Why dont cars have proper bumpers these days?

sallyr

New Member
Oct 4, 2009
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I really think consumers are getting a bad deal these days as cars no longer have proper bumpers. We end up paying either for scratches and dents on these painted panels that have replaced the old bumpers, or we end up paying extra insurance premiums as so many claims are related to bodywork repairs in this area. Either way we are paying extra. :mad:

Is the car industry ripping off the consumer here?
 

Tony

What Consumer Founder
Apr 7, 2008
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I don't think so, you can still buy vehicles with bumpers but consumers just think they are old fashioned looking and don't buy them.

Tony

BTW welcome to the forum.
 

our7inches

New Member
Jul 23, 2009
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As well as the look, theyre actually quite dangerous from a point of hitting a pedestrian. I personally like them but if you hit someone with a nice sticking out bumper its going to cause a lot more damage than a car with the modern style bumper
 

sallyr

New Member
Oct 4, 2009
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Good to hear feedback on this.
I agree that safety for pedestrians is an important issue.
Maybe I have high expectations of car designers, but I would like to see bumpers that are as safe as possible for pedestrians, but not painted - cant they put a synthetic bumper on? Something that wont show every scratch.

I just think its mad to paint a "bumper". I mean no-one bumps on purpose into another car ;) but with these painted panels everyone gets a scratch sooner or later, and that is a minimum of 200 quid gone for cosmetic or 600 quid or so for a bigger panel replacement. These are simply unnecessary costs for us already-broke consumers. We pay for more car body-work, and we also we pay higher insurance premiums as there are more body-work claims coming in to the insurance companies - I for one have other things I want to spend my cash on!

I know there are a few cars on the market with "Sensible" bumpers - mostly French cars :D. Also most big 4-WD cars used to be more practical as regards bumpers - though even these are changing over to painted bumpers now I noticed - a sign that most of these cars never really go off-road much... as who wants to drive up a mountain track with painted bumpers.
 

sallyr

New Member
Oct 4, 2009
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Thanks - yes, pedestrian safety is important. But Im looking for both pedestrian safety and a sensible bumper as regards scratches - is that too much to ask from the car industry?
 

Rachelle

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Apr 25, 2009
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My bumper serves as an old-fashioned parking assistant. It tells me when I'm too close to the car behind me. :) Actually I shouldn't joke - a man saw me touch his car whilst reversing the other day and come over to me in a non-too happy way. However, he had parked behind me on double yellow lines on a corner making it very difficult for me to get out and the only way I could was to get as close to his car as possible. Would anybody else out there have a fit if they saw another car touching theirs whilst manoevring (albeit very gently)?