Hi all, I was pretty sure I wanted a styleside box, but after taking a trip to the dealer today and seeing the flairside in person, I may be changing my mind. The flairside they had was a regular cab with the off-road package and it looked very sporty with the black paint. Any advantages/disadvantages to the flairside versus the styleside? Thanks

 

The flare is apparently about 200 lbs heavier (fiberglas) cutting into load capacity equally. it is also 50 cubic feet versus 59 (i think) for the style. if such utilitarian considerations don't matter, never mind this post.

btw, did you know that the new Excursion will have 48 cubic feet BEHiND the 3RD seat?

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'99 F-150 XL 4x4 Sport Silver V6 5spd LS 120wb SS 60/40 ConvGrp Hooks Skids A/C AeroCover LouisvilleSlugger TweetieBirdAirFreshener

 

Bear, you haven't bought a truck YET ?
You know, the day is coming when we are going to run out of fossil fuels !

 

I've the flairside so I'm a bit biased towards it. For my own needs it has worked surperbly. The only drawback I've found is the "feeling" I'm having to wax more truck than the other style. On the plus side, it looks fantastic with a hard tonneou cover. I didn't even know I paid more for the flairside until a couple of years ago and I still don't care. I had to have it

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97F150 XLT SC 4x4 Flairside 4.6 V8 5sp Dk Toreador Red, 3.55LS
ARE tonneau cover, p255/70rx16 tires (came w/235), Superchip
Pioneer CD w/4 Polk Speakers & Clarion APA5240amp, skid plates
bed liner, side window deflectors, reese hitch, K&N air filter
40s-2chamber Flowmaster, Bosch +4 spark plugs, rustproofing
Better Built Stainless nerf bars

 

Hands down for the Flareside on looks! I'm pretty partial to white over silver

As far as utilitarian, you CAN get a 4x8 sheet of plywood in the back. The rear opening is four foot inch or so.

Gotta love those Ford engineers!!!

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'97 F150 Lariat, Flareside, SC, ORP, 5.4, Mods: 305/70/16 GY ATS, AR Baja wheels, dual exhaust, Smittybilt nerf bars and fog light mod.

 

I have to go with the styleside, it just looks better, and tougher. I like the flat look, maybe just cause it looks so rough and tough. Guess it's just a matter of opinion, both look great. So it's up to you.

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Stone Cold, Black 98 Styleside S/C F150 4x4 0RP 5.4 3.55ls, Magnum bug shield,Grizzly
roll bar,2 Baja lights, 4 165 watt KC lights (I can turn night into day), Manik grille guard,Westin step bars,Sonic aluminum treadplate 36" tool box, Flowmaster dual exhaust, K/N air filter, 265/75/16 BFG AT/s, American Racing Baja wheels and a F150 Online sticker. More to come for the Attention Getter: Ramsey winch will be on it real soon (hopefully), 2 more KC lights, Rancho shocks. If you would like to see pics, email me at mudder46@hotmail.com or go to http://www.mindspring.com/~acbradley/index2a.html

 

Well Bear, we can't really answer that question for you. We can offer our opinions, but the decision is yours. I'll try and give you the facts about the two beds, but like Tina I'm biased myself (flareside owner and wouldn't have it any other way).

Obviously the flareside is smaller in the bed, as mentioned above. It's not much smaller, plus the distance between the wheel wells on the inside of the bed is the same. To me personally I like the added functionality of the step if I need to reach into the bed or look on top of the cab (you know, for bird poop). The styleside is metal, whereas the flareside is composite materials. The flareside costs more, don't ask me why. Also, the flareside does not come with the stake pocket holes (is that what they're called?). The styleside has 4, and the long bed has 6. The flareside comes standard with molded splash guards, the styleside does not. But don't let that be the deciding factor, you can order those from your Ford dealer for stylesides. On the flip side, the styleside comes with body side moldings (XLT and up) and the flareside does not. But again, don't let that stop you. I'm in the process of buying those parts from Ford and putting them on my truck.

I guess you need to ask yourself, what do I want to do with my truck? If the answer is a lot of hauling, then get a styleside, or even look into a long bed. If you want to drive around town in a sporty truck, turn some heads, and maybe haul a little on the weekends, get a flareside. Either way, don't ask Tina or myself to make the decision for you, cause then you'll have to get used to people saying "wow, what a great looking truck" If you want to be different, definitely get a flareside. I believe only 20%-25% of F150s are flares. But whether you get a flare, or a style there is one thing everyone here on F150 will agree with you on, great choice for a new truck!!! Let us know what you decide on.


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1999 Lariat SuperCab Flareside, Amazon Green with Silver trim, 5.4L, 4x2, 4 wheel disc/ABS, 3.55 limited slip, towing package, sliding rear window, captains chairs, keyless entry with alarm, spray-on bed liner, and K&N. http://www.csc.calpoly.edu/~bfriesen/truck.html

 

I agree with mudder, the styleside definitely looks tougher, especially on a extended cab. Friend has a ext cab 4x4 Flareside, which was the main factor in my decision. Flareside has too many curves, and to me it looks weak and, well, I'll stop there...
Now if you were getting a reg cab 4x4 or you had plans to lower the 4x2 and put some wide tires on it (stx/sport package or Lightning), then they look cool (to me).
It's mainly personal taste, though. I like a sporty, tough look. Some people like a pretty look.
Just as long as it's a Ford, you can't go wrong... they all look good!!

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'INTIMIDATOR' Black '99.5 F150 XLT 4X2, R/C, SS, 5.4L V8, 3.55 LS, Superchip, Dual Chamber Flowmaster, LineX Bedliner, Keyless Entry, 4W Disk Brakes, Sl Rear Window, Trailer Towing Pkg, P255 OWL, Cast Aluminum Wheels.

 

Sorry, this post has nothing to do with style vs. flare. riclaur, when and if you read this can you please email me. I have a question for you. Thanks.

bfriesen@falcon.csc.calpoly.edu


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1999 Lariat SuperCab Flareside, Amazon Green with Silver trim, 5.4L, 4x2, 4 wheel disc/ABS, 3.55 limited slip, towing package, sliding rear window, captains chairs, keyless entry with alarm, spray-on bed liner, and K&N. http://www.csc.calpoly.edu/~bfriesen/truck.html

 

I LOVE my flareside, this is my second one, The first was a 97 dark torreador red, if the 2000 creww cab came with that bed I probably would have it ordered already, but I love this one just the same.

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Gino Tedesco, '99 XLT 5.4l, SUPERCHIPPED, 3" Gibson catback exhaust,4x4 S/C Flareside D.wedge bl/Dk.graph manik grlgaurd w/piaa lights

 

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'99 F150 XLT,SC,4.6 auto, no mods...and I am happy with it that way.



[This message has been edited by riclaur (edited 08-19-1999).]

 

Ive had 2 stylesides and now in a flareside.....love my flareside..nothing has changed in my useage...both worked great for me...towing or hauling...but for looks if got to go with the flareside...unlike MUDDER i dont like my women flat...(just kidding mudder) and we all know our trucks are like women...I dont miss any of my ex-wifes but i do miss some of my trucks...Dave

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1998 F-150, SC/Flairside, 4x2,4.6,auto,3.55s,nerf bars,cls 111 towing,bed liner w/mat,atlas polished wheels w/ 265 scorpions,all plastics guards/bug shields,air raid/k & n filter, superchipped, duals out the back corners, flow master 3 chamber

Coming in Sept..3 1/2 in fabtech lift w/ 3 in spindles and 295 BFG A/Ts.

 

Styleside is better if you are thinking of installing a topper. but if you just want it open or any flat cover then it up to your taste
Check out my styleside with a topper, almost looks like an Expedition http://members.xoom.com/firezap/truckpage.htm

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'99 F150 XLT SC SB 5.4x2
3.55 limited slip trailer towing
Harvest Gold
Covermaster 1000 topper w/ wing
BugflectorII




[This message has been edited by Firezap (edited 08-13-1999).]

 

firezap: that really is a nice top you have on that truck. It accents it perfectly. Usually I don't care for toppers, but that one looks great. Maybe because of the lg.single window on the side. How hard is it to wash the top???

 

Personally,I really like the Whopper better than the Big Mac.
And I do prefer the taste of Coke to Pepsi.
And put me down for one vote on the styleside.
The flaresides look like someone is trying a little to hard to spruce up a pickup...

Then again this is just MY opinion,which means nothing to nobody but myself.

Heck,You may love big macs,Drink Pepsi by the gallon and protect your Flareside like she is one of your own pups...It is a great country is it not??



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Roger In DFW. Home of the 1999 Stanley Cup Champion ****Dallas Stars****
99 F-150 Sport XL Bright Red,Tint,50 Series Flowmaster,Contour+ Deflector, Lower front valance painted to match truck!