I just bought an XLT without the power telescoping mirrors and it’s no big deal. Would be nice but was definitely not a deal breaker. Takes 30 seconds to do it manually. They are quite wide when extended so you will probably want them in when not towing

 

That is accurate, except that it's the only way to get 18' aluminum wheels which is a must for me - 18' wheels/tires have the highest payload capacity, and offer more comfortable drive than 20' wheels. Additionally, well equipped XL trucks on dealers lots - 360 cameras, SYNC 3, rapid heat etc. - all come with STX package installed. For these reasons, I am only looking at XL with STX package. But I agree - it's mostly about appearance, not function.

 

I think it is good to have a discussion about the STX package and what it is. But remember it is an XL with the STX Appearance Package added. From the Ford site here is what it adds. Bright chrome grill, STX fender vent badge, 18 inch cast aluminum wheels, and AM/FM stereo with MP3 player. Color-coordinated carpet optional. All the rest of the features come from the trim level of XL, XLT, Lariat etc. And with each one comes options and costs. For me, I looked at XLT and added things to it and what I would not be getting and chose the Lariat Value package. I could have afforded a Platinum but to me that was overkill and not worth the money. But each person buying has to weigh what you get for what cost. And a good buyer will go on the Ford site and look at what each truck comes with and what it does not and make a decision. We here on this site are good for asking what a specific item does or would we buy again. But it is our personal decision. For me, I did not want to regret not buying something that would be useful to me and live without it and not having the truck of my dreams. It is a big decision. In my opinion, on a value basis, most should be in the XLT or Lariat Value area. If you have money to burn, then upgrade to Lariat Ultimate or Platinum. Good luck.

 

Can you - or anyone else - elaborate on those AC seats? I never had a car with that, so I have no personal experience. One of the reasons I don't like leather is getting in when it's really hot or really cold outside. So like this week I went to dealers lots, and every time I got into any truck with leather, the seat was beastly hot and super uncomfortable. Do AC seats mitigate that? How long does it take to be comfortable, in your experience?

 

Hi Flyct! You are more correct than you thought - not only that's the truck I want, that is exactly the 5th wheel we picked (will purchase in the next 6-8 months), and Andersen hitch is the one I am planning to buy. So I want your entire setup!

Do you ever wish you went with long bed? Seems like everyone that tows frequently recommends it. Is parking in the city your main issue? Or backing up to a campsite? Please elaborate, would love to get your personal experience with the same trailer we are planning to buy.

 

That's why we went with the Camel interior. It doesn't heat up in the summer like the black leather seats do in the wife's minivan. The leather's also perforated (at least on my Lariat they are) so that helps them breath better and don't really have that hot/cold issue like old school leather seats.

Where I like the cooled seats is for long rides towing. Keeps you from sweating in the seat, so you're comfortable staying in the seat for longer than you might be with a different seat. It's one of the (but not the main) contributing factors in why I can drive for almost twice as long in the F250 than I used to be able to in my 1/2 ton.

 

I dont have money to burn (otherwise I would be in a platinum) but the LEDs and power steps were a must have, both required the Ultimate package. That included some other features and items I would have wanted anyway and others I may never use.

 

I added the console to my STX. The rear vents can work. The two pieces of ducting costs ~$20.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post18013039

 

Could not agree with you more, Brian. Main reason we could afford to retire early (with the youngest one still in college) is because we always paid ourselves first. So whatever was left over wasn't enough to cover most wants, and we had to make tough decisions based on value. When you do it for 3 decades it becomes ingrained in you, and that's how you approach any significant financial decision. So, on a purely monetary basis, we could afford to buy any truck, and we looked at and sat in all of them, if only for entertainment purposes.

So it all comes down to personal preferences, and perceived value. And compromise. And if another person is involved in the decision, compromise is even tougher. So that's where I am at.

I arrived at STX vs. Lariat decision after 18 months of test driving all 3 brands in various trim levels, reading brochures, building trucks on websites, visiting used dealer lots, talking to friends and neighbors. We had 2 years worth of time so we took leisurely approach, plus I am DIY guy and like to research problem/maintenance issues. Being on this site for 2 years proved invaluable - this is the main reason I decided to go with Ford. So thank you guys!

Wife eliminated RAM because of very reduced foot well, she would have to sit crooked entire time. I actually liked the truck, seat fit me well, interior was nice, would have bought Big Horn - cloth seats with console and dual climate zone.

I eliminated Silverado mostly because of that hideous low hanging DEF tank (could not imagine taking it off road) and lack of cameras (I am not used to driving these big trucks). Wife would have bought LT version with cloth seats, console, and dual climate zone.

Ford did not have any major deficiencies, though the seats are the least comfortable of the 3. It's the most reliable truck (according to CR), is easiest for me to drive and park (especially with all the cameras), I like the Forscan option, filters are easily accessible for DIY, visibility out and big mirrors are the best, and it offers most refined drive (in my test drives at least).

Once we narrowed it down to Ford, we quickly discovered cloth seats with dual climate zone is not an option, a big letdown. If XLT had dual zone, that's what we would have purchased. I am sure there are tons of people like us, and I am sure Ford is aware of that, and I bet it's done on purpose so more people buy Lariat trim. I am OK with company making profit, so I accept that, it just makes our personal decision tougher.

So we sit in all Ford trim levels. Wife finds KR interior "gross"; we go to Lariat - nice interior, she loves the console with its 4 cupholders, but doesn't like seats; off to Platinum - she finds seats less comfortable than Lariat, cannot believe it's more money. So that's off, except that she really likes power deployable running boards. OK, how about XLT? Loves it! Loves the seats (even heated, another plus!), the console, and lower price tag. Problem? No dual zone climate. Off we go to XL - is this tolerable for you? Same as XLT without console - but you can save another $5K! The verdict? "XL is fine, I wish pedals were adjustable, but don't see the point of paying $5K for that and console, especially since I will almost never drive it anyway. I wish it had dual climate zone." OK so you want Lariat? "No, I hate leather, but I can live with it, I will make a nice cover for my seat".

So that's what made me post here. We have the money, but Lariat or Platinum is not a slam dunk for us. Also, we couldn't care less about "prestige" or any of that. It's all about function, comfort, and value for us. What makes it hard is that we never owned a truck before and have no experience towing heavy trailer. So one part of me says buy the cheapest functional truck, and in a year or two we know if we are missing anything, and can upgrade. Hence resale question. The other part of me says get the Lariat, she will figure out seat comfort and will get used to it.

Thoughts?

 

There's 4k off in package incentives now on STX if you can find one that's been on the lot at least 61 days lol. That would sweeten the deal. Was a similar offer when I got mine along with a 3k PCO, made the truck much more affordable for us poor folks.

https://www.ford.com/trucks/super-du...0823163644%3As

 

Yes, I am aware of that incentive, though it's not really $4K. Only $1K is attributed to STX, the rest is available on any SD.

I had a $3K PCO last quarter (thanks to nice people on this site!) but didn't pull the trigger. Now the $3K PCOs seem to have evaporated; had I know that I would have placed special order by July 1. It also seems like I missed the deadline on special order, so I am looking at dealers' lots nationwide.

 

Thanks, this is very helpful and good to know.

 

I think you said you were in CO, so rapid heat is required here. In the past, based on research/reading, it appeared that it was complementary. That is, if I and a person in TX ordered the same exact truck, we'd pay the exact same price and mine would come with the heat. Or, if the TX guy ordered heat on his build, we'd have the same exact trucks delivered to us and the TX guy's MSRP would have been $250 higher. Today, the heat is now just a required option. So, people in the cold weather states have the $250 added automatically. Just an FYI.

I garage my truck, so I'll definitely never use it, but I added the block heater for $90 just to complete the cold-weather build. Something to consider, particularly on STX/XLT builds that may end up as work trucks.

360 cameras are a must have on trucks this large. I use mine all the time. ALL THE TIME. Pressing the camera button gives you forward and overhead views when in drive at low speeds. Brilliant for parking and turning ... do I have enough clearance to make it past that car or do I have to do a 3-point turn? I love, love, love the cameras. I'd think it's even more important with the long bed.

18" wheels + AT tires will increase your payload sticker a bit, I believe. 18" are the perfect size, I think. Unless you go 4" lift with 37"+ tires, the 20" wheels yield too low profile for my tastes and 17" are probably a bit too thick.

1. My F-350 is my DD and I love it. However, it's not as convenient to maneuver in parking lots. So, an 8' bed is a deal killer for me and my use. However, if I were full-timing with a 5er, then I'd suck it up and get the 8'. It's a better fit for 5ers, never have to worry about pinching, and you have more bed space (the 5er hitch eats up a lot of would-be cargo space).
2. No. Plenty of people want lower trim levels. Many are contractors and other work-truck folks. So, a snow plow option may be a decent idea for resale. But, in general, an F-350 6.7 STX will sell just fine.
3. Maybe. What is that $5-8K doing for you? I couldn't tell from your post what the XLT features are that interest you. Most of your post was about resale. Sure, more expensive trucks will command more resale ... because they were more expensive. But, this question is all about value. Are you personally going to get $5-8K of value from XLT? If so, then, yes, it's worth considering.
4. Lariat will give you better resale over XLT. Platinum will give you better resale over Lariat. Diesel will give you better resale over gas. This is natural because the trucks themselves are more expensive. Expect them all to depreciate at effectively the same rate. More money in today means more money out tomorrow.
5. Consider every single option. Yes, there are many. But, make a conscious decision on them all. Be surprised by nothing. Navigation? Leather? Console? Roof clearance lights? Mud flaps? Wheel well liners? Skid plates? LED headlamps? Floor mats? And on and on and on and on. With every single option, you should know if it's a must have (won't buy without), nice to have (willing to pay for it, but don't care if it's not there), not interested (prefer not to pay for it, but could be arm-twisted if everything else is there), and must not be (won't take a truck with this option present). Maybe you want to nuance the list a bit more. Either way, you need to have considered and formed an opinion about everything. Otherwise, you're opening yourself up to buyer's remorse, particularly on the lower trim levels.

I won't detail out my desires, because they're personal and specific to me ... and probably don't mean anything to you. E.g., I wouldn't buy a car/truck without leather, which is polar opposite your situation.

Good luck.

 

This is what I have been doing for months, I think I have at least 15 saved truck on the Ford site. I kept build them and reading about other options I wanted. Now I'm up to the Limited ... We'll see if I stay there when it comes time to pull the trigger. Now I'm waiting for the deals to get really good on the 2019's. About the time A-Z plan expires the deals should get real good.

 

All I wanted was
f-450
DRW
roof window
sliding rear cabin window
crew cab
dual alternator
snow plow prep
trailer tow package
5th wheel prep
19.5 rims
4:30 rear
long bed


I would have bought any trim that had what I wanted....someone ordered a lariat ultimate package and change their mind...it met my check list so I bought it.

however, if my insurance company would have insured an f-650 or freightliner m2 106 , I would have bought that instead.