Paint on bumper chips/scratches easily?

Driving across a friend's ranch this weekend there was a small bush growing up in the middle of the road. It was scrawny - about 2' high with 2 or 3 main stalks about the size of a pencil so I just drove over it - like you always do in a truck. Later I saw what at first looked like black marks on the bumper but on closer inspection they were scratches all the way through the paint - it looked like somebody had gone over it with a cheese grater! Is it normal for the paint on the bumper to be that fragile? Maybe I'm just used to having a chrome bumper on previous trucks - or maybe I need to buy a Ranch Hand or Bull Bar...

 

Unfortunately, yes. These things will scratch if you sneeze too close. A bodyshop manager at the dealer I bought mine said the factory puts the bare minimum amount of paint to pass finishing inspection. He said the computer controlled paint system is down to a science as to what the minimum amount of paint is. Based on the paint's performance, I have no reaseon to doubt him. Make sure you keep it well waxed/polished...

 

I guess it may depend on the tree you ran over and the type. I had to have my bumper re-painted (now off) due to paint issues and staining.
But I have ran over small trees in the woods, if they got past the skid plate they didn't damage the paint like that. Most of it was some elbow grease and a buff out.

You may want to go to some other form of protection for the front, but still it would piss me off to see it happen to my ride.

 

I have an 09 with 9000km's and it already has quite a few rock chips. The paint really does seem cheap. I can't imagine how the bumpers look on all you serious offroaders

 

The paint is basically cake frosting.

Either don't drive over stuff like that...or get used to scratches...or take the opportunity to do the center section of your bumper in vinyl.