Plastic Car Panels

Find an old Saturn. They were some type of plastic.

I drive a 1999 Saturn to work & back. One day I was dropping a coworker off in a parking lot and happened to stop in back of a full size pickup truck to let my coworker out. I didn't see there was someone sitting in the truck and as soon as I stopped, the truck came right back at my door with his rear bumper. After a loud thump and the whole car shaking we all got out and the driver of the truck said he never saw me to even hit his brakes. I had to be in his rearview mirror however. After a close inspection of my door I could see no real visible damage. Possibly a slight scuff (that I cannot find today). No harm, no foul we went about our business. I was impressed as I did not expect that outcome even from a plastic door.

http://www.plasticsnews.com/article/20120809/NEWS/308099984/sabic-plastic-body-panels-are-coming-backI'm not a fan

Where have you been....they have had these panels on the side of vans and other various cars for years....I think nearly all bumpers are made of plastic now....my experience is that it doesn't hold a finish well, and then has to be repainted....

check this video...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KxnQ1v5v0Y

DIY repair by Pete......R rated for language

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JO9S-RU4hcM

I don't get out much anymore.

I am still driving my 1959 Ford pickup truck,with the straight 6 and 3 speed on

the column, short dog tranny,non synchromesh 1st gear.

When I do hear something go CRUNCH in the parking lot, I look for the damage to

other vehicles, not mine.

The truck is made of real stuff,with a hood as heavy as a dozer blade,and bumpers

you can snatch stumps out of the ground with.

Still got original paint, but rust is slowly taking it's toll.

I have been waiting for the motor to quit for 20 years,but it just keeps on

going,taking all kinds of abuse from me,including pulling other, bigger trucks out of

mud.

This is my fun truck, a tough old reminder of the days when Detroit really cared

about durability.

But now,with sheet metal getting lighter,and thinner, I see the need for material with

recovery characteristics.

Your link is an eye-opener,I didn't know they had gotten that far with plastics.

I am certain the chemical engineering geniuses will find a way to get a more durable

finish.

One day cars will move like sheep down the freeway, bumping harmlessly into one

another,none less for the wear.

(However,I don't think wool will ever catch on as a finish. )

I too prefer driving vehicles that use the other persons vehicle as my crumple zone!

Yup....

It might sound nice, except for certain drivers which wouldn't feel too worried about the occasional little crash, and thus won't feel compelled to drive properly, putting others, specially pedestrians to risk.

Besides, the design of the body parts is much more than just aesthetics, it is supposed to absorb the impacts as it crushes like an accordion, saving many, many lives; thats why the use dummies.

Why does everyone want to dis the accordion?

Now they're used by dummies?

^{Looks like I wasted a lot of money on accordion lessons... no respect I tell ya, I get no respect...}

Yeah,,,,it was just a dream kid.....

Nonoe for me.

My '01 F 150 has plastic outer bed panels.

Got a crease that tore the reinforcement.

Shop said we don't repair these.

New one'll be a grand + labor.

I've learned to live with it.

modern car bumpers are already made of re-inforced plastic, they do have some flexibility, upto a certain level only. Beyond that level, the mounting catches , mounting posts all give way. You have to change the whole bumper, no repair is possible.

Might not like them so well when you get to 80 mph on interstate 80, or when it drops to -30F in Minnesota. Could even be a problem at slower speeds in Arizona when it hits 120 F.

So far as I have seen up here in Wisconsin those plastic bumpers do not survive even small altercations once the thermometer has dipped below 0. They shatter.

Not sure about Saturns as there are not a lot of them on the road up here, but have seen a few with large chunks missing come spring. Same can be said for most other manufacturers plastic body panels come spring.

Mercedes Daimler make a small city car with pre coloured plastic body panels.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_Fortwo

It is said to be very economical but I am not so sure.

Jim

Neet!

Ill take two, one for each foot, and go roller-skating with them.

Personally if I had to buy a plastic vehicle I would prefer it had a Fisher Price and or Tonka emblem on the fender!

There's two companies who know a thing or two about making indestructible plastics that I would not mind seeing team up with the big automakers to make good durable plastic body panels and parts.

Whaaat! TONKA have gone plastic!!! When did that happen?

Old JIm

Relax, they may be plastic, but they're still Tonka Tough.