First, I would like to say that if you are a member of this board, I am sorry, but the truth hurts.

I spotted a black/grey 5th gen tonight with 17" aftermarket wheels in north Phoenix. It was dark out and I couldn't see that well, but I noticed an odd, think double pinstriping going around the rear bumper. Upon further inspection, I was horrified at what I saw.

The "pinstriping" was actually 2 thick, black bumper guards of some sort that WRAPPED AROUND THE ENTIRE CAR! They were about an inch wide and about 6 inches apart from each other. They wrapped around the entire bottom half of the car. It reminded me of the plastic corners they have on shopping carts.

After he noticed my wife staring at his car in disbelief, he sped up and tried to race me, but a car cut him off and I had to turn left.

 

 

I swear it wasn't me!

 

Not to go OT so quick but always wonder what the heck is up with those bumper guards. Those things are so useless and look so ugly

 

Every time I'm in NYC, I see bumper guards on like 75% of the cars there, including Maximas as well. The funny thing is that the bumpers still look messed up due to people's parking skills in that city.

In Phoenix though, is there a big "parking" problem as well?

 

Could be - the average driver age in Phoenix has to be, what, 85...?

 

There are approximately 15 parking spaces in the entire state that would require parallel parking. There are giant, flat parking lots all over town.

 

Problem is we also have a gajillion giant SUV's to fill all the spaces as well

 

Yes, and my mom takes up two when parking her suburban!

 

I live in north phoenix. I haven't seen that maxima yet. If I do I will probably have a post just like yours ASU.

 

Couldnt have been me....I was at Firebird Plus my car isnt black. It seems the only good lookin 5th gens are white...minus 2k2_6spd.

 

BUMPERCARS!!!!


http://www.piggillett.co.uk/bizarre/bumpercar.jpg

 

I have seen that material in auto supply stores. It's usually next to all of the pin stripes and stickers. I cannot believe that someone put that on the a maxima. "Hey....3D stipes man!"

 

Im not in phoenix, but i DO have the bumper guards...

say what you might about them, but they DID SAVE my bumper from being scratched...

i was parked in my gf (at the time) skoo's parking lot and sum fukin dumba$$ takes a chunk outa my bumperguard wit his front bumper... it was a 5 inch long gouge about 1/4 inch deep

 

No offense, but I would rather have a scratch on my bumper anyday than one of those bumper guards. Maybe if I drove a taxi, but not on the Maxima.

 

Holy krap! I can't believe you actually put that on a classy car like the Maxima. Hey Kev, is it possible to ban 20 MAXIMA 02 from Maxima.org?

Seriously if you want to save your paint and some face then check out 3M clear bra. It's a clear layer of polyethylene, or like polymer that goes over your paint. You can find it at www.xpel.com. They have the bulk material so you can put it all over your car if you wish, although that might be just as tacky as the bumper guards.

 

ditto

 

Not tacky at all. It is very difficult to see the clear bra (hence the name). I had it installed only a few weeks after taking delivery and I don't regret it at all. My bumper looks just as clean as if it was brand new. I do have 2 scratches on the front. A rock hit about 2 or 3 inches above the clear bra and scratched the hood down to the metal.

There are a few members of the org that have the bra and will completely agree.

 

BUT....

weren't there also some issues with the stuff yellowing??

 

No one said the bra was ugly. foodmanry said that covering your whole car in it is tacky.

 

Yeah if you wanted to wrap your whole car with the 3M clear stuff, then that’s tacky. That’s what I meant. I actually have the clear bra on the front bumper and it really helps. There are a bunch of nice paint chips all over my hood, but my bumper is paint chip free!

 

Yeah, I have that too. Installed it on my '03 GLE prior to delivery 3 months ago. I hate bumper guards because they only protect the width of the guard (2"-3") and fall off after a year or too leaving ugly marks. The clear bra works great, no marks (and I live in NYC!) and lifetime warranty, well worth the money ($249).