 MPG
Everything else is gravy. Love this truck.

 

I put in the "perfectfit" bulbs from headlightrevolution. Significantly brighter, whiter, and a clean cut-off so I know I'm not blinding oncoming vehicles. As the name implies, they go in just like a normal halogen bulb, and don't require fans.

 

As others have said, options are a very personal decision but for me, when I bought my 2017 here are a couple of options that I considered must-haves:

36 gallon fuel tank
Heated steering wheel (depending on where you live).
Tailgate step (not so young anymore).
3.55 rear which gets you the e-locker which you will find you rarely if ever use but I wanted the 3.55's.

Since I considered those items deal breakers, I had to order the truck the way I wanted it.

If you want the spray in bed liner, and I did, don't order the Ford spray in liner if you have a Line-X dealer anywhere near you. The Ford liner falls under the 3 / 36 warranty and I'm not sure how the dealer would repair it if it got damaged. The Line-X liner is guaranteed as long as you own the vehicle and they have no problem repairing a damaged liner under their lifetime warranty.

 

The Line-X shop near the dealer had a multi-week queue, so we went with the Ford spray-in liner. After 4+ years it still looks almost new.

 

Actually, the dealer was the one who recommended Line-X over Ford. I said sure and it added a whole 2 days to the delivery. I guess the dealer was a good customer and got preferential treatment.