West Houston Subaru

Genuine Subaru vs.Aftermarket Bumpers:
Which is the stronger choice?

If you need to replace a bumper due to an accident, your body shop may be tempted to install an aftermarket bumper. But how well will an imitation bumper really perform? Since bumpers are often the first line of defense in an accident, we conducted a series of strength tests to see how aftermarket bumpers compared to Genuine Subaru Replacement Bumpers.

The test results are clear.

Genuine Subaru Replacement Bumpers outperformed the aftermarket bumpers in a series of strength tests. The differences were clear at impact speeds as low as five miles per hour. And they were even more dramatic at low temperatures.

5mph Impact Test

In this initial strength test, Subaru engineers measured the effects of a 5mph impact at 32°F and 14°F. The Genuine Subaru Replacement Bumper suffered almost no noticeable damage at either temperature. The aftermarket bumper displayed peeling paint and cracking at both temperatures. As the photo below reveals, the damage was particularly apparent at 14°F.

Tensile Break Test

For this test, we measured how far a bumper could be stretched before it would break. Our engineers tested a Genuine Subaru Replacement Bumper against two other aftermarket imitations ? Company B and Company C. So what was the level of elongation that the bumpers withstood before breaking? The Genuine Subaru Replacement Bumper was the clear winner, proving to be 8X more difficult to break than Company B's bumper, and 5X more difficult to break than Company C's.

Pendulum Impact Test

In this second impact test, Subaru engineers used a pendulum impact hammer to strike the bumper material at 73°F and -22°F. At 73°F, the Genuine Subaru Replacement Bumper displayed minor signs of damage compared to the aftermarket bumpers from Company B and Company C, which showed more dramatic signs of damage. However, the aftermarket bumpers from Company B and Company C showed dramatic signs of cracking. At -22°F, the differences were even more striking, with Company C's bumper exhibiting just 60% of the strength of the Genuine Subaru Replacement Bumper.

Genuine Subaru: Better before a crash, and after.

Did you know that Subaru vehicles have been tested for NHTSA NCAP* and IIHS** programs? It underlines Subaru's commitment to safety, and it's reassuring news if you're ever in an accident. If you are and you need to install a new bumper, choosing a Genuine Subaru Replacement Bumper
will help reassure you of something else: that your vehicle's quality will be as good as it was before the accident.

* A complete testing of the NHTSA (National Highway Transportation Safety Administration) NACP (New Car Acceptance Program) ratings can be found at www.safecar.gov. This information is also available by calling NHTSA's toll-free vehicle safety hotline (888) 327-4236.

** Insurance Institute for Highway Safety www.iihs.org.

For more information, contact your Subaru Dealer or
log onto www.subaru.com

Sales: 281-398-3300

Genuine Subaru Replacement Bumpers