At what speed? At 5mph - walking speeds - I’ll take the 1970s car with the 5mph bumper any day. However at more realistic speeds the 1970s car will still need expensive repairs - it will be a lot cheaper repairs than a modern car, but it still will need significant work. Meanwhile the modern car means I’m much less likely to need major repairs which often cannot be done at any price.
I suppose that’s easy to do with a bit of chrome plated steel and a spring. But thats also like 40lb hanging off both ends of the car like barbels. I’d rather have the gas mileage and some scrapes right now.
At what speed? At 5mph - walking speeds - I’ll take the 1970s car with the 5mph bumper any day. However at more realistic speeds the 1970s car will still need expensive repairs - it will be a lot cheaper repairs than a modern car, but it still will need significant work. Meanwhile the modern car means I’m much less likely to need major repairs which often cannot be done at any price.
I’m fairly confident you could drive most modern econoboxes into things at 5mph and come away with just abrasions on the bumpers.
Bumpers are for bumpin’ and we should have never let them paint them body coloured.
In the 1970s some car makers advertised that there would be no damage to the bumper/car at all at 5mph.
I suppose that’s easy to do with a bit of chrome plated steel and a spring. But thats also like 40lb hanging off both ends of the car like barbels. I’d rather have the gas mileage and some scrapes right now.