Snug Top or ARE cap - which to put on 2016 long bed 4 door

I did get a LEER quote and they were like 50$ cheaper or so, but they do not make the nicer 180 only the standard 180 that has a rear door frame and more importantly the two handle rear door that I DO NOT WANT. I get in there way too often to deal with two handles. so Leer isnt one I would purchase. that leaves the ARE MX for a 6 inch rise option. They do make all the same otherwise... both do slider front and fold down, side windoors with vents, both to Yakama, both do carpet, both do a handle upgrade for the rear door... snugtop comes in around 3$k, and ARE Is about $3200. I think the only way I can go with snug top is to get a bit of a discount as they have yanked me around twice if not three times now on delivery.

 

Dude, as far as mark up or profit... I dont think the resellers make that much money... but I can guarantee you someone somewhere is making a killing off these. NO WAY are these things worth $3k. They look like about maybe $500 worth of labor and equipment. The mark up is sick on these. I tried to get the ARE dealer to admit it... but he wouldnt. that may be true that the dealer does not make much, but no doubt someone is making BANK off these. wait till you see the quality in a few years... and it will not matter which one you buy.... lots of cheap things here and there. Like the screens are made of tissue paper, way chaper than anything in wall mart.

 

I didnt know you could even get snug top in montana... that maybe why they are pricer... the shipping. ARE may be more local? interesting you see More ARE... we see more Snug top here. I dont know which one to get now.

 

I got one of these from Harbor Freight so I can self rescue if that happens to me. I've tried it, it worked after not being charged for over a year.

 

Yeah there are Snugtop dealers here. I have one in town actually. But ARE and Leer are what I see the most of for sure.

Recently looked at Jason Cabs online. Supposedly cheaper - but never heard of them. They claim to have been in business a long time too.

 

hum, Jason Cabs. I will check them out. interesting. Still not sure whether or not to stick with Snug top or get my deposit back and go with ARE.

 

Nope, I can not get these out west... bummer.

 

good to know. Right now I am pretty disappointed with Snugtop... the thing is taking FOREVER to get and they have changed the delivery date twice now. They have until monday to give me 10% off and a decent delivery date or I am canceling my down payment and going with ARE. If they are this busy, they are damn well making money and can afford to give me a discount since they have caused me to lose use of the truck on planned trips to the snow when the cap was needed and initially promised. Now camping again in a few weeks has to happen out of the subaru... sick of snugtop changing their delivery date... they are a hair from losing my business.

 

Snug top is STILL putting off the delivery.
Can anyone give me one reason why I should not cancel my Snugtop order and go with ARE?
ARE at least makes the shell and they say they can deliver in 3 weeks. Snugtop has been claiming three more weeks for weeks now and they still do not even have the shell. If I miss another trip without the shell I am going to be pissed.

what the hell is wrong with Snugtop... why have they put off delivery 3 times now.

 

Having had an ARE for 9 years on two Tacomas and a SnugTop on my 2015 I will never buy another ARE shell.
Worth the wait and they are made in Long Beach, CA.

 

what were your complaints with the ARE. Why is the snug top so much better. The ARE actually comes out to a bit more money... about $200. my dealer gave me the sad story that they do not make the molds themselves at snug top... they farm that out and that is why they have been getting delayed. kinda not a good excuse. I was under the impression something like that they would do in house. I am quite pissed these guys cant keep a schedule or a promise. in most businesses these guys would be out of business at this point.

 

Quality when delivered to the dealer from the midwest somewhere.
Side windows had issues and the MX roof glass was crooked and had to be ordered and reinstalled at the dealer.
Hatch had lots of sharp edges and latch was not as good as the SnugTop I had on my 1999.
Only reason i bought the ARE was that Snug had not offered the HiLiner in December of 2006 yet and I needed a shell stat when i bought the truck.
I bought a 2015 because I knew that there would be a delay for the HiLiner more than likely and I could not wait until 2017 for a new truck.
Currently 2015 TRD Sport with a HiLiner Sport shell and so much better than the ARE MX was. To me.

 

spp, thanks for your time and help... good input. Hum, my 2000 snugtop had lots of little annoyances... like a rear window that never fit and leaked, a light that was cheaper than anything you would ever find in say walmart. The metal had razor sharp edges everywhere. Actually sliced my finger a couple times over the years in different places. The finish quality was kinda pathetic for the money it cost. I would NEVER make anything like that personally. But I hear similar folks say similar things about ARE and even LEER. I'd like to purchase stock in these companies as there must be a huge mark up.

How did you know there was going to be a delay with the hi liner in 2015?

I find it amazing that the production year for Tacoma 2016 is over half way over and Snugtop STILL does not have the 6 foot high liner available yet. and on top of it they change their delivery estimate about three weeks every two weeks I call to check up on it. And I always have to call, they never call me.

I am trying to give them the benefit of the doubt but am PISSEd at how many trips I have needed the shell and dont have one. I could have had an ARE or a LEER by now.

 

I build boats for a living, fiberglass. Building a mold is big $$$$$. Plus the material is pricey, so ya 3k does suck but I know why.

 

I've had all 3 over the years, I like my Snugtop the best, stainless hwd, better built. I waited over 6 wks, just my two cents, good luck.

 

I realize fiberglass is not cheap, I;m an engineer as well. Fine so they spend 95% of the money on the fiberglass and about 5% on everything else. I swear for example the window screens were made of something just a little more robust than tissue paper. The CHEAPEST screen I could find was 10 times better when I replaced it. Cant be bothered to properly edge razor sharp metal cuts, the window frames are rolled extrusion done the cheapest way possible so the window frame is anything but flat and over time end up leaking cause they dont sit flat in a relatively flat plane, just corner after corner they cut. Seriously, I think for the money the accessories should not be as flimsy. Agreed the fiberglass on all these is quite nice.

I suppose I should shut up as I have not seen a new one in detail... CAUSE they keep delaying he delivery over and over and over.

But thanks for your post... it is a good reminder that indeed fiberglass is pricey for sure. I have not looked into detail into how they do the molds, but all I hear is how expensive it is to make them... ok fine... but why does it take 7 months?

 

Intuition based on the past and realizing that the HiLiner is not their best seller and therefore a lower priority.
ST is a smaller company than ARE so not as wide of a following across the country.
The all glass rear hatch on the HiLiner Sport is a lot better than the aluminum framed snugTop I bought in 1995 and the ARE I had from 2006.
Very clean.

 

right on... good points. Interesting that ARE comes out basically a couple hundred dollars more in about the same exact build than the ST. Leer was about 75$ cheaper than the ST.

 

Yes 7 months is stupid crazy, I hope you get your cap soon and it is in tip top shape. good luck.

 

Wow you guys are getting nail in USA i just ordered a ARE CX for $ 2225.00 Canadian funds (.75 exchange rate so about $1670.00 US fund ) and the Leer was $2350.00 chose the ARE for some extra option and less $$