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Prius front lip scuffs.

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by nineinchnail1024, Sep 5, 2010.

  1. nineinchnail1024

    nineinchnail1024 New Member

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    Vehicle:
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    III
    Someone would make a fortune if they designed and sold some sort of solution for the constant paint abuse that the front bumper recieves along the lower lip. There is no driveway, speedbump or curb that isn't licking its chops awaiting its next feast of prius paint. My idea would be a chin spoiler. Maybe black polyurethane or ABS. No lower than the stock bumper, but more like a piece of trim that goes from wheel-well to wheel-well. Sure, it would still be subject to scuffing, but it would have to be a lot less noticable than a paint scrape on a Blizzard Pearl Prius (the bumper underneath is black and shows quite clearly, but I'm sure everyone already knows that as you can probably walk out to your driveways and take a look at it through your own paint scrapes, lol). Anybody want to be the inventor of such a product?
     
    #1 nineinchnail1024, Sep 5, 2010
  2. rpeek2

    rpeek2 Dry Ice Juggler

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    Perhaps it could be cheap, sacrificial, and replacable. The whole leading edge of mine is furry
     
    #2 rpeek2, Sep 5, 2010
  3. stream

    stream Senior Member

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    I've driven a lot of cars with low front bumper clearance (many worse than my Prius).

    The key is to just be aware of it and adapt your driving accordingly. Anytime you approach a driveway or parking lot entrance, for example, you need to slow down. Also, entering at a 45 degree angle helps a lot, since it gives the lead front tire an opportunity to raise the front of the car before the low point of the bumper meets the high point of the road.

    And given the limited front visibility of the Prius, you need to be extra cautious when pulling into parking spots to avoid hitting the cement stop blocks.

    Your idea for a protector isn't a bad one. Over the years, several Porsche models have come with sacraficial front spoiler lips in black plastic, and I've also seen stainless protectors that attach under the leading edge of the spoiler.
     
    #3 stream, Sep 5, 2010
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