How do aftermarket chrome bumpers stack up against OEM chrome bumpers nowadays? I had an aftermarket replacement bumper on my 2000 Ranger a few years ago and it started rusting up with 2 years. Have they gotten better or are they still junk?

 

I had a chrome aftermarket front bumper on mine and a OEM rear bumper. The chrome on the aftermarket didn't hold up well at all, mainly on the inside of the bumper, where rust was pretty bad. I just took my bumper off today and replaced with a PTM one. If I knew this thread had started, I would have taken pics of the chrome bumper once it was off.

Seems like OEM chrome is alot thicker and has more of a shine then the aftermartket ones.

 

Ive noticed aftermarket tend to rust on the insides if they are not painted and kept clean. OEM is by far better and is a thicker steel like UofKboy said. This is one of those things that you get what you pay for

 

i bet a lot of the aftermarket bumpers are made in china a thought try a re-manufactured one .

 

Well I've heard that Gieco only pays for "quality parts", as in cheap *** aftermarket parts. This could pose a problem in the foreseeable future...

 

One of the guys I work with use to be a parts guy for one of the Ford dealers and said there is alot of insurance companies like that. Allstate is another, if they couldnt find used parts it was aftermarket on claims

 

I would imagine that if you are paying half the price of OEM, you'll get half the quality.