DjArcadian

I have been looking at partmart1.com and I'm thinking of getting their rear and front bummers and having them paint them before they send them. Now, can I install these myself? Some people have told me that they need to be molded on for a correct fit.

1fast94

I just put a new front fender and front end on and it wasnt hard at all. Took maybe 4 hrs with me and my dad working on it. I had never done it before and didnt have any problems....looks great. Buy it painted and put it on yourself.

MadKilla

Easy as cake, I have done it so much I can get it done in under an hour. Just make sure you have help and install the turn signals before you attach the bumper. I have some useful info though. If you are getting one of the $100-150 aftermarket fiberglass bumpers, don't have it painted before the install. I have had 2 of them come in, and after pre installing them, they would sag in places, especially around the fog lights, and didn't line up properly, they are very cheaply made. You will be stuck with it if you paint it. I ended up sending them back and am waiting on a good used one or a new GM one. You get what you pay for with these, there's a reason they are only $100. Just my 2 cents.

DjArcadian

Hmmm, partsmart1.com claims that their bumpers are OEM but they are the $100 type. What do you guys think? They're going to paint the bumper themselves before sending it to me. I send them my gas cap to match the paint and then they paint it so everything in on their shoulders. By sagging will it sag immediatly after install or over time? I have seen the price for a true OEM one from GM and it ain't cheap. If the aftermarket ones are fiberglass what are the true OEM ones made of?

MadKilla

The GM ones are a plastic material. There is a noticable difference in them, the aftermarket ones are very rigid and a harder material. the stock bumper will flex considerably when you pick it up. the aftermarket ones are stiff, the fenders are also. You can just tap them with your knuckles and hear the difference. Get in a very minor accident, like taping the wall of your garage, or someone backing into you real slow. While the stockers would flex, and pop out, my bet is the aftermarket would crack like nothing. I cannot know for sure though, I am only stating what I observed from the nose and fenders i got. Maybe someone else has some and they were fine. The best price you will find for an GM original though is around $350 though.