My view is - unless you are doing a bit of off-road stuff .

I would just have a "nudge bar" . BUT , a decent nudge bar.

to give you an idea , when I put this on my old tractor , I bend it in 2" to make it fit.

AND tighten it up , without an extra pair of hands . yes it looks pretty , pretty useless.

Hi, I am in favour of a replacement bar myself. A it give me somewhere to hang my aerial for CB and phone, then a real good set of driving lights.

Also good for hanging the towel on in the sun, but primary to give the front some protection from unwanted animals hitting the plastic front.

Our crew cab ute is mainly used for towing the caravan on extended trips away from the coast where there is always the fear of finding wandering animals.

If we were using our car for local work over the next 6 years I think I would wait to see how the future panned  out as you might change your mind several times.

Its nice to have a plan but the car is more a now thing as a few of our friends found out when retiring of late including us, brought the car leading up to our retirement spent time and lots of money making it just right for when we did retire but when we got to use our cars for the reason we spent the money we found we were not enjoying our cars and the 3 of us all have updated to new ones, basically stock as we got them from the dealer with a few extras and loving every moment of it.

6 years ago I said I did not want to go over seas after 4 trips now I find I am going again 2015, and again 2016 with fares booked, so it can be a bit challenging trying to plan ahead that far.

Hope this helps to think your way threw this problem, nudge bar now maybe and a full bar in 6 years on your next car. Ralph

 

Earlier this year we bought a new Nissan Navara. There was around $100 difference between a decent nudge bar & a bull bar, we went for the ''big beast''.
We do lots of real ''off road'' work.
Don't forget to fit a snorkel, GPS, UHF, dash cam & any other ''fashionable toys'' that are in vogue otherwise you could find yourselves on the ''outer'' at happy hour.

Hi big dee,

Unfortunatly I have to live and work in the rat race for now,

I allways think ahead, The wildlife don't unfortunately. I do lots of night driving and would not be without both bull and side bars.

Jim

We went a nudge bar - primarily to stop people backing into us or us driving into them. We have a policy of not driving in the country at night, so don't have lights on it - just two aerials (one UHF and the other a Telstra phone.

Ive seen vehicles with bull bars which have hit a cow or similar and the vehicle is a write off (and Im talking a heavy "oh what a feeling" 4x4). Often smaller animals when hit will be thrown up onto the bonnet and smash the windscreen.

If you go either, make sure it is a solid item - not a piece of decorative chrome to show off at the happy hour lol

Also check which is cheaper - a manufacturers or after market (like ARB) bar..........

No matter what you hit if it's going to bend it then the airbags will more than likely activate and your going nowhere in todays modern vehicle . if you hit hard something has to give and it could well result in a bent frontend

I run a nudge bar just to carry the spot's and Two way ariel wouldn't stop much in the way of animal impact and the spot lights I have never used in anger Came with the vehicle as a promo a good thing as there is only plastic to hang anything on with a late model Pathfinder

I find my bull bar very handy when bumping into the brick entry to my garage  ... trying to give me maximum room on one side.  Also good for nudging the workshop wall to let me know that I am far enough into the garage to allow me to shut the door.

It was also of great value when I tail ended a tiny Nissan Micro in the rain last year.  I got a new bar & the very sad little micro got a ride 'home' on a tow truck.

Flicked a wallaby back into the scrub at Exmouth &  the same to a Wedge Tail Eagle around Ceduna.  No damage to the Patrol either time.

Its most important function is to allow me to slide the kayaks up onto the roof racks.

 

Oh yes, it also mounts the spot lights that I have never used in >10 years.  But it does look wicked.

-- Edited by Cupie on Tuesday 11th of August 2015 05:44:46 PM

Peter_n_Margaret wrote:

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Either are a waste of money and fuel, in my opinion.

Cheers,
Peter

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 A waste of fuel, no I don't think so, I am doing similar to a couple of others and better then one of the some model as mine. The bar is very smooth and blend in to the car.

Waste of money, well can't argue with that, time will tell.

Opinion can change.