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Don, congrats on the new truck! About your
spray-in -vs- drop-in bedliner issue... I went through
this same debate last summer with my '99 XLT. Spoke
with a few salesmen and a bunch of truck owners and
got a lot of different perspectives on this issue.
There are pros and cons for each. A quality spray-in
job will cost you about $350-$450. As you probably
know, a drop-in could be found for about half that
price, however there are a lot of factors to consider
before you jump on the "drop-in" bandwagon. "What do you
plan to haul in your bed?" and "where do you live?"
are key questions to consider. A drop-in will look
good for a few years, but it can eventually fade a
little, dent in places, and possibly warp in some areas.
Of course, you could affordably replace it with a
new one after the original shows signs of wear. Rust
is a big factor for me (I live in Maine) - hence the
question "where do you live?". Note that a drop-in liner
does not necessarily protect your bed from rust... the
bed will shift slightly going over bumps. Over the
years, the bed's paint will get scratched. Water and
moisture can get underneath the liner and rusting can
occur. This type of rusting is not a problem for
spray-in type liners and a spray-in will not dent or rip.
A spray-in is a very VERY perminant addition to
your truck, however, so know that there is no turning
back. Most companies (like Rhino-Liner) warranty their
product against fading and pealing. Early on, there were
bad spray-in applications, but the industry has
gotten much better now and, generally speaking, a
spray-in liner will probably outlast your truck. Spray-in
liners are also usually textured so cargo (like a
toolbox) won't slide around too much. This can be a
problem with a drop-in. Also, some truck owners claim
that a truck drives a little quieter with a
spray-in... the liner acts to glue the whole bed together
preventing shimmys, clangs, creaking or other strange noises
over bumps in the road. In terms of resale value
(after 5-7 years, for example), a spray-in has the
advantage, unless you plan to buy a new drop-in liner to
give your truck a "brand new" look. Bottom line... a
spray-in costs twice as much but will not really change
much in appearence after a few years of use. A drop-in
is cheap but will visibly age if abused.
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2001 ranger
Aug 19 2000, 12:39 PM
