GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

I am getting SO fed up with other people scratching up my Vibe.I try to be careful. I always try to park far from big trucks and SUVs, but I can't sit and watch my car all night in front of my apartment.Somebody has scraped the same corner of the rear bumper on my car 2 times. I have never been able to find the criminal even after walking around every car in my complex looking for traces of my paint on their car.Anyway...I was wondering if any steel tube style bumpers were available to fit over the stock plastic ones. I have seen these for trucks and SUVs, but not for the Vibe. Something similar to this:

Could always have something fabbed up from a shop and install it where the hitch bolts would go. Of course, if it was hit hard enough it would still be pushed into the bumper

HEY -- that looks like my front and rear bumper!! I have so many scrapes and dents from doors that I stopped counting and just reach for my touchup paint. just last week a shopping cart got caught in the wind and decided to slid down the side of the vibe, while I was in it --- a sounded like fingernails on a chalkboard

I'd love to keep it in a garage...but I don't have one to keep it in.It's still vulnerable in parking lots. Years ago somebody bashed in a fender on my 1973 Volkswagen in a parking lot and left the scene of the crime.That is why the off-road style tube bumper seems like a good idea to me. It will do much more damage to the other car and will protect my plastic bumpers.I've had tube bumpers built for Baja Bugs in the past. I should draw up a design and see if a local fab shop can make something. Maybe one for the front could also me made, but I'm not sure what it would attach to.

SON OF A B#$%!Somebody got my FRONT bumper this time.They left some evidence behind this time. There's white paint on my front bumper and some of my red paint should be on the rear bumper of the criminal who commited this crime.I'm going to walk around the block looking for that car.Also, I'd better start checking around for someplace that can make the tube bumper protectors I mentioned before while I still have bumpers to protect!Dirtbag neighbors!!!

I have reactive armor installed in my 2009. When an object strikes my bumper, a million pieces of metal go blasting out in the opposite direction. It was an option when I ordered my car. Didn't you get that package installed???

Oh, man! I don't think that option was available for the 2005 model. I wonder if I can adapt that to my year car.

Quote, originally posted by Caretaker »I have reactive armor installed in my 2009. When an object strikes my bumper, a million pieces of metal go blasting out in the opposite direction. It was an option when I ordered my car. Didn't you get that package installed???(removed)

Get it repaired then get the 3M invisible bra

Do what they do in the city (that would be NYC). People around here put a rubber strip on the corners of their bumpers to prevent such things. It stick to the bumper and sticks out about 1/2-1" and is flanged. You could paint it red to match the car as well. but they do work.

actually one of these should help

oh yea Brawl from Transformers would do just nicely lol. but in reality i think that 3M clear Bra should help minimize paint scuff or scratches.

Anyone here actually using the 3M clear Bra? Somehow I doubt it would have prevented the damage done to my bumpers.What about the rubber strips mentioned above? Pictures?I still like the idea of an off-road style tube bumper. If someone backs into that it will damage their car and not mine. It looks like a rear one would be simple enough to make, but I can't see a good place for a front one to bolt on.I have a trailor hitch in the back and there are bolt holes under the car for that. I'm sure a bumper could be built that would bolt to those holes. Here's a shot of the front damage. It looks worse in person.

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It happened again last night. Somebody increased the size of my rear bumper damage with their poor parking skills.This time, the car was still parked behind me. I took pictures of the paint from my car on the corner of the front bumper of the other car.I'm wondering what I can legally do about this. I left a note on the person's car.I'm so frustrated over this situation that I have actually started looking at '60's and '70's era cars with real bumpers for sale in my area.

damn! where are you parking??? I have a store in 2 different malls and I still don't get that beat up! and both mine and Mav's cars are completely covered (front) with 3M clear Bra. it's saved my bumpers many a times. though it won't prevent breakage, it will keep your paint on the bumper!

check the Rockblocker site for more clear bra things.. it's not cheap..

I also don't recommend installing this on your own.

Here's a link to the bumper guards you might consider.. http://store.summitracing.com/...w=sku

Those glue on bumper protectors always look cheezy to me. Like something one would find at Pep Boys.

Quote, originally posted by Vibetastic »Those glue on bumper protectors always look cheezy to me. Like something one would find at Pep Boys.No argument, but a scratched up bumper is probably worse looking.

Bumping this thread.I wouldn't attempt an install of the 3M on my own, plus I am just too busy.So, does anyone know how much the installation ought to cost? Or the cost just to have it done including the material? I am in San Diego FWIW.

This happened back in February.... truck tire "caught/ran over" the front bumper and sheared off the licence plate!!! I had just got back from Calgary and had been inside for 5 minutes, came back out to grab some stuff and tripped over my licence plate which was on the ground. Never did find out who did it.Those glue on bumper protectors might look ugly but I'm sure they work. I'd prefer razor-sharp spikes though...

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I wonder if we could fit a cow catcher like the one on the Scarab (Hummer) on GI Joe that they displayed on the Powerblock this weekend. Now THAT would be a real bumper.

Quote, originally posted by zzdocxx »Bumping this thread.I wouldn't attempt an install of the 3M on my own, plus I am just too busy.So, does anyone know how much the installation ought to cost? Or the cost just to have it done including the material? I am in San Diego FWIW.I wouldn't attempt to do it on my own either. I did just have my done - front bumper, the leading edge of the hood about 1/3rd up, mirror caps, headlights, door edges, door handle depressions and the rear bumper top. Cost $550. Has a lifetime warranty against failure, but it would not stop a trailer hitch. I used VentureShield - apparently now owned by 3M but supposedly still a better product.

Thanks for the input, now I have a reference point when I go to shop for it.Wow, sounds like you had them do about everything, cool!I'm going to consider this for my mom, if I can get a cash for clunkers deal for her (she wants a Prius god bless her, she is 84).

I'd recommend getting quotes for a similar package with and without a full hood. I'm not sure the VentureShield place could have done the full hood, but a 3M dealer told me they could, though I never got the price on it ($550 was pushing the budget as it was).

Agreed, I was thinking the same thing, full hood.

A place on ebay is selling a kit for something like $25 bucks for the hood (partial) and $25 bucks for the front bumper. At that price I would have been tempted to try it. Failure would be no big deal.

Well, it more than 2 years later and I have still not had a tube bumper guard made.People continue to scrape against the same corner of my car.

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