Dealer Butchered BedRug on Install...Advice?

[GimpyHSHS]

Hi folks, have a few questions I am hoping y'all can help with. I recently bought a 2023 F-150 XLT. This is my first new vehicle, so I am still learning about working with the dealership.

I used the Ford Accessories website to order a BedRug and the associated Dealer Installation (the site allows you to pay extra to have your local Ford Dealer do the work). I decided to pay a little more buying from Ford than just buying a BR from elsewhere because I thought that would get me a nice, clean, professional install...

I was wrong. I went to pick it up last Friday, and this is what I got:

As you can see, this truck has bed lights in it, and I thought the BedRug would've been installed under those lights, the switch, and the tie down points. Instead, the installer just cut some holes in the BedRug. You would never know it, but this truck also has the power point in the bed. It’s entirely blocked by the BedRug and is unable to be accessed unless you pull the BedRug away from the truck bed.

For comparison, here’s what I was expecting:

I reached out to the person my Service Writer suggested and he replied with this: "Can you bring it by tomorrow or one day next week and leave it with me to see what we can do? They come precut and the installation procedure did not call to remove or install any parts. I will look at it and see what we can do to remedy the situation."

Both of those things are false...there are guideline areas on the back, but obviously the BR doesn't come pre-cut or else it wouldn't work for trucks that don't have lights and power in the bed. The instructions do give an option, but if there was any question about whether I wanted the lazy way or the nice-looking way, they could've asked!

How would you guys handle this? I am planning to tell them I want a new BR sent in and installed properly. "This time, treat it like its a $600 accessory in a $66,000 truck, please." But I am open for suggestions on how to get them to fix it. Anything I should definitely say or not say? I learned a lot of buzzwords in the buying process, so not sure if that applies here, too!

Thanks!

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[Porpoise Hork]

I'd take it back to the dealership and be like...

WTF?!?! While pointing at their piss poor install.

 

[Davidwnuc]

Yeah….raise hell until its fixed. That is BS

 

[Fox146]

Ya you need to go back and talk to them about that. That is not a proper install. Even if they need to start with a new one

 

[Bobcatou]

How much did they charge? That is BS

 

[Snakebitten]

The bedrug DOES come just slightly less than pre-cut. The backing material has pre-determined impressions for the final cutout for each object.

I installed my own. It is more difficult to get perfect alignment for the smaller objects like the LED lights and switch. And the thickness of the bedrug, while it is one aspect that makes it tough and hold up well, in turn makes it difficult to get the components that do not have screw fasteners to snap in properly.

The components like the ProPower panel and the bed hooks are easier to get a nice result from because the thickness of the bedrug is easily accommodated. In fact, those components serve as the main anchoring points for the rug itself.

I wouldn't want to be the installer for a customer, to be honest. No employer is going to be happy with you if you take the time and care to get a polished install of the bedrug. I had sore fingers for days. And I also had to use a heat gun to get things to follow the flow of the bed structure well.

 

[Ed21]

Unacceptable, stop payment!

 

[tbinmd]

I’ve installed a couple of bed rugs, always remove the hardware. Just takes time.
Somebody was just being lazy.

 

[Buyer2021]

I wouldn't want to be the installer for a customer, to be honest. No employer is going to be happy with you if you take the time and care to get a polished install of the bedrug. I had sore fingers for days. And I also had to use a heat gun to get things to follow the flow of the bed structure well.

Sounds like another instance of, if you want the job done 'right', ya gotta buck-up and DIY.

Not so sure this is a candidate for a 'dealer re-try', even if a 'free' starting-with-new second go-around, I'm thinking perhaps not, but I'll admit to being a picky S-O-B about such.

I think I'd be inclined to request a new-in-box replacement, write-off the paid installation cost as a lesson learned, warm-up the heat gun, and have the Tylenol handy for the end of the day.

Oh, and I'd be prepared to have some empathy for the installing tech when all is said and done.

 

[staying_tuned]

Agree with the above, see if you can get it replaced and do the install yourself or take it to a specialty shop. I installed one years ago and it’s easily a 3-4 hour job to get everything nice and tucked then another hour once baking in the sun to do final finessing etc.

 

[Kodiak]

Where ever you got the pictures of the good job, I would go back to that truck and take a buttload more pictures. That will give you something to show them for comparison. Obviously the installer has not done many/any of these before so good close up photos of all the fitting spaces will give you some ammo to get a new BR and deal with it yourself.

You should also find some BR authorized dealers and tell them and show them what happened and ask what they would charge for a good install. 4 hours might be a $400 - $500 job but use this as a guide. If they install BR on a regular basis they may have it stream lined down to a 2+ hour job and charge about $300. Good luck.

 

[Bossharp]

I'm following this because I am going to have it installed when my truck gets built. I'm not physically able to do it myself but I'll insist on a quality install even if I have to pay extra and tip the tech doing it..

 

[Icecoldak]

Tell them to yank it out and start over with new bed rug and make it look "professional"

 

[Gutshot]

Great responses above

I personally would go back with the pics of a proper install like you have and go to the Shop Manager direct. Show him/her the pics, give him/her the choice to either install a brand new BR as shown in your picture examples, or a full refund to go elsewhere. And then remind him/her politely you always fill out the QC reviews that get sent to you by the dealership and Google, etc. Going in swinging and flailing at them the initial complaint doesn’t always pay off, will you go back there for further service on this truck?

 

[SALEEN961]

Looking at the Ford accessories website, it looks like they only charge $60 for the install which gives the mechanic about 20-25 minutes to get everything completed. The result you got is terrible and unacceptable, but I think that a large portion of the blame lies with Ford setting unrealistic labor times and essentially asking people to work for free.

The mechanic absolutely should have done a better job, even with the allotted time, but you still won't get a fully polished install in only 25 minutes. I think they should have either refused the job, or given you the option to pay extra to have it done properly.

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