Buyers Guide to Pickup Truck Bed Covers
You have just purchased a very expensive pickup truck, and the shiny gloss paint makes you smile. What will happen when you take your new truck to the local hardware store to pick up some lumber? Scratches! In your nice new bed, hence many peoples desire to purchase a cover.
There are a few different varieties of cover to choose from, so determining which style you would like is your first step. The cheapest variety would be a rubberized mat which covers just the bottom of your bed. This would be ideal for someone who does not plan to carry a large quantity of materials that might damage your bed.
Keep in mind this will not cover the sides of your bed. You will want to tie down anything put in the bed. Price for this should range from $100 to $300 dollars depending on where it is purchased from and quality of the material.
The next variety is a bed liner, which is a plastic shell which is molded to fit your bed. This is the choice for most people who are using there truck as a work vehicle and don't wish to destroy there bed with the work materials they use everyday. Make sure when looking into this option you have all the information regarding bed size, vehicle type, etc. as these are form fitted specifically to each individual vehicle.
Also keep in mind that if you are ever to remove this liner from your vehicle, they may leave scratches on the bed themselves. These should be fairly simple to install yourself, but if you are not manually dexterous such as myself try to get a package deal of parts and installation. Going this route should cost between $350 to $550 dollars.
The next level is the spray on type liner. This has recently become a popular choice for work trucks, and I would consider the best option for a work truck which will receive maximum punishment from use. It is a polymer chemical which is sprayed into the bed like a paint, which then hardens like a shell. It is like a second skin for your bed, and usually comes with a lifetime guarantee. This treatment will usually cost you from $500 to $800 dollars.
Finally we come to a top cover, or what is called a tonneau cover. These cover just the top of the bed and are mainly used to protect what you are keeping in your bed. These covers also come in two different varieties, soft and hard. The soft variety is usually made of a leather like cloth and will open and close with either snap buttons or possibly zipper. The hard style is usually fiberglass with hydraulic style pistons to open and close it easily. Both will most likely require a good deal of installation. These are also made for specific vehicles, so you should have all necessary information when purchasing. The soft variety should cost between $300 and $500, while the hard style is the most expensive of the bunch ranging from $1000 to $2000 dollars.
On a final note if you wish to have any of these installed on your vehicle, get it done when purchasing your truck. Many times a dealership will work it into your deal, giving you a much better price.
