Rear bumper protector vs Rear Bumper Appliqué on 2016 model 4

Mine arrived last Friday but it is still in the box.** I'm figuring it will protect the top surface of the bumper, in the middle along the lower edge of the hatch. I'm hoping it will prevent scratches in the bumper from loading things into and out of the cargo area, and from my dog's nails as she hops in and out. If the finish is anything like the paint on my 2011 Prius' bumper, it's easily scratched. The Appliqué would might also protect well, although in the photos the Protector looks tougher. I installed something similar to the Protector on my 2011 Prius.

**- It's still in the box because:

(1) The car is dirty, and I'm sure that the bumper area must be clean for the Protector to stick properly. I live in a condo and washing the car here is problematic because the garden hoses are still in winter storage. So I'll have to take it to a DIY washing place and just haven't gotten that organized.

(2) Besides, I don't have the instructions yet. Toyota's latest Great Step Forward is to supply accessory kits WITHOUT instructions. A sticker on the box tells you to go to your dealer's parts dept and have them print the instructions from the Toyota Information System for you (thus saving Toyota money by making the dealer pay for the paper?). It is of course unthinkable that instructions (perhaps in English and Spanish?) might be posted where customers could download the files for themselves. If there are templates, you have to measure a ruler printed on the same page to be sure that the dealer's printer did not enlarge or shrink the templates. What a sensational idea from the great minds at Toyota USA!

Obviously you don't need instructions for things like floor mats. And I could probably wing it without instructions to apply the Protector and the stick-on part of the Cargo Tray Plus, but instructions might have some hints for a tidier installation. Door Edge Guards are more tricky, and involve templates to position them correctly (so far I have all 12 pages of the instructions for the Edge Guards).

Incredible that you pay $100-$150 or even more for these kits and they don't enclose instructions!

When I get it mounted I'll let you know whether it seems worthwhile.

 

Must be a very slow train. Perhaps they are using mules to pull it?

 

That was the case for me when I bought the Lower Console/Shifter Applique Package. It stings when you know you paid way too much...

 

Mine came with the $55 Shifter Panel Appliqué installed. It's listed on the window sticker. I paid a bit under MSRP so in effect I was not charged for it.

I opened the box for the Rear Bumper Protector. It is very substantial metal, attaches via double sided (probably VHB) tape strips on its underside.

With dogs, some of the scratching is on the vertical back surface of the bumper as they try to use their claws to lever their way in. Neither the Protector nor the Appliqué covers that area, they cover just the top surface of the bumper. Simple solution is to drape a towel over the rear bumper when dogs are hopping into the cargo area.

 

Thanks for the information, John. I ordered my bumper protector (and cargo net) from the Prius Chat Shop. It's the only website that had these items for a new '16.

I don't even know what the "Prius Chat Shop" is... I just took a chance. Is it run by someone in these forums?Has anybody else ordered from them? Where do they get the parts from?

 

In a email from prius chat not too long ago, regarding the incomplete shipment of the Lower Console/Shifter Appliqué Package
they said
"The parts are coming in slow from the Toyota warehouses right now, ..."

 

I found the bumper applique to be very thin and very hard to install. The bumper protector is more substantial and easy to install. A better choice.

 

Bumper protector came standard on 3rd gen touring in Canada. I think it was thus on some US levels too?

"Bumper protector" is kind of an oxymoron too, but that's another story.

 

Thanks krmcg. That's the one I ordered. It looks like it's silver color(?) in the photo I saw.
Doesn't matter, really.

 

Let me know what color it is please. If it's black I want one...

 

If it isn't you could always plasti-dip it.

 

What a good idea...

 

Boy you guys sure have a lot of questions. I just pulled mine out of the box again and it is chrome. I wonder if Plasti-dip will stick to chrome?

 

yes it will

 

Did a google yesterday and a site popped up for a dealer in Wisconsin for $75. Still on the fence on this one.

 

Plasti-dipped in black

 

Looks perfect. Details please.