Best place to buy an ARB bumper

[Applejack]

With my Christmas shopping done and still some money left over from my bonus I think I'm ready to buy an ARB bumper. The last 3 I bought from 4wheel parts but for some reason I always feel guilty when buying from them. It's almost like shopping at Walmart. The nice thing is I've always gotten them bought and shipped to my door for around 8 bills.
This time I would like to give some of the smaller guys my money if I can afford it.

So, anybody know of a place that'll get me an ARB winch bar for my '99 4runner for about $850?

 

[RU55ELL]

You can save a lot just buying used. I got mine for $600.

 

[Redline]

Big outfits can afford to undercut all the competition (like Wal Mart).

Pick one of the many vendors that advertise here on the Expedition Portal or in Overland Journal that are ARB dealers and buy from them. I'm sure one of them will offer a pretty competitive price. Sounds like you agree that sometimes it's worth it to pay a little more (if necessary) to support a small business over the 'big box stores'.

I would assume that most vendors are going to drop-ship a bumper to you.

 

[Applejack]

You can save a lot just buying used. I got mine for $600.

I'm not opposed to that but there are none in my area that I've found or within 200 miles (the limit for me to pick it up), or one that has a low enough price when I factor the shipping cost of such a mass of metal, that it pencils out economically. But yeah I keep looking for them. We'll see. Also when I'm ready to buy I tend to get a little impatient and want it ASAP.:elkgrin:

 

[Marcie's Disco]

I have found extremely competitive pricing from Sierra Expeditions. I bought some smaller items from SE because I was drawn in by the low prices, but what impressed me was the customer service. Wil was expecting one of the back ordered pieces to him the next day but phoned me 2 hours and 45 minutes after I placed the order to ask if it would be okay to ship my order the next day so I could have all three items...and I requested routine surface shipping. He could have just processed the order the next day, how would I have known, how would I have been affected? It would have been invisible to me.

That sort of service is not something I or any of us are accustomed to. I've never met him but he has impacted where I choose to do business. If you are on the fence, I would suggest checking out SE. In my opinion you won't go wrong.

 

[Applejack]

I have found extremely competitive pricing from Sierra Expeditions. I bought some smaller items from SE because I was drawn in by the low prices, but what impressed me was the customer service. Wil was expecting one of the back ordered pieces to him the next day but phoned me 2 hours and 45 minutes after I placed the order to ask if it would be okay to ship my order the next day so I could have all three items...and I requested routine surface shipping. He could have just processed the order the next day, how would I have known, how would I have been affected? It would have been invisible to me.

That sort of service is not something I or any of us are accustomed to. I've never met him but he has impacted where I choose to do business. If you are on the fence, I would suggest checking out SE. In my opinion you won't go wrong.

Thanks. I will check them out.

 

[austintaco]

I second the vote to buy used. I picked up mine for $275 and it was in great shape. It didn't need to be painted, but I did anyway to touch up the few areas that were scuffed.

I wouldn't buy one that was in a wreck, but if its just someone changing plans on their rig, as was the case with mine, or going back to stock to trade in their rig, go for it.

Use searchtempest.com to check craigslist within a 200 mile radius and you will find something. If you can give yourself 2 months to look around, be diligent on checking all of the forums, you will find a sweet deal and save the money for something else.

 

[Dave Bennett]

Sierra Expeditions

Another vote for SE

 

[Pikeman]

I have heard great things about Sierra Exp. and they are active sponsors/ memebers of a few boards. Are you 100% set on the ARB though? The fab shop that built my bumper just went into production on them.

 

[njtacoma]

Local?

Is there a local shop that might have it in stock?

I live near Slee and they are slightly (like less than $25) more than some of the places that advertise prices etc. But I can pick it up which saves a ton (shipping big chunks of steel is never cheap.)

When the time comes I will be buying it from them.

 

[bomar]

As close as you are to ARB in WA call them to see if they have a scratch and dent and get it from them cheap.

New then Jacque @ TRDParts4U or Sierra Expo or Kurt @ Cruiseroutfitters

 

[BIGdaddy]

For something big like that I honestly have to say that I've bought all of them from 4wheelparts, too. (bought 3 so far)

They've always had the best price, without any shipping costs for a store pickup.

If SE can beat the price, awesome, but I'm not going to spend $100 to 200 more somewhere because I "think I should"

I've always been treated right @ 4WP here in El cajon, (Talk to Micah, San Diegian's) so they'll continue to get my business.

The bumper I bought for my 87 4runner, a couple years ago, came with some damage while being shipped that I didn't find until I unpacked it. I called up Micah, told him the deal, and he said, bring it on back and we'll take a look at. When I got there, he and his manager came over to the cargo area of my 4runner, where the bumper was, still half wrapped up, took one look and said, "yup, that's seriously bent bumper."

Manager said, "We checked while you were driving over here, and we have another one in our LA store. It'll be here later today...Will that do?"

I was floored. I realized them coming to check it was simply a formality. He'd already decided to replace it, hassle-free.

What's cool too, is that Micah's an XJ owner, and has tried a lot of mod's I'm now considering, and has actually talked me out of a few things they sell, stating that he's pressing to get them to not carry the items any more due to numerous accounts of poor quality or poor manufacturer support.

 

[maxama10]

I bought mine from a local 4x4 shop but I had considered buying from Wheelers offroad. I've had nothing short of excellent customer service.

 

[Overland Hadley]

Another vote for SE

x2

I have found them to be good to work with.

 

[Applejack]

I have heard great things about Sierra Exp. and they are active sponsors/ memebers of a few boards. Are you 100% set on the ARB though? The fab shop that built my bumper just went into production on them.

Until other companies invest more R&D in safety (airbag compatibility) I'm most comfortable with ARB. My wife and I had a TJ wrangler with a custom bumper on it and had on offset/head on with a Bronco with us doing 30-35 at the point of impact and the Bronco a bit less.. We walked away with some bumps and bruises (eye brow stitches for my wife) but the airbags deployed late with they figured was the equivalent of hitting a parked car at 50-55.
Our insurance agent told us we were lucky because we only had to pay for stitches. They were not too eager to pay up because of modifications that they believed caused the air bags to deploy late.
ARB's are compatible so for that reason alone I'll stay with them

No doubt though, I do like the look of some other bumpers as much if not better.