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Bull bar and side steps

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Sue P

New Member
I'm considering buying and fitting a bull bar to the front of my Marco Polo and side steps too. Can anyone recommend a good company to purchase these?
 
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RFT

RFT

Active Member
Some insurers refuse to insure vehicles fitted with bull bars because you will be compromising pedestrian safety. Be sure to disclose.
 
KDM

KDM

Member
RFT said:
Some insurers refuse to insure vehicles fitted with bull bars because you will be compromising pedestrian safety. Be sure to disclose.
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Really? I would think a 7,000 lb vehicle hitting someone regardless of bull bars would leave a mark ;-) and save the insurance company on body work repairs.
 
KDM

KDM

Member
Sue P said:
I'm considering buying and fitting a bull bar to the front of my Marco Polo and side steps too. Can anyone recommend a good company to purchase these?
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Sue P., I'm looking also for bull bars up front and something similar for the rear. I miss the heavy duty chrome bumpers of yesteryear that could take a little bump without cracking, chipping or cracking. My initial searches are mostly landing me on eBay which I hesitate to purchase from and secondly when I search for Marco Polo and bull or brush guards I'm getting only returns on Vitos and Vianos. Wondering if they are the same for the same model year? Searching Google Images for "viano van bumper guard" gets quite a few returns.
 
RFT

RFT

Active Member
KDM said:
Really? I would think a 7,000 lb vehicle hitting someone regardless of bull bars would leave a mark ;-) and save the insurance company on body work repairs.
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KDM said:
Really? I would think a 7,000 lb vehicle hitting someone regardless of bull bars would leave a mark ;-) and save the insurance company on body work repairs.
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Don't take my word for it, talk to your insurers.
 
Method7

Method7

Active Member
KDM said:
Really? I would think a 7,000 lb vehicle hitting someone regardless of bull bars would leave a mark ;-) and save the insurance company on body work repairs.
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The car is designed to lift a pedestrian in equal measure, add a bull bar and the load distribution is compromised this focusing impact in very small areas. They should be illegal in my opinion.. like putting a big spike on the front of your vehicle and razor blades down the sides.
 
B

Brian Drought

Member
You'll almost certainly not get insurance with bullbars on I'm afraid as it'd significantly change the crash behaviour of the vehicle (for you and for whatever you hit)
 
KDM

KDM

Member
Ah, it appears some got concerned I was going "Mad Max" and considering attaching a battering ram! Actually, looking for just a little something between vehicle and foliage and items maybe covered by foliage in tight spots. I cracked the front under panel on my XC-90 when attempted to pull into a tight spot and found a mound covered by knee high grass. I'm actually looking at "brush guard" a term interchangeable with bull guards in some circles. Looking at systems made for our particular vehicles that do not block lights or sensors.
 

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B

Brian Drought

Member
Doesn't matter.

It reduces the absorption function of the bumper, vastly increases risk to pedestrians and will change the point in the impact that the airbags deploy.

You need to notify the insurance company and they will more than likely refuse.


KDM said:
Ah, it appears some got concerned I was going "Mad Max" and considering attaching a battering ram! Actually, looking for just a little something between vehicle and foliage and items maybe covered by foliage in tight spots. I cracked the front under panel on my XC-90 when attempted to pull into a tight spot and found a mound covered by knee high grass. I'm actually looking at "brush guard" a term interchangeable with bull guards in some circles. Looking at systems made for our particular vehicles that do not block lights or sensors.
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SteveR

Active Member
Agree with all of the above regarding Bull Bars; I personally would avoid. However, I might be interested in side steps / side bar to hopefully protect a little against car park damage (doors, shopping trolleys etc).
I don't believe there is an MB option for the V-Class / MP but has anyone found decent aftermarket side steps?
I've seen a few Vito versions that may or may not fit
 
Method7

Method7

Active Member
Side bars might fit if you have a sport or a later AMG but our 18 plate AMG line has side skirts so I doubt they would fit and if they did I think they would look quite odd. MB don’t do mud flaps for the AMG line because the bumpers are different.

And I’m not sure they would offer any protection from car park damage since they are far too low.
 
S

SteveR

Active Member
Method7 said:
....And I’m not sure they would offer any protection from car park damage since they are far too low....
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Yes, pretty much agree and probably correct. I did have side bars on a Mercedes ML back in the day and while not totally protecting from car park open door damage, it did restrict it a little as an open door from an adjacent car tended to hit the bar first
 
Method7

Method7

Active Member
SteveR said:
Yes, pretty much agree and probably correct. I did have side bars on a Mercedes ML back in the day and while not totally protecting from car park open door damage, it did restrict it a little as an open door from an adjacent car tended to hit the bar first
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I would imagine the ride height of the ML was quite a lot higher, reminds me of my raving days when we toured in a friends ex-French police riot van it had webbing handles under the windows that if you pulled them expanded metal shutters would deploy over the windows and it had this crazy control, like something from Frankenstein on the passenger side dash that would electrify the body! It was always given a wide birth by the fuzz.
 
Epigram

Epigram

Active Member
Method7 said:
I would imagine the ride height of the ML was quite a lot higher, reminds me of my raving days when we toured in a friends ex-French police riot van it had webbing handles under the windows that if you pulled them expanded metal shutters would deploy over the windows and it had this crazy control, like something from Frankenstein on the passenger side dash that would electrify the body! It was always given a wide birth by the fuzz.
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Just stumbled across this reply.
Bloody hell, I want one! Great for wild camping in dodgy areas :)
 
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