Wondering...............

I would think the bumper is smooth for a reason; pedestrians/cyclists you may run into will appreciate your smooth, unaltered bumper. - ok, maybe only after they would learn it could have been worse..

 

I'm more worry about the rear bumper. I know they have those things called rhino guard or something, but I don't like the fact that you have to put them back every time, especially when they're dirty.

 

I'd hate to think I'd need a smooth bumper for that reason. I've yet to have pedestrians/cyclists bouncing off my bumpers.

 

Push Bumper or brush guard.

Toyota Prius Grille & Brush Guards - JCWhitney

Of course....
You'll have to have a sense of humor if you install one, since a brush guard is about as appropriate for a Prius as an NRA sticker......

 

keep us updated about the tow hooks/

 

After Careless Parker discovers that your tow hooks penetrated his plastic bumper cover what's going to prevent him from documenting the damage and filing an insurance claim against you?

 

What is a dash cam for $400 Alex?

 

&?
is it 24mm?
did you find/get some hooks already?

 

BUT what you propose doing with them is NOT the original intent.
While it doesn't provide much protection, the bumper is intended to "spread out" a minor hit and absorb most of it before it gets to the frame.
What you propose to do might eliminate the bumper protection and transfer an impact (or most of it) to a point where it will do more damage.

Consider this carefully. There might be unintended consequences.

 

Very careless of him to bend my tie down point like that. I may have to bill him for a new one. They're great for carrying stuff on the roof. Shame about what that fool did to his own car though.

 

Not at all. More like a realist.
You missed the point completely.

The point IS that doing what you propose might cause more damage to YOUR vehicle than the other guy.......and more than would occur without the modifications.

The only legality involved might be with your subsequent claim to your insurance company.

 

I could see a person backing into the hook... and then trying to claim that they were parked first and YOU pulled into them while parking. The key would be trying assign fault. Not sure the police would do anything and neither insurance company would admit to any fault without any real proof.

Yes the hook would transfer the force directly to the frame, once the opposing bumper had received damage.

My wifes Saturn vue Green line has a 2" receiver in the back end with a ball/hitch. Not a mark on the bumper from parking lot scuffles. I have had my share of skinned up shins though front bumper still looks pretty good...

This time year around DC I see the german imports start sporting tow hooks for their agricultural excursions when the snow starts falling.

 

I have a rock-guard, clear-coating on my car, or something similar. It doesn't look bad on the car so far, but I'm not sure how it weathers over time. It also stains easily from bug-impacts and the stains don't seem to wash off easily.

 

I would rather have my bumper scratched, than parking pawl broken in the transmission by non-softened hits

- Alex

 

I guess it wouldn't be too funny if the hooks got stuck in the other cars bumper and when they try to pull away you come back to your bumper hanging off or across the parking lot....