Bull bars, cosmetic or necessity?

[SSbaby Member Find all posts View Profile Close SSbaby]

What's the real reason people accessorise their Prados with bull bars? It might sound like a silly question but I've seen more Prados than not around the city sporting them... the vehicles look too clean to me to give the impression the owner does a lot of interstate or off-road driving.

Is it the wank factor or do owners believe it might make their vehicle more desirable for resale?

[xvprado Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close xvprado]

What an interesting question...one surely that will invoke some ego based replies

My humble view, if it aint steel then its a waste of time, I know many will find that offensive, but have a look at 90% of alloy bars after having a personal encounter with a decent roo.....gawwnnn and still with plenty of vehicle damage

I choose to use a steel bar to provide
1) winching point
2) Quality recovery point
3) Decent frontal protection for off road "mistakes" such as sliding in/out of ruts etc
4) If youre going to travel at night in rural areas, sooner or later Skippy is going to want to play

Just my 2 bobs worth and not meant to offend, but I have pretty strong views on bullbars, if I could easily take mine off for around town travel I would, but it is there for a purpose

[Grandeman Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Grandeman]

Just because a car drives around town with a bullbar, doesn't always mean that it never sees any of the "action" for which it was intended.

Having said that, there will always be the so-called "wanker" that wants it just for the looks - and I don't think there's anything wrong with that either.

It's a free country and if it's legal, then go right ahead.

[spara Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close spara]

:cry: I have hit a roo mid size with my sovereign alloy bar NO damage ( i was lucky) I hit it dead centre and it was on the down stroke so underneath and out the back stuffed the number plate and left a bit of fur on it......... I will be getting a steel on on my next Prado. ( 2 b ordered this week.Dec-Jan Delivery :?: ) But with the alloy bars they never clean up as good as new. so when I wash the Prado the bar always looks just a bit crappy.
My new one will have a winch this time not had one b4 :wink:

[SSbaby Member Find all posts View Profile Close SSbaby]

Just because a car drives around town with a bullbar, doesn't always mean that it never sees any of the "action" for which it was intended.

Having said that, there will always be the so-called "wanker" that wants it just for the looks - and I don't think there's anything wrong with that either.

It's a free country and if it's legal, then go right ahead.

Fair enough... the Prados do look good with the bull bars.

They do weigh the front down a bit and do upset the aerodynamics. Both enemies of fuel economy.

The other thing is what effect do they have on vehicle safety i.e. airbag deployment?

[Grandeman Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Grandeman]

ARB make a lot of noise about their bars being airbag compatible. This was a huge factor for me.

There seemed to be no information about this aspect on some of the "cheapy" bars. So no matter how well-priced they were, it was a deal breaker for me.

To me, the fuel economy and other downsides are an acceptable tradeoff for the added safety of minimising the chances of being stranded in the middle of nowhere, should an unplanned encounter with the fauna occur.

Others may not necessarily end up making the same assessment.

As for looks, I must say, it wasn't so long ago that I didn't really like the look of the ARB bar. It has grown on me and I am quite a fan now.

The Sovereign is a very attractive looking bar to me, however, I personally prefer the benefits of a steel bar.

[120GXV6 Member Find all posts View Profile Close 120GXV6]

What an interesting question...one surely that will invoke some ego based replies

My humble view, if it aint steel then its a waste of time, I know many will find that offensive, but have a look at 90% of alloy bars after having a personal encounter with a decent roo.....gawwnnn and still with plenty of vehicle damage

I choose to use a steel bar to provide
1) winching point
2) Quality recovery point
3) Decent frontal protection for off road "mistakes" such as sliding in/out of ruts etc
4) If youre going to travel at night in rural areas, sooner or later Skippy is going to want to play

Just my 2 bobs worth and not meant to offend, but I have pretty strong views on bullbars, if I could easily take mine off for around town travel I would, but it is there for a purpose

I agree whole heartedly with the sentiments of xvprado above

Would only have steel (made mistake of alloy once!) and if it means that I can drive home on just one occasion after a bingle or big roo, then it has done its job.

I have city friends with 4WDs who have asked me if they need a bullbar, simply because it is a 4WD. My answer is always NO - I wouldn't bother with one unless you want to mount a winch and do a bit of country driving or 4WDing!

[Addy Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Addy]

Nine times out of ten if you where to see my car you would think that it is to clean to and doesn't go off road, but it does.

Reason i have a steel bull bar is skippy's around here and on the highway.
Also i was in my parents patrol many years ago, we had a good prang (not our fault) and were the only ones able to drive away.

Also the above reasons stated by others.

[Jacto Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jacto]

Steel bull bar for me too and would not have anything else. I reckon that with the number of wildlife that have had the unfortunate destiny of connecting with mine over the years, if I had not had a bull bar all of the damage would have amounted to the cost of a new vehicle.

Mind you though I did have a Pajero company vehicle and hit a falcon head on in a creek crossing - stupid woman neighbour saw me coming and parked on the crossing. When I came round the bend onto the crossing, had nowhere to go so it was her car or the creek. Damage to Falcon $4,500, alloy TJM bull bar, small ding straightened out by attaching rope to tree and reversing till straight.

Oh and I got fined and lost points for failing to give way :?

[GeoffM Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close GeoffM]

xvprado took the words right out of my mouth.

And if you saw mine around town most days you'd probably think "wank factor" too, but after 2 trips to the Cape (and Bathurst Heads in 3 weeks) plus western Qld and the SA deserts, I can assure you it's not.

It's there for a reason.

Geoff

[johna Member Find all posts View Profile Close johna]

bullbar

Had the Soverign bar since new 2003.
Been around Aus twice and not needed. Have now done 110klms and hit my first roo in 47 years, and it happened with the 2400kg van on the back at 100k's per hor.
Like above, was lucky enough tp hit the bugger at bottom of leap, right in the middle of bar, went under back right wheel then under van, left meat and crap all under car and van.
Only damage is bar slightly bent in lower centre, and pushed number plate right into winch housing area.
Worth it's weight in gold at that point.
Steel may have had less damage ??
Johna

[IRON-PAWW Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close IRON-PAWW]

The issue of Bullbars and Roo Bars has gotten a lot of press here in Perth over the last few years.

People argue that Bullbars are not needed in the city and should be banned. They say that Bullbars are basically a weapon used to intimidate other drivers, and are far too effective at causing harm to young children outside schools. Just racking my brains.... I think around 2 years ago there was a young child (say 7 or 8 ) seriously injured when hit by a truck with a bullbar. Fellow Perthites may be able to set me straight on that one, but it sparked furious debate over Bull and Roo bars. Keeping in mind that the same sect of people would also have 4WD's banned in cities too as they are not needed in the city environment. Also, going back to the weapon idea, it is believed (by some) that people with bars are more likely to kill, or want to kill wildlife.

There was also an absolutely bizarre case here not so long ago where a 4WD with a Bullbar hit a kangaroo and sent it flying through the air into the winscreen of an oncoming car. The picture in the paper was of the dead kangaroo in the backseat of the car. This also caused a stream of letters to the paper both defending roobars and calling for them to be banned.

I think such ideology (banning) is utterly rediculous and is thought up by those with absolutely NO idea WHAT they are talking about.

I have a roo bar and side bars on my Hilux right now. I did not install them to kill wildlife. I did not install them to mow down young children outside schools. When I was a farmer I had to shoot kangaroos that were in plague numbers on our property and seriously affecting the enviroment. Did I enjoy that? No sir I did not! I do not condone cruelty or any other form of wonton killing of wildlife in any form shape or manner. The fact is that kangaroos, goats, and other animals can do serious damage to your vehicle if hit at 110 km/h. ANYONE who's had that experiece will immediately be silenced in their argument against bullbars. It's the roo or your family. I know who I choose.

What is the difference between a truck doing 80km/h with and without a roobar hitting a person? Answer.... Very very little. The person will sustain serious injury either way. The addition of a roobar does not magically magnify the damage.

I've always had a roobar to protect me, my vehicle, and my family. I will not drive a vehicle (4WD) without one.

Phew!! Sorry for the rant but the anti bar topic has angered me for ages.

[mav Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

I would not consider driving a car between Alice and Newcastle without a bullbar fitted. I do the round trip at least twice a year and I am constantly amazed at the site of cars without bullbars that have hit a roo or emu or goat sitting on the side of the road completely stuffed.

I have driven from Peterborough to Broken Hill during roo plagues where they have been literally lined up 3 deep in places just waiting to commit suicide.

Give me a bullbar any day, my families safety is precious to me.

[SSbaby Member Find all posts View Profile Close SSbaby]

Guys

I don't know how true the article is... but I recall reading in a BMW magazine that the best way to see Australia's great outback is NOT by 4WD as most of the roads between major cities are sealed. Be that as it may, I have not seen too many BMW sedans with bull bars.

However, I acknowledge that bull bars may be necesary in dense bush especially at night as a lot of wildlife are nocturnal. Heck, even the Hume Hwy has warning signs of wildlife... and I notice a lot of semi's have them.

[Justo Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Justo]

BMW have to say that as they don't have a serious offroader in their line up.!! X5 is very nice..but definitely a softroader.!

I also prefer the steel bullbar, for all the same reasons given by everyone else. What helped me decide, I've got Aluminium bullbars on my trucks, and they require more polishing and care than I have time for so I sure didn't need another.!
More than happy with the ARB, and I'm sure after the first roo it meets will reassure me why I went steel. The paint shop I got it sprayed at had an aluminium bar of a 100series that had been replaced 3 times due to roo's, so guess that speaks for itself.!! 8)