I frequently have conversations about Fords with friends of friends and strangers as we travel the country. People ask what is the best way to order a Ford. Dozens of people ask me to scour the Internet and find them a truck, or hook them up with a good salesman that will most easily help them order one. Very few salesmen care to special order trucks. The ones that do, often aren't able to deliver because they have no allocation



That's a very tough question. It depends on the use and duration you plan to keep the truck.

For me, I'm basically paying for miles. So I figure out what package has the best future value while giving me good use for the time I own the truck.

Lariat without Ultimate or Premium.

Then some stand alone options. Rapid Heat, block heater. Pro power.

My feel good options that for sure don't increase the future trade value are, mudflaps, front/rear wheel liners, upfitter switches.

I always buy front bench, because it seems that most dealers don't, and almost all the people I talk to, can't find front bench trucks. Kids/ grand kids, etc.

I'm asking what approach you all take when ordering. If money were no object and allocation was over the moon, I suppose I would get a Platinum Plus, formerly known as Limited. Although, no front bench........

Book values generally don't give value for Ultimate Lariats. Is it worth it to you to forgo an option just because you won't get your money back when you trade


Share with me your opinions and experience.

 

just got my 2026 f450. Might sell it, don’t like the color lol. Argon blue. 86k msrp, just did a Bedliner, will sell it for 87k.

Want to go back to ruby red like my other trucks are or race red at least. I can’t keep this thing clean for nothing! 1,200 miles. Don’t have to sell so if I can’t get that l I’ll just run it for 6-12 months and order a new one from granger. Not gonna pay/take a loss just for a color.

 

I thought about Argon blue. What don't you like about it. I have two Antimatter trucks now and really like them.

I ordered a Ruby Red 460 2025 and got it in January. Lifted it and put cool tires on, but couldn't do the Ruby Red. I absolutely love Ruby Red when I see it driving down the road. I don't know what my problem was.

I was really excited about Ruby R until I got it home.

 

just gets dirty after 5 mins. Washed it Thursday, drove it down a 2,500ft gravel washboard road for work (I do 5-10 times a week probably 5 miles a week or more), the entire truck is covered in white dirt/dusty. Washed it last night to wax today, it’s got damn slight scratches and crap that wax off but extremely high maintenance. Big guts show up like scratches, got to get them off. Maple tree sap falls on it looks like water drops all over it, and hard to wash off, even wax off. Shows water spots all over, and dries with white dots everywhere, and water lines dried on it. I Drive back down a dirt road again and it’s covered it dirt, I gave up. Said screw it. My 22 rapid red f450 hasn’t been washed in a month, it looks cleaner then the blue truck, it hides dirt and imperfections really well.

its like having a black truck. Great color for guys working on pavement everyday, towing rvs, etc. not work. I ordered this color before it was ever released, and was already scheduled so couldn’t change it.


i see what’s coming, once the 100 gallon tank goes in the bed, the fuel hose with the dust will make the fenders and bedside covered in those white little scratches, dually fenders will have white specs all over from rocks. It’s gonna look like a work truck in a very short order and resell will be shot.

my 22 f450 still cleans up like brand new. Doesn’t look like it’s ever been worked.

Maybe I just got to get used to IT, but everyday I dislike it more lol. Tempted to just go back to my 22 f450.


no question it’s definitely a pretty truck!!

 

I get bench trucks as well. I have 4 kids so if I don't we all can't go to the lake or take the horses out. I've got a 22 F450 Lariat Ultimate. You are exactly right on the bench. Nobody, I mean nobody gets them for stock. They are near impossible to find.

 

The saying, "You have to buy right, to sell right." comes into play. If a good deal can be reached on a truck, more options can be added, for the same budget.

I won't forgo options based on some unknown future trade-in value. I add options because I have a need/use/want for them, be it a current or perceived future need. Like 4x4, "It's better to have it and not need it, then need it and not have it."

With the move towards less standalone options one must determine if a package is worth it. Want skid plates, have to add FX4 package. You mention rapid heat; Snow plow prep adds that and 410a dual alt for the same price as standalone rapid heat option. Best for the buyer to be well researched and become more informed than the salesperson.

 

Here is what I got on my 450.

 

Having had 4 wheel drive, 1 ton trucks, in my garage for decades - big block GM's, Dodges, and now Fords - I already know what I need from any truck. I know how how I'm going to use, or might use it, and buy accordingly. I ALWAYS order, because I know EXACTLY what I want, then no buyers remorse. I never trade, I sell outright, then pay cash for the new truck. Over the years I have "moved up" from "basic" regular cabs to, now, a Super Cab, Lariat trim. Creature comforts are more attractive to me the older I get - LOL.

 

The 2k inverter is an option i use. My truck came with the lane keeping crap which is useless to me, as well as the adaptive cruise with the annoying auto brake when pulling close to something. For me must have options on my superdutys(i spend 3-4hours a day in them)
inverter
moonroof
40/20/40. Console
heated/cooled seats
the sync dash/bluetooth crap
4x4
4 door
adaptive steering
i guess the 360 led has come in handy
auto climate control(even though my ac is going bad grrrrr)
heated mirrors, rear window
heated steering wheel is nice when its 20f and your froze from being outside all day.
I dont think about losing money on those items when trading.

 

I don't order or buy vehicles based on how some unknown, future buyer might like it. I order and buy based on what I like or want. Just about every one of my many new vehicles, including all my F-Series trucks, has been/is a Platinum (or equivalent). I work hard and do quite well, so I have no desire to settle. Just my $0.02.

 

Never been concerned or even considered future trade value when buying or ordering. I get what I want that has the best deal at the time. I've also not settled and been lacking options, but I have had options I never, or rarely, use.

 

It's fun to get together with people who have different trim levels, and compare actual versus brochure products. The people with the Platinum and Limited look at my King Ranch, and swear that they will buy that one next time.
The same goes with colors. I would never buy white, that's the complete absence of a color. It says vanilla, generic, bland, forgot to paint it.
I do use the upfitter switches. They are tied to my Air Lift pump.

 

Flipping the OP's question on it's head... I can tell you things I absolutely WILL NOT BUY in a truck... and I don't care if they are giving them away....

1) Sunroof. I don't want a hole in my roof. Period.
2) Bucket seats/consoles. I want a bench seat. Period. Most consoles are not laid out well, and are, essentially, a giant junk drawer for a vehicle. Yes, I'm aware some people make organizers or what have you, but the fact remains... a console sucks up a huge amount of space I would rather have.
3) Leather. I want cloth. I would pick vinyl over leather if it got down to it.
4) Farkle. When it gets down to it, I don't like fancy stuff (I'll be some of you already figured that out.) Chrome crap, applique's, fancy lettering and stupid names. I don't need the truck to unlock itself when I walk up to it. I don't need 18 cameras watching where I'm going, or telling me what to do... I can drive. I don't like electronic stuff... because it is not mature technology, and is more stuff to go wrong after the warranty runs out.
5) Odd colors. I will not buy a red or black truck, and probably not a blue one, either. That is not to say those colors are not pretty (except black, which I find quite boring....) it's just that I don't want a whole truck full of red, or blue, or black, etc. My trucks have always been white, tan, or grey. Clean and simple.

The caveat to that is... I understand it does hurt resale value, if you look at things like that. I don't. I actually purchase my trucks, because I drive them until they nearly fall apart, or become unreliable... and resale value on a F-250 with 220K on it with hail damage and a rusted out bed is virtually nil.

I am willing to pay to get the truck I want. I have butted heads with my Ford dealer... about what I want in a truck. I am very specific. When I went in to buy a new truck in 2017, told the dealer exactly what I wanted: A 2WD F-250 LB/CC gasser, with a bench seat, in white. He said come on in! ...I've got something for you! What did he show me? A red F-350, SB/CC, with a diesel and 4WD.... the absolute antithesis of what I asked for. Idiot. I wound up going across the street to Chevrolet, where they had exactly what I wanted setting right there.

When it came time to buy my wife's 2025 F-250, we wound up just ordering it. Granted, we HAD to buy an XL, because we wanted 2WD, which severely limited us on the options we were allowed to pick... as I understand it, Ford has finally pulled it's head out of it's **** and fixed that inconvenience. We did not choose the options with any notion of resale value... again, we plan on driving this truck until the wheels fall off.

What are we missing? Quite a bit, actually, in both our trucks, including my STX. Can't get dual zone climate control... which is a worthwhile doodad. I couldn't get a 7.3L gasser in the XL... because it was 2WD... although at the end of the day the 6.8L probably works just as well... but, I just like big motors. Some amount of refinement... like noise insulation. Color... my wife really wanted Lunar Grey (I think that was it...) but all they had was Dirty White (Avalanche) and Carbonized Grey for the XL... we wound up with the Grey.

For people who are leasing their trucks... turning them over every 2-3-4 years, buying a higher trim level makes sense, because it helps the raise the residual value, but if you are buying a truck... and are picky about what you want... the best solution is to find a dealer that is willing to work with you to find That Truck, or just bite the bullet and order it. If you are one of these people that buys a 'bargain' and not a truck... that's OK, too.

 

Actually, white is all the colors.

Id never buy a dark colored truck. Just looks amatuer. Soccer daddy. Not as bad as a pick up bed, 5'er or gooseneck combo. But close.

 

If I can drive a Lariat for free for a year, I don't mind not having an Ultimate. My 2017 450 was first truck that didn't depreciate.......with 40k mi.

I also will not buy a moonroof. I've seen them break just driving down the road.

If I needed to buy a King Ranch to not have depreciation, I'd buy that PKG. Luckily, my option buying habits already coincide with the best market value after purchase. If I didn't drive these trucks for work and they sat in the garage all the time, none of this analysis would matter. We put as much as 8k mi total on three trucks in a month, so it has the potential to be a sizeable expense. I'm still baffled that people are still willing to overpay for a used truck.