Bed Liner options
Hotshot
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 12,338
Likes: 4,349
From: SW VA
$595 * .85 = $506. Again, nobody pays MSRP. So, it's not a $595 bedliner. It's closer to $500.
The rest isn't twisted. It's math based on how financing works. You suggested the act of financing would actually tilt the scales in favor of the Line-X. But yours was an apples-to-oranges comparison wherein you compared financing the Ford liner with a cash payment for the Line-X. That actually ends up being the unlikely scenario.
In practice, if you finance, you will have some mix of cash down payment and a loan principle. And, if you decide to buy Line-X (or other accessories) outside of the truck deal, there is a consequence to doing that. That consequence is that your down payment decreases (as you siphon off cash for other purposes) and your loan principle increases. The net result is the opposite effect that you claimed. Financing doesn't close the gap between the Line-X and Ford liners. It widens it. Not by much (only $20).
But, your assertion that financing the Ford Liner makes it more expensive isn't correct. Math proves that out. That's the beauty of math ... it doesn't lie, it isn't based on my opinion, and it doesn't care about either of our feelings.
The rest isn't twisted. It's math based on how financing works. You suggested the act of financing would actually tilt the scales in favor of the Line-X. But yours was an apples-to-oranges comparison wherein you compared financing the Ford liner with a cash payment for the Line-X. That actually ends up being the unlikely scenario.
In practice, if you finance, you will have some mix of cash down payment and a loan principle. And, if you decide to buy Line-X (or other accessories) outside of the truck deal, there is a consequence to doing that. That consequence is that your down payment decreases (as you siphon off cash for other purposes) and your loan principle increases. The net result is the opposite effect that you claimed. Financing doesn't close the gap between the Line-X and Ford liners. It widens it. Not by much (only $20).
But, your assertion that financing the Ford Liner makes it more expensive isn't correct. Math proves that out. That's the beauty of math ... it doesn't lie, it isn't based on my opinion, and it doesn't care about either of our feelings.
I put $3k down on my truck...it was going to be $3k regardless of what options was on it. So should I decrease my down payment because I don't have heated seats, or that I don't have the 20" wheels? Should I further decrease it because I didn't get the navigation? Your idea of the down payment is flawed. How you rationalize your down payment process does not apply to everyone. Why not leave it out of the equation?
So lets use your unicorn scenario:
($60,000 x .85) @ 5% for 60mo = $57,746
($60,595 x .85) @ 5% for 60mo = $58,319
$58,319 - $57,746 = $573 (add 15% for MSRP and you are at $659) So one will pay between $573 and $659 for their OEM liner. As others have already stated in this thread, the Line-X can sometimes be cheaper than even your best case scenario of 15% off...
But yours was an apples-to-oranges comparison wherein you compared financing the Ford liner with a cash payment for the Line-X. That actually ends up being the unlikely scenario.
Hotshot
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 12,338
Likes: 4,349
From: SW VA
I’m going against the grain and say drop-in plastic. It’s (generally) thicker than the spray stuff, easily replaceable if something goes catastrophically wrong, and most importantly, unlike paint coatings, it’s got its own stiffness to it, so point impacts distribute instead of dent or punch holes. I also really like the lesser friction of the plastic liners. If you’re using the truck for moving heavy equipment, it’s a lot easier to pull it out on the plastic, and it’s almost impossible to gouge/rip through it doing so.
I have a Line-X, but I also run a rubber bed mat on top for impact protection and grip.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 1,297
Likes: 170
From: Hunterdon Cnty N.J.
Heres something I never see discussed...
Anyone do Linex premium and have it color matched to their truck?
I see it on their website... but I dont know if they can accurately match Magnetic for me. But I thought that sounded cool. Not just functional. Might be a waste because I always run a rubber mat as well.
Anyone do Linex premium and have it color matched to their truck?
I see it on their website... but I dont know if they can accurately match Magnetic for me. But I thought that sounded cool. Not just functional. Might be a waste because I always run a rubber mat as well.
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 247
Likes: 2
From: Northern California
Linex Premium for me. I think it cost me $695 IIRC. I frequently have 2500# pallets forklifted into the bed with zero issues. I have a rubber bed mat that I paid $50 for I think (generic). I love the combo of the Line X and bed mat. Linex is tough as nails and the bed mat helps things stay in place. The lineX can be a little slick from what I've found and the bed mat helps prevent things from sliding around the bed.
I had a factory spray-in liner in my last truck and it was terrible. chipped, peeled and faded within a year or so. Once I talked with the LineX dealer I understood how important the bed prep is. The factory liners basically do zero prep, they just spray it in and are done. LineX has a very specific process for prepping the bed before they spray.
I had a factory spray-in liner in my last truck and it was terrible. chipped, peeled and faded within a year or so. Once I talked with the LineX dealer I understood how important the bed prep is. The factory liners basically do zero prep, they just spray it in and are done. LineX has a very specific process for prepping the bed before they spray.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 1,366
Likes: 185
From: Frederick, CO
People get 10-15% off MSRP on average. Pick 10% and you're at $535. As I said, the number is much closer to $500 (than $600). Pick your favorite discount and adjust the number. It won't change the conclusion of the model. And, I'll keep using $700 as the cost of Line-X Premium liner, though it can be cheaper in your region. I'll just use $700 for consistency.
Your models aren't balanced. When you examine the case of financing the Ford Liner, you have to account for the $700 cash that you're not spending on the Line-X Premium. -- it's not in your down payment apparently or anywhere else. It just sort of doesn't exist in your finance model and then shows up in your Line-X model. That's flawed. That leads to an unbalanced comparison where you have a different pool of resources in each of your comparisons. Apples and oranges.
If you want to believe in your model, that's fine. But, that's not how capital budgeting works and it's not how financial modeling works. So, when you talk about the "real world," you're drifting away from it. In the real world, every dollar is doing something. So, an A to B comparison needs to be comprehensive in how it accounts for capital in both models. $700 cash can't magically appear in the second model without appearing in the first ... unless there is a cash infusion that results from an option.
Another way. When you finance the Ford liner, that $700 cash is doing something. If not increasing your down payment (reducing your loan), that's fine. But, then it's doing something else. Clothes for your kids, groceries, interest in the bank, who knows. But, if it's in the bank, it better be earning more interest than your loan rate, or it's really poor use of capital. So, I'll assume arbitrage doesn't exist and that the $700 is not sitting in a bank account. Therefore, it's being used somehow. You finance the Ford Liner and use the $700 for other stuff.
So, when you instead buy the Line-X, where does that $700 come from, if not from your down payment? Whatever that $700 is doing in the first case is still being done. Your down payment is still the same. But, you also have $700 to buy a Line-X. It's magical money that enters the model. Even if you decided that $700 is drawn from a retirement account, then you'd still have to factor in an opportunity cost associated with what that $700 could have been earning.
Or, maybe this is more succinct. In your Line-X model, you have a loan and $3,700 cash. In the Ford Liner model, you have a loan and $3,000 cash. Yeah, the model with more cash is going to look better! You have to balance that and have the same amount of cash in both models.
But worse than any of this was the fact that someone recommended a plastic liner! Those things are terrible!!
Your models aren't balanced. When you examine the case of financing the Ford Liner, you have to account for the $700 cash that you're not spending on the Line-X Premium. -- it's not in your down payment apparently or anywhere else. It just sort of doesn't exist in your finance model and then shows up in your Line-X model. That's flawed. That leads to an unbalanced comparison where you have a different pool of resources in each of your comparisons. Apples and oranges.
If you want to believe in your model, that's fine. But, that's not how capital budgeting works and it's not how financial modeling works. So, when you talk about the "real world," you're drifting away from it. In the real world, every dollar is doing something. So, an A to B comparison needs to be comprehensive in how it accounts for capital in both models. $700 cash can't magically appear in the second model without appearing in the first ... unless there is a cash infusion that results from an option.
Another way. When you finance the Ford liner, that $700 cash is doing something. If not increasing your down payment (reducing your loan), that's fine. But, then it's doing something else. Clothes for your kids, groceries, interest in the bank, who knows. But, if it's in the bank, it better be earning more interest than your loan rate, or it's really poor use of capital. So, I'll assume arbitrage doesn't exist and that the $700 is not sitting in a bank account. Therefore, it's being used somehow. You finance the Ford Liner and use the $700 for other stuff.
So, when you instead buy the Line-X, where does that $700 come from, if not from your down payment? Whatever that $700 is doing in the first case is still being done. Your down payment is still the same. But, you also have $700 to buy a Line-X. It's magical money that enters the model. Even if you decided that $700 is drawn from a retirement account, then you'd still have to factor in an opportunity cost associated with what that $700 could have been earning.
Or, maybe this is more succinct. In your Line-X model, you have a loan and $3,700 cash. In the Ford Liner model, you have a loan and $3,000 cash. Yeah, the model with more cash is going to look better! You have to balance that and have the same amount of cash in both models.
But worse than any of this was the fact that someone recommended a plastic liner! Those things are terrible!!
Hotshot
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 12,338
Likes: 4,349
From: SW VA
People get 10-15% off MSRP on average. Pick 10% and you're at $535. As I said, the number is much closer to $500 (than $600). Pick your favorite discount and adjust the number. It won't change the conclusion of the model. And, I'll keep using $700 as the cost of Line-X Premium liner, though it can be cheaper in your region. I'll just use $700 for consistency.
Your models aren't balanced. When you examine the case of financing the Ford Liner, you have to account for the $700 cash that you're not spending on the Line-X Premium. -- it's not in your down payment apparently or anywhere else. It just sort of doesn't exist in your finance model and then shows up in your Line-X model. That's flawed. That leads to an unbalanced comparison where you have a different pool of resources in each of your comparisons. Apples and oranges.
Nothing is flawed. That "$700" is either going to be used all at once on a Line-X, or gradually used over the life of the loan for the OEM. The same money, used for the same thing. No one is going to go line-by-line down their options list and add each cost to their down payment, which is what you are suggesting in your down payment obsession. Do I give "$700" all at once for Line-X, or do I give $8-10 a month for 5 years for OEM? This is the question.
If you want to believe in your model, that's fine. But, that's not how capital budgeting works and it's not how financial modeling works. So, when you talk about the "real world," you're drifting away from it. In the real world, every dollar is doing something. So, an A to B comparison needs to be comprehensive in how it accounts for capital in both models. $700 cash can't magically appear in the second model without appearing in the first ... unless there is a cash infusion that results from an option.
See above. Ironic you mention "real world" and "capitol budgeting" and "financial modeling". No one is thinking of that stuff when they are at the dealer. They go by final price, or the monthly payment. That's the real world. Again, that "$700" doesn't magically appear. It was always there. You are either paying it on month 1, or month 60.
Another way. When you finance the Ford liner, that $700 cash is doing something. If not increasing your down payment (reducing your loan), that's fine. But, then it's doing something else. Clothes for your kids, groceries, interest in the bank, who knows. But, if it's in the bank, it better be earning more interest than your loan rate, or it's really poor use of capital. So, I'll assume arbitrage doesn't exist and that the $700 is not sitting in a bank account. Therefore, it's being used somehow. You finance the Ford Liner and use the $700 for other stuff.
Yes, that "$700" cash is either sitting in my safe, or in my bank account. Having cash instantly available for emergencies, or for impulse buys, is far more important than knocking off $60 in interest ($1/mo) from my truck loan. If I "finance the Ford liner, and use the "$700" for other stuff", I am now out a total of "$1250"+ at the end of 60mo., no?
So, when you instead buy the Line-X, where does that $700 come from, if not from your down payment? Whatever that $700 is doing in the first case is still being done. Your down payment is still the same. But, you also have $700 to buy a Line-X. It's magical money that enters the model. Even if you decided that $700 is drawn from a retirement account, then you'd still have to factor in an opportunity cost associated with what that $700 could have been earning.
Look at it this way: That "$700" comes from 5 years of $8-10/mo payments. I'm just taking it out at month 1 instead of month 60.
$3,000 down and $8-10/mo for (lets just say) $3,600 at the end of 5 years for OEM liner.
OR
$3.000 down and "$700" next week for a Line-X = $3,700 ($3,600 in my case)
Or, maybe this is more succinct. In your Line-X model, you have a loan and $3,700 cash. In the Ford Liner model, you have a loan (A larger loan...I think you are forgetting) and $3,000 cash. Yeah, the model with more cash is going to look better! You have to balance that and have the same amount of cash in both models. They are balanced at the end of 60 months.
No, I had more cash, but chose to put $3k down. It was always going to be $3k, so I can keep a certain amount on hand for emergencies.
The "$700" is going to come out of my checking account. Either in monthly installments (OEM liner), or one lump sum (Line-X).
But worse than any of this was the fact that someone recommended a plastic liner! Those things are terrible!!
You wanna start another thread?! Go ahead, I'll meet you there! 
Your models aren't balanced. When you examine the case of financing the Ford Liner, you have to account for the $700 cash that you're not spending on the Line-X Premium. -- it's not in your down payment apparently or anywhere else. It just sort of doesn't exist in your finance model and then shows up in your Line-X model. That's flawed. That leads to an unbalanced comparison where you have a different pool of resources in each of your comparisons. Apples and oranges.
Nothing is flawed. That "$700" is either going to be used all at once on a Line-X, or gradually used over the life of the loan for the OEM. The same money, used for the same thing. No one is going to go line-by-line down their options list and add each cost to their down payment, which is what you are suggesting in your down payment obsession. Do I give "$700" all at once for Line-X, or do I give $8-10 a month for 5 years for OEM? This is the question.
If you want to believe in your model, that's fine. But, that's not how capital budgeting works and it's not how financial modeling works. So, when you talk about the "real world," you're drifting away from it. In the real world, every dollar is doing something. So, an A to B comparison needs to be comprehensive in how it accounts for capital in both models. $700 cash can't magically appear in the second model without appearing in the first ... unless there is a cash infusion that results from an option.
See above. Ironic you mention "real world" and "capitol budgeting" and "financial modeling". No one is thinking of that stuff when they are at the dealer. They go by final price, or the monthly payment. That's the real world. Again, that "$700" doesn't magically appear. It was always there. You are either paying it on month 1, or month 60.
Another way. When you finance the Ford liner, that $700 cash is doing something. If not increasing your down payment (reducing your loan), that's fine. But, then it's doing something else. Clothes for your kids, groceries, interest in the bank, who knows. But, if it's in the bank, it better be earning more interest than your loan rate, or it's really poor use of capital. So, I'll assume arbitrage doesn't exist and that the $700 is not sitting in a bank account. Therefore, it's being used somehow. You finance the Ford Liner and use the $700 for other stuff.
Yes, that "$700" cash is either sitting in my safe, or in my bank account. Having cash instantly available for emergencies, or for impulse buys, is far more important than knocking off $60 in interest ($1/mo) from my truck loan. If I "finance the Ford liner, and use the "$700" for other stuff", I am now out a total of "$1250"+ at the end of 60mo., no?
So, when you instead buy the Line-X, where does that $700 come from, if not from your down payment? Whatever that $700 is doing in the first case is still being done. Your down payment is still the same. But, you also have $700 to buy a Line-X. It's magical money that enters the model. Even if you decided that $700 is drawn from a retirement account, then you'd still have to factor in an opportunity cost associated with what that $700 could have been earning.
Look at it this way: That "$700" comes from 5 years of $8-10/mo payments. I'm just taking it out at month 1 instead of month 60.
$3,000 down and $8-10/mo for (lets just say) $3,600 at the end of 5 years for OEM liner.
OR
$3.000 down and "$700" next week for a Line-X = $3,700 ($3,600 in my case)
Or, maybe this is more succinct. In your Line-X model, you have a loan and $3,700 cash. In the Ford Liner model, you have a loan (A larger loan...I think you are forgetting) and $3,000 cash. Yeah, the model with more cash is going to look better! You have to balance that and have the same amount of cash in both models. They are balanced at the end of 60 months.
No, I had more cash, but chose to put $3k down. It was always going to be $3k, so I can keep a certain amount on hand for emergencies.
The "$700" is going to come out of my checking account. Either in monthly installments (OEM liner), or one lump sum (Line-X).
But worse than any of this was the fact that someone recommended a plastic liner! Those things are terrible!!
You wanna start another thread?! Go ahead, I'll meet you there!
10 characters.
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Cross-Country
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 84
Likes: 6
From: Luck, WI
I wanted to go with them, but they have a huge lack of installers in the midwest. I'm not going to drive all the way to Green Bay for a bedliner.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 996
Likes: 132
From: Oklahoma
My new truck will have the factory spray liner. I had it my 17 dual and it held up well but did get some staining from some of the crap I hauled. I had been thinking what I could do inexpensively to protect the new one and the bed rug seems to a good idea, maybe. Appears it would be an easy in, easy out solution. However, the main function of our truck is to pull our fifth wheel so generally I leave my hitch in place from about April to mid November. A casual look and I see nothing that has pre-cut holes for the hitch pucks. I'm not even sure if I did punch holes for the pucks if the hitch would fit properly with the thickness of the bed rug. Just curious if anyone has any experience with a bed rug/fifth wheel hitch combo.
More Turbo
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 736
Likes: 225
Hotshot
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 12,338
Likes: 4,349
From: SW VA
When I was ordering my truck at the dealership, I found I could get the Line-X for the same price as the OEM, so it was a no-brainer for me.
I also have wood pallets slid in and out occasionally....wood pallets are notorious for having the nails sticking out of the bottom too, just itching to gouge anything under it.
Pre-liner in an old truck:
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,866
Likes: 515
From: WNY
I only buy drop in liners. I keep my tonneau closed 99% of the time. I like the fact that I can reach to the front with a hook and slide anything in the front to the back with ease. Easily cleaned.
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 127
Likes: 1
From: my recliner