It was bound to happen. You lend your truck to a friend who says they have a couple of pieces of furniture to move and it comes back to you with scratches in the bed area of your truck. It wouldnt have been so bad had they apologized, but now you have to deal with unsightly scratches that can only make your trucks value deteriorate quicker. Had you thought about it, you would have stuck a bed liner in your truck ahead of time to prevent the problem from happening in the first place.
The above account actually happened to me as I was trying to help a young couple out with a good deed. I was warned in advance by a friend that the couple would take advantage of me and he was, unfortunately, correct. Lets just say that it was a bitter lesson learned.
Twenty years have passed and I no longer have that old F-150. My current people mover is an SUV, so I have no open area to deal with. Yet, I likely will have a pickup truck again in the near future and I have looked closely at some of the products available to owners today, particularly bed liners.
Advances in technology have brought new products on the market that either did not exist a few years ago or were too expensive for the average driver. Some of the bed liners you can purchase include:
Spray on liners. Thats right; you can have super-thick polyurethane sprayed right into the bed of your truck. At one quarter inch thick, you can receive protection from scratches or fluid and it is completely air tight. One manufacturer says this about their product, It’s scratch-resistant, slip-resistant, and really easy to clean.
Roll on liners. Similar to spray on liners, are roll on liners. Everything that I have read about roll on liners means a lot of work for the person who does the job, which typically is the trucks owner. After sweeping and cleaning the bed free of all debris, you will then need to sand the entire truck bed as well as the sides before applying the rubberized coating. The sanding forces the coating to adhere to the bed area and I must tell you that between the sanding, masking tape, rubbing alcohol, newspapers, and particle masks, this is one smelly and messy job!
Installed liners. Okay, I am biased. If it were up to me, this is the product I would purchase. Option number one is too expensive; option number two is too messy; while the third option – an installed liner — makes the most sense to me. Still, you need to be careful in this area too as some bed liners are certainly better made than others. Look for those liners that are scratch and dent resistant, waterproof, chemical proof, stain resistant, and durable, i.e. not subject to cracking, chipping, or fading.
In all, a bed liner makes perfect sense for any truck, particularly if you can put one in that covers the sides and the wheel wells. All the decent ones I have seen are nicely padded and can easily be cleaned. Learn all about the product you want before making a decision to buy.
Installing a quality tonneau cover on your pick up truck is a great idea that can only enhance your trucks look and value. You can shell out a little bit of money and get a cover that looks no better than a tarp or you can pay a lot of money and get a tonneau cover that really makes a statement. In the middle area — where most consumers shop — you can find more than a few sensibly priced designs that are sturdy, long lasting, and eye-catching. Some covers look cut-rate — and they are, while others look costly — but they really are not. For the most part you will pay less for a soft-top tonneau cover than for a hard-top cover, therefore it becomes a matter of personal taste as to which cover you select.
Simple to maintain The way you wash your truck is the way you will clean your tonneau cover: just be careful not to use a car tire or dashboard cleaning agent on it. Simply follow the manufacturers recommendation on how best to maintain your cover. Most any auto supply retailer should stock products expressly developed for maintaining a tonneau cover.
Secure for your stuff If you regularly carry valuable merchandise in your truck bed, consider purchasing a locking, hard shell tonneau cover. Covers such as those made by Truxedo or Extang are designed with your security requirements in mind and will keep probing eyes from seeing what is in the back of your truck.
Enhance your trucks overall value If you keep your truck looking and running its best, a premium tonneau cover will only boost your trucks value. When it comes time to sell you truck, you should be able to command a better selling price.
Save on gas Todays high gas prices mean you must think of innovative ways to save on fuel consumption. One way you can achieve decent savings — as much as 10-15% — is to have a tonneau cover installed. With a tonneau cover in place, wind drag is significantly reduced: the less drag on your truck, the better your fuel economy will be.
Most tonneau covers come with a one year limited warranty which should be sufficient for you. A reputable online auto parts wholesaler can give you detailed information about the various product offerings, care and maintenance instructions, prices, shipping and handling information, and more.
