Bug Shield Questions

Togman · #1 (**permalink**) 06-23-2009, 03:48 PM

Well after searching the forums for 1 hour and 45 minutes, I suppose I have to post this question:

What is the advantage of the Bug Shield? They use to be considered a gas-robbing add on.

Do they still cause your fuel consumption to increase?

hofkamp83 · #2 (**permalink**) 06-23-2009, 04:36 PM

i've had one on my truck and didn't notice a difference in gas mileage and i like to think it helps on keeping bugs off the windshield

Andrew

Togman · #3 (**permalink**) 07-02-2009, 11:33 AM

Any more response?

Do they work or justa waste of money?

Jugarum · #4 (**permalink**) 07-02-2009, 12:31 PM

I know I clean lots of bug guts off mine after a trip. So, I would assume a lot of that gunk would have landed on my windshield. No difference that I can tell on the gas mileage. Plus, I like the "unibrow" look.

ICON · #5 (**permalink**) 07-02-2009, 12:45 PM

I got one on my truck and my mileage is in line w/everyone else's. I think of it more as a hood protector to prevent chips from rocks and other debri. I find more bugs on the bumper than the hood guard.

Rotts · #6 (**permalink**) 07-02-2009, 08:30 PM

I agree with ICON I like that it protects the hood from being chipped by rocks or anything else. And possible helps
keep a few bugs off the windsheild.

08SalsaMax · #7 (**permalink**) 07-02-2009, 09:25 PM

I've found that it keeps some of the rocks off the hood and prevents some of the chips. I had one on my 4Runner with the same results.

pirates712 · #8 (**permalink**) 07-02-2009, 09:51 PM

They are designed to be aerodynamic, but I would caution you to be careful when installing one because someone down the line installed one on my truck, and they must have scratched the paint or something because now there are (were- I touched them up) rust spots where the tabs go in between the hood and the grille. If I took of the bug guard, it would look bad.

jmo · #9 (**permalink**) 07-03-2009, 10:00 AM

I think the biggest advantage of the bug shield is it protects front edge of the hood from the acidic build up from all of the squashed bugs which will corrode the paint over a long period of time - this happened with my first Toyota truck as I was constantly going on climbing road trips (fair amount of night driving) when I was younger, so I started using the bug deflectors to stop it.

If your worried about the aerodynamic aspects, get one of those bra covers they make that slip over the front of truck.

HTH's,

jmo

JoeBalls · #10 (**permalink**) 07-03-2009, 10:55 AM

Protects the hood and offers a nice look to the truck! Definitely doesn not help with gas mileage.

David Jones · #11 (**permalink**) 07-03-2009, 11:23 AM

Personally Id rather have a few small chips in the paint that can't be seen from 10ft versus a bug shield that's butt ugly from any distance. Even with a shield the majority of the front end is still subject to gravel and bugs.