So I just got my new A3 and love it... I am now considering putting on one of those bumper guards and wanted some opinions.

Now before everyone starts making fun of me... Please realize that I am leasing my car and live in NYC... a scratched bumper is unavoidable!!

With that in mind, I am trying to find the classiest option available that will still provide the necessary protection.
Although I love the Chrome colored strips on many cars its just not for me!
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Here is some of what I've come up with... I look forward to your comments/suggestions!

The first option is something like one of these (if anyone has use something similar and can recommend a brand its appreciated!)
http://cgi.ebay.com/audi-a2-a3-a4-a6...QQcmdZViewItem
http://www.topoftheline.com/paint-ch...tion-tape.html

I am prob going to put them on the car as I don't see how it can hurt and will hopefully be as incognito as possible unless someone tells me its going to pull off the paint when I remove them... or fade to some disgusting yellow if it sits in the sun, etc.
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The second option is one of these "bumper badgers"... but I see a few problems with it.
http://www.amazon.com/Bumper-Badger/dp/B000JESOV4
First, I know myself and although initially I would get into the habbit of putting it down whenever I park and putting it up whenever I leave, I know one day down the line I am going to forget to let it out and thats the day I get smashed. Secondly, I see the front bumper as being more of a problem as people normally hit other cars when they backup and this provides no solution for the front of the car.

Third, if anyone is willing to soder one of those full metal brush guards onto the front I would entertain the idea so I can drive as wreckless as a taxi and smash them for fun!!

 

The ones on e-Bay don't look substantial enough to be effective, honestly. The protection film may be the way to go, but it won't protect against a hard or particularly abrasive hit. I was concerned about this when I got my A3 and ended up getting Formula One paint protection film.

Where I live, the back bumpers are the first to get scraped in parking lots...but the A3 is so short with such a taper behind the back wheels that you would have to be sticking out of a space to get hit. Parallel parking....well...can't say the same.

 

I just bought my first A3 (SLine, meteor gray) and am looking at bumper options. Which one did you go with? Was it successful?