| Modern cars are built somewhat different | | | | today this limit has decreased to 2.5 mps. |
| compared to cars thirty or forty years ago. Back | | | | However, this bumper standard only applies to |
| then cars were built so strong, that if you ever | | | | small cars and not to large SUVs or pick-up |
| back up and hit something, like a wall or a pole, | | | | trucks. Hence SUV’s and pick-ups have very |
| the car would hardly had any scratch on it. | | | | large bumpers installed, repairing or replacing such |
| Nowadays car manufacturers make use of | | | | an item can cost you dearly. |
| controlled deformable zones around your | | | | In fact, it is recently that the Insurance Institute |
| car’s chassis that are meant to break up first | | | | for Highway Safety has removed from their |
| when your car is hit so that the impact energies | | | | testing procedures the rear pole crush test as car |
| will be dissipated and they will not reach the | | | | manufacturers had put increased pressure on the |
| car’s passengers. | | | | Institute to do so. This means that you are not |
| In fact, a recent survey conducted by the | | | | able to know at what speed your SUV can |
| Insurance Institute for Highway Safety revealed | | | | withstand a back-up crash without sustaining |
| that the most expensive SUV repairing for a | | | | significant damage. |
| 5mph crash was around $3,300. Why was the | | | | Let us look at the prices for car rear bumpers to |
| repairing so expensive you may ask, for a | | | | understand whey repairing or replacing a bumper |
| back-up hit that happened at almost walking | | | | can be that expensive. Repairing a plastic, medium |
| speed? The SUV has damaged its end gate and | | | | size rear bumper will cost anywhere from $300 |
| its rear window, beside from pulling the fender | | | | to $500. To replace it altogether will cost you |
| wells in. | | | | from $800 to $1,100, depending on your car’s |
| The same survey reveled that between 1999 and | | | | brand and size. |
| 2003 seven of the 10 most expensive SUV | | | | However, most modern cars include reversing |
| repairing due to faulty back-ups were because the | | | | sensors in the rear bumper or small video |
| spare tire was situated on the end gate, causing | | | | cameras for reversing. In this case, you can |
| significant damage to this part of the car. | | | | double the above prices, as new similar equipment |
| Among those very expensive SUV’s to fix | | | | will have to be installed, in addition to connecting all |
| were the Toyota Rav4, the Honda CR-V, the | | | | the wires to these accessories. |
| Isuzu Trooper or the Land Rover Freelander. In all | | | | Statistics reveal that in the US alone there are |
| these cases, their owners had to pay more than | | | | more than 12 million rear end collisions each year |
| $2,000 for a slow speed back collision. | | | | and more than 8 million rear bumpers are |
| You should know these facts if you are | | | | replaced yearly. |
| interested in buying a SUV. Yes, they seem solid | | | | Therefore, even if the speed of the crash is not |
| and they are advertised to be able to go where | | | | at all significant, insurance companies pay a lot of |
| normal cars cannot and sustain significant amount | | | | money for repairing or replacing these parts. |
| of pressure. However, even the minor crash can | | | | In addition, you know that you need insurance; |
| cost you many thousand of dollars in these SUVs. | | | | the company will only increase your insurance fee |
| Another relevant piece of information is the | | | | over the next years. The best advice one can |
| federal standard for car bumpers. 30 years ago | | | | get you is to drive carefully and safely. |
| there was a 5mps bumper standard, whereas | | | | |