Rear bumper removed

Somebody 'dinged' me, and their insurance paid for a new bumper cover.
I took this picture while it was off in case anyone is interested what it looks like underneath:


By the way, on some older cars I had found some sort of spring/shock piston connecting the bumper to the frame so it could bounce back when bumped, but it looks like the Leaf aluminum bumper is bolted straight to some frame mounts, so it seems like any significant impact could bend the metal bodywork. The bumper cover itself may absorb ~5MPH impact, but I don't think you want to get hit much faster than that.

thanks will keep that in mind for the inevitable rear ending

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That just indicates how well the car protects the occupant, not how well the car itself holds up. It can be completely totalled in the crash or suffer 10,000 worth of damage at 10 mph and still get five stars.

rawhog said:

But, do not forget the 5 star crash test ratings from IHTSA & NHTSA

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Any problem getting the parts?

It looks like the aluminum bumper is designed to absorb the impact.

dpodoll said:

Any problem getting the parts?

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A bit. First they had to figure out how to order it... First Leaf bumper they replaced. Then when the part came in they said it was damaged. (Supposedly brand new, so it must have been shipping damage), so they had to order another. It was in the shop for over a week just to get the bumper cover replaced.

Oh, and my Carpool stickers arrived right after I dropped it off. I would have been more upset if I had to replace those too!

rawhog said:

But, do not forget the 5 star crash test ratings from IHTSA & NHTSA

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insurance company crash testings are self-interested BS.
wait for the National Transportation Safety Board ratings. Those are the real ones.

thankyouOB said:

rawhog said:

But, do not forget the 5 star crash test ratings from IHTSA & NHTSA

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insurance company crash testings are self-interested BS.
wait for the National Transportation Safety Board ratings. Those are the real ones.

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You don't have to wait:

http://www.insideline.com/nissan/leaf/photos/nissan-leaf-earns-highest-safety-rating-from-federal-government-gallery.html

Some time a while back (the '80s, I think), the Federal government had a bit of clout over commercial interests. At that time, the rule was that a bumper must take 5 mph of impact without damage. That was the time when bumpers had springs and dampers, and minor benders and parking touches wouldn't cost anything.

However, with the cry of "it makes cars heavier and costs more," those standards were significantly relaxed (thank you, car industry lobbyists! I SOO like to pay more for my car insurance!) and those kinds of bumpers are now long gone.

The same lobby has also made our fuel efficiency standards among the worse in the world, even though, for energy policy, efficiency and conservation is 10x more cost effective than finding new generation/exploration options. Just another data point supporting the claim that Washington is run by those with the most money, not in the interest of the overall good of the people.

jwatte said:

Some time a while back (the '80s, I think), the Federal government had a bit of clout over commercial interests. At that time, the rule was that a bumper must take 5 mph of impact without damage. That was the time when bumpers had springs and dampers, and minor benders and parking touches wouldn't cost anything.

However, with the cry of "it makes cars heavier and costs more," those standards were significantly relaxed (thank you, car industry lobbyists! I SOO like to pay more for my car insurance!) and those kinds of bumpers are now long gone.

The same lobby has also made our fuel efficiency standards among the worse in the world, even though, for energy policy, efficiency and conservation is 10x more cost effective than finding new generation/exploration options. Just another data point supporting the claim that Washington is run by those with the most money, not in the interest of the overall good of the people.

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It's not all that cut and dried. Cars today are much heavier than they used to be, mostly due to the extra safety supports and emissions control equipment on them. They're also a bit larger than they used to be. That extra weight comes at a price of reduced fuel efficiency and reduced ability to absorb an impact without sustaining damage. Comparing my 1998 Honda Civic to others over the years:

Model Year Civic : Curb Weight
1985 : 1750 lbs
1998 : 2222 lbs
2011 : 2608 lbs

That's 858 pounds more than it used to weigh. Go slam an 858 pound weight into anything at two and a half v.s. five miles an hour and notice the difference in damage. There's an immense amount of energy difference when mass goes up that much. Being able to sustain that kind of impact without damage at five miles per hour would lead to even higher weight and hence, reduced mileage. There are no free lunches.

On the other hand, if you subjected the '85 Civic to today's crash standards, it would fail miserably. I wouldn't want to be in any kind of real accident in an '85 Civic, even if it could take a 5mph bump without damage. And I thought they looked ugly even back in '85.

Alternatives fuels are going to have to be the answer, and our LEAF's are a good start (or more accurately, continuation).

Several people who have never so much as seen an electric car have told me that they are unsafe in an accident... but somehow you lived to tell us about it? :lol:

kevin672 said:

...Cars today are much heavier than they used to be, mostly due to the extra safety supports and emissions control equipment on them. They're also a bit larger than they used to be...

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Comparing 80's to now, perhaps yes. But go back to the 60s and cars then (particularly in the USA) tended to be much bigger and heavier, yet didn't have the safety and emissions equipment. I think the 80s switched to small cars because foreign imports started to gain in popularity. People got tired of a 10MPG land yacht and decided to buy a small "econobox" because of rising gas prices, easier parking, better reliability, better value, etc. But once makes like Honda/Toyota/Nissan got a strong foothold in this market they started to build larger and larger cars since the US consumer seems to favor a slightly larger size car (but not all the way back to the behemoths of the 60s, unless you count SUVs...)

.

TEG said:

I think the 80s switched to small cars because foreign imports started to gain in popularity. People got tired of a 10MPG land yacht and decided to buy a small "econobox" because of rising gas prices, easier parking, better reliability, better value, etc.

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You don't think the 1979 gasoline crisis had anything to do with it? You're probably too young to remember that, but I'm not:

• The sandwich-board signs by the gas pumps that said "NO GAS TODAY".
• Waiting in lines more than a block long, creeping forward a few feet at a time and praying that neither your car nor the pump would run out before you got there.

Ray

jwatte said:

Some time a while back (the '80s, I think), the Federal government had a bit of clout over commercial interests. At that time, the rule was that a bumper must take 5 mph of impact without damage. That was the time when bumpers had springs and dampers, and minor benders and parking touches wouldn't cost anything.

Click to expand...

I had a 1974 Fiat with federally-mandated 5MPH bumpers. It didn't matter if they were black like the Fiat or painted like many Detroit offerings, they were large and obtrusive (style-wise) because of the stroke distance required by the shock absorbers. They ultimately disappeared because both the manufacturers and consumers prevailed with congress.

planet4ever said:

You don't think the 1979 gasoline crisis had anything to do with it? You're probably too young to remember that, but I'm not:
The sandwich-board signs by the gas pumps that said "NO GAS TODAY".
Waiting in lines more than a block long, creeping forward a few feet at a time and praying that neither your car nor the pump would run out before you got there.

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Amen!, but it was 1973 during the oil embargo and we pushed the cars forward to save gas while waiting in line. :lol:


This is off-topic, but the same safety-conscious congress that mandated 5mph bumpers also mandated ignition interlocks. In the Fiat, this was the proper sequence: 1) get into car, 2) close driver door, 3) put on seat belt, 4) put key in ignition, 5) step on clutch pedal, and finally 6) turn key and start car. Do it any other way and the starter would not engage. To make matters worse, after the driver got back into the car after, for example, filling up with gas, the passenger would have to unlatch their belt, open the passenger door, lift their weight off the seat, sit back down, close the door and relatch the belt. If this sequence was not followed, no start. Without being asked, during our first visit to the dealer for scheduled maintenance, the mechanics installed a bunch of jumpers under the dash to defeat the system and make another happy customer.

The other day somone just "kissed" my car from the back. I was at the stop light taking a right and yielding to cross traffic. This guy behind me probably took a right assuming I had already left... and then just when i was about to leave he "touched" my Leaf. Impact was "very mild".... I have not noticed anything but a very small scratch on the paint on the bumper which I am sure would happen again sooner or later... Not wanting to go through the hassle decided not to go thru insurance or anything.. I hope I took the right decision ...

csriram45 said:

Not wanting to go through the hassle decided not to go thru insurance or anything.. I hope I took the right decision ...

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It was his fault, so it would be his insurance...And if you're leasing, you could get dinged for it when you turn it in. Otherwise, I see no problem with not getting it fixed.

planet4ever said:

TEG said:

I think the 80s switched to small cars because foreign imports started to gain in popularity. People got tired of a 10MPG land yacht and decided to buy a small "econobox" because of rising gas prices, easier parking, better reliability, better value, etc.

Click to expand...

You don't think the 1979 gasoline crisis had anything to do with it? You're probably too young to remember that, but I'm not:

• The sandwich-board signs by the gas pumps that said "NO GAS TODAY".
• Waiting in lines more than a block long, creeping forward a few feet at a time and praying that neither your car nor the pump would run out before you got there.

Ray

Click to expand...

I remember it as a teenager. I remember checking if our license plate was a match for the odd/even "you get to buy gas today" scheme.

davewill said:

...I see no problem with not getting it fixed...

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So, having just gone through this... It is a hassle even if the other guy has good insurance and admits fault.
I had to recount the story to 3 different insurance people, schedule with the repair shop, rental agency, etc.
Plus they had the delay getting the replacement part, so overall I probably spent 5 hours dealing with people, and a week stuck in a gas rental car. Definitely some hassle in getting it made right.