Gaffer tape on Mondeo bumpers...
Discussion
It would appear i am not alone in observing this common occurrence.....
http://www.jack-frost.co.uk/mondeo_gaffer_tape.htm...
http://www.jack-frost.co.uk/mondeo_gaffer_tape.htm...
paulwoof said:
there was a thread on this before, and if i remember correctly it was something to do with what the bumper was made of made them prone to cracking, and they were expensive to buy new and all the uncracked ones from scrappys have been snapped up
Why aren't they made from gaffer tape in the first place?C
As has even said already - it's because the bumpers are made from very thin plastic so crack very easily. They are also quite expensive to replace, and on such a cheap car it often makes a lot more sense to just bodge it.
Having said that, I think my old ST24 was the only one in existence that has intact bumpers that didn't even flap at speed
Having said that, I think my old ST24 was the only one in existence that has intact bumpers that didn't even flap at speed
As I understand it, the Mondeo bumper had a line of sacrificial clips designed to let go before the plastic shell was damaged. The intention was that these would be replaced after any minor impact.
In practice, though, they weren't - either because the driver was unaware that someone had nudged their car while parked or because there was no visible damage when they looked at it. Either way, without the clips holding the shell in place the plastic was left to flex in the breeze until it cracked.
In practice, though, they weren't - either because the driver was unaware that someone had nudged their car while parked or because there was no visible damage when they looked at it. Either way, without the clips holding the shell in place the plastic was left to flex in the breeze until it cracked.
MC Bodge said:
You had thought you were the only one to observe this?
Have we travelled back to 1998?
The back end of 1993 in some temporary cases, surely? Have we travelled back to 1998?
Admittedly it possibly wasn't de riguer until around 1998 though...
And we thought that the occasional Sierra "showing foam" was bad - how little did we know what was coming some years later
.It's worth saying that the thing you're talking about isn't a 'bumper' - at least in bodyshop speak - it's a 'bumper cover'.
In the case of Mondeos, it's a flimsy bit of plastic which can't even support it's own weight. It's wrapped around impact-absorbing foam to make the car look prettier (the foam not being pretty) and held on with a minimal amount of screws (which don't last that well).
It's actually cheap to replace but the obsession with painting cars in hard-to-match-between-metal-and-plastic colours added to the faffy fitting of such a flexible part means replacing it actually costs an arm and a leg by the time it's fitted and painted - hence people don't bother...
Under the 'bumper cover' and it's foam 'liner' there's the 'bumper bar' and/or 'bumper support bar' which is the actual solid impact-protection - it's that you don't want to see damage on when you're shopping...
There is no 'bumper' as such
In the case of Mondeos, it's a flimsy bit of plastic which can't even support it's own weight. It's wrapped around impact-absorbing foam to make the car look prettier (the foam not being pretty) and held on with a minimal amount of screws (which don't last that well).
It's actually cheap to replace but the obsession with painting cars in hard-to-match-between-metal-and-plastic colours added to the faffy fitting of such a flexible part means replacing it actually costs an arm and a leg by the time it's fitted and painted - hence people don't bother...
Under the 'bumper cover' and it's foam 'liner' there's the 'bumper bar' and/or 'bumper support bar' which is the actual solid impact-protection - it's that you don't want to see damage on when you're shopping...
There is no 'bumper' as such
iva cosworth said:
If you have ever seen an intact Mondeo rear bumper "flapping" at speed you will
see why they split so commonly
see why they split so commonly
I remember seeing a Mondeo trying to keep up with an Aston at well north of 100mph on the A74 (M) a few years ago, the whole bumper looked like it was going to fall off!
I bought a Mondeo with a cracked bumper once. Bought a brand new painted one off Ebay which was matched to the paint code of the car and it matched perfectly. Spent all day removing the old one, removing the tow bar and fitting the new one.
A week later I ran out of talent on a corner, crashed the car into a ditch and the brand new bumper was ripped clean off. It was the only damage on the car, except for a bit of mud and grass stuck in a few places. Pissed off, wasn't the word.
A week later I ran out of talent on a corner, crashed the car into a ditch and the brand new bumper was ripped clean off. It was the only damage on the car, except for a bit of mud and grass stuck in a few places. Pissed off, wasn't the word.
TheRacingSnake said:
Ha. i have a 12 yearold mondeo st and both bumpers are intact and gaffer tape free. i am very proud of this as every single other one i see is taped up. even the mrs has noticed it.
One morning you will come down and it will just be there, you will not have put it on, it will be a mystery.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff