I'm getting closer to ordering my new truck and need some educated opinions. I am undecided between the bighorn and the sport model (leaning more to the sport). I like the way both look. The truck would be 4x4, quad cab, blue/mango/ or mineral gray. I plan to level and eventually lift.

My issue is that I do about 75% highway driving(occasional off roading) and am worried that the painted bumper on the sport will chip/ show road wear and tear more than the bighorn chrome. I currently have a 04 Laramie with the chrome front end and it looks almost new still after 92k miles. I'd prefer not to have to cover the bumper with a bra or clear tape.

Just looking for owners with insight on how the sport front ends hold up.
Thanks

 

I'm almost a year into owning my Sport, and other than a couple of nics, it's still in perfect shape and I don't have it covered with anything. That's with on-road driving only since it's a 4x2. I imagine that branches and stuff could probably mess it up if you were in a wooded area with tight trails.

 

The way people have complained about the chrome bumpers rusting, i am glad I have a Sport...my bumpers still looks great after 19,000 miles.

 

Same here jhedger, indentical truck we have accept I have colourmatched grille and tinted front windows.

 

All winter, with salt on the roads and two VERY small chips on the front bumper. Touch up, 1000 grit and you can not see where they were.

 

I have the chrome bumpers on my Laramie. I had a few rust specs show up after a year but it was no big deal. You had to be up close and personal with the bumper to even tell they were there. It took me 20 minutes and a little turtle wax chrome polish and they look brand new. I will plan on using the polish once a year which is a pretty small investment if you ask me. I'll take chrome steel over painted plastic any day, especially if I were to ever go off roading. Just my $0.02.

 

I personally like my Chrome bumpers. That is one of the reason's I got the Big Horn Package. However I understand the painted bumper issue. I had an 09 first and it was the ST with had the gray bumper. I had it and the upper piece painted white I was supposed to get the bumpers covered with a clear 3M product but I traded the truck so it never got done. Any how the point is if you like the painted look but are afraid of chipping you can get the 3M clear protectant put on the front to help. SOmeone told me the Sports come with it already on there. I am not sure since I do not own one. Good luck in your decision.

 

My Bighorn still looks great after a Chicago winter. Just keep it clean and wax in the spring/fall and it's good.

 

I went with the bighorn for that exact reason. My dad has a sliverado with a painted front end and it shows chips in it and that would bother me. I heard the rusting bumpers were a bad batch and that the vendor was changed.
On the other side of it though, it would be cheaper just to get the plastic repainted than even adding clear tape to it, so that's always an option.

 

Cost me $400-$500 for the front bumper to be painted and it was going to be $175 for the clear plastic. Had I kept the 09 I would of had the clear plastic put on.