n2cars

My daughter found one of those 2ft tall barricades in a parking lot with the back of my car. I now have a dimple in my bumper skin about the size of a quarter. The paint is also chipped. I'm taking it to my dealer tomorrow, but a little bit a surfing the web tonight uncovered some good results on plastic bumper repair. Has anyone used this type of repair?

Thanks in advance.

Dave Mac

I've never liked the plastic bumper repairs. You are best off going with a new bumper skin if there is a dent in the bumper. The cost of the bumper is not as much as you might think and if the paint and repair is done correctly with the bumper off the labor would be about the same. Most plastic bumper repair guys don't remove the bumper and the result is usually clearcoat lifting in a few months.

There also may be some damage to the foam shock absorber under the bumper skin that will be seen once the bumper is removed. If the foam is not damaged too badly or actually cracked in half I probably would reuse it.

Sorry about the bumper.

Dave Mac

n2cars

Funny you mentioned the clearcoat peeling up. I wondered how they prepped and blended in order to keep this from happening. I'll take it to the dealer tomorrow and see what they say.

I think I'm going to vote for the presidential candidate who outlaws parking lot barricades that are too short to be seen out the back window ;-)

n2cars

I got estimates from a couple of reputable body shops. (My Lexus dealer doesn't have a body shop)

A local independent who does very good work that I've used before recommends replacing the entire bumper cover. The cover itself is $332. Parts/labor/paint total $875. The foam behind the cover was not damaged.

Service King recommended to straighten the bumper cover using heat and a well-trained technician who specializes in this process. Total for parts/labor/ paint total $625.

Both companies offer a lifetime warranty that includes paint fading/peeling.

I think I'll go outside of insurance to avoid a mark on a 16 year old, but I haven't decided which route to take.

Anyone have a strong opinion?

AccElan01

In New Jersey I could get this fixed for under $250...I had similar damage on my Cadillac CTS rear bumper and paid $155. Paint, Clearcoat and filler costed $96, labor was $59. They had the car for a day and a half. If anything it should be cheaper in Texas...when I've travelled there things have always been much more affordable. Don't just check the "big name" shops; shop around and check with the little guys. I'm sure you can get it repaired for far less than the prices you've seen so far. Good luck.