Bullbars - How effective?

[BobT]

With the bullbar you have on your fourbie now, how often have you hit something where you might have thought, "Geez, I'm so glad I have a bullbar!"
I know this is a touchy subject with emotions involved nevertheless I ask you to be objective.  There is no hidden agenda.  I'm just trying to get a feel for the cost/effectiveness of bullbars.  I know it greatly depends on where you live, what you do, where you drive, how you drive etc., etc. but I want to keep it simple.  Thanks!

[Jenko67]

Don't have one on my Pajero but had a TJM one fitted to my patrol when I lived out at charleville and emerald... Hit kangaroos, emus, pigs and sheep.... Saved me many times.... Don't need one in the city but if I was travelling a fair but I would certainly get another bulbar fitted..
Scott...

[Foo]

I've only had one road kill with my Patrol in 10yrs and it saved my I'm guessing $2k in damage.  The truck I drive well lost count of the number of times I've had road kill. 

Foo

[Landyline]

Once I hit a tree stump in long grass in low low that stalled the car.
The last car had plenty of scrapes from offroad that would have wrecked the standard bumper.

I've never had a big animal hit but a few small ones that would have saved some panel damage. Plus a few near miss brown pants moments.

I wouldn't be without my ARB bar on a 4wd that goes west.

[Spurio]

What temporal constraints would you like ?? this week, this month ??

Most people who live in western Queensland are probably collecting more roos with their vehicles than an apprentice roo shooter at the moment

[jk]

Haven't hit anything in 30 years of 4x4ing.....................but that's not to say it won't happen tomorrow !                I just hope it doesn't 

[booga]

Hit a roo the other night just down the road from home, I'm only on the outskirts of Brisbane - so glad I had the bullbar it saved my car however the roo wasn't so lucky

[Symon]

With my current fourbie I would have collected about 5 roos in 4 years.

If you drive in western QLD without one I would consider you to be very game.

[McGirr]

It really depends if you need / want one for a lot of reasons.

The main part is protecting the front of the car from wildlife.

Do want want to mount lights, winches, aerials so they serve another purpose.

Do you do a lot of off road driving through bush as they help when you need to move off a track or make a new one.

Do you do night driving when most wildlife is about.

Every one will have their reasons for having one, its whether it suits your requirements.

Mark

[muzza01]

If it had included my previous 4B my answer would have been completely different.

[bodgie]

I'd like to see a category I've been close to hitting something as I'd reckon it would be a pretty common occurrence.

[Foo]

What temporal constraints would you like ?? this week, this month ??

Most people who live in western Queensland are probably collecting more roos with their vehicles than an apprentice roo shooter at the moment

Isn't that the truth! On my way out to Surat this week and there was one section that had a fresh kill every 50-60mtrs and when I got out there, it was from one of the trucks in front of me. The young bloke couldn't believe his luck and said it didn't matter what he did, they just kept coming.  He ended up hitting close to a dozen in 5Klms. 

Foo

[BobT]

Isn't that the truth! On my way out to Surat this week and there was one section that had a fresh kill every 50-60mtrs and when I got out there, it was from one of the trucks in front of me. The young bloke couldn't believe his luck and said it didn't matter what he did, they just kept coming.  He ended up hitting close to a dozen in 5Klms. 

Foo

On the bright side, the dumb roos are being culled leaving the road smart roos, if there are any, to breed. 

[SteveandViv]

I'm up to 14 Roo's up here. Real please they bounce off the front.

[Steffo1]

We live rural & hence the bar as my wife often drives home after dark, Also, last weekend, a 200mmx300mm piece of steel plate was flicked up off the road by the vehicle in front & hit the bull bar at 100kph. It put a fair old gouge in the steel bar. I reckon it would have gone clean through the grill & into the radiator without the bar.
Would have crapped myself if on a motorcycle or even a smaller city car.

[GGV8Cruza]

I'd like to see a category I've been close to hitting something as I'd reckon it would be a pretty common occurrence.

Added that option so all can vote now

GG

[alnjan]

trying to preserve the current vehicle but in previous vehicles esp the last old Hilux, gave it a flogging off road enjoying the hard stuff. Had fun with no damage. 

[briann532]

Ive had a few different bars over the years on various cars, and a quick search of this thread will unveil a myriad of opinions and suggestions.

I personally have one on my car for the off chance that I do hit something on the road.
We do a lot of outback and country travel.
I don't believe it "saves" the car, but I do hope that it at least saves my radiator and some other necessary bits to be able to limp home.
This gives me a small piece of mind. Insurance for want of a better word.

Just my reason for having one.
Hope it helps
Brian

[Malcur]

I've hit a crash barrier in a carpark - not a scratch. Does that count? 

Mal

[GeoffA]

If it had included my previous 4B my answer would have been completely different.

Same here......

[BobT]

What temporal constraints would you like ?? this week, this month ??

Most people who live in western Queensland are probably collecting more roos with their vehicles than an apprentice roo shooter at the moment

No temporal constraint, only that it be your current bullbar.

[BobT]

I'd like to see a category I've been close to hitting something as I'd reckon it would be a pretty common occurrence.

Sure but a near miss hasn't anything to do with a bullbar's effectiveness.  Maybe you are just a better defensive driver than most.

[BobT]

I've hit a crash barrier in a carpark - not a scratch. Does that count? 

Mal

Why not?  It went part way to paying for the bullbar.

[BobT]

If it had included my previous 4B my answer would have been completely different.

No doubt but I want to keep the survey to a single bullbar.  Some will have brand new bars with no hits while others will have old bars with many hits.  It should even itself out... provided I don't get too many "fish stories".

[slave]

When we has the GQ had many hits and near misses. We travel to the west and the roos live in the pine plantation. It is nothing to see 70+ roos on the sidE of the road in 45 minutes. Our first mod on the Rodeo was a bullbar