[QUOTE]Originally posted by Higgins

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by jahnke

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Higgins

 

One more thing that is nice about the Mugen exhaust is that it makes power with still having close to stock sound which was important to me too. I didn't want my car sounding like RICE.....I just wanted to add that.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by jahnke

 

Yes, RICE = BAD!!!

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Higgins

 

Higgins, I think there are couple things about the Mugen SS rear bumper that you should be aware of:

You are correct in assuming that the fiberglass bumper would not hold very well in an accident, not even on light impact. Fiberglass material is only part of the reason. The other reason is the stock styrofoam bar - that runs across between the stock rear bumper and the beam - is replaced by 2 small styrofoam blocks (one on each end) in order to fit the Mugen rear bumper.

Without the styrofoam cushion, the bumper can easily crack and have a hole open up on impact. A friend of mine had this setup at one time. As he appoached his car, he saw an SUV put a hole on his bumper just by bumping lightly against it as it tried to get of a street parking space. Had it been the stock bumper, damage would not have exceeded beyond some scratches.

Mugen did not design this bumper for boulevard cruising / street parking.

Without the stock styrofoam bar to absorb impact, a rear-end accident can cause much more damage than to the bumper itself, including the frame and, more importantly, the driver.

After the incident I mentioned above, my friend offered me a killer deal on the exhaust and the repaired bumper...I kindly declined.

 

Yes, I fully agree. Thats why it baffled me to hear that such an expensive kit was made out of fiberglass. They may not be "made" for cruising on the street, but thats what most people do with them. I would love for all body kit companies to make their kits out of some sort of urethane or more durable material, but who knows when that will happen.

With the fiberglass kits you DEFINITELY have to have good insurance coverage and be very careful of what your doing!

 

I need to correct myself on the styrofoam / beam info above. It has been a couple years since I saw the kit and memory has failed me to some extent.

I don't quite remember if the styrofoam bar was kept in use w/ the Mugen bumper, BUT it was the actual stock beam that runs across the length of the rear bumper that was replaced...by 2 small metal blocks. (Hello...Safety?!?!?) If you look at the Mugen rear bumper at side view, it's shorter than the OEM bumper by a good inch or 2.

I am one of the bigger Mugen supporters, so I have no intent to knock on their products. However, their rear bumper design truely puzzles me.