In the event that you've recently shredded your 2013 wrx front bumper on a sharp driveway or a stray piece of road debris, you're definitely not on your own. It's almost a rite of passage for Subaru owners, especially since these cars sit just low enough to make every curb feel like a personal enemy. Whether you're searching for a direct OEM replacement to keep that clean factory look or even you're eyeing something a bit even more aggressive to set your own build apart, there's a lot to think about before you hit the "buy" key.
The 2013 model year belongs to that iconic widebody era of typically the WRX. It's that will sweet spot exactly where the car appears muscular and rooted, but that also means the front bumper has some specific contours you possess to get right. Replacing it isn't just about finding a piece of plastic that will fits; it's about maintaining the lines of the car plus ensuring you don't end up getting huge gaps where the bumper meets the fenders.
Why You Might Become Shopping for a New Bumper
Most of the time, people begin looking for any new 2013 wrx front bumper due to the fact of the "Subaru Sag. " Over time, the weighty plastic clips that hold the bumper to the fenders tend to wear out or snap. You'll notice just a little gap forming right under the headlights. When you can sometimes fix this with fresh brackets or a quick-release kit, a lot of men realize their bumper can also be covered within a thousand tiny rock chips through highway driving. From that point, buying a fresh 1 feels like a much better move than trying to sand and respray an old, beaten-up piece of plastic.
Then there are the accidental activities. Maybe you strike a rogue cone at an autocross event, or maybe the winter snowbanks were a bit firmer than they will looked. Because the particular WRX is such a well-known daily driver in snowy climates, the particular front bumper will take a beating. It's the first issue to hit the frozen slush heap, and in sub-zero temps, that plastic material could get pretty brittle and crack.
OEM vs. Aftermarket: The fantastic Debate
This is how most individuals get stuck. When you go the particular OEM route, you're getting a bumper that is guaranteed in order to fit perfectly. It'll line up along with your grill, your haze light housings, and those fender liners with out you having to bust out the heat gun or a drill. The particular downside? Subaru dealers aren't exactly reputed for "budget-friendly" pricing. You'll pay a premium for your factory fitment.
On the flip side, the particular aftermarket world is huge. You can find "OE-style" replacements for a small percentage of the cost. These are great if you're upon a budget, yet be warned: the fitment can be a slight gamble. Occasionally you have to trim a little plastic right here or there in order to get it to sit flush. In the event that you're going for a custom look, this is also the time to appear at bumpers based on a venting or more aggressive chin spoilers built-in.
The particular Struggle of Artwork and Color Coordinating
Let's talk about the elephant in the space: paint. Unless a person get incredibly lucky in a junkyard locating a car that was totaled from your rear, you're most likely buying an uncooked, unpainted bumper. This particular is where items get tricky. Even though you have the color code—like the classic World Rally Blue (02C) or Silk White Pearl (37J)—ten years of sun publicity means your car's current paint provides faded slightly.
If you just spray the newest bumper with the factory program code, it might appear a little too bright or even dark compared in order to your fenders and hood. A good entire body shop will often inquire for the car to allow them to blend the paint, but that will increases the cost. When you're a DIYer, you will discover pre-painted bumpers online. They're the lifesaver for the particular wallet, but keep your expectations realistic. They're usually "good enough" for the daily driver, yet they might not be show-quality perfect.
Working with Those Annoying Pop Clips
If you've actually worked on a Subaru, you understand about the "pop clips. " These little plastic nails are what hold your 2013 wrx front bumper in place. By the time you're ready to get the bumper away from, half of options probably filled with dirt and the other half will be ready to snap the moment you touch them with an electric screwdriver.
Pro tip: if you're buying a new bumper, just go ahead and buy the bag of fifty replacement clips. They're cheap, and having fresh ones can make the re-installation procedure so much softer. It's also the good time to check your fender liners. If they're floppy or split, they won't supply the support the bumper needs, which qualified prospects right back to that will sagging issue all of us talked about earlier.
Adding the Front Lip for Extra Style (and Protection)
If you're already replacing the bumper, you may too look straight into adding a front lip. Plenty of 2013 WRX owners vow by the V-Limited style lip. It offers the car the lower profile without having actually lowering the particular suspension, and it adds a bit of a finished look to the front end.
The best part? A lip serves like a sacrificial barrier. If a person scrape on a driveway, the lip will take the hit rather of your brand-new 2013 wrx front bumper . It's less expensive to replace the $60 polyurethane lip than it will be to fix or replace the entire bumper cover again. Plus, it conceals some of the imperfections in the event that you're using the budget aftermarket bumper that doesn't very sit perfectly in the very underside.
Installation: Are you able to Do It Yourself?
The brief answer is: definitely. You don't require a lift or a specialized set associated with tools. A flathead screwdriver (or the trim removal tool), a 10mm outlet, and a little bit of tolerance are usually all it takes. The particular hardest part is usually usually wrestling the bumper from the videos under the car headlights without scratching the paint on the fenders.
It helps to have a pal hold one part while you pull the other. In case you're doing this solo, put together a moving blanket or some cardboard so when the bumper finally pops away, it doesn't fall straight onto the particular concrete and obtain scratched up just before you even obtain to enjoy this.
Keeping the New Bumper Searching Fresh
As soon as you have almost everything bolted up plus your WRX is definitely looking sharp once again, you'll want to protect that investment. If you went via the problem of the professional paint work, consider an obvious bra or some paint protection movie (PPF). The front of these cars is really a magnet intended for gravel, especially in case you enjoy the occasional dirt road—it is really a Rally Sports activity, after all.
One more thing to keep an eye on will be the "internals. " While the bumper is off, check your haze light wiring plus your horn. It's way simpler to fix a loose wire or upgrade in order to some louder Hella Horns while the front end will be wide open than this is to try to squeeze your fingers with the wheel well down the road.
Wrap It Up
At the end associated with the day, the 2013 wrx front bumper will be a major part of the car's identity. It gives it that will aggressive, wide-shouldered look that makes the GR/GV chassis so popular a decade later. Whether you're fixing an error or just refreshing a vintage friend, taking the particular time to find the best parts and carrying out the install cautiously makes all the particular difference. Your Subaru will thank you for it, and you'll definitely find your self doing that "look back" walk each time you dog park it.