I'm considering buying a '97 F150 4.2. The dealer said it is a XL. I see no XL under the F150 on the quarter panel and nothing on the dash, actually nowhere on the truck. I say it is not a XL, dealer insists it is. How can I tell?

 

I believe if it has power options it cant be an XL. of it doesnt then it is an XL. Im not 100 percent sure if thats correct

 

Some times you can check the mirrors. If they are smaller, no power, and black, then it is an XL, however, if it is a Sport or XTS (whatever it was called) then it will have the good mirrors. Anyway, this is just another difference. Oh, my XL didn't have a tailgate lock, but my XLT does.

 

In '97 the main differences that I know of are:
No aluminum rims
Smaller, thinner mirrors without power
Badge without the XLT
Front grill surround might not be chrome
Back window night not be tinted (in a SuperCab the back sides might not be tinted also)

Then interior is hard to say. A buddy of mine has a '98 XL 4.2 and he does not have carpeting, no power windows, cheaper material for seats.

As far as I know all XLT's have the bigger mirrors and the XLT badge under the F-150 badge on the side of the truck. XLT's also come standard with power windows, locks, cruise, tilit wheel, AM/FM/cassette

Here is a picture of mine from the front ('98 XLT)

XLT's came standard with these rims for a 4x2

 

bar-eyes, so you think it might be the 'Work Series'?

There was a lower trim line than the 'XL'. I've heard it refered to as the 'Standard' or 'Work Series'. You could still put some options on these trucks. I guess to settle this someone here who has a '97 'XL' would have to tell you that their truck actually says 'XL' on the fender badging. I know they do now but, am not sure about '97.

My father had a '99 'Work Series' and the badging just said 'F150'.

I don't think there is anything in the VIN to determine trim line.

 

I have a 97 Lariat, and it only has the F150 badges, it doesn't say Lariat or Triton or anything, so you may not be able to tell by the badging, but I don't know for a fact anything about what I am talking about, so you might want to rely on someone else's knowledge of this.

 

I always thought the XL's also had a badge like the XLT's do, even in '97. If there was no badge, it was a work series, maybe with a few options. The mirrors and and grill wouldn't be chrome, they'd only be black. Also the rims would be steel unless they were upgraded. That goes for both the XL and work series trucks (I think).

Oh - 97 4x2 XLT's came standard with different rims than those on Blueflaresides truck. Not sure what to call them...

 

I was thinking that the XLs had a badge, too, but I am not sure. Raoul, (and I know I am setting myself up for one, really just because I like reading what Raoul has to say) when I called Geico, the lady asked me for my VIN and when I told it to her, she put it in her computer and told me everything about my truck, she even knew that it was a Lariat. I never said it to her, either, so I suppose that she knew by my VIN? I dunno, maybe some of the Ford experts can tell us more about the VIN, whether or not it is possible to determine the trim level by it or not.

 

Yeah, I thought the 'XL' has always had an 'XL" badge too, even in '97.

If you like the truck it's no big deal. Could be a couple of things: One, the Dealer(salesman) doesn't even know about the lowest trim line or is just BSing because that's the way they are.
Railroad the customer and never say "I don't know".

Two, there may be some small differnce in book value between 'Work Series" and 'XL' and he does know and is applying number one to squeeze another nickel.

If it turns out it is a "Work Series", I'd drop whatever his price is by another couple hundred because he has told you he priced it as if it were an 'XL'.

 

Pickup Man, I think for something like a Cougar the VIN would include the trim because it was just a 2wd, 2 door car. Since the VIN is a fixed length, I guess they determined that, Series, cab style, 2 or 4 wheel drive were the important things to identify.

I think what happened with GEICO is they used your VIN to tap into another database that had more info. She may have been able to verify your options also but, since you had a Lariat it probably didn't have any.


You also have to remember that I just make this stuff up as I go along.

 

I make it up, too. I think it's fun, and I enjoy reading your posts. I'm glad you are a regular here, Raoul!

 

Survey says..............I'D DO HER

oh, oops, i mean...yes it's an XL

 

LOL! Well, so far the only evidence I've seen that it's an XL is the salesman said so.

This is all I know as factual on this:
There was a trim line (the bottom one)called 'Work Series' in '97 that had just an F150 on the fender.
At some point the 'XL' appeared under the F150 badge.

The question is, does someone have a '97 'XL' and does the fender badge say F150 with the 'XL' underneath.

If all else fails, get the VIN, call GEICO, tell them you might like to be a customer but would like to know the trimline of the truck you might be buying.

I just have a problem with salesmen firing from the hip. I do it but, I'm not trying to sell you anything. Salesman have burned me in the past. I told one that I wanted to buy the cheapest thing with 4 wheels on the lot and he sold it to me.
When I got home my wife hit the roof,
"You idiot! You bought the mechanics creeper!"

Oh sure, I got great gas mileage but, merging onto the highway was a real adventure.

 

LMAO Roul

Well, the VIN# will tell you the trim line. I just got off the phone with my insurance salesman, and he told me that the5th character in the VIN# will tell you the trim line. If you look up GASGUZZLER007 on this board, he can get you a carfax for free.

 

Ok, now if there was only something in the VIN to tell you where the jack was...