Had the dumbest great idea = Ecoological

My chrome bumper on my 18 Laramie got a few small dents and lots of scratches from a flying tonno cover. I will be replacing the scratched front upper bumper cover and grille and color matching to my walnut brown metallic. I picked up a new painted/color matched bumper which looks great and of course I freak out bc of rock chips and rust in the future (less of an issue with chrome). So I start looking at PPF for the steel bumpers and dont fine much and what I do find is $300+ and if I take it to a shop I know it will be more. I could buy the rolls and try to wrap/cobble something together but how much "coverage/protection" am I really getting? So the way my brain works is... fix the problem or you will hate yourself in a year and then give yourself $hit once you get a chip or whatever. If I'm going to spend $300+ on a new bumper that I already spent $500 on I might as well get that thing to last. I look and find Ecoological bumper covers of course lol. So for $222 I could get a thick plastic bumper cover and fit it over my bumper and get 100% full protection but I will have a seam on both sides. So I do a spur of the moment purchase and buy the paint ready ABS version ugh. So while I wait 7-10 days to ship and then get it and paint to match it (I'll do it when I do the upper bumper and grill color matching). I now get to think about why I purchased a new bumper when I could have just covered it lol. I also need to figure out what I want to do but I have a few options. I did get this at a discount at a smidge over $200 but tax... ya know. One thing that bugs me about the stock steel bumper is that it looks "recessed back" compared to the upper bumper plastic, so this ABS would push out and make it look more flush with the upper plastic which I would like. I will be pulling all the parking sensors and the surrounds to color match as well.

1. I paint and install the covers on my chrome bumper which seems mostly fine and have the painted bumper as a spare since it covers 100% it will look color matched. This has a side benefit of a lot less work since I will be doing a rear bumper and a few other things while I'm there.

2. I install the painted bumper and install the covers as additional protection. I would be worried about removal if I had to and the tape pulling up the paint.

3. Am I dumb for purchasing this lol... since It doesn't make sense to cover a color matched bumper with a color matched cover and possibly mess up the color matched bumper finish. I just feel like I'm getting my monies worth vs PPF which you would likely see seams/lines/edges anyways.

4. Will the seams drive me more nuts than rock chips and rust?

5. I feel like they could have made a 1 piece cover pretty easily no?

https://www.ecoological.com/store/p...Front_BumperShellz_-_Truck_Bumper_Covers.html

Sounds like some of the rabbit holes I have done over the years.

I would probably sell the truck and start over. So I’m not gonna offer any advice.

I looked at these covers when I was trying to determine what to do with my Laramie.

I think they will be more trouble than they are worth. My concern was them having issues in -50 degree weather.

Doing the sport bumper was. The best outcome in my opinion. I think I'm about $800 in, all total on the conversion. The sport bump ships painted and the other pieces are low cost. I think I did the conversion in a little under 3 hours with hand tools.

If I was you I would try to get a used bumper in chrome. Lots around and definitely low cost. I think the tape would stick to chrome better than paint.

My .02

Travelin Ram said:

Sounds like some of the rabbit holes I have done over the years.

I would probably sell the truck and start over. So I’m not gonna offer any advice.

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I was going to tell him to go find his Wife and have some fun.
He obviously needs an oil change because he is Mind is going....

Have you considered calling or going to a TINT Shop
They have a product called a Clear Bra, made by 3M i think
or they would also have something called a WRAP, that can be applied over the bumper

Throw the painted bumper on and call it a day. If it looks rough after a year, figure out plan b lol

Too bad you are 2,800 miles away

I have a chrome bumper that has been sitting on a rack & covered by moving blankets, since about a month after i picked up my factory ordered 2016 Ram.
I don't care for chrome on my vehicles



the boxes in the bed of the Ram are Sport front & rear bumpers

Just throw the painted bumper on there and quit worrying about it. Your grill and the front of your hood get chips as well. Or get a sport bumper, urethane is less prone to rock chips (slightly) than a painted steel bumper

I would get your painted bumpers vinyl wrapped a good body shop can do it.

Travelin Ram said:

I would probably sell the truck and start over. So I’m not gonna offer any advice.

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Best response ever LMAO

Also @blackbetty14 I agree with @Dodge 1500 4X4 The vinyl is easy on easy off, and you can put some ppf over the top.

Dodge 1500 4X4 said:

I would get your painted bumpers vinyl wrapped a good body shop can do it.

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Almost impossible to match the factory walnut brown metallic paint. I’ve tried and what I have looks close in the shade but way off in the sun. I wrapped my chrome door handles. Also they wanted $250+ just to wrap the front bumper, clear bra is over $200.

How much is your insurance deductible? Might solve the headache and just get them to put a new one on?
Where I live the deductible is $300-500 for accidental road damage. And they replace it with whatever you had.

I stopped reading after the 2nd chapter of the book, But I was going to suggest sport bumper as well, My 14 red was still exc till last month where I see a bit of chipping in front corner , Parking lot?? I will touch it up when we get warmer .

I would think a new sport bumper would be a stupid expensive price.

Justthebutler said:

How much is your insurance deductible? Might solve the headache and just get them to put a new one on?
Where I live the deductible is $300-500 for accidental road damage. And they replace it with whatever you had.

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Bumper is already paid for through the insurance of the other driver. I have a new painted bumper ready to go on... I was just trying to avoid the chips and regular wear and tear on the painted lower front bumper. The cost of PPF is the same as the entire ABS plastic covers... Figured that the covers are worth the money at that point.

Marshall said:

I stopped reading after the 2nd chapter of the book, But I was going to suggest sport bumper as well, My 14 red was still exc till last month where I see a bit of chipping in front corner , Parking lot?? I will touch it up when we get warmer .

I would think a new sport bumper would be a stupid expensive price.

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Already have the new painted steel bumper ready to go on. I was just trying to avoid the chips and other road wear on the new bumper. The sport bumper was cheaper than the steel bumper but the sport bumper requires a new crash bar and bracing behind the steel bumper to be removed and swapped out for the stuff that fits the sport bumper. Total cost of the sport was like $200 ish more than the steel bumper and I don't like the look of the sport bumper. I had one on my 14 express and it still chipped and flexed. I also have cars with old urethane bumpers and they always get wavy over time so I prefer rigid style bumpers if possible. Im not sure if the TPO style bumpers age better but its a truck and would rather a steel bumper.

As a old guy , I like chrome, but the sport was the best deal on the lot when I bought it new,
Just turned 80km and lives in the garage, so the chip bugs me a bit. , BTW , that was my birthday yesterday. Not a current pict, but this is when I got it