Over the last decade cars have become increasingly reliable. However, large variations in reliability performance do still exist, and reliability is certainly something that should be considered when purchasing a car and deciding whether a warranty is required. A warranty is a type of insurance policy, meaning that if a covered part suffers a mechanical or electrical failure resulting in a breakdown, the warranty will cover the cost of replacement parts and labour. Therefore there is full peace of mind as you know that you will never be left with a huge repair bill to pay.

Warranty Direct and Motoreasy are the two main providers of warranties in the UK. As a price guideline, a 4 year old Peugeot that has traveled 40,000 miles will cost £230 to cover for one year. However, most cars come with a 3 year warranty and if it doesn’t come as standard then many retailers offer a warranty separately. When deciding whether to purchase a warranty separately you need to consider the reliability of your car.

Warranty Direct have gathered data from millions of pounds worth of claims every year to compile the ‘Reliability Index’, a complete guide to the reliability of cars on the road today. One interesting finding is that 25% of cars suffer mechanical failure at some point between its 4th and 5th year on the road, just as the manufacturer’s standard warranty expires. However, huge variations in reliability do exist, as illustrated by our five best and worst performers below.

Ford come in at number 5, with Suzuki and Honda at positions 4 and 3 respectively. Honda with its ‘The Power of Dreams’ slogan appears to live up to its word with a highly reliable range of cars. Mazda comes in second place, with Skoda, perhaps surprisingly, the most reliable car make on the road today. It wasn’t long ago that Skoda was ridiculed for being extremely unreliable and hard on the eye, but they’ve worked intensively on the reliability of their cars. If you’re concerned about being able to drive from one place to another at any time then consider purchasing a Skoda. ‘Practical and exciting. Don’t see that very often’ – it’s certainly practical and is unlikely to let you down.

Moving on to the top 5 list car manufacturers don’t want to be in, Jaguar comes in at number 5. Known more for its looks and performance rather than reliability, many people would see this as a fair trade-off. Land Rover comes in as the 4th most unreliable car. Derided as a car that is unpractical and unnecessary for city roads it also appears that it is unreliable. With the huge increase in taxes in the UK planned for high polluting vehicles a hard time could be in store for the Land Rover. Next up is Subaru, followed by the Jeep in second position. The jeep was really designed for off-road pursuits so perhaps it isn’t surprising to see it struggling in the reliability stakes as they weren’t originally designed for the roads. Finally, the most unreliable car on the road today is Porsche. If a Porsche is your only mode of transport you may want to consider purchasing another more reliable car or certainly a warranty. Whilst it is a high-performance car Lexus have shown that you can be fast and reliable, as they came in as the 6th most reliable car make on the road.

Therefore if you’re looking for a car purely to get you from one place to another consider purchasing a Skoda. If you’re concerned about performance, speed, and looks then Lexus are certainly worth considering.

A lot of these tonneau covers have been sold. Probably because they are inexpensive and they give you great access to your truck bed just by folding up the three piece design. The trifecta is custom made to fit the make model and year of the vehicle it is intended for. This cover is made of heavy duty vinyl sewn to an aluminum frame. This particular cover uses spring clamps to latch closed at the tailgate. It is kept secured with straps whiled opened up to the cab. You can drive with it opened or closed. This tonneau cover is shipped fully assembled and installs quickly and easily with no drilling. You get a 10 year tarp warranty and lifetime on the frame. Of course as with other lids it improves fuel mileage. So if you want quick easy access to your truck bed and without the heavy cost of a retractable, this cover is probably for you. Although security isn’t as good as a retractable, it does keep your cargo out of sight out of mind. If you have an over the rail bed liner you will probably have to do some minor cutting to get this cover to fit.

What others are saying about the Extang Trifecta Tonneau Cover!

No stretching, no snaps and completely removes in less than five minutes. You can’t beat that…. A great cover that is easy to install and use, their may be possible paint damage along the bed rails after time due to wear and tear…. Everything is great about this cover including cost, installation and quality, that is why I have purchase my second and third one…. Super easy to remove and put back on. As for looks about an eight on a scale from one to ten. Easy to install and sturdier than the Torzo…. One person complained the cover didn’t quite completely cover the stake holes, about a half inch left but still praised his cover…. Another person loved his tonneau cover but had complained about two missing clips. After then receiving the clips one bolt stripped quite easily but was overnighted a new clip…. Someone was very happy with their cover but said they had to buy extra weather stripping to go behind on the bed rails below the rear window…. This person speaks he did a lot of checking around before buying. The fit was good and it literally went on in 5 minutes no problems except… The rear spring clamps would not stay clipped up inside the aluminum arch rails. when you folded cover up, the clamps would swing down toward the cover unless a person on each side held them up. Extang is aware of problem and after 3 calls to them he ended up crimping the rails tighter together as they suggested to remedy the problem…. One person says he had this cover on his Tacoma for 3 weeks now and it works flawlessly and it was great with very little or no leaking in very hard rains. It has even been said that it stayed cool under the tonneau after being in the sun all. There were a few complaints on how after a while there was a little puffiness where the Extang trifecta tonneau cover folded. One person gives this advice “Be sure to follow the directions on the bars that warn you about the clamps. They should be clipped into the bars and as far to the sides as possible before folding the cover to avoid damage.”

In Summary

Hey come on. If you your hinge is covered with the soft material you are bound to get some puffiness. I just wanted you to know what to expect. Over all most people who purchased this tonneau absolutely loved their cover and how easy it was to install and the price they paid for it. A few did not like it because they thought it was very light weight, cheaply made so to speak. Others called this a benefit. They were after having snap up covers and loved how easy it was to get access to their truck bed with the trifecta. Some were after having a fiberglass tonneau and loved this one because it was so light and easy to take completely off. Many people have commented on how dry their bed was staying after hard rains. Just think about what cover will suit you as far as how and what you use your truck bed for. You can get a free report to help you decide what type of cover is best for you, by visiting my website mentioned in the resource text below.

Insurance—it’s everywhere. One can insure just about anything. Are tires an investment one needs to insure? Tire insurance, also called a road hazard policy, road hazard warranty, or tire reimbursement plan, is a rapidly growing industry in the automotive world.

Tire warranty plans pay in full or in part for the replacement or repair of damaged tires and/or rims from “road hazards.” Road hazards are defined as pot holes, debris, nails, wood, and other hazards found in the road. Curbs, sidewalks, and stone walls are not road hazards. This is an important distinction to consider when deciding if tire insurance is right for you (discussed further ahead).

Tire plans last for a specific period of time and tire wear tread-depth. Some plans last 2-3 years. Others can last 5 years or 60,000 miles. Several plans come with fixed amounts of coverage: $500 per year up to 4 years. Many contracts require three years of law school to comprehend. In terms of tread depth, a tire is usually considered worn out (and thus the plan null and void) at 2/32 to 3/32 of an inch.

Another important distinction is in the type of plan.

Tire reimbursement plans are just what they say. You, the plan holder, will be reimbursed after the claims process is finalized—usually 2-8 weeks. There is an out-of-pocket expense. These plans are often sold by new car dealerships. The prices can range from $300 to $600 dollars.

Road hazard policies operate similarly to reimbursement plans. However, some tire insurance providers, in partnership with the repair facility, may have a direct-pay relationship. Thus, there would be no out-of-pocket expense, except for applicable deductibles, and items not covered in part or in full. These plans are primarily sold by tire dealers and repairshops. The prices range from $10 to $30 per tire. They also can be based on a percentage of the cost of the tire: usually 12% to 15%.

Both types of plans have a number of variables, requiring a magnifying glass to read the fine print. Also, many are pro-rated warranties, covering only a percentage of the cost of the tire based on its wear.

Claims and Coverage: Depending on the plan, claims are initiated by the repair shop. The process is fairly smooth, although there can be a significant delay from the provider for authorization. This delay may be an hour or an entire weekend. This means that you’ll have to “ok” the tire replacement, and then hope it’s authorized for the full amount, or drive on your spare.

Some plans offer national coverage either among their service facilities or from other repair centers. Claims procedures will vary. Others only provide local coverage, or coverage at the selling facility.

Limitations: Tire insurance does not mean that everything is covered. Pro-rated warranties are based on the wear and tear of the tire. You may get 75%, 50%, or only 10% coverage depending on the tread-depth. You’ll pay the remainder. While there are plans that offer full coverage, even these have limitations, or they may conflict with a repair shop’s policies.

For example, many plans allow for a maximum of $30 to mount and balance one tire, and a maximum of $15 to repair a tire. However, sport tires often have significantly higher mounting and balancing fees—upwards of $50 per tire—and tire repair prices can exceed $90. There are also discrepancies on the tire and rim prices themselves, which in the end, may have to be supplemented by the service customer.

Although there usually is not an issue with the latter given the competitive market, the service center’s price mark up may be unacceptable to the plan provider. In this case, the service center needs to lower the price or you, the service customer, need to pay the difference—or go somewhere else. This does happen!

Rim Prices and Repairs: Rim replacement is becoming less frequent. With the high cost of aluminum wheels and sport wheel packages, tire insurers have opted to have them repaired. Repair will only be done if the rim does not hold air. What this means is that even if the rim is warped—enough to cause a vibration and even premature tire wear—they won’t replace it. Rather, they will send it out to be straightened and repaired.

Rims are replaced only if the damage is so extensive that the new tire, when mounted on the rim, won’t hold air. However, even in this case, especially if it’s an expensive sport wheel, they may still attempt to repair it.

Repairing rims is a bad option. While some rim repair is acceptable, badly warped or damaged rims will in no way ever be the same.

Alignments: If a car hits a road hazard hard enough, such as a pot hole, it’s wise to have the alignment checked. Road hazard policies and tire reimbursement plans do not cover alignments. The service customer will have to pay for this procedure.

Road Hazard Protection Positives: Some plans include tire rotations, wheel balancing, and nationwide coverage.

Myths:

1) “Can I pop all 4 tires and get a new set of tires?”

You can try. But this type of claim will trigger a number of red flags with the insurer. The policy holder will likely send out adjusters and/or require photographs. You will also have a difficult time explaining how a “road hazard” caused all 4 tire pop.

2) “New tires come with a road hazard warranty.”

New tires do come with a warranty by the tire manufacturer. However, it only covers defects in workmanship. New tire warranties do not cover punctures or damages from external sources. This is why “road hazard” protection is being pushed.

New tires are rarely defective. If there is a problem, it’s usually noticed when balancing the tire. Or, there is a drivability concern such as vibration or noise. If there’s a defect it’s generally caught right away, and the tire swapped out.

3) “It’s so cheap; it’s a no-brainer, right?”

Actually, the experts don’t agree with this statement.

The Economics of Tire Warranties: An article from the Washington Post by Terence O’Hara explains the economics of extended warranties and purchase protection plans in general. It is quite fitting for road hazard warranties. He writes:

“The decision to buy an extended warranty…defies the recommendations of economists, consumer advocates and product quality experts, who all warn that the plans rarely benefit consumers and are nearly always a waste of money.

‘[Extended warranties or purchase protection plans] make no rational sense,’ Harvard economist David Cutler said. ‘The implied probability [of having an issue with the product] has to be substantially greater than the risk that you can’t afford to fix it or replace it. If you’re buying a $400 item, for the overwhelming number of consumers that level of spending is not a risk you need to insure under any circumstances.’”

In short, road hazard warranties are a waste of money. Don’t insure that which you can afford to replace.

Numbers Game and Slim Chances: Like all insurance, tire insurance plans are a numbers game. However, this is a game you have a 98% chance of losing. Insider statistics show that the percentage of claims paid out by providers is as low a 2%.

Curbs: Another interesting note is that a lot of tire damage is caused by curbs. Curb damage is not covered under most road hazard policies. High granite curbs with sharp edges slice through tens of thousands of tires per year.

You Won’t Notice: Many people don’t even notice tire damage. Other than to see if the tires are holding air, who “really” looks at tires? Tires are subject to a whole host of external influences which cause bubbles, slices and gouges.

Despite the potential dangers of damaged tires, the damage very often does not translate into any noticeable drivability issue. The point is that if you don’t notice any tire damage you can’t benefit from the coverage.

Research Shows: Those raving about the benefits of a road hazard policy are the actual folks in the industry who stand to benefit from the sale. They’ll argue that it’s so cheap—only $10 to $20 per tire. Even so, for four tires, that’s $80 based on the “possibility,” the “chance,” of damaging a tire that meets the repair/replacement requirement protocols.

Auto Insurance: If a rim and tire has incurred significant damage, it’s quite likely that other problems have resulted as well. The first is that the vehicle may have been jarred out of alignment. Secondly, hub bearings, front end components: tie rods, spindles, ball joints, and a variety of other components may have sustained damage. In this case, auto insurance, which you are already paying for, will pay for everything—brand new.

Free Road Hazard Warranties: Many tires come with road hazard warranties FREE. In other words, in an effort to secure retailers, many tire distributors provide service centers FREE road hazard insurance. Some shops pass this on to their tire customers, others sell them. Ask if the tire “comes” with a road hazard protection policy. If not, request that one be provided at no additional charge. It’s worth a shot.

Also, some car manufacturers provide road hazard warranties FREE of charge for 12 months or 12,000 miles. If you’re buying a new car or even used, ask that the dealer provide a complimentary road hazard policy (after all the wheeling and dealing is done, of course), and just before you commit.

“What’s the best road hazard policy?” Money in “your” bank account.

How much insurance does one need? You have the big four: home, health, life, and car insurance. Then there’s a second category, which starts getting a little hazy with credit card insurance, purchase protection plans, fraud insurance and more. Extended warranties, also called extended service contracts, or extended service policies fall into the mist of this second category.

Extended warranties are supposed to pay (in full or in part) for specified repairs for a specific period of time after the expiration of the factory warranty. They can be a great value. They can also be a significant waste of money. It gets quite foggy in the details. What exactly is covered? How long? How much? Are there hidden charges?

There are numerous extended warranty companies and an even wider variety of warranty packages available: silver, gold, platinum, platinum-plus, and a host of other confidence-building words. What’s the best plan, and are extended service contracts worth the money? Extended warranties, like life insurance policies, are a numbers game. They’re a gamble. You pay $2500-$4500 for a 2 year, 100,000-mile protection plan and hope that you get at least that back in warranty repairs. The provider on the other hand, hopes to pay out less than it insured.

There are three major types of plan providers: The manufacturer, the dealership/third party, and third party providers. Each one has its assets and liabilities (discussed ahead).

What exactly is covered in an extended service plan? As mentioned above, what’s covered depends on the package purchased. Some plans only cover the power train: the mechanical components of the engine, transmission, and rear-end. Others cover the power train plus some electrical components. Still others cover electrical, advanced electrical, and computer components. Some only cover what’s listed in the contract. This is called a “Stated” or “Named” contract. This means that if it’s not stated, it’s not covered. Some cover bumper-to-bumper, similar to a manufacturer warranty, except trim pieces, upholstery, exterior components, cosmetic items, and a number of other exclusions.

Never before has the adage, “The devil’s in the details,” been so applicable.

Manufacturer Extended Plans: Extended service plans from the manufacturer are the best in terms of coverage, convenience, and quality. Coverage is similar to the warranty while the vehicle was under its original factory warranty—with similar exclusions stated above. The billing is direct, meaning you don’t have to pay out-of-pocket, except for a deductible, if applicable. Quality is great too, as an extended warranty from the manufacturer will only use factory parts. They also have money, so there’s less risk of bankruptcy.

The down side of manufacturer extended service plans is that they are not cheap. These plans are generally the most expensive, require low mileage standards, and necessitate servicing your vehicle at a dealer for coverage.

Dealership/Third Party Plans: Extended warranties from a dealership are actually from a third party insurer. These providers are “generally” reputable, but not always. However, if there is an issue (such as the warranty provider filing chapter 11, which is quite frequent in the extended service contract business), the dealer “may” step in to cover any repairs that would have been covered under the defunct plan. Also, claims are easier: billing is direct because the dealership has a working relationship with the provider, and there is usually agreement on price.

Some dealers set up their own “internal extended warranty,” which is honored by the selling dealer. This is rare, and should not be confused with a manufacturer warranty. Important: extended warranties are often passed off as “manufacturer” warranties. They’re not. This is a sales trick. Also be aware that there is a significant mark up, as the dealership is merely acting as the middle man. Lastly, extended warranty companies often go bankrupt without warning.

Third Party Plans: These plans are called third party plans because they are outside the responsibility of the manufacturer and the service center performing the repairs (unless there’s a working relationship with a repair shop as stated above).

There are hundreds of extended service contract companies. Some have good reputations, some don’t. Third party plans are frequently sold by used car dealers. You may also receive an official looking notification in the mail stating that your warranty is expiring, and directing you to call an 800 number ASAP. This is a marketing tactic by an independent warranty provider. Despite the “official” appearance of the postcard or envelope, it’s not from the manufacturer. Manufacturers do not send out reminders about warranty expirations.

Given the wide-variety of third party plans there are numerous red flags.

1) Claims: Extended warranty companies will be quick to tell you that filing claims is easy, and that the service center gets paid immediately via a credit card. Thus, there’s no out-of-pocket expense for you. However, the warranty company can’t dictate a service center’s policies. Some service centers will only accept payment from the repair customer. Thus the burden is on the repair customer to fill out the forms, contact their warranty company, and await reimbursement via check, which can take 2-8 weeks.

It is the service center’s responsibility to contact the extended warranty company to let them know what’s wrong with the vehicle and to check coverage. This process can take anywhere from 20 minutes to 20 days, sometimes more, depending on the degree of repairs and especially the amount. (See $1000 and Adjusters ahead)

Service centers and extended warranty companies frequently battle over the “fair” price of repairs. Many repair shops no longer negotiate, and just state the price, leaving the contract holder (i.e., the service customer) responsible for the difference.

2) Rentals: Rental coverage is a great benefit. However, there are fixed rates and time limits. In other words, the warranty company is not going to pay to have you drive a Mercedes-Benz, even if you drive a Benz. Rental allowances range from $25 to $35 per day. Also, rental coverage is based on the number of hours it takes to repair the vehicle, NOT how long your car has been at the shop.

3) $1000 and Adjusters: Repairs that approach $1000, or that require a significant amount of work, will be cause for the warranty company to call in an adjuster to confirm the diagnosis. This will delay the repairs by a minimum of 24-48 hours. It may cost you additional money when an adjuster is involved. You may be charged to have your vehicle pulled back into the shop for inspection, as well as for the time spent with the adjuster.

4) Tear-down Charges: In many cases, an extended warranty company will require that a particular component be taken apart for inspection to determine if the repair is indeed needed and covered. This puts the service customer in a very awkward position. The customer will have to authorize potentially hundreds of dollars of tear-down expense in the hopes that the repair is covered. If it’s not, the customer is out the hundreds in tear-down PLUS the actual repair. This does happen!

Common Myths:

1) “Extended warranties cover maintenance services and brake work.”

No. Extended warranty plans do not cover maintenance or wearable items. Brake pads and rotors are wearable parts. Maintenance such as coolant, brake and transmission flushes, tune-ups, services, oil changes, bulbs, wipers, and more are not covered.

2) “They told me it’s bumper-to-bumper, so it covers everything right?”

Wrong. Not even a factory warranty covers everything. When pitching the sale for the extended warranty, one is very often lead to believe that he or she will have nothing to worry about. This is just not true on so many levels. For example, if your bumper falls off it’s not covered.

3) “I don’t have to pay anything, right?”

Wrong. Despite the claims of 100% coverage, there are many factors involved. The labor rates, labor hours, diagnostic times, parts prices, and machine work are just a few items that often conflict with a service center’s policies. Some extended contracts only pay a maximum of $55 per hour, and only allow one half hour for diagnostic time. This is generally unacceptable to the service center, as labor rates have skyrocketed to over $100 per hour at many dealerships, and average $75 at local shops. Moreover, with the complexity of today’s vehicles, diagnostic time is at a premium. The customer pays the difference.

4) “If I have an expensive problem, I can just purchase an extended service contract.”

It’s unethical, but it’s an option many attempt. However, most service contracts have a minimum time requirement before the first claim can be filed: usually three months. Also, many contracts require that your vehicle be inspected by a service center to check for pre-existing conditions—just like life insurance.

5) “My contract lasts up to 100,000 miles.”

Only if the time limit doesn’t run out first. All extended warranty plans have a time limit. For example, a typical contract will state that the vehicle is covered for two years or 100,000 miles, which ever comes first. During the sales pitch, however, the emphasis will be on the 100,000 miles, not the time.

6) “If my car breaks, it gets fixed like new.” Actually, depending on the contract, an extended warranty company can insist on installing remanufactured or even used parts.

Items commonly not covered by extended warranties: • Any component with a pre-existing condition • Any component related to a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) • Many components that has been updated by the manufacturer • Extra components necessary “due to manufacturer updates” to complete the repair • Trim pieces: molding, cup holders, dashboard, console, body parts, glass • Many accessories: radios, DVD players, TVs • Many expensive electronics: climate control units, navigation assemblies

Service contract positives: Some service contracts are transferable, and may thus increase the resale value of a vehicle. Many come with trip interruption reimbursement, towing and 24-hour road side. Some plans can also be financed, or have E-Z Pay Plans. Others offer a money-back guarantee.

What should you do? You’ll get lots of advice about doing the research, comparing plans, and reading the fine print. This is all sound advice. But what about doing the math?

Let’s say a plan costs $2500 for 2 years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first. To break even you’ll need a minimum of $1250 per year in covered repairs, excluding regular maintenance. Remember covered is the vital word here.

Another way to break it down is to anticipate having to pay $104.17 per month over the next two years in “covered” repairs. Do you want to take that bet?

What could happen? You could double your money or more in repair work. You could conceivably get a new engine and transmission (or used ones anyway). You could also easily spend $2500 for a service contract, and still have to pay another $2500 for repairs, which for a variety of reasons, were not covered under your plan. Now you’re out $5000.

Alternatively, you could keep the initial $2500. In many ways all an extended warranty does is prepay for repairs. You could stick the money in the bank and collect interest. Then you could withdraw the money for repairs as needed.

Another consideration that’s rarely discussed is the cause of the problems. Many car repairs problems are the result of wear and tear, neglected maintenance, physical damage, or acts of God—such as flood damage. None of this is covered. The gamble only covers failed components.

If the vehicle you’re driving does cost $2500 to $4500 in repairs due to outright failed components, is it a vehicle you even want to consider keeping? A vehicle that needs this kind of repair work due to mechanical, electrical, or computer failures may not be worth it. The $2500-$4500 would be better spent on an upgrade to a quality vehicle rather than insuring a lemon.

There’s no question that auto repair is expensive, and even quality cars break from time to time. But do they breakdown to the tune of $2500-$4500? That’s a hefty bet on a “possibility.”

Terence O’Hara from the Washington Post makes an excellent assessment about extended warranties in general. He writes:

…extended warranties play upon a basic human trait to avoid loss, even if it means sacrificing a possible future gain…the gain is all the other things of value that a consumer could buy with the money that was spent on a warranty

What’s the best plan? Money in your bank account!

Would you buy an Undercover tonneau cover after a review like this? The undercover tonneau cover is custom-made to fit your make, model and year of your vehicle. This particular truck bed cover is a low profile, weather tight tonneau cover. You would class it as a hard tonneau cover, but being constructed of ABS keeps it light weight and easy to handle. It has quick release hardware to enable you to put it on or take off quickly. The cover is constructed to prevent warping in direct sunlight. It can be painted but because of the texture there may be a slight difference in the color of your truck if your using a metallic paint. It seems a solid color paint is fine. It comes at a very descent price as far as hard tonneau covers go.

You may be able add accessories to your undercover tonneau cover but you best consult the factory to avoid losing your warranty. Your Undercover Tonneau Cover is backed by a limited 3-year warranty.

There is no need for drilling to install it. It is easy to install. If you have a bed liner you may have to trim down the sides to accommodate the truck cover. They say you can install it in 15 minutes but in my opinion that would only happen if you had done it before. I would say any where between 25 minutes to one hour depending how much of a knack you have of doing this type of thing. Even at one hour, I think would be pretty good for something your going to get great use out of. I mean it will keep your cargo dry and out of sight of people who like to take things that don’t belong to them. It will also add to the look of your pickup truck.

To help you protect your cargo it comes with two stainless steel locks. It comes with wall mount hardware so you can hang the tonneau cover up and out of the way in your garage. This is a very convenient accessory that undercover offers. The cover opens easily with the aid of two struts one on either side of the cover.

Out of all the reviews I’ve read on tonneau covers the undercover tonneau cover seems to have the least negative items. It seems most people are very, very satisfied with this tonneau cover and how great it is at keeping the rain off their cargo.

In my opinion, if your looking for a hard tonneau cover that looks great , is very strong, easy to install and worth every cent you paid for it. Look no further. No cover is absolutely rain proof but this cover is as close as you can get. I searched for bad reviews on this tonneau cover but I couldn’t find anything that was worth mentioning. Most tonneau covers people buy, they may love them, but they still find minor defaults they mention. As weird as it seems this Undercover tonneau cover seems to pass all tests.

If you have some negative feedback on this cover please let me know through my website.

Ken Bishop is the author of this article. You are more than welcome to add your comments about tonneau covers by email through my websites. I will use these comment about any tonneau covers in my reviews. www.truckbedtonneau.com

Everybody hates car salesman. They talk too fast, use too many clichés, and are generally exasperating. There’s nothing worse than being verbally romanced only to find out you were ripped-off—or is there?

How about getting ripped-off repeatedly? How about getting ripped-off repeatedly for years? How about never even knowing you were ripped-off, repeatedly, and for years?

Welcome to service! When it comes to swindling, automotive service representatives are the real experts. They have more experience, and way more opportunity to rip you off.

A car salesman has only a few chances to rip you off provided you even engage in negotiations. There’s the price of the car, financing, leasing, accessories/options, extended warranties, your trade-in, and the general bull that wafts from the salesmen’s mouth.

You should also watch out for the finance manager. Today’s finance folks aren’t just number crunchers, they’re salesmen in disguise. This is where you’ll be encouraged to buy the extended warranty and a host of other accessories that can all be packaged up nicely into your financing.

Car sales rip-off attempts are easily thwarted. Number one, you can just walk away! Also, there are numerous resources on how to buy a car without losing your shirt. If you’re interested, visit the RepairTrust resource link @ www.repairtrust.com and you’ll find several sites that will tell you everything you want to know about buying, trading, leasing, financing, new, used…etc.

It’s quite different in the world of car repair. Your car needs service. You HAVE to deal with a service representative, like it or not.

The folks in the dim underworld of automotive service are well-trained in the art of ripping people off. They’re not the feeding-frenzied, thrashing sharks of sales that are easy to spot.

No, service representatives are the Great Whites. They primarily hunt alone, hiding in the murky waters of service, striking without warning.

What’s really scary is that the service industry is infested with Great Whites. Traditional tips and suggestions to avoid their attacks don’t work. This is evidenced by the fact that service customers are scammed “tens of billions of dollars every year.”

Information is the key to STOP a Great White. If one knows who, what, when, where, why, and how it hunts, one can take control.

Importantly, “Sharks are not mindless eating machines.” The Great Whites of the service industry are experienced and smart. There are so many attacks from so many different directions, and new technologies provide fresh chum daily.

With auto repair, technology creates confusion. Technology creates ripples and waves, making it difficult to see below the surface of even simple auto repairs.

The Great White can sense the anxiety of a service customer, like it can a struggling swimmer. In the midst of this confusion, the waters of service get even murkier, and SPLASH—it’s cost you an arm and a leg.

In today’s service environment, the service customer needs protection, and needs to be empowered with accurate information and powerful tools before even entering the waters. There’s no need to lose any limbs, ever!

In 1990, General Motors capitalized on consumer’s intense dislike of the auto purchasing process and introduced the Saturn. Saturns were, and are still, sold at a flat price with no dickering, dealing or haggling. Today, almost 25% of car buyers purchase vehicles from flat price, or no-haggle, dealerships. But are they truly saving money?

At no-haggle dealerships, cars are priced at a flat rate that typically includes a standard options package and a built in profit for the dealer. Additional options may be sold in flat-rate packages or a la carte. At regular dealerships, cars are displayed with a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price but everything including options, warranty, financing and dealer profit is negotiable.

Research has shown that educated consumers pay much less for cars at regular dealerships than at no-haggle dealerships. This is because regular dealers set average profit goals over time. For example, if they sell five cars, the average profit per car should be a certain amount, say $1,000. That means of those five cars, three could sell for $1000 profit, but the dealer could make $2000 and $0 profit on the remaining two cars and still hit their goal. At a no-haggle dealership, the profit goal is fixed per car, meaning that while you will not pay $1000 more because you have poor negotiating skills, you will also not save $1000 if you have good ones.

There are certain people who historically do benefit from purchasing cars from no-haggle dealerships. Young adults, women and minorities in particular, have historically paid higher prices than other groups at regular auto dealerships and may benefit from no-haggle pricing. In fact, reacting to the trend of more and more young people turning to no-haggle dealerships for their automobile purchases, Toyota introduced the Scion in 2003. The Scion is a small car that comes with trendy options packages and is priced and marketed directly at young people who don’t want to negotiate to purchase their car.

Therefore, if you are willing to do the research and confident in your negotiation skills, you will almost certainly save money at a regular dealership unless you want a Saturn or Scion. Then you’ll have to pay the same price as everyone else. However, if you’re timid, too busy to research or spend time making a deal, or in one of the groups that historically are offered worse deals, you may be better off at a no-haggle dealership.

To ensure car manufacturers meet the expectations of the mainstream customer, many of today’s cars leave the factory with low-velocity, ultra-quiet exhaust systems. As a result, exhaust flow (along with power and torque) is restricted. But our performance exhaust systems release this stranglehold on your engine. By using patented technology to boost exhaust flow velocity, our exhausts systems unleash the power and optimize your cars performance.

What’s more, you will gain a non-raspy distinctive euro exhaust note. And while stock exhaust systems tend to discolor and lose their showroom appearance quickly, our systems ads fine motorsport styling to your vehicle, designed to endure years of heavy use. Precision manufacturing using aircraft quality T-304 stainless steel prevents corrosion, and keeps your exhaust system looking new. Each system includes a variety of trademark engineering enhancements. Including ultra-smooth mandrel bends for maximum flow and power.

Sport Exhaust Systems:

If you are interested in modifying you VW/Audi for better performance, the exhaust system should be the first step. A good sport exhaust will provide more power for the money than any other modification you can consider. Plus, a sport exhaust makes your car sound that much better. Usually, both horsepower and mileage go up when you upgrade the exhaust.

Note: Failure to change the exhaust before making other performance modifications can hurt performance. Some cam and chip upgrades just do not work properly without upgrading the exhaust system.

The cast iron dual outlet manifold lasts and lasts and is quieter than a tubular header. In most cases, your stock cast iron exhaust manifold or a cast euro-manifold will offer excellent results when used with a Techtonics Tuned downpipe or euro-downpipe and sport exhaust system. (The exceptions to this are the ‘82 & up Scirocco, ‘83-’84 GTI/GLI single outlet manifolds.) The difference in power output between the best headers and the stock or euro-manifold/Techtonics Tuned downpipe combination is quite small.

Techtonics Tuning has a downpipe for use on the early VW’s with stock catalytic converters. A direct replacement on early cars with a stock dual outlet manifold or cars that have been fitted with the dual outlet manifold, this downpipe will "keep you legal" while adding about 8% more horsepower to a stock motor. Something else to consider: Due to the rocking motion of a transverse mounted engine, it is difficult to make a header that will hold up well. Tubular headers just do not last for most people.

BBM is very pleased to offer you Techtonics Tuned Exhaust for the earlier VW’s. This system doesn’t make as much "advertised" horsepower as our competitors claim their’s does. However, in terms of "real" dyno tested power Techtonics Tuning systems have the competition marking their words.

Another plus for the TECHTONICS TUNED exhaust is that all parts for the system are available separately. How do they fit? With more than 20 years of refinement TT systems fit better than the competitions. All systems have a resonator as well as a muffler to dampen out harsh sound levels.

Stainless Steel Exhaust Systems:

Simply the best fitting and longest lasting exhaust system available for your VW. With over 20 years of refinement and upgrading we are able to offer a * Limited Lifetime Warranty on all stainless steel cat back exhaust systems. Our latest systems are made of 304 stainless steel. This includes the tubing, clamps, resonator, and muffler. Perfect for "salt belt" dwellers. Nobody gives you the options that TT offers. You can choose the sound level by ordering the system with 0,1 or 2 resonators (available for the Mk2, Mk3, Passat 16V & Corrado G-60).