Magellan

We all know it’s hard to keep a car looking pristine after a year or two, but I haven’t given up trying. For the third time now, my wife has scraped the lower passenger side of the front bumper on our IS while parking at work, going up too close to one of those cursed cement blocks. I gave up on touch-up paint and had a body shop fix it for $400 (there were some other blemishes they also took care of) this week.

Assuming it will occur again; does anyone know if there is a way, perhaps, an aftermarket product that can help prevent this from happening?

slee18

iTrader: (1)

Umm tell your wife not to park so close the the curbs...

Why didnt you just get the gfx kit and replace it instead of having the body shop fix it?

file82

How about changing your front lower lip to some aftermarket unpainted lip? So you can just replace the lip when it got beat up, they are cheaper than $400.

ExTrEmE99

iTrader: (6)

If its the front oem lip, you could have bought the GFX front lip brand new for around 190 shipped from sewell

pisaykotik

I agree that getting the GFX front lip is a better alternative than getting the OEM part repainted. At least you'll know it's color-matched and the price is great too.

llamaboiz

well if you were in hawaii we got a member GIVING away various color front lips, PM ISBU and see if he'll ship one out to you BEFORE he throws them all away... OEM ones NOT gfx.

jns350

iTrader: (7)

Hey Judd, are you sure you wont need them for yourself? I know your low enough to push water away when you drive LOL.....

Magellan

Now, why didn't I think of that?

I'll consider that, but in that she's averaging three or more hits per year, it could add up, even in the $200 range. I was thinking more of a plastic strip attached to the lower part of the bumper, sort of a bumper-bumper.

ULTiMaX99

iTrader: (5)

maybe u can find springs or coilovers that actually raise the height of the car instead of lowering the height. that way the front lip will clear those cement parking blocks...

Little E

iTrader: (2)

Yup, I always wonder how close I get to the parking cement curb (flower bed) everyday when I get to work and park. The trick is not to whip into your parking spot like a maniac. Knock on wood that I haven't bumped the curb thus far.

slee18

iTrader: (1)

E how do you not hit the flower bed but scratch your mirror with your hand bag? Just kidding

pLam

i was wondering if there is anything that i could do for my front bumper because on my old honda i would scraped the front bumper like crazy to point its black under there due to my stupid driveway. i just dont want to do it to the IS.

smokyis350

iTrader: (21)

I always scrape my lip. Even when I wasn't even lowered I scraped the sidewalk. Is there a way you can install a camera in the front bumper and look at it in the navi screen? I am so sick of hitting the curb/parking blocks

sungyc

iTrader: (1)

backup park is always an option for preventing scratching since you got rear view camera, higher bumper, and side mirrors to check all the surroundings... I find myself more comfortable this way for some reason...

Little E

iTrader: (2)

haha....Ironically, I scratched my side mirror with the massive hardware on my Coach bag when I was getting ready to kneel down to admire all the brake dust on my front wheels. My handbag swung around me too fast and whacked my mirror...oops! In the end, it was fixed as good as new with a little touch-up paint.