I have a very low mileage 02 sebring silver just about 100% stock which is the way I will keep it for the foreseeable future. It is in perfect condition. I used it as a daily driver this summer after I bought it but in the future is will likely be a weekend warrier. All street use. Weekend drives on winding country roads mostly.

I had a minor impact to the front bumper driving on the interstate and the end result is I have to replace the bumper. No other damage. My local trusted body shop will do all the work.

The car had no lip when new. I am debating whether to have the body shop put on a BaysonR replica front lip.

Does a lip have any function other than purely cosemetic?

Are there any downsides (other than initial cost) to have a lip?

 

In the case of replicas, purely cosmetic. the OEM CR lip, and other various splitters, have downforce properties, but 90% of other lips and reps are just for looks. Since you are doing a repaint anyways, might as well do the lip at the same time. Thats exactly why I'm doing a lip.

The only downside? assuming you have a good fitting, good quality lip, the only downside is that you will prob scrape on a lot more things if you are lowered

 

I had a similar thing happen to me (albeit my car isn't as nice as yours sounds) and decided to get the lip. I do a lot of autocrossing, so it helps from any cone damage that might happen.

The big issue with the replica parts is their fitment. It's pretty good for the 50-100$ you spend, but it's not going to be an OEM fitment. I used the OEM black adhesive rubber molding to fill the gaps between the bumper and the lip, which is good for about 80% of the lip. The gap between the lip and the sections of the bumper directly underneath the 'brake ducts' is too big for this molding to bridge across, and you're left with a 2-5mm gap for about a 20cm span. Also, where the lip wraps around the back of the bumper in the front wheel well for fastening, it looks somewhat sloppy (like it's fractionally too small and the plastic is a bit bent to accommodate it. Sorry i don't have better pictures, car is gone away for the winter now, but heres a picture to show you how much better it looks with the OEM style lip!
Attachment 163838

 

My lower bumper looks like every teenagers acne nightmare. Once I can get it repainted the NOS (new old stock) OEM chin spoiler will get mounted as well. Like the duck tail spoiler on the rear deck I'll be surprised if it provides any measurable downforce. Looks nice. Looks stock. Absorbs the stone nicks (I hope).

-- Chuck

 

I have an Ap1 and I really love the look of the front lip. I am stock height, but even then, I already scrape on occasion whenever I exit a, let's say a shopping center going onto the main road, with a drive-way/incline that isn't even that steep. This makes me question if a front lip is a good idea or not.

Also, whenever I enter a parking spot, that has one of those long cement parking bricks in the front, and if I go a little too far, my stock height and my front bumper just clear it by maybe 1/2-1". I am sure in those situations, if I had a front lip, then the lip would've hit that parking cement block.

 

I have been contiplating a lip on my ap1 for 5 years. I would say embrace the rawness of ap1 and go no lip. Here I even backed mine out of the garage to snap a pic. Ignore the black vinyl Ive been experimenting...

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Nice shot, dsthez!

 

Personally I think tacked on lips look tacky, so I'd just do without.

 

Does the lip actually lower the clearance at all in front? Or is it flush with the bottom of the bumper?

 

I was lucky enough to find a brand new OEM lip for my 2003 AP1. I really like the way it looks... Here is a picture right after I installed it myself.