What's the MAIN differences between the 04-08 f150 lariat and fx4. Why should I pay the extra money for these trims over the standard xlt?
Difference between xlt, fx4, and lariat
- Thread starter hweb30
- Start date
Depends on the year for some of this stuff but this is my ford packages for dummies low down. I believe you can get all motor and drivetrain options in any of these packages.
xl is the cheapest. No leather, some power options, basic trim.
xlt is the lower middle. Some have leather, most accessories have power, upgraded stereo, better rims, grill etc.
Lariat is the "luxury package". Leather, better stereo. Fully optioned or close to it. I think some of those offered a Center floor shifter which I love.
King Ranch is the "Special Lux package". Pretty much a Lariat but with King Ranch Exterior Paint options and special King Ranch Saddle Leather.
I had an 09 Lariat F150 fully optioned with the 5.4 and it was more than enough for me. I loved it. It all depends on your budget.
xl is the cheapest. No leather, some power options, basic trim.
xlt is the lower middle. Some have leather, most accessories have power, upgraded stereo, better rims, grill etc.
Lariat is the "luxury package". Leather, better stereo. Fully optioned or close to it. I think some of those offered a Center floor shifter which I love.
King Ranch is the "Special Lux package". Pretty much a Lariat but with King Ranch Exterior Paint options and special King Ranch Saddle Leather.
I had an 09 Lariat F150 fully optioned with the 5.4 and it was more than enough for me. I loved it. It all depends on your budget.
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xlt will more than likely be your basic cloth seats, you will get the upgraded gauges that has the rpm gauge, chrome trim rings around the ac openings, 60/40 style front seats, could have manual windows and locks but more than likely will be auto locks and windows. More than likely the upgraded chrome wheels, fog lights, auto mirrors, etc.
fx4, you will have a completely different interior, leather with different accent colors usually carbon fiber, completly different gauges, auto shifter is now on floor in center console instead of on the column of the xlt. FX4 wheels, skid plates, usually different shocks, sometimes different front bumper such as being painted instead of chrome, things such as that.
lariet, different wheels again, gauges go back to xlt style but have chrome trim rings around them, heated mirrors, different leather for interior, different interior color and accent such as wood grain instead of carbon fiber. Different wheels again alittle different ac and stereo setup, etc etc.
IMO it just depends on what you need it for. If your going to be using the truck at all and for the 04-08 years, I wouldnt do a lariet. To me it just seems to richy of a style to be using more than a DD, plus the wood grain in it and chrome trim rings on gauges dont really appeal to me but thats just my opinion. Also not a big fan of their wheels they have standard. If it was me and I was going to use the truck, id try and find an xlt with manual windows and locks in 4x4 but thats just me. The fx4 has alot of upgrades vs the standard xlt but you acourse will pay a higher price tag.
Also im pretty sure you can only have FX4's and Lariets in the 5.4 liter, where s you can get the 4.6 in xlt. Again depends on how you use the trucks and the pro's and con's of each of those engines and what years you will be sticking to. Alot of the 5.4 problems were supposed to be taken care of by the later years but still somethings you need to keep in mind about the 2 different engines.
It'd help if you specified more about what your wanting and using the truck for to help narrow down the answer. Goodluck
lariet
fx4, you will have a completely different interior, leather with different accent colors usually carbon fiber, completly different gauges, auto shifter is now on floor in center console instead of on the column of the xlt. FX4 wheels, skid plates, usually different shocks, sometimes different front bumper such as being painted instead of chrome, things such as that.
lariet, different wheels again, gauges go back to xlt style but have chrome trim rings around them, heated mirrors, different leather for interior, different interior color and accent such as wood grain instead of carbon fiber. Different wheels again alittle different ac and stereo setup, etc etc.
IMO it just depends on what you need it for. If your going to be using the truck at all and for the 04-08 years, I wouldnt do a lariet. To me it just seems to richy of a style to be using more than a DD, plus the wood grain in it and chrome trim rings on gauges dont really appeal to me but thats just my opinion. Also not a big fan of their wheels they have standard. If it was me and I was going to use the truck, id try and find an xlt with manual windows and locks in 4x4 but thats just me. The fx4 has alot of upgrades vs the standard xlt but you acourse will pay a higher price tag.
Also im pretty sure you can only have FX4's and Lariets in the 5.4 liter, where s you can get the 4.6 in xlt. Again depends on how you use the trucks and the pro's and con's of each of those engines and what years you will be sticking to. Alot of the 5.4 problems were supposed to be taken care of by the later years but still somethings you need to keep in mind about the 2 different engines.
It'd help if you specified more about what your wanting and using the truck for to help narrow down the answer. Goodluck
lariet
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Im looking into the FX4, did any of them come with cloth seats? I'm also looking at a few 2004 models, is it safe to say that after 100K+ miles and 7 years, most problems have been fixed/covered under warranty so they should be just as reliable as an 06/07?
Most if not all will be the leather FX4's, for cloth your going to want to go xlt then. For 2004, if your not wanting to tow id go with a 4.6 xlt supercab 4x4 which again in the FX4 most if not all are going to be the 5.4 engine. No it is never safe to say that, alot of these vehicles will be off lots and the early gen 5.4's seemed to have more issues such as cam phasers, the spark plug issue, etc. You can get around alot of these issues by doing your homework and knowing alot of info about them, changing the plugs early etc. (are you on a forum? ford-truck, f150online, and f150forums are all 3 very good forums for those trucks. I am on them myself and there are plenty of threads about the pro's and con's between the engines and things such as that. I suggest if you haven't to start reading up now, you really need to be as educated as you can about them, like anything else, before making a buy to give yourself the best opportunity of a good vehicle that you can) The reason why I said alot of early 04/05 5.4's have issues is because they were supposed to be fixed by ford in the later years of that gen but you know how that can be, totally hit and miss. Some have 04's that they had no problems on, others different, just like any other vehicle. But like I said if you are not needing towing, id go with a 06/07 4.6 extended cab 4x4 with 60-80,000 miles, but acourse that depends on your budget. Goodluck.
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My xlt, no center console 60/40 front seat, power everything, 6 disc changer, optional power rear slider, 17" factory wheels, I dont think I have seen a XLT with back up sensors. Mine has the 5.4 so that is a option. Basically like stated above the XLT is a step above the XL, but honestly the only thing I wish my truck had was the center console. Most FX4's I have seen, have the center console, but most of them come standard with cloth seats.
My 5.4 04 has 178k and still runs perfect. I would not hesitate to drive from DFW to cali any day. As long as it was maintained they will last. My uncles 05 FX4 5.4 had 260k when he traded it in on a 09, and it ran perfect. The only two problems I have had with my truck, was at 80k miles the tranny went out, but ford fixed that, and added a tranny cooler, which wasnt available until 05, and my throttle body got dirty and threw a code. Other that, and two tune ups, oil changes, and filter changes, my truck has ran flawelessly.
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