Rear Bumper Step Protector Pad

[fuente2000]

Don't know if anyone has done this but I wanted to get the Vibe bumper step protector pad but my Ponriac dealership wanted $65.00! Which is insane for a piece of plastic (thanks General Motors)!I checked around and I was able to buy a Toyota Matrix Bumper Step Protector Pad for $30. If intersted you can contact (toyota_accessories@hotmail.com) and Mark can hook you up. It fits pefectly and looks great, not to mention protects the top of back bumper.Anyway here are some pics of the protector pad.Alex

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[ZubenElGenubi]

Can vouch for that, Alex. I also bought a Matrix bumper guard @ Ebay last week for $35 w/shipping. Fits perfectly and looks pretty good (should insert pic here, but Alex has already done it right).-Glenn

[AKLGT]

the rear bumper protector is the same for both vibe and matrix.

[pwarren4]

Quote, originally posted by trdvibe »the rear bumper protector is the same for both vibe and matrix.Not unless they changed it. Fuente's hooks over the edge just a little, mine doesn't. I like the Matrix one better for that reason.Not a very good pick, you can see it in the lower right though:

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[AKLGT]

well looking at both pics, i'm not sure if his is supposed to go over the edge like that. look at the large gap b/w the rear gate and the edge of the protector. it's the same, just placed in a different location.

[pwarren4]

With what that thing is made of, I wouldn't think it could be bent like that. *shrug*

[AKLGT]

anyone got a pic of theirs on their trix? i'm very sure it's the same, but hey, i could be wrong.

[fuente2000]

Yea I hear what everyone is saying... if you look at the accessories booklet on the Vibe, the rear bumper pad is not going over the edge. More like a flat strip of plastic going across the center of bumper and that's what I thought too, but when I got the Matrix bumper pad it had a lip to go over the edge and you know something I'm glad it's like that becasue from experience it's usually the corner edge of the bumper that gets scratched. So the bent end actually protects that edge corner from damage. Besides it looks great, is functional and costs half of what Pontiac charges for the Vibe pad.Just my .02Alex

[AKLGT]

hey, ok then. guess i was wrong. oops! but, since it goes over the edge, i wonder why they didn't make the protector a little thicker... then i wonder if the trix rear bumper isn't as deep as the vibe? hmmm....

[ZubenElGenubi]

The Vibe bumper is about ½" deeper than the Matrix. Before I bought my bumper protector, I went to our Toyota dealer (my wife has a RAV4) and measured the two bumpers. I was more worried about the overall width and curve of the bumpers, but they seemed almost exactly the same. Yeah, I wish the protector was just a little deeper, but I think it will be very functional.

[redlava]

The expensive fix would be to buy two of them and (removed) them up together. When I bought mine I just about had a coronary when I saw it. Completely outrageous, $65 for a 3 inch wide piece of plastic that probably cost about $2 to make. GM should be ashamed of themselves. They at least could have had it cover the entire bumper, what good is a protector if there is 1.5" of bumper exposed on both sides. Stupid designer. I went to college to study stuff like that, and I could have designed a helluva lot better thing than that with a bic pen and a napkin.

[GT_King]

I had a company that installs clear adhesive front end protection (clear bra) install that protective material to the complete top of the rear bumper on mine, works great and you can't see it.

[Atomb]

i convinced the dealer i bought my vibe from that the cost was outrageous for what it actually was....they threw it in for free. (i probably paid for it elsewhere though but i guess they didn't have to give it to me for nothing).

[blk182@n7]

go to e-bay to toyota they both sell it for 35 to 40 bucks, just ask for the 03 -04 matrix rear bumper protector. got mine for $35 for my GT from the toyota dealer