Smart Repair Guys - Estimated Bumper Repair Cost?

[Jakg]

Came back to my car to find this...



I was originally thinking of replacing the bumper, but I wondered if it could be Smart Repaired, and (roughly) what sort of cost that might be?

[thepaintist]

Looks too bad for a normal smart repair. Will need to get to the back of bumper to weld the plastic. it is repairable tho.

[thepaintist]

Looks too bad for a normal smart repair. Will need to get to the back of bumper to weld the plastic. it is repairable tho.

[thepaintist]

Sorry for double post. stupid smartphone.

[Jakg]

I have no problem removing the bumper myself, but what sort of cost would I be looking at? Just wondering if a second hand bumper might be chezper

[freecar]

I'd repair it myself.

I've repaired plastic bumpers in areas far more prone to flex than that one.

Plastic welding should sort it though, but you need to be mindful that the plastic hasn't deformed so much that returning it to its original shape becomes impossible.

Personally I'd be grinding it out and getting the bumper filler out!

[thepaintist]

If you could get the bumper off and do some of the prep i wouldn't expect to pay any more than £100 for the repair and bumper corner spray.

[Matt UK]

thepaintist said:

Looks too bad for a normal smart repair. Will need to get to the back of bumper to weld the plastic. it is repairable tho.

No worries

[Matt UK]

thepaintist said:

Looks too bad for a normal smart repair. Will need to get to the back of bumper to weld the plastic. it is repairable tho.

No worries

[Fleckers]

i would look to see if there was a good 2nd hand in the correct colour if it cant be smart repaired

[Jakg]

freecar said:

I'd repair it myself.

I've repaired plastic bumpers in areas far more prone to flex than that one.

Plastic welding should sort it though, but you need to be mindful that the plastic hasn't deformed so much that returning it to its original shape becomes impossible.

Personally I'd be grinding it out and getting the bumper filler out!

I have never repaired a bumper before, never worked with filler etc... I was thinking that a second hand bumper would be the best bet BUT if I can get a pro to repair it for £80 then maybe thats worth it... but from the sounds of things unless I want to pay (a lot) a replacement is the best bet.

[freecar]

Jakg said:

freecar said:

I'd repair it myself.

I've repaired plastic bumpers in areas far more prone to flex than that one.

Plastic welding should sort it though, but you need to be mindful that the plastic hasn't deformed so much that returning it to its original shape becomes impossible.

Personally I'd be grinding it out and getting the bumper filler out!

I have never repaired a bumper before, never worked with filler etc... I was thinking that a second hand bumper would be the best bet BUT if I can get a pro to repair it for £80 then maybe thats worth it... but from the sounds of things unless I want to pay (a lot) a replacement is the best bet.

Neither had I when I first attempted it, I succeeded!

What I did was thin the plastic either side of the repair and drill holes down each side, that way you'll have a nice wide repair and the holes will help anchor the filler. On the back I put aluminium mesh and fillered it in place as reinforcement. You wont find a bodyshop that'll do this as it took about three hours so would cost well over £100!

Most bodyshops are staffed by monkeys these days who can't do any more than replace panels and hike up the costs, even basic panel beating is getting harder to find.

If you don't want to attempt it yourself I'd be hitting the scrap yards.

[Jakg]

Ok, along the same lines.... if I got a second hand bumper in the wrong colour, what sort of cost would a respray be?