Fiberglass or Urethane [Merged 7-9] polyurethane poly

[n0c7]

Yeah I can't figure out why the urethane cracked and tore like that. What would ever cause urethane to tear???

Even if I do fix it, I'm almost worried it'll happen again. Like I said, I'm also worried about ordering a new one, the aftermarket body kit quality just isn't anything near OEM. I've seen a lot of urethane bumpers sag underneath the headlights, etc.

If you fix the fiberglass one, it will break again, and again, and again, and again. Have you tried lifting your front kit with two fingers yet? It's possible People don't realize that the majority of kits are designed for off-road/show-only use and NOT for daily driving. It's just not pratical. Trust me, I know.

 

[broox]

p.s. i would be getttin a new mechanic if i was you... :thumbdown

He broke the driver's side door handle off the visit before he broke my bumper... I've been doing my own work ever since.

 

[Injected]

I'm not one for raising hell usually and I'm pretty laid back. However if a company tried to unload a piece of crap bumper that they probably knowingly shipped to you broken to try and blame the shipping company, I would threaten them to the extent of the law (if it's an out of state company it could be considered a federal charge). They should have an insurance policy with DHL but are probably trying to rip you off.

Sell the broken ones on ebay if you can. Try a Stillen if you still want aftermarket. I've never heard complaints about their products. If that doesn't work just go to a junkyard and get a 97-99.

$.02

 

[broox]

yeah dude, i tried to unload on them. it took me several calls just to get a hold of someone. once i finally did, they barely spoke english.

it's a lot harder to explain stuff to someone when they can't communicate - especially when you're mad at them. once they figured out that my bumper was broken they laughed and were like, "no it didn't, urethane doesn't break" etc etc.

after calling them back more times and not being able to get a hold of them, i just got a hold of DHL and they gave me most of the money back (wish i could have gotten reimbursed for the shipping also)

i've been having a string of terrible luck lately.

 

[illuminatus]

Rips in urethane bumpers are easy to fix. Get some Gorilla Glue and something to hold the piece together while the glue dries. Then sand and paint.

 

[Sic95gst]

if u don't mind me asking where did you get both your bumpers andhow much did you pay for them? Did you eer think that it could be the quality or the company espcially if you bought both bumpers from the same company. This would make me very skeptical.

 

[broox]

The fiberglass bumpers are GTP (www.importfan.com). But fiberglass breaks if it gets hit... no matter what quality it is.

The urethane ones are from an eBay company but they're new so the quality isn't based on the seller so much as it is the manufacturer. I don't know what the manufacturer is, but here's the logo (punks put it right on the bumper, gotta figure out a way to cover that too): http://derek.broox.com/?pictures&album=34&pic=850

 

[broox]

So Saturday I took my urethane blitz bumper into my body shop. The guy is looking at it for a while and asked me if the company I bought it from was close to here. I told him I didn't know and he just said, "because if they're close, you should drive over there and throw this through their front window." Then he barely bent the little piece that busted off and it cracked in 2 places. I then took it home, dropped it on the garage floor (about 6 inches from the ground) and the entire bumper split into 2 pieces. Quality. Luckily the manufacturers stamped their logo in it so I can tell yall not to buy KBD bumper covers - especially from areo_designs.

Finally I realize that bodykits are dumb . I should have listened to yall 2 years ago....

So my 97-99 front bumper is getting painted this week and I'm putting it on Saturday. I'm stoked.

 

[n0c7]

Bodykits are designed for off-road/show use only. They are just for looks and lightweight. They are difficult to install due to fitment issues, hard to maintain the paint and structure, and easy to break. If you use them on your daily driver or use them for a street driven car, expect everything I just mentioned to happen. They are not an OEM replacement nor does the quality compare.

 

[cait sith]

Bodykits are designed for off-road/show use only. They are just for looks and lightweight. They are difficult to install due to fitment issues, hard to maintain the paint and structure, and easy to break. If you use them on your daily driver or use them for a street driven car, expect everything I just mentioned to happen. They are not an OEM replacement nor does the quality compare.

Newer PFRP from REPUTABLE companies (Not knockoff companies a la GTP/E Bay/etc) like C-West and various other companies are actually quite durable.

None are made for DSM"s though.

 

[99Mitsu]

My aftermarket front bumper got ripped off the car this morning on the way into the garage to get painted. I had an Exteme Dimensions 'Blits' FIBERGLASS bumper. I'm thinking about getting the same thing in urethane. I was wondering if urehthane is worth the extra money and will it crack as easily?

~thank you
mitsu

 

[1G-3G Eclipses]

Poly will not crack anywhere near as easy as fiberglass and is DEFINITELY worth the money.

 

[98gsxtuner]

It will basically bend and flex with the bumps in the road. My friend had one on his neon and he hit a raccoon and all it did was chip the paint off the bumper was fine.

 

[ClipseAPG]

Fiberglass is really stiff and won't absorb impact anywhere as well as urethane. Urethane is good .

 

[99Mitsu]

well get this, I took my car into my local bodyman to get painted and as I'm leaving with my dad, he goes to pull the car into the garage and the bumper cracks in half on a bump as he pulls into the garage. But hey, I get a better bumper now right

 

[tljohnson1]

Polyurethane is the way to go if you want it to be able to flex well and be able to take abuse.

 

[quayzar590awd]

Poly is great but its life span is much less than glass. Heat can make it distort and flex. After too many hot and cold cycles it becomes brittle and will eventually start to fall apart.

 

[99Mitsu]

Poly is great but its life span is much less than glass. Heat can make it distort and flex. After too many hot and cold cycles it becomes brittle and will eventually start to fall apart.

interesting to know, thank you. I am planning on parking my DSM in october and driving my 71 plymouth for fall and winter and taking my DSM back out when the weather gets nice. Chicago winters are no joke and I need RWD or AWD for them

 

[quayzar590awd]

you can also expect a color variation upon respray and also expect the paint on the piece to not last. They make special paint to lay on plastic due to expansion contraction rates and the paint on your metal will almost never be the exact tone as the paint on plastic i dont care how much adhesion promotor or primer you spray on it. Plastic absorbs the paint in a different way than metal. The factorys spend milllllllllions to develop the technology to combat this issue. Saturn is a perfect example of this technology in action. They have made giant leaps over the years .