There are a lot of factors to consider when deciding whether or not to add a tonneau cover to your truck. We often see ute owners spend a lot of time tossing up on whether they need a tonneau cover, so we decided to put together some pros and cons to help you make up your mind.
Starting with the pros list, let’s discuss three great reasons to install a tonneau cover, whether hard or soft.
PROS
Improve Your Vehicle Efficiency
A tonneau cover can help to reduce the drag on your vehicle, therefore improving the distance you get before you need to refuel. Studies have shown that you tend to get a minimisation of 5-6% in drag which equates to around a 2% saving on fuel efficiency.
Now these figures don’t seem like a lot, but when you add up how much fuel you purchase every year, a 2% saving can be a fair amount back in your pocket – money you could put towards a weekend away or for upgrades to your vehicle interior.
Protect Your Cargo
This is one of the main reasons that people will install a tonneau cover on their vehicle. These covers can help protect your cargo and belongings from the weather, as well as from opportunistic theft, where someone has walked past your car and spotted something they feel is valuable.
For a higher level of protection from both the weather and theft, a hard tonneau cover is the best option, but if you are just looking for a cover to provide protection from light rain or opportunistic theft, a soft cover will work just as well (keep in mind that soft covers are less resistant, so if someone really wants to get into the tray of your ute, they will be able to).
The Aesthetic Appeal is Real
A tonneau cover, whether hard or soft, can really add to the aesthetic appeal of your vehicle, and when you take care of your cover correctly, it is not only long lasting, but will ensure that your car looks great for years to come, adding value to your vehicle.
One of the biggest benefits is that it doesn’t take a lot to protect your cover – wash, and apply a protectant, then polish and wax. Do this regularly and your tonneau cover will look good for years to come.
CONS
The Expense of Tonneau Covers
There’s no use skirting the issue – tonneau covers can be expensive, both to initially install and to replace if you ever need to. The basic tonneau cover starts from around $200 and you can then expect to pay an installation fee on top of that. The premium styles can then reach up to $2000, again with an installation fee on top of that.
These costs however are absolutely worth it for many ute drivers.
Installing and Removing
If you haven’t used a tonneau cover before, they can be difficult to install and remove, particularly if you need to have modifications done to your vehicle to have the tonneau cover you choose fit correctly.
On top of this, for newbies, tonneau covers can be difficult to use until you get the hang of it. Some of the covers can be quickly opened and put back into place, while others can take a little longer and be a little more difficult.
If you need to be able to have quick and easy access to your ute tray, speak to our friendly team about the best tonneau cover to meet your needs.
Additional Accessories
If you don’t have a modern ute (or in some cases, even if you do), you may find that you need to purchase additional accessories such as straps and clamps to keep the cover in place. These will be installed at the same time as your cover, so you will need to account for this additional cost, as well as the additional time in labour.
Weighing the pros and cons of tonneau covers is a personal decision. Ultimately, you’ll need to decide what’s most important to you and your truck.
If you’re looking for a tonneau cover that’s easy to install and remove, check out our selection at Carman’s Auto Trimmers. We offer a variety of covers to fit any budget and truck. Contact us today to learn more!