If you have a receiver hitch these really work… http://www.sparebumper.com

I think that with modern technology they could produce a car with a real bumper without the side effects of maiming innocent civilians. I also think that if they would offer them on low budget cars people would buy them. Take a look at the toyota yaris, they were selling those without air conditioning, power locks, power windows, and radios for like $13,000. Same with the smart fortwo. Those piles moved off the lot faster than anything else. People would buy a car with a real bumper and a more “utilitarian” look.

If it hits anything at more than 2.5 mph, the car sacrifices itself to protect passengers inside and pedestrians outside. I don’t bump into things with my car or run over pedestrians, so I would rather just have a good looking car with no bumper, like the original Shelby Cobra.

I ran a 84′ Ford LTD at the dirt oval in the Enduro race for a year and a half!! That damn bumper stayed on there with minimal damage, radiator never busted, and the back bumper was also in good shape. I decided to switch to a 86′ Celica GT for the front wheel drive and it lasted 2 races!! hahaha no bumper at all so first major collison sent it to the scrap yard!

my 86 escort…totaled a 79 vette…BUT it was her fault also!!! T BONED and roasted it..

plastic bumper + snow + high performance tires + low brick wall = $1000 in damage for a 1 inch crack. Apparently that 1 inch crack also meant replacing the bumper supports, the foam (FOAM?) behind the bumper, and some of the plastic clips holding the bumper in place.

I had an Escort like that, except mine was a 1986, I scratched the front bumper one time, and at the same time destroyed a 2000 Saturn. That car shattered like glass from having plastic panels, in November. I remember where the plastic fell away from the doors it was stuffed with this black plastic stuff that looked like Hefty Bags. Yeah those Escorts were tough!

I recently “bumped” someone at a yield sign also. Going less then 5mph in my SUV, my plastic bumper held up great. Only scuffed it up a bit. The newer Malibu on the other hand, didnt fair so well. I did have the advantage of sitting up higher, but my plastic bumper did more damage then i expected. Broken taillight, cracked rear bumper, and damaged trunk on the Malibu.

Wow I hope I don’t run into 96 brougham on the road. Perhaps you should invest in one of those smaller vehicles with the new bumpers so you don’t keep destroying peoples crap all the time.

Actually, I had a 95 Eclipse which I bumped into someone in front of me with at a Yield sign. Probably a low 5 MPH impact, but enough of a force that I certainly thought I was going to incur damage on at least one of our cars. Fortunately, both my Eclipse and the Nissan Sentra I ran into were unscaved. Both bumper were plastic, but due to good shock absorption behind the bumpers, all was good!