Chrome Bumpers

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I guess that chrome bumpers have gone the way of 8-track tape players. All the new cars I see have painted plastic bumpers. Am I the only one that misses shiney chrome bumpers?
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Originally Posted By: bigdreama
I guess that chrome bumpers have gone the way of 8-track tape players. All the new cars I see have painted plastic bumpers. Am I the only one that misses shiney chrome bumpers?
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There are only a few countries on earth that have chromium mines and most of those countries have an ongoing civil war.
Plus, a lot of chrome plating shops have constant trouble with the EPA inspectors.

When you figure in the cost of everything, it is no longer worth it.
 
I miss chrome bumpers.

Most of all though, I miss metal bumpers on trucks. All of the small trucks have plastic bumper covers in the front now.
 
Originally Posted By: bigdreama
I guess that chrome bumpers have gone the way of 8-track tape players. All the new cars I see have painted plastic bumpers. Am I the only one that misses shiney chrome bumpers?
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Probably not the only one. I certainly don't miss them. Imagine being hit by one of those. I've been hit by a plastic Saturn and could feel the bumper and the fender getting bent. A metallic bumper would have definitely broken a few bones.
 
I miss unpainted, tough, matte black plastic bumpers. Painted bumpers seem to get screwed up at the slightest grazing.
 
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Originally Posted By: rationull
I miss unpainted, tough, matte black plastic bumpers. Painted bumpers seem to get screwed up at the slightest grazing.


I won't drive my car with painted plastic bumpers into the city and parallel park it. My Jeep with its steel bumpers on the other hand, no problem. :)
 
Originally Posted By: bigdreama
I guess that chrome bumpers have gone the way of 8-track tape players. All the new cars I see have painted plastic bumpers. Am I the only one that misses shiney chrome bumpers?
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I really do miss chrome bumpers. And chrome grilles, machine-turned metal trim, glass headlamps that stay clear and bright, chrome knobs and vents in the interior, chrome trim on door panels and seats. Everything on new car exteriors is body color, everything on the interior is acres and acres and acres of featureless grey plastic and cloth.
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Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Everything on new car exteriors is body color, everything on the interior is acres and acres and acres of featureless grey plastic and cloth.
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No joke. There is nothing more horrible than a grey plastic interior with boring, plain grey cloth seats. With all the controls neatly arranged in the center and total symmetry on the driver and passenger side.

Give me a '71 Buick Riviera any day. :)
 
Originally Posted By: rationull
I miss unpainted, tough, matte black plastic bumpers. Painted bumpers seem to get screwed up at the slightest grazing.

My 03 tracker has these, its a stripper model. Had a little fender bender -25C and no cracks... That surprised me, it was a good smack too. Its a utility vehicle (not much sport) and the bumpers suit it.
My last car with "real" bumpers was my 81 Omega, they where aluminum but shined up pretty good. I do miss the interior of that car, the bench seat was more comfortable than my couch, I guess the dash was the plastic version of older car interiors but it still looked good with its fake burled walnut...
Also it had real air vents to the foot wells, I don't know why new cars can't have these, they made the lack of A/C hardly noticable.
Ian
 
Other than I drive older cars, does it mean something when all three of my current rides have Chrome Bumpers? I still miss the big chrome covers on my rear view mirrors on my '97 2WD F150 - they reflected off of everything in sight!

My Jeep, My Explorer, and my '99 F150 all have Chrome Bumpers. Heck, my Jeep has a Chrome grill on it right now, along with Chrome trim strips. :)

The F150 was rear ended one time, and between the reciever hitch and the bumper, my truck won with two dimples in the bumper, the car lost with needing a new grill/front clip/ hood assembly :)
 
Originally Posted By: bigdreama
I guess that chrome bumpers have gone the way of 8-track tape players. All the new cars I see have painted plastic bumpers. Am I the only one that misses shiney chrome bumpers?
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LOL, I'm still 8-trackin' with my '79 Caddy. Has chrome bumpers too!
 
never been a fan of chrome. the only chrome on my Volvo is the badging, and that is too much for my tastes. my mustang was the same, i absolutely refuse to buy chrome wheels. although black chrome can look good if done right.
 
At least chrome bumpers held up, now when someone backs into you at 2mph, you have to spend $500 to get the "bumper" re-painted.
 
I miss material honesty.

Where chrome used sparingly for honest rustproofing only to the metals, plastics are dent proof with their own natural colors.

Where glass are for windows and as a shield to the wind, cleverly utilizred for visibility, without huge masking area to solve un-designed fixtures and interior finishes, (it is a torture to its personality).

Where finishings are for actually "finishing" a material, liners that lines the suspectible edges and prevent from a tear or crack from beginnig, or as a striation that "lines" all the scratches to the same line so that looks good for long as scratches looks expected and designed in. Wears proudly.

Honesty is awarded with the simplest materials and state-of-the-art materials can't compansate the lack of it. Think of the costs at the macro level to the society, how many functional gadgets are dumped because the actual root reason is the shame to be seen in, in an unconspicious consumption context.
 
I don't miss chrome or even metal bumpers as much as I miss paint that doesn't chip from every rock that hits it. The front of my Mazda with only 9000 miles looks like a few of my older cars did at 50,000.
 
Originally Posted By: Kruse
Originally Posted By: bigdreama
I guess that chrome bumpers have gone the way of 8-track tape players. All the new cars I see have painted plastic bumpers. Am I the only one that misses shiney chrome bumpers?
21.gif



There are only a few countries on earth that have chromium mines and most of those countries have an ongoing civil war.
Plus, a lot of chrome plating shops have constant trouble with the EPA inspectors.

When you figure in the cost of everything, it is no longer worth it.



And China is the largest chrome plating industry now....because they don't have the EPA and other enviromental regulations. So along with the computer scrapping programs and chrome plating etc China looks like an environmental disaster!
 
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