|
|
OF LIGHT TRUCKS
Look At The Facts Before Choosing A Truck Bedliner
(NAPSA)-So you've purchased a new or used light truck. If you're like most truck owners,
the next important enhancement to your driving arsenal will be the installation of a
bedliner. Because trucks work hard, the more protection you provide, the greater the
payback you're likely to receive in terms of durability and resale value.
But make no mistake, one bedliner-like one truck model-isn't as
good as the next. In fact, there's an ever-widening gap between the bedliner technologies,
and protection, now available through truck accessories dealers, franchise installers and
other businesses.
How can you be certain the truck bedliner you choose will provide the long-term
protection, performance, durability, appearance and value you need? It's simple-by
sticking to the facts. And here they are:
Will the bedliner itself damage your truck? It depends on which
type of liner you choose: a new-generation molded "drop-in" liner, or a liquid
"spray-on" coating, which, in effect, replaces your truck's factory finish.
To properly install a spray-on liner, the franchise or other
dealer first must grind off the original finish. What the installer might not tell you is
that this process may reduce or eliminate the vehicle manufacturer's sheet metal corrosion
protection and could void your paint warranty. General Motors, for example, considers the
application of a spray-on bedliner "excessive damage."
Some users of older-style drop-in bedliners discovered that the
liners could vibrate within the truck bed, causing scratches and other problems. Today's
leading drop-ins, however, are manufactured in vehicle-specific molds to ensure a tight
fit. In addition, one new drop-in model-the Pendaliner¨ Skid Resistorª from Penda
Corporation-features an advanced, non-abrasive surface that offers twice the skid
resistance of other liners.
Which liner will provide better protection? Tests indicate that a new-generation bedliner,
such as the Pendaliner Skid Resistor, will provide 10 times the abrasion resistance and
twice the dent resistance of leading spray-on products. And keep in mind that when you
penetrate or dent a spray-on liner, you're actually scraping or denting the truck itself.
Which liner will look better? This question has become increasingly important for many
truck owners. Some owners choose spray-on liners because of their "custom" look.
Unfortunately, studies indicate that spray-on liners can show noticeable signs of fading
after just 2,000 hours of exposure to ultra-violet rays. To enhance the UV-resistance of
their products, some spray-on installers offer an optional coating that must be applied,
at an additional cost, each year. The other chief drawback of this coating is that it
reduces the effectiveness of the liner's skid-resistant texture.
The appearance of drop-in bedliners has improved dramatically in recent
years, offering an appealing "custom" look through precision molding techniques
and, in the case of the Pendaliner Skid Resistor, a patented high-gloss finish.
Which bedliner technology is a better value? Value is critical,
in terms of both your investment in the truck and in the bedliner itself. Spray-on
bedliners typically are much more expensive than even the best new drop-in liners due to
the labor involved in removing and recoating the truck bed surface. This fact, coupled
with the protection and durability issues covered earlier, make a drop-in liner the better
investment.
In terms of the truck's resale value, remember that the spray-on liner can't be removed
without completely refinishing the truck bed. Your truck's appeal to potential buyers,
therefore, might be limited by the permanent nature of the used spray-on lining.
Bedliner manufacturers urge consumers to visit www.bedliner facts.com for more information
on how to select the best bedliner for any light truck. |
