X marks the spot
While many car manufacturers set out to cater for all sectors of the market, it’s fair to say that Subaru has “stuck to its knitting”.
Steel may be the real deal when it comes to tough bars and accessories for protecting a work ute or city SUV, but it's often the shiny looks that seal the deal.
In spite of the recent popularity of the matt black finish, more utes and SUVs are going onto New Zealand roads sporting brightly polished bars and fittings made from stainless steel than at any time in the past 30 years.
"It's the perfect way to make your ute or SUV stand out and offers more protection at the same time," says Best Bars chief executive Stephen de Kriek.
"Stainless steel keeps its shine and good looks for much longer than other materials and it's very robust."
Best Bars, also known for its towbars, has expanded the range of stainless steel products offered under the Advantage accessory brand name to meet the demand of the buoyant ute and SUV market.
The latest Advantage stainless steel range now includes a variety of sports bars mounted behind the cab of a ute, cab protectors, front nudge bars, rear protection bars and side bars or pipes.
The stainless steel range differs from similar imported products, because they are designed and manufactured to a high standard, especially match vehicles and their style, and take account of the safety critical components of these products such as nudge bars and their potential interaction with safety airbags.
"Best Bars sources the best grade and thickness of stainless steel possible for automotive outdoor use – the 304 grade," says de Kriek. "Good quality stainless steel is very resistant to light scratches and knocks and it keeps its appearance."
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