New A.R.E. Shell --VERY POOR FIT-- along windoors

Just purchased a new A.R.E. shell from Texas Truck and Trailer in Austin. VERY unhappy with the fit around the windoors. The center of the lower edge of the windoor does not fit into the frame completely. The windoor hits the frame and does not close completely. Looks like they needed to send it back up the assembly line and straighten out the lower edge of the opening for the windoor unit to fit into properly. Same effect on both sides of the shell. Furthermore, the guy with the screw gun was a gorilla. The fasteners were run down way too far and crushed the framework on the inside of the windoor. Screws in this area were run in at bad angles and bent the frame work. I am shocked at the level of quality being SO BAD. Should have bought a Snugtop...I paid ~$2700 with the options. I am not returning it or even calling any of these folks. The workmanship is so bad I do not want to be involved in negotiating a repair effort. My confidence is so low in their abilities...I will probably repair it myself. This is a factory defect. And that they thought was OK to send to the customer? GEEZ...Also why did Texas Truck and Trailer not send it back?? Their shop here in Austin is a mess. It looks like a bomb went off in the assembly and delivery yard area. A filthy work area. My truck was not vacuumed after the install and was left dirty with mud and wood shavings from the shipping pallet. Crap scattered everywhere. Lack of pride in workmanship throughout the process. At a minimun stay away from A.R.E. Photos to follow...

 

Piss and moan to the dealer. If you are upset and are washing your hands of it, then why piss and moan here?

This isn't news.

Grow a pair and return it.

 

Um, uh, ditto on the return, you are the customer, give them a chance to make it right. It may not be the company per say, could be the installer is lacking....I am sure the shop owner would like to know about the shoddy install and poor workmanship on the topper....

 

I had a problem with my installer too. slack and they didn't care to make anything right. it took me calling up their regional manager to get anything taken care of and in the end they still didn't take care of it. I feel your pain buddy. I ended up taking mine to a different installer and they took care of it no problem. sometimes you just cant do anything with lazy people. I say give them the chance to make it right, and if they cant/wont, take it up the chain until youre satisfied. getting on here doesn't do much. Also, don't take no for an answer. they flat out wouldn't give me a refund.

 

Cause eberybody else pisses and moans on this site.

But on the flip side dont be a moron OP take it back.

 

It's not just ARE. There are quality reports about Leer and SnugTop too. Take it back and have it fixed or demand a refund. Unless people start holding these companies accountable nothing is going to change. Then there are the install problems of leaking at the seal with the truck.

 

Sounds like a nightmare

 

Leer was the same with mine. pretty awful considering the price you pay.

 

I have had a LEER, ARE, and a Snugtop. All have had something that wasn't right. My current Snugtop has been the best, but also cost the most. You spend 3K on a cap and you want the quality that you get with the truck. The installer is key, can fix most of the defects before del. I drove 3 hours to get a good install, have a Leer dealer 15 min. from my house, hacks. Sold me a cap, ran the hot wire around my exhaust and never hooked it up to the cap, left tools in the bed.

 

When I went shopping for a SnugTop Hi-liner at the very same dealer, the condition of their shop area steered me away. I went with a Leer 180 from 3rd Coast Vans up north on Anderson Lane and Woodrow. I happy that I did. The shell has been on my truck since the first week of April and no leaks during our recent Spring monsoon season.

If it ain't right - tell them you want to return the shell for a full refund. Hopefully, you paid with a credit card. It won't be pleasant, but you gotta do, what you have to do.

 

I see the shit show coming......

 

I returned a poor leaky Leer for refund. Have had good and bad ARE and Leer. No SnugTop on the East Coast.