I have had both and definitely prefer the ARE.

Olli

 

Thanks. The fit to the cab seems better on the ARE too...

 

Man I wish a lot would respond. I need one also. The shock is price as I have been looking around. The white one on my current Cummins 2500 cost me $450 to build MY WAY back in September of '03 when I bought the truck new.

These crazy "mega-times" more expensive caps today give me major, major sticker shock.

 

I think the price made my mind. Although I like the shape of the ARE better at the back(slopes the ass more than the Leer), I think I'm going Leer to save the $450. Money talks.

 

Been unable to find a Leer dealer so far here in south Florida. ARE is close and I got a price already. No prices that I can find are available online. Probably because of color code and shipping issues.

Now I'm going to look a bit harder for someone selling LEER near me.

Looks like months for me to get another truck anyhow. No hurry. Not able to order.

 

You might be right to wait or use a closer brand. The main complaints I hear about LEER are damage during shipping, and nightmares with service. I have a really good body shop close by that won't hassle me so I'm going leer out of cost. For the money you'll spend you may save yourself headaches. You don't want to look too far for something that might need service.

 

I actually found the latches and rear hatch gaskets better with the ARE.

Olli

 

Thanks Olli. First one who mentioned any examples of actual quality difference. I'm less worried about the seal than I am a barrier for the bulk of stuff and my dog. I'll probably go Leer to save the money and use clear removable caulk inside the cap/box to pick up any slack if I need to. Seal seems minor because its fixable. Thanks!

 

Just looked at a SnugTop that had the best lines of any cap for the Ram I've ever seen. Windows looked amazing. I'll link a pick. Couldn't find a dealer, BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY ONE IN CANADA AND ITS 4,000 KMS AWAY! $2710 for the cap, and $800 for shipping. I wish I was still living out west =/

 

Just looked at a SnugTop that had the best lines of any cap for the Ram I've ever seen. Windows looked amazing. I'll link a pick. Couldn't find a dealer, BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY ONE IN CANADA AND ITS 4,000 KMS AWAY! $2710 for the cap, and $800 for shipping. I wish I was still living out west =/

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I'd be keen to know the dealer you found out west who carries this cap. What make and model, do you remember?

 

Now that I've got a truck on order I stopped by local dealer today who carries and installs both Leer and ARE.

I asked him which was better and he did a pretty decent job of sounding like a salesman and not giving away which he preferred. But then he slipped and let on that they think ARE is better quality, better manufacturing etc. Said that a lot of guys get a Leer just because they see so many of them. Mainly, he was trying hard to make them both sound good, but he is a terrible liar. (Need to remember to invite him to poker night.)

Both came in at right around $2000 for what I want.

 

I have an ARE on my 09 1500. The top is nice value for the money, but I had to fix the fiberglass wing on the back window several times. It sticks out to cover the tailgate and It was poorly thought out. I had to forbid my wife from opening or closing the back window, she broke it off twice!
The seam that follows the bottom edge of the topper doesn't look as clean as others. Just my opinion. The ARE and Leer are very close in price. My friend has a 2010 1500, same color but he has the LEER top on his. He did the frameless windows all the way around and the topper just looks awesome, much cleaner look than mine.
I have been to four shops looking at the toppers and I think I am going to go with the LEER or SnugTop. The LEER is almost $600 cheaper, but the attention to detail in the SnugTop is far beyond the others. The screens are removable and slide open and closed, great for dogs and cleaning. The latches are firm and not done with a cable system like the LEER. That is the only complaint that my friend has about his top. The SnugTop and ARE use a fiberglass wing to cover the tailgate, but to get an idea of quality get your hands on both. The SnugTop is much more sturdy. LEER installs a cap onto the tailgate for the window to close against. I think with the SnugTop you could get the same thing as the ARE but after putting my hands on one the other day, I would say the SnugTop is much more secure. I will try and get some photos tomorrow to show what I am talking about.
I just know after owning the ARE i wont buy another one. Especially with the fact that I am spending $45k on a truck I dont want to make it look cheep.

 

Looked at four dealers for Century, Leer and ARE. Think the last "topper" place told me Century is made in the same plant as Leer.

All the places I visited are full of BS. All but one did little more than a version of ..."Here's what we have"! All were stupid expensive.

On that price issue I paid $450 for the cap on my '04 2500. It looks new today and has been wonderful. Only thing is the manufacturer - Ranger Caps in Greensburg, Pa. - is out of business. They got old and died. Now these major places all want $1,500 or more. Heck. I used to buy the whole truck for that much and can still get something decent just for what they ask for fiberglass or metal molded cover.

 

I've had good luck over the years buying used caps. Sometimes it wasn't the exactly right color or exactly right size, but it was always pretty close. Paying $2-300 for a $2k cap is a pretty good deal. One of the reasons there's a lot of caps available is that when dealers take a truck in on trade, they almost always remove the cap. Each city has a couple guys that buy these used caps from the dealer and resell them on Craigslist.

 

Putting a used cap on my brand new truck is outright blasphemy let alone if it didn't match or fit right. A mint condition used vehicle is different, but I'm not putting a used cap on a brand new truck I ordered from factory and waited months to arrive. That just seems wrong.

 

My wife MADE me order Prairie Pearl instead of white. No way will I be able to find a used cap that might match.

If white, I would have tried to use my old cap. Not into trying to impress others. Only want to impress me by getting from point A to point B while towing my "stuff".

 

I bought a vehicle not a piece of equipment. I don't care what people think it looks like I care what I think it looks like and what makes me happy. Nobody but me would even notice if it was used unless I told them, but I'd know. I also didn't get the old man style cap, I got a cab-high one one that uses the lines/details of the vehicle for which it was designed so an off-year wouldn't achieve the look I want.

I realize that a cap isn't permanent, but would you put a used roof on a brand new house? Probably not, because a new one will likely have more years left in 'er and the overall value will be less. Where I live, selling the cap separate of the vehicle is not a reasonable venture, so with respects to my truck I have to consider them combined as I will never remove it and will only ever sell them together.

 

Yeah. I'm an equipment man unless it's a motorcycle. Then it's a vehicle that's exciting. Trucks and cars are essentially transportation services and quite boring to operate. That's why they put radios and other distractions in them. Keeps you awake.

Agree with lots but the resale idea has issues. First my experience is resale is bogus. You literally have trouble giving stuff away. I'm getting people offering me $500 for my Cummins 2500. Sometimes they go to $5,000 but the point is, like my antique motorcycles, they cost huge amounts to have but are worth literally nothing nothing if you try to move them.

You CAN sell used caps. I see them for sale often but realize I'm not sure if they sell well. On my truck I think it's almost a negative. Like you said..."old man's cap". Much the same could be said for my extra 30 gallon fuel tank in the bed. Bet I struggle to get $12,500 for my Cummins. That's like a thousand less in trade because of taxes. Dealers want my truck for $9K tops. That's it.

Shortly I will find out. Time to get serious on finding and ordering a cap when I get a full VIN number for the paint code, if it's in there.

 

After much shopping and discussion I will order an A.R.E. tomorrow morning.

First the "V" series cap with flip-up side window, tilt back front window and color-matched is $1,340 plus tax installed. Leer is about a $100 more and the rear window comes out instead of tilting. Jason is about the same as Leer because they want $90 to color-match my Prairie Pearl. All those brands offer some kind of coupon discount so check on line and prepare to be a bit frustrated when you do. None of the sites work easily. Jason sends you a validation number but I never figured out how to get the coupon.

I quit looking so A.R.E. it will be.

 

NICE! Congrats! Feels good to buy things that show up on time! (hope I didn't jinks it)
I liked A.R.E.'s look, but the cost increase was $500 over the Leer (guess it goes by dealer what they charge) when I looked at mine, which is a whole lot of diesel fuel!

 

Find that strange. I paid a $1,000 deposit today on an A.R.E. with the "Sportsman's" wing window (opens up and has a screen in the middle), front window that tilts down and color-matched prairie pearl. My total bill, with tax and installation was $1469.

Leer was almost $200 more with coupon and did not have a flip-down front window but a "take-out" one. It also did not have that trick "Sportsman" side wing windows.

 

Leer has more dealers in the area, A.R.E. has 1, and its a high-end bodyshop. I was looking at ARE's "Z" model

 

MY LEER CAP'S IN!!! !

I ordered the 100XQ during the Super Bowl promotion and got 2 features free: the carpeted headliner(grey) and the sliding/removable front window. It actually came in Thursday, but the place I ordered it has tons and tons of indoor storage so they said could sit for years and still look mint. I hope the truck comes in first of April like the dealer promised. Gave me his word.

Same day I get the truck I could already have the cap on and have them install the taillights(smoke-colored housing with clear lenses+LEDs) because they have to remove both taillights to install some kind of diode. Not even charging extra for labour because the only difference in time is opening the package for the new lights.

Can't wait to see the ass end of my truck from my deck...

 

How much did you pay for your cap? If I may ask. Get us some pics as soon as you get that bad boy on.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I ordered and received a custom made Century Ultra CF (Commercial Fiberglass).... got it before I received my truck (which should be here 3/25/14). The CF has thicker fiberglass than the standard caps. I have cracked and trashed out two A.R.E.'s from driving on dirt road. Ordered dual dome lights (LED) that turn on when the door to cap is opened, headliner, three 12 volt outlets (yes 3, its the only way available), tilt in front window so you can clean off the rear window of the truck cab without having to remove the cap, 1/3 sliding side windows with screens on both sides, color to match truck. The heavier cap will take away some hauling wait capacity, but I have to have it.

 

I meant to say weight, not wait. Need to sign out.... getting too tired. I paid around $1,700 to $1,800 with tax.

 

I originally had a trifold cover on my current pickup. After 3 years of winters and having the cover impossible to open with snow and ice covering it, I decided it was time for a cap. I went on Craigslist and found a Leer 100XQ with the same paint code for $500. It has now been on my truck for 7 years and still looks great. I have slept in it and regularly leave larger items like bicycles and tool boxes safely in it as the dark tint glass makes it nearly impossible to see inside. I can tell you that the biggest issue with the cap is that water leaks in at the front window and rear window. Does not rain in the cap, but I do get moisture in the corners of the bed if it rains really hard. This has never been a huge issue, but still worth mentioning. Since I did not get the cap new, I'll never know what the previous owner may have done to it.

Now fast forward to today and my ED on order. I had searched and narrowed it to the Leer 100XQ and ARE Z series. I have several dealers in my area so I have been able to beat them up against each other to get a decent price. I have chosen to go with leer for 2 reasons. The leer has a trimless fit that just looks better on the bed…makes it look more like the cap is part of the truck. The ARE has a piece of molding going all around the base of the cap that kind of draws attention to it. The other reason is the big plastic tailgate cover that is attached to the bottom of the window on the ARE. I see how this could easily be broken and it is really bulky. Leer mounts a cover to the tailgate and the window seals nicely against it when closed.

The thing that really sold me was that the second Leer dealer I went to was actually installing a cap on a brand new Ram 1500 (gas engine) in the same color as my truck on order and I had to walk in back and look at 3 times. IT LOOKED FREAKING FANTASTIC.

Can't wait to get this truck on the road.

 

Agree about the ARE plastic cap on the tailgate. It sticks way out and also tends to hold water on it. Bit careful I don't break it off also.

Good thing about it is you can grab it to help pull down the tailgate. Otherwise, the whole tailgate gets up a bit high to reach.

 

I just got my Leer installed yesterday and it's OK but the fit is not as good as my Leer that was on my 2010 F150 plus I think the color is off a little but I'm gonna let it ride a few weeks and see if it's my imagination. I paid 1,525.00 for the cap. 70.00 for the slider, 100.00 for the carpet, and 20.00 for the second dome light. This was actually 100.00 less then what I paid for the one in 2010.

I picked the Leer mostly because of the dealer he a Ziebart shop and is always real busy but if you wait your turn he will answer every question until you are satisfied. This can be frustrating while you're waiting but once it's your turn it makes sense. He truly has a steady stream of regulars that know the process.

Similar to others I also buy a cap to protect the dogs and gear, this is my 3rd cap since 03, one ARE and two Leer. I switched from ARE to Leer because while selecting the second cap the fit of the Leer looked better at the bed. I always order pretty much the same package with the removable slider front window, pivot opening sides with screens, carpeting, and dual dome lights. This year the led lights come on when the window is opened (nice touch).

One big problem I did have with the leer is the nice center release seized up on me each winter from road salt, I replaced it once and learned to disassemble it and fix it with parts my dealer gave from his junk pile so I always had a enough parts to make it work. (the latch was only warrantied one year so I learned to fix it). The dealer told me that Lear changed the latch and claim it's simpler, more corrosion resistant, and more durable, time will tell.

 

So put out a picture.

Leer was a bit more money, if I remember correctly. Overall seemed about the same to my inexperienced eyes. Color will drive you nuts if you tell yourself it's different. Tried that.

That's why I'm nuts.