Aftermarket Exterior Accesories

[kaos1972]

Has anyone installed or considered installing any aftermarket exterior accesories such as these front and side bars? Or has anyone seen anything else that looks good? I want to dress up my XC90 when I get it, but I found the options offered by Volvo looked to "plain". thoughts anyone?
http://store1.yimg.com/I/trucktoys4less_1816_20321960
http://store1.yimg.com/I/trucktoys4less_1816_20282055
http://store1.yimg.com/I/trucktoys4less_1814_55480375

[Big]

Oh no, not bull bars again! :eek:

Actually, I prefer a "clean" XC90 to one with a bunch of add-ons. My one concession is the stock running boards which have a pleasing surface, follow the vehicle's lines nicely, and are just big enough to stand on (they collect debris, though).

[AWD*V70XC]

Oh no, not bull bars again! :eek:





Ssshhhhh don't mention the BB's around here, I should know :D

[kaos1972]

I spend a lot of time driving in NYC and you'd be amazed at how quickly a car will get banged up from just being parked there. The push bar is a good way to at least protect the front end from people who think hitting your bumper while trying to park is ok. You also see a lot of SUVs in the city will have the metal guards around the taillights - I can't go that far.

[Big]

The push bar is a good way to at least protect the front end from people who think hitting your bumper while trying to park is ok.
It is also a good way to increase injuries of pedestrians and bicyclists, an important consideration in NYC.

[littlewaywelt]

The push bar is a good way to at least protect the front end from people who think hitting your bumper while trying to park is ok. You also see a lot of SUVs in the city will have the metal guards around the taillights - I can't go that far.

They are also a great way to injure cyclists and pedestrians substantially more severely than if hit by the bumper & hood. They change the impact absorbtion characteristics of your vehicle and the vehicle you rear end. I hope you can explain the importance/priority of the asthetics of your vehicle in the however unlikely event to the parent of the child that you hit with one of those on. :( Don't think so? Then let someone hit your wife or child with a baseball bat, which is what those things amount to and then again with someone swinging a bumper at the same velocity. As someone who rides a bike and bike commutes in traffic everyday and someone who has been hit by a car, I am certainly biased, but it seems like a selfish thing to put those on a car.

falling off my very high soapbox. :eek:

I think the side steps look sharp.

[kaos1972]

A little over the top there with the whole wife / child / baseball bat reference - don't ya think. Point taken, but still.....

I do like the step bars, and that's the direction I'm leaning.

[littlewaywelt]

A little over the top there with the whole wife / child / baseball bat reference - don't ya think. Point taken, but still.....

I do like the step bars, and that's the direction I'm leaning.


I don't mean any offense, but actually, I don't think it's over the top at all. When a pedestrian gets killed or severly injured, it's someone's loved one. The description is blunt, but it's representative of what happens. A brush bar doesn't deform like a bumper or hood and it forces a great deal of energy into a smaller area.

I'd be very interested to see some statistical information on injuries caused to pedestrians w/ & w/o bull bars/brush guarded vehicles.

Again, keep in mind I'm biased because I have to deal with reckless motorists every day.

[Big]

A little over the top there with the whole wife / child / baseball bat reference - don't ya think. Point taken, but still.....
Perhaps a little beyond what is expected in a car forum but, afterall, some of us were attracted to the XC90 in part because it is designed with other road users in mind; very few manufacturers do that.

Bull bars circumvent some of the safety features important to "soft" road users. Most of the studies come from Australia where the bars are very popular and from the UK. I recall that a few years ago it was determined that "roo" bars contributed to around 20% of pedestrian deaths in Australia, often from injuries to the chest on adults and the head on children. In London a couple of deaths and scores of injuries annually are attributed to bull bars (since NYC has even more pedestrian injuries and fatalities than London, the numbers figure to be higher there).

In response, some agencies have banned bull bars or developed standards for their construction to make them less of a problem. New designs feature round shapes, softer materials and don't stick out unnecessarily. The design shown in the photos above for the XC90 looks relatively benign but would still increase injuries somewhat. If you have ever been hit or have hit someone yourself the risk is just not worth it.

[Raynald]

I'm not sure if some bull bars aren't just cosmetic features. With the one shown on this picture, I think the bumper and/or headlights would sustained some damage even in a low speed collision. A "half broken" bumper cost the same as a "completely ruined" one. :) In a crowded city environnement, the corners are most vulnerable, not the center part. And if you hit a moose or other big animal, because of its size, it shouldn't make any difference since the hood and windshield would absorb most of the impact, even on a taller XC90.

I never hit a moose, however, but in my case, bull bar like this one would have been useless.

http://www.xc70.com/pics/albums/userpics/normal_Photo%202.jpg

My 2 cents. ;)

[kaos1972]

I certainly appreciate everyone's insight - especially when constructed logically, rationally, and intelligently. To be honest, I did not realize there was such a safety concern with the push bars on the front - since I have never hit anyone, been hit by anyone or know anyone who has hit or been hit by anyone. :o

I guess, since being enlightened, I will leave the push bars off. I assume the side bars are still safe?

Thanks again everyone!
:rolleyes:

[Raynald]

Depending on how they're built, I think sidebars along with good mud guards can protect doors and undersides from rocks and other road (or offroad :) ) debirs while being quite attractive. Personnaly, if it wasn't our only car or if my wife was willing (;)) I would invest in some paint scheme and, most of all, desingner wheels and flashy tires! :D Look at the photo again. Nice wheels, ain't they?

[littlewaywelt]

I certainly appreciate everyone's insight - especially when constructed logically, rationally, and intelligently. To be honest, I did not realize there was such a safety concern with the push bars on the front - since I have never hit anyone, been hit by anyone or know anyone who has hit or been hit by anyone. :o

I guess, since being enlightened, I will leave the push bars off. I assume the side bars are still safe?

Thanks again everyone!
:rolleyes:

I can't imagine that the side bars would be dangerous. Thank you for showing your concern to others!

[DocVijay]

So what happens if I hit a pedestrian with my Explorer? The bumper is mounted directly to the frame, and it's much sturdier than a push bar. Am I just an a$$hole for driving a "dangerous" car with no consideration for the dafety of others? At least I'm making up for it by also driving an XC90, right?

http://www.explorerforum.com/data/3058/4434winch-03.jpg


As for the real topic of this post. I don't think the XC90 looks right with the push bar. the side steps are nice, but I've heard that they are really good at geting your legs dirty with all the crud they collect. I've found that the XC90 isn't that high, and doesn't really need side steps. Not like my Evil Explorer, whuch is really high and needs steps to get into it.

[kaos1972]

Doc,

I'm moving to Tampa next year and I just cringe at the thought of you driving that beast on the same roads my children travel. What utter disregard you have for your fellow human beings! You should be ashamed!

[DocVijay]

Doc,

I'm moving to Tampa next year and I just cringe at the thought of you driving that beast on the same roads my children travel. What utter disregard you have for your fellow human beings! You should be ashamed!

Don't worry, I'll drive the XC90 when I'm around them... :p

[kaos1972]

Cool...I'll race you with mine...The kids will get a kick out of that in the back seats!!!

[littlewaywelt]

So what happens if I hit a pedestrian with my Explorer? The bumper is mounted directly to the frame, and it's much sturdier than a push bar. Am I just an a$$hole for driving a "dangerous" car with no consideration for the dafety of others? At least I'm making up for it by also driving an XC90, right?

Well, I'd certainly assume / hope that your winch mount/brushbar is mounted to the frame. I'd be surprised if the brushbar on that xc90 isn't. I can't think what else they'd attach it to. A brush bar that's less sturdy than a bumper, not likely. Most bumpers are plastic with foam behind them. The bumper additionally provides for far greater surface area to absorb the impact than a piece of steel or aluminum 2inches in diameter.

Regardless it's a moot point because regardless of its attachment point it will significantly cause greater damage to a person. No one is calling ppl names for using those things; we're talking about the ramifications and making informed choices. If someone wants to make that decision it's up to him/her. When it's done for appearance's sake it's self-centered, imo. Yours is functional, or at least appears that way, because I'm assuming you need/use that winch and you made that choice, but I'd be willing to place a very substantial bet that you are part of a very very small minority of ppl/suv drivers that have a genuine need for one. If someone hit your significant other and injured him/her worse than necessary because of asthetical reasons, you might feel differently. :o

[cameraman]

Hi folks,

I´m from Hamburg Germany visiting this forum from time to time. A few weeks ago I received my new XC90 Executive in magic-blue. And I must say that I am absolutely happy with it:)) There would be no reason for me to change this beautiful design by putting a bull bar in front. I had the same discussion about injuries of pedestrians with a guy in a german forum. It does not seem to make sense to convince these people.
The only thing I can tell you: the grandfather of a young colleague of mine died a few month ago in a car crash with a Landrover (Bull Bars in front). The old man was driving on his motorbike while the car hit him from the side. No chance.

Everyone here should think carefully about the possible consequences when using these items on a car.

Cameraman
HH/Germany

[v70+xc70]

While they have banned bull bars in Europe, I reckon being hit as a pedestrian by anything weighing 4500 like most SUV's tend to do is going to hurt big time and so don't buy into the bureaucrats talk of injuries being increased because someone bolted on something to the front end.

[Big]

While they have banned bull bars in Europe, I reckon being hit as a pedestrian by anything weighing 4500 like most SUV's tend to do is going to hurt big time and so don't buy into the bureaucrats talk of injuries being increased because someone bolted on something to the front end.
Excuse me? Please don't trivialize pedestrian injuries. Note that most survivable crashes are at relatively low speeds (under 35 mph) typical of urban areas where people are walking. Vehicle weight is a minor factor to a pedestrian facing a car, although front-end design (shape, materials, etc.) plays a big role.

[Raynald]

(...) Vehicle weight is a minor factor to a pedestrian facing a car, although front-end design (shape, materials, etc.) plays a big role.
I agree with you on that one! A ton of lead will do more damage that a ton of feather! ;) Shape and density is more important that weight in this matter. A knife in the chest will hurt more than a frying pan... :p

[littlewaywelt]

While they have banned bull bars in Europe, I reckon being hit as a pedestrian by anything weighing 4500 like most SUV's tend to do is going to hurt big time and so don't buy into the bureaucrats talk of injuries being increased because someone bolted on something to the front end.

I'm going to apologize for being rude up front, but clearly you have absolutely no understanding of physics & psi force. I'm no bureaucrat and I understand these issues because I have to face them every single day as suvs in DC with bullbars/brush guards go zipping by me when I am commuting on a bike. Most of the cars that have these have no need for them other than to make the drivers of those vehicles think their cars look tougher.

it's simply an undeniable FACT that the bars will cause substantially more severe injuries. You are forcing energy into a much smaller surface area and with a material that will not absorb energy. UNDENIABLE. Don't think so? Then learn why a knife can go right through some things a bullet won't.

Again hit someone with an aluminum baseball bat and then a bumper at the same speed. Take a wild guess which will cause more damage to a femur.

I'd be willing to bet that you have them on one of your other vehicles.