Have you ever wondered why your bumper comes with a piece of plastic trim on the bottom? It’s to protect the bumper.
Bumpers can only absorb minor impacts or scrapes without getting damaged. Bumper damage is still common, though. There are many different ways your bumper can get damaged. For instance, the following things can damage your bumper:
- Accidents
- Rolled curbs
- Steep driveways
- Speed bumps
- Large road debris
A damaged bumper is quite expensive to repair or replace. That’s why your automaker attached a piece of plastic trim to the bottom of your bumper. Plastic trim serves as the first line of defense against things that can damage a front bumper.
Plastic Trim Isn’t Always A Great Solution
Despite the automaker’s best intentions, plastic trim doesn’t always protect the bumper. It sounds great in concept, but it’s not always effective. Plastic breaks easily, so plastic trim is vulnerable to damage, too. It’s common for plastic trim to break after being hit or scraped a couple of times. This exposes the bumper, which means the bumper will get damaged too sooner or later. This is much more likely when you have a low clearance car.
Are you worried about the plastic trim on your car breaking and exposing the bumper? If so, we have good news. You can replace the plastic trim with a sturdy product that can actually protect your bumper. Here are a few options:
1. Install An Aftermarket Valance
If you want a unique and sporty appearance, consider getting an aftermarket valance. Keep in mind that:
- An aftermarket valance may provide a little more protection than plastic trim does. It’s not guaranteed, though.
- You might need to paint your aftermarket valance.
- An aftermarket valance may lower your car’s ground clearance. This may increase the chances of your valance breaking or getting scraped.
2. Cover Your Front Bumper With Transparent Film
If you want to keep your car’s ground clearance as it is, consider this option. Instead of installing a sturdier plastic trim replacement, apply a transparent film over the front bumper. You can find transparent film that’s meant for car hoods. 3M is a popular brand to use. This method comes with a few caveats, though:
- Transparent film is pretty expensive.
- It’s time consuming to install transparent film over your front bumper.
- Transparent film can prevent light scrapes and scratches. Otherwise, it doesn’t provide any real protection.
3. Install A Rubber Bumper Lip
This is the only option on the list that’s actually an upgrade in terms of protection. A rubber bumper lip provides so much more protection than plastic trim does. It’s because rubber bumper lips are flexible. That means they won’t break when hit. Instead, they’ll bend up against the bumper. That increases the surface area across the bumper, which means more protection. Other solutions (plastic trim or aftermarket valances) will break under the same circumstances.
Not all rubber bumper lips are good, though. A rubber bumper lip that’s made with high quality materials will last much longer than one with low quality materials. As far as brands go, you can’t go wrong with All-Fit.
The All-Fit Bumper Lip Kit provides maximum protection because it’s made with a high quality proprietary rubber blend. It’s also:
- Affordable
- Long lasting
- Universal (works with any bumper)
- Easy to maintain
- Easy to install
Do you have any questions about the All-Fit Bumper Lip Kit? We’ll be happy to answer your questions if you contact us!
