Any reason not to get a spray in bed liner? Any considerations I'm missing?

[cafecito]

Wow, incredibly cynical. Why wipe your butt? It's just gonna get shitty again!! Lol

They manufacture a finished product and that includes painting the bed. A bare metal bed would rust IMMEDIATELY of course. They could bed line every Gladiator but not everyone wants their truck bed lined - because they don't see the value, they dislike the look, or they don't want to pay a few dollars more for it. Sheesh, "different strokes for different folks, ya know!

As for restaurants - your comment is THE weirdest comment I've ever heard/read. Why do you think an "upscale restaurant" IS an upscale restaurant? BECAUSE THEY USE EXPENSIVE (= excellent) ingredients! Why not eat McDonald's for ALL meals in your life if its, "...just gonna turn to poo anyway".

Don't forget to add, "Get off my lawn you damn kids!" to every post.

That's not really what cynical means, but ok... fair enough. Perhaps I was being a little hyperbolic.

In all seriousness, I don't understand why anyone would ever think that putting an easily-damaged finish on a high-contact surface would be a good idea. It's a "different strokes for different folks" thing - it's just impractical, plain and simple.

Bumpers are meant to withstand an impact in an accident, or protect the more delicate areas of the vehicle if you hit something offroad. So, Jeep makes them out of plastic and steel (except the High Altitude trim, but that's another market entirely). Your side rails and steps are the same thing. They're meant to be stepped on and to provide a grippy surface for shoes and boots. Painting them would make zero sense ever.

So please, if I'm missing something here, explain to me how a painted truck bed ever makes sense for anyone. I get that it's probably a cost-saving measure at the manufacturing level - they're already painting the outsides anyway, and covering the inside and not spraying it is more effort than just spraying it with paint and moving on. But, even if the paint were almost bulletproof, it's still slick, and unless things are tied down (or very heavy), they're going to slide all over the place. Having a bedliner that's as durable as what they put on the steel bumpers that also provides a frictional surface for the cargo turns the bed into a usable space.

None of what I said has anything to do with being cynical or old and cranky, as you implied. It's confusion with a corner-cutting measure that makes no sense for all but the most fringe buyers.

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[ajkaz]

That's not really what cynical means, but ok... fair enough. Perhaps I was being a little hyperbolic.

In all seriousness, I don't understand why anyone would ever think that putting an easily-damaged finish on a high-contact surface would be a good idea. It's a "different strokes for different folks" thing - it's just impractical, plain and simple.

Bumpers are meant to withstand an impact in an accident, or protect the more delicate areas of the vehicle if you hit something offroad. So, Jeep makes them out of plastic and steel (except the High Altitude trim, but that's another market entirely). Your side rails and steps are the same thing. They're meant to be stepped on and to provide a grippy surface for shoes and boots. Painting them would make zero sense ever.

So please, if I'm missing something here, explain to me how a painted truck bed ever makes sense for anyone. I get that it's probably a cost-saving measure at the manufacturing level - they're already painting the outsides anyway, and covering the inside and not spraying it is more effort than just spraying it with paint and moving on. But, even if the paint were almost bulletproof, it's still slick, and unless things are tied down (or very heavy), they're going to slide all over the place. Having a bedliner that's as durable as what they put on the steel bumpers that also provides a frictional surface for the cargo turns the bed into a usable space.

None of what I said has anything to do with being cynical or old and cranky, as you implied. It's confusion with a corner-cutting measure that makes no sense for all but the most fringe buyers.

Jeep also leaves the door sills as just paint with no finish, the clearcoat has worn and the pant has scratched on all my JK's. I should have added the protector..... Same thing with the bed, they are leaving the finishing decision upto the customer. I would say of all mid sized trucks, the gladiators likely see the least work use. They are usually covered in large racks and are full of off road gear and deck systems.
I would not want it coated standard, I would want the option to choose how or if I finish the bed. And thats what they do, they give you the choice.

 

[steve68]

Mine came with the bed liner, and I had to have it installed, I thought to myself, I should probably take it to the shop and Raptor line it myself and prep the bed to make sure it done right, Buddy owns a body, no brainer, paint booth all the supplies etc.

Decided I'll let the dealer, what could be that bad......................... it's just a bed liner,

What a friggin JOKE... No PREP!! not one-bit, shiny paint underneath, I do carry stuff in my bed, it's trashed, cuts, gouges scraps, you can peal it up with anything sharp. I asked the #Greenway JCD dealer if the guy who does the bed liners knows how to prep a surface, looked at me like I had 6 heads, my own fault for not doing it myself,

So, yes get it, just don't have the dealer do it!!!

 

[Suszynch]

Bedliner wasn't available for my eco diesel either. Went with the full bed kit from bedrug.
Primarily use mine for camping, no regrets. Keeps bed clatter to a minimum. and the insulated floor is kind of my knees while rolling around in the bed getting stuff out and in.
The thing that really kept me from getting an aftermarket Bedliner is that you will have to go and clean /tap your nutserts in your bed if you ever wanted to mount anything to them. I'm sure there's some workaround to that in regards to prep. but I'll settle for poking holes through the bed rug myself.

 

[Corybarnett]

I purchased the after market spray in liner and couldn't be happier. I throw all kinds of stuff in the back, and didn't want to notice every time there was a scratch or nick.

 

[ahr6912]

Bedliner wasn't available for my eco diesel either. Went with the full bed kit from bedrug.
Primarily use mine for camping, no regrets. Keeps bed clatter to a minimum. and the insulated floor is kind of my knees while rolling around in the bed getting stuff out and in.
The thing that really kept me from getting an aftermarket Bedliner is that you will have to go and clean /tap your nutserts in your bed if you ever wanted to mount anything to them. I'm sure there's some workaround to that in regards to prep. but I'll settle for poking holes through the bed rug myself.

I got the bedrug, too. Best thing I've bought. Love it. Also Amazon door edge rubber protector. Hard to install but, when the door closes it makes a sealed sound. Not tinny. And finally, the tonneau cover from Amazon, folding soft top is great. A lot cheaper than from FCA.

 

[Mash5]

There are two reasons I don't like bed liner for my jeep. One is weight. It all adds up. Not sure what the weight of a liner is... Maybe 20#. The second it that it is dark. With a cap on the bed the dark color makes it harder to see stuff in the bed.
I see why other like them. They are tidy and keep the bed looking good but for me it's not worth it.

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