[mwandaw]

We will use our Niro for everything from going out on the town to hauling lumber from Home Depot. Due to the latter, I want to protect the rear bumper from scratches and dents.


Kia sells a clear appliqué (scroll down), but I want something that offers more protection.


Any suggestions?

 

[Roadkill401]

The best and smartest way of all is to simply head to the rental department when you have purchased the lumber and pay the $20 to rent the truck for 1/2h. Load the rental to the gunnels as you. might as well take just one trip and then it really doesn't matter if the bumper gets a nick or scratch. they generally are full of them. Then your Niro will stay in great shape. I have ruined more than one car and chipped gouged and destroyed the plastic cover over the bumper of many cars to come to the realization that there is ZERO that you can do to protect the car from nicks scratches and dents other than not put the car into the position to get them. And hauling DIY stuff like wood, ply, and other home reno equipment is a sure fire way to get them.

 

[Griswald]

I use mine as a truck. The bumper is the least of your worries.

8' lumber fits from the hatch onto the dashboard, make sure you use a wrapped up towel between the lumber and the dash. Also, be very careful when unloading that you dont slide the lumber off the dash as you can hit the screen or the control buttons.

I find that the backs of the rear seats get the most scratched and scraped. It also takes a long time to clean up sawdust and dirt from the rear area, theres lots of places for it to go.

But its a truck...at least mine is.

 

[mwandaw]

My example put too much emphasis on hauling lumber. In fact, I expect we will use our new Niro for many reasons. Usually we'll just use it for transportation. Some times we'll also use it to go grocery shopping, transport my bike (with the rear seats down), haul home-improvement purchases or maybe even a little lumber now and then.


Thanks for the suggestions! I'll be careful with the rear seat backs. If I have a buy a bunch of lumber, I'll definitely rent a truck. However, for all of the other light-duty cargo, I'd really like to find some rear bumper protection that is more rugged than the clear appliqué offered by Kia.


Any ideas?

 

[Roadkill401]

Weathertech does sell a rear cargo liner that has a roll out bumper matt that might offer a bit more protection. As for bikes. I have just installed a rear 2" trailer hitch onto mine and use a bike rack. I found that it's far easier to get the bikes on and off rather than getting grease and mud stuck inside my new car. I ride offroad mountain bikes so they have a tendancy to be a bit more on the dirty side over a roady.

 

[Griswald]

I also have a hitch and a 4' x 4' trailer that I use on occasion.

No problems hauling around the occasional load of building materials. I wouldnt haul anything really heavy, the Niro pulls it fine but the regen brakes are not up to stopping heavy loads.

 

[dsh72]

I was thinking of trading in my old van but it wasn't worth what the dealer wanted to offer me. That's my work truck now. I couldn't imagine trying to shove 2x4s in to this vehicle. You going to wind up damaging something and kick yourself in the butt for being cheap. Go rent a HD truck for $20. This vehicle isn't built to carry anything super long. I suggest buying the roof rack and bars if you need extra cargo space.

https://www.amazon.com/MaxxHaul-701...826&sr=1-4&keywords=roof+rack#customerReviews

 

[cockedandglocked]

I'm definitely going the roof rack route, I don't want to push my luck running lumber from dash to hatch inside the car.

 

[Alex]

I was thinking of trading in my old van but it wasn't worth what the dealer wanted to offer me. That's my work truck now. I couldn't imagine trying to shove 2x4s in to this vehicle. You going to wind up damaging something and kick yourself in the butt for being cheap. Go rent a HD truck for $20. This vehicle isn't built to carry anything super long. I suggest buying the roof rack and bars if you need extra cargo space.

https://www.amazon.com/MaxxHaul-701...826&sr=1-4&keywords=roof+rack#customerReviews

Great to see someone mention renting. In city centers I have noticed this to be the case, especially with the rise of smaller city cars with little cargo space. Renting options have opened up allowing people to rent by the hour, so our options are flexible.

 

[badyellowvette]

If Kia would have made the passenger seat back fold down flat as it does in my HHR there would be no problem hauling 8 foot lumber. I can put 10 foot boards in my HHR because the seat folds down forward flat against the bottom cushion and the seat back is plastic so you can't tear it

 

[yticolev]

I could carry 8 foot lumber in my PT Cruiser which is shorter than the Niro. But I had to fold the passenger front seat down (it folded flat forward) to do it. That 8 foot length made for cushy sleeping too!

 

[RWolfe]

I work very part time as a residential electrical subcontractor to help pay for school, so I just use my Niro as my work vehicle. I use lots of thick moving blankets on the rare occasion I am hauling any eight foot lumber or smaller size 16' extension ladders. Harbor Freight has some cushy blankets if you're looking for the cheap. Just have some part of the blanket that you flip out to cover the bumper.

 

[Griswald]

FYI...

Pre-primed lumber leaves white stuff on the interior of a Niro.

Guess how I know?