You are better off getting the XLT there are more creature comforts in them and for 1500 more or so that isnt much......

 

Just get an STX they are already painted fronts.

 

I bought the XL, no buyer remorse, I love it. My last was a 04 XLT.

 

I'd consider the vinyl floors a downgrade from carpet. Therefore money should be taken off.

 

A downgrade may be true but carpet is actually cheaper than vinyl flooring. It's a personal preference, and not a downgrade to the people who think want, need or desire heavy duty vinyl flooring.

 

If it costs more then the Ford Dealer should charge more.

 

Thanks for all the replies, certainly food for thought.

Any particular reason? Not trying to be snide, seriously wondering.

True, only one supercrew in the southeast with them, although it wouldn't be a big deal for me to order one, I can wait.

Which ones appeal to you?

I would, but they don't make an STX Supercrew.

 

If you are buying a super crew with the 4.6 then stear clear. You will regret it every time you tow it. The 5.4 wont have to work as hard, will see less wear and tear, and will last longer. You said you were going to keep the truck for a long time. The other stuff such as the floors you could get the carpet and have the full coverage rubber floor mats on top which is the best of both worlds. A little bit more comfortable and you still have the protection. creature features that appeal to me are the entry code for getting in the drivers door - a must have if you ask me and the reverse sensing - another must have for supercrew, it just makes driving so much easier. power seats. the bed side steps but you can get them on any trim. if you are going to keep it for a long time i would just spend a little bit more up front. other negs for the xl: grey steel wheels will rust, if you ugrade then you have to buy two sets, each thing you add painted bumpers mirrors wheels upgraded radio will add more cost, smaller engine, not as nice inside, limited options, but I am sure the XL guys will flame me and say the xl is the way to go. but if this was true there would be a lot more xl trucks in the forums. so do what you want to do. whatever you do, xl or xlt, i would order it exactly the way you want because youre going to have this truck a long time and you dont want to have second thoughts or start ripping it apart.

 

I have not had a bad experience with what I have towed with the 4.6. My trailer does great. Many guys have gotten over 300,000 miles with the 4.6 over the last twenty some odd years Ford has been using the engine. My XL Supercrew has the carpet floors and I put the full cover mats in they work great indeed. I added the handle with the entry code for $15 on eBay from a handle I bought. I had the wire in the door of my XL already. I can back fine... this is my third full size truck so I have experience, but it is not hard to learn quickly. I even practiced on the test drive backing with my salesman since I went with the 6.5 bed. Mine had the chrome covered wheels as an option and are holding up great. The bumpers and the radio I got used on eBay and had painted so they were cheap. The engine is big enough for my needs, the interior can be made just as nice as the XLT with about $100 (I have done it, and have a coworker with the XLT to compare to). XLTs are more common in my opinion because Ford figures people will buy the XLT over the XL if they are side by side and therefore get more money for options people will only use once in the life of the truck, therefore getting and extra $2000 out of every customer. The reason I think they came out with the XL Supercrew is because not everyone needs the extra options. Purchase what works for you.

 

LOL. See I told you I would be flamed by an XL buyer. They are not up for receiving any input from others. They want to be the ones giving out, transmitting their pearls of wisdom. What they dont have isnt worth having, and when they do want something… according to them, they have it already. LOL.

 

If sharing my opinion on what options work and what options don't work for me is flaming... whatever. I'll take all the input people have to offer, I may just not follow it or may follow it. I'll let others give out also. I was just sharing my opinions. I don't know about the other XL owners, but what I don't have isn't worth having to me personally. I already have everything that I need, the one thing that would be nice is a thermometer in the truck, but I have my iPhone for that and it works. My previous two trucks were a 98 XLT Ford F-150 and an 02 SLE GMC Sierra 1500. (SLE is the equivalent to XLT) They were nice but this XL was available and had what I was looking for, which were 4x4, Supercrew, 6.5 bed, power locks, and power windows. The rest of what I wanted I added.

To the OP, get what works for you, I just don't see the point in paying for stuff I don't need like power seats... I can adjust them myself manually for the money. I also got 10,000 off of MSRP so that helped. I was looking for used but that pushed me towards new. I love my truck more and more everyday... the painted handles made it more sexy.

 

Thanks for your comments. Right now I tow two trailers with a '97 Ranger w/ 3.0 V6 so I should be ok for the time being. I wouldn't mind upgrading to a bigger trailer, I will just have to live (tow) within my means. I do like the entry code, Ford does offer it as an aftermarket acc. (although not intergrated with the door handle). I had carpet with nice rubber floor mats in my last vehicle, I never took the mats out because my shoes are always dirty, I work in road construction and dive, camp or go to the beach on the weekends. By the time I got rid of it the carpet was ruined from being under the mats its entire life, so much for protecting the carpet. The wheels are a definite negative. I would probably upgrade the XL wheels which will cost more, but hopefully the new wheels will be nicer than the stock XLT ones.

 

I appreciate everyone's comments and that this thread was able to stay "above board" unlike the other recent comparo thread.

I ended up ordering an XL. White, 4.6 3V, trailer towing pkg., limited slip, convenience pkg.

 

I say go with the XLT I'm only on my 2nd truck and both have been XLT's. I just like some of the extra items you get with the XLT standard. My next truck if I go with a truck next time instead of going back to a Mustang will be a XLT.

 

Sounds like you got a good truck... enjoy!