Product review: Stainless Steel Aftermarket E9 Bumpers

teahead said:
A little cheaper here:

Euro chrome look bumper set with trim for E9 – ClassicEuroParts

www.classiceuroparts.com www.classiceuroparts.com
Click to expand...
Thanks Rob... but the reason for my post is because by description - they are not the same product. The Classic Euro Parts and the bumpers from Vietnam appear to be the same product (304 stainless steel with a 30+% nickel content in the steel) that enables the bumper to be polished to a very shiny sheen. It has been pointed out that polished stainless steel develops a dulling patina from very fine microscratching that nickel plating (chrome) over steel does not. Those who prefer to re-chrome the OEM bumpers are going through the much more expensive process of plating a layer of nickel chrome OVER the steel. This is why the bumpers from Classic Euro Parts and Vietnam are called "Euro Chrome-Look", because they are not chrome-plated. The 2,200+ Euro set from Classique Autowerkes in France are NOT described as polished stainless steel; but as chrome plated steel. This is why they are more expensive... but they are not as expensive as re-chroming (actually, replating) a set of steel bumpers... so they are a potentially more cost-effective solution for those who want chrome plated rather than polished stainless bumpers. This is why I was inquiring if anyone on the forum has had any experience with them.
 
A good way to see the difference between polished stainless steel and chrome plating is on your flag mirrors. The flag is polished stainless and the base is chrome-plated metal of some sort. The flag gets bugs and other debris that is cleaned and polished time after time. When they were brand new, the flag and base looked almost the same. Years later, the stainless has all of those micro scratches that can't be hand polished to look like the chrome base.
The stainless bumpers will look great for quite a long time,but constant cleaning will give them a patina.
That will still look better than the pitting and corrosion of the very old chromed steel bumpers and the USA diving board bumpers.
 
I wonder how Lamin X or equivalent over the SS ones would look? They cannot be seen with today's painted bumpers but have no idea over SS.
 
And the guys in Vietnam actually sell the bumperettes (without the rubber) for $119 each in addition to selling a set that includes them. The bean counter in me says... if not doing a full-tilt concours winning build for the purists - and converting from U.S. bumpers (therefore, in need of a set of bumpers) - the stainless/nickel (with overriders and rear underriders) from Vietnam are the way to go. They are less than half the price of a good set of OEM cores that would still need replating; and arrive out of the box looking like they've been plated.

If at some point the patina becomes too dull for your taste, they can be repolished (as the nickel is actually mixed into the 304 steel). Anyone who prefers the brighter, harder finish of actual chrome could still eventually have them chrome plated just as they would have to do with set of OEM cores. Though I believe there are some specifics when it comes to chrome plating stainless steel.
 
Well- Sadly I have to give these Vietnamese bumper folks a "Fail"

I will never buy from them again.

Last set showed up broken in box and they kept me engaged promising to replace but has never showed.

Lost a $1000.00 on them.

Run like hell- Bad Company. Their agent Amy will not fix problems.
 
Is there only one Vietnamese bumper company or are they prolific in the area? Haven't played with CS fitment but on 2002 so far the parts (3 pieces) are not interchangeable from one bumper to another (must replace entire bumper; no spare parts available) and the cross sections and curvatures are all over the place. Welded-on end tabs for bolts crack off and my cast mold for glue-in filler end pieces you can screw into fit neither side without substantial asymmetric modification. Seems they are made to "display pleasantly" - better than gnarly chrome for sure. They are not factory mass produced that I can tell. Perhaps subbed out to different workers/groups? Different hammer marks and workmanship on backsides of front and rear sets I have received.
 
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