I decided that during the summer I will remove my ARE cap, and use a soft tonneau. Then right before the snow flys, I will install the cap back on and leave it on for the winter.

Tonneau in the summer
Cap in the winter

So I bought an Extang Freedom tonneau today and installed it.
My ARE cap is sitting on a frame I built in the back shed, safe and dry, and off the ground.

I did all this tonight while my wife was at work.

When she got home, all hell broke loose because she "freaked" on my head about buying a soft tonneau.

Her exact words were "cheap, ugly, tacky, & hickish"
Apparently she loved the look of the cap, and now she's hopping mad because I "ruined" a nice looking truck by putting a "ugly cheap tonneau on it.

She was really furious, i'm not kidding, I havn't seen her this mad since the time I said I was going out for 2 hours and came home 3 days later ( got stuck in a good poker game and couldnt leave)

I will post some pics tomorrow, but do you all think this tonneau ruins the look of my truck?

During the summer it's very practical for me to have an open box because of landscaping, and all the trips to the dump I make.
This is the reason why I dropped the cap for the summer.

If some of yopu can reply and say a soft tonneau looks good, maybe once she sees it, she will get off my back.

Thanks
Habibi

 

Maybe she just doesn't like the word "soft"....... Sorry, couldn't resist......

My wife would be the direct opposite. If she came home and saw a cap on the truck, she'd freak. I thought about getting one (a cap) and she said it'll just make it look like an SUV. At least with the tonneau, it still looks like a truck. I've got pics of mine with the tonneau, but they aren't developed yet (I still have that 150 year old technology of actual film......)

I don't see anything wrong with either. But, I do like my tonneau. Can take it off in a couple minutes, in the parking lot, for those larger "spur of the moment" purchases. Caps have their place too, but I don't really need a cap anyway.

Once she see's the usefulness of the tonneau, she'll take to it.

 

To each his own... but I cannot for the life of me understand why someone would put a rag over the bed when such beautiful fiberglass tops exist.

 

$$$ in my case, plus convenience.

Fiberglass cover = $500-$700
soft cover = $150-$200
Ability to remove cover at a moments notice or anywhere the truck goes.

But as you said, each to their own........ Everyone has different needs and reasons.

 

Fuel economy !!!!! I have a fiberglass cap and with it on in the winter time I was getting about 15-16 mpg (combined). Took it off in the spring time and went back to my extang soft tonneau cover and the mileage went up to 17-18 mpg (combined).

Habibi, I am with you on this one !!!!! I have left my tonneau cover on for the last two winters and just kept a good eye on it, so not too much snow would collect and stretch it. I also put 420 lbs in between the wheel wells for the winter and the cap helped with the weight aspect but the last few winters have gotten a little warm and not much snow here in Windsor. The cap weighed a good 300 lbs so it really affected the fuel economy when I went into winter mode (cap and weight). If I ever put the cap back on it for the winter time, I will have to get some pictures for my album. Then atleast I will have some summer/winter version pictures of the truck.

I say leave the cap off till the fall and then go back to tonneau cover in the spring.

Have Fun & Keep on Truckin'
Dean

 

Here are some photos of the Extang cover, and my new summer look that my wife hates. The cap will go back on for the winter.

 

I think a soft cover looks nicer any day. I cannot stand a hard cover.

 

So would your wife say that my truck is "cheap, ugly, tacky, & hickish"?
My last truck had a nice fiberglass cap on it. It was great, especially in the winter.
The truck I have now has the soft tonneau. I prefer this to the cap. It is so much eaiser to use the bed.
You are lucky enough to have both. Your wife will get used to the look just in time for you to put the cap back on. Will she dislike the cap then?
I think your truck looks great either way (nice color!).

 

Habibi, I see your problem in the Pic. You have a Windstar in your driveway. I know for a fact that women who drive Windstars don't know what their talking about.

 

Exactly how does one play poker for 3 days? Or was that the story?

 

You didn't use the back of the truck for "recreation" did you? Maybe that's why she's mad. I would have gone with the snapless tonno but that's just me.

 

I have a 2001 S'crew with a fiberglass tonneau. I honestly can't stand those soft tonneaus. I think that they look like a black trashbag across the bed of the truck. I see so many of them around here, though.

Yes, they're affordable.

My husband and I can remove the hard cover in less than 10 minutes; for those "spur of the moment" purchases. As a matter of fact, we almost bought a nice 73" HDTV this past weekend, which would require removal of the cover.

I just think the hard covers look sharper, cleaner.

JMO

Jenn in MD

 

Habibi, I think she's really mad because you forgot to pick up the milk and bread!

 

The soft tonneau was too expensive for me.

I have a black trashbag stretched over the bed.

 

And if you line the bed of your truck with said trash bags, you can have your very own portable "redneck" hottub!

Tis the summer, you know.

J in MD