Bugflector / Hood Protector - yeh or neh?

Why wait? It's a poorly designed product. Just get the hassle out of the way now and scrap that piece of shit.

 

For what it's worth, I bought the Toyota deflector and had it on for about a month when my buddy told me about messing up the hood paint. I took it off and there were 3 bare spots on the turn of the hood. I brought it into the dealership where I bought the truck and they used touch up to correct the problem. I gave them shit about such a crappy job and they repainted the entire hood. I have an impulse red and thought I liked the deflector on, but now prefer it off.

 

I have one on mine and I like it because of the shitty winter rocks and gravel here plus my truck is silver and it needs some black to break it up abit, but 3m is the way to go if you can

 

I'm shocked!

That OEM is a crappy design. I still can't believe someone was paid to design that piece of shit clip fastening 'system'.

I saw one of those in the dealers lot and knew immediatley that was a loser.

Common sense goes a long way in this world.

 

I just installed an Autoventshade Bugflector today. It went on easy and looks nice with a BSP Taco. It rides up high off of the paint. Tomorrow I will have the Taco up to highway speeds so we will see how it performs.

 

Dude, lose the uni-brow.

 

IMHO I say toss the bug reflector...it does more bad then good...a couple of my buddies had the bug reflector on their XR's and 4x4 from the factory...well needless to say after removing the bug deflectors you could see that paint was removed from the deflectors rubbing against the paint while driving from all the turbulence...granted these guys were lucky enough to have toyota repair and paint under toyota cost cause toyota was able to see that the bug deflectors were put on at the factory or stealership...

 

I had the weathertech guard on for 6k. It wrapped around the edge so it left 0 marks. Buuuut it seemed a little much for me so i just bought a strip of ventureshield / 3m bra material off of ebay for $40 and put it on the front of the hood all the way up until the scoop. Problem solved, looks good, and was cheap. Just took all of an hour or so to get the ventureshield on right.

 

Trail FX brand (I think)... I'm not sure it deflects bugs much but probably protects the paint a bit.

 

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I have had the bug deflectors that mounted with clips on the painted top surface of the hood and paint problems occurred.

IMO, the best bug deflectors mount under the hood and not on top of the painted hood surface.

On some models .. an under hood mount bug deflector is very hard to find.

SOS

.

 

I never heard anybody mention that the OEM comes with little tabs cut out to go under the clips its like a clear bra material to save the paint mine has it under the clips it came in the box , I am considering taking mine off and I doubt the paint got damaged , if u forget to put those tabs under the clips hell yes your paint will get screwed

 

Mine has the same clear material. I like the look, but am curious if the tabs will save my paint if I ever choose to remove it.

 

if you are worried about the hood protector clamp tings ruining the paint, put electrical tape on those spots on the hood where the clamps go

 

I had a smoked OEM bug shield on a Lunar Mist 2002 DC 4x4 TRD Off-Road that was recently totalled. Looked great on it and really helped with preventing rock chips, which is all I'm concerned about anyway. I put it on after getting a few chips on and near the front edge of the hood, and never got any more after that. Those old OEM shields mounted under the hood with nothing touching the paint. The design of these new ones must really suck. That being said, for my new 2010 DC, I just ordered smoked in-channel AVS VentVisors and a smoked AVS Bugflector II shield that mounts totally under the hood with nothing touching the paint. I didn't really care for the clear tape products for protecting your hood, but think the bug/rock shields are worth it. I also highly recommend the AVS in-channel VentVisors if you don't like rain dripping all over you and the electronic door controls. They work great.

 

My 2000 pre-runner came with one, and after living with it for awhile I took it off - kept filling up with pine needles and crap, was impossible to wash under, etc.

I've probably still got it somewhere - if someone wants it pm me...

 

AVS Hood Shield (BugII) In Chrome. Under hood mount does not touch paint.

 

Pretty funny that most people saying to ditch the hood deflector live in the US....here in Calgary, AB they put friggin gravel, not sand, gravel on the road for traction in the winter. Tis the only reason I have one of these deflectors on my brand new '10. I am concerned about this factory deflector that people are claiming chips the paint...I'm going to investigate mine tomorrow.

 

Go with the distributors (Autoanything etc..) that represent the actual companies that pioneered and manufacture these product, if you have issues they will take care of it "providing" you call them.

AVS - http://www.lundinternational.com
Lund - http://www.lundinternational.com
EGR - http://www.egrusa.com/
Stampede - http://www.stampedeproducts.com/
Wade - http://www.wadeauto.com/

 

I vote to chuck it. And while your at it, might as well lose the pontoons you have on each side of the truck.

Cheers.

 

I had the OEM hood protector installed 3 weeks after getting the truck. Since installation I've noticed a decrease in gas mileage. Think I'll take it off...