How many of you actually have one and does it really help any?

Also, if I go for it I'm torn between two choices: dark smoked or carbon fiber. I drive a black truck, which do y'all think would look nicer? The truck will eventually be completely blacked-out, so as much as I like the look of the carbon fiber shield it might not look as nice as I think it will.

Here's what they look like:





All and any opinions are welcome!!

 

I have a Lund "low profile" smoked plastic shield on my truck. I got it to protect the paint on the nose from rocks, not bugs. It works well for that purpose. I don't think they do anything for keeping bugs off the windshield. Mine used existing screws and required no drilling - an easy installation.

I feel the smoked plastic is fairly unobtrusive and retains the understated elegance of my truck. I think the carbon fiber look would draw attention to itself, much like "chrome" ones do. I saw one on a blue truck the other day that was painted to match, and it blended in very well. I have, however, seen some painted ones that simply looked "bad".

These are, of course, just my opinions.

- Jack

 

Eeek! Who let those BowTies in here?!

I had one on my old Isuzu pickup. Didn't keep the bugs off the windshield but it did keep them off the hood. This is a very nice feature if you live somewhere like Florida where they experience "Love Bug Season."

Some people don't like them, I do and think they can look good. I'd go for the smoke over the CF for all the reasons already stated.

 

i have a smoked one on my 02 screw it does help w/ the bugs but not as much as it should- works real well for rocks n stones from gettin on the hood

 

I hate mine. That is why it's been sitting in my garage for the better half of 2 years. I need to get rid of that damn thing.

 

What is it that you don't like about it? Please, I'm not being a smartass here, I really want to know!

If it's one of those yucky "fits-all" things you buy at PepBoys, I understand completely. But, there are some pretty nice ones out there that don't spoil the lines of the vehicle (in my opinion, of course) and they do protect the paint on the nose.

- Jack

 

JackandJanet, I think you're completely right about the CF shield grabbing too much attention. And so you've swayed by color of choice to smoked.

Thank you all for your opinions! I do in fact drive fairly often on country roads where the Love Bugs are plastering the front of my truck. Even if the shield isn't all that for "bug protection" I still feel it's worth it for the rock dings. I've been looking at those Lund shields and I like them so I'll try to find someone on ebay selling them.

Thanks again!!

 

If you suffer love bugs, then you'll know that even a meager 10% decrease in those things on your vehicle is well worth it. Blech, I don't miss those things at all...especially on the motorcycle.

 

If my windshield looked the way it did this past weekend from those things I can't even imagine how bad it must be on a helmet lens... I guess you just have to carry a bottle of windex and some paper towels on you, haha

 

So, Jack, I'll ask you, too. On my 2008 KR coming in a week or two, what color would you put on? I have the Ford chrome that had on my 2007 Supercrew and thought it would look nice. I see from several posts on the board, chrome bug shields are NOT in at all. I'm thinking I may get clear and paint it Mahogany on the back side to match the truck. I'm not really a fan if introducing a "third color" with smoke, although it would match (close) to the AVS window visors. Well?

 

Chrome shields draw a lot of attention to themselves. However, with your truck that's not so much the case as your entire grill is chrome. Now, for example, if I were to mount a chrome shield on my truck (black truck with black grill and black headlights) it would look absolutely ridiculous, in my opinion of course. Long story short, I think the chrome will look nice on your truck.

 

I had one on my truck, but took it off last year when my grille came it. It looked out of place and I think it makes my truck look "cleaner" with it off. I could never really tell any difference, except the 2" lip of my hood has a few guts on it but nothing major that a shop towel cant wipe off

 

Damn, Smoke - you're putting me on the spot here aren't you?

If you could get paint that really matched your new KR, I imagine it would look good, like the blue one I saw the other day. But, if the color is just a tiny bit "off", you'd notice it. And, if you do notice it, it would look worse each day (at least that's how it would effect me).

I haven't looked at the new KRs, but I suppose they still have black trim around the windows, as well as black mirrors? Although the smoke is not the same color as that black, it's not TOO different and I find I don't really notice mine all that much. And, if you have dark visors, everything might just "tie in".

Personally, I'd go with smoke, because I think the painted version is a crap shoot. As always, I have an opinion, even if it's sometimes wrong!

- Jack