Easy Solutions for Minor Car Dents and Scratches
There are many reasons why your car bumper is important, from aesthetics to safety. Is your car bumper damaged? Should you replace it or repair it? What will it cost to hire a body shop to fix it or should you do it yourself?
Car Bumper Replacement
Replacing your bumper after a collision is important. Here are some reasons why you should replace your car bumper rather than repair it.
- Cracks and Dents Affect the Bumper’s Structural Integrity
- Damaged Hooks Make the Bumper Unstable
- The Bumper Can Hide Unseen Damage
- Previous Damage Could Lead to Future Insurance Claim Issues
- Repaired Bumpers Can Devalue Your Car
Cracks and Dents Affect the Bumpers Structural Integrity
A cracked or dented bumper can seem like it’s just cosmetic. However, dents and cracks can affect the bumper’s structural integrity. Fixing the bumper is one option, but it will no longer have the same strength as before. After a collision, when the bumper sustains damage, it is no longer a solid piece that could withstand impact. If another collision happens, the bumper couldn’t absorb the impact. This could lead to further damage to your car’s body.
Damaged Hooks Make the Bumper Unstable
If the hooks that hold the bumper on are damaged, you’re at risk for the bumper potentially falling off, hitting another car on the road and potentially causing an accident. When replacing the bumper, the repair shop should also replace the hooks. These hooks eliminate the danger of your bumper falling off while driving.
The Bumper Can Hide Unseen Damage
When a bumper is damaged in an accident, there is probably damage to the foam layer behind it. The foam layer helps absorb vibrations from the road and impacts from objects. This foam layer can break into several pieces if the bumper is damaged in a collision. The mechanic replacing your bumper will inspect the condition of the foam and replace it if needed.
Previous Damage Could Lead to Future Insurance Claim Issues
When you only repair the damage to your bumper, you may jeopardise your success when you file future insurance claims. Insurance adjusters know how repaired bumpers tend to be weak. If you are in another collision, your car may sustain more extensive body damage. However, the adjuster may try to attribute the current damage to the previous accident because of the weakened bumper.
Repaired Bumpers Can Devalue Your Car
Insurance adjusters are not the only people who know about the decreased integrity of a repaired bumper. If you try to sell your car after simply repairing the damage, the buyer is also probably aware of the safety risks involved when a vehicle has a previously damaged bumper.
Because of the previous damage, the value of your car will decrease because of the safety and cosmetic issues. However, if you replace the damaged bumper with a new one, your car’s value will not go down because of the bumper.
Front Bumper Repair
Your front bumper may have been damaged by a small collision and look a little beaten up. The damage may look minor and not severe. However, vehicle owners should be aware and be concerned about the possible internal damage hidden by a damaged front bumper. A damaged or dented bumper could cause the vehicle’s alignment to be unnatural. This could put the passengers at risk while you’re on the road. In order to truly see the damage, you’ll need a mechanic to take the bumper off and observe the severity of the damage.
Signs of a Damaged Bumper
A Cracked Bumper
The most obvious and common damage is a cracked bumper that requires repairing or a replacement. Depending on the amount of damage and materials of your current bumper, you’ll more than likely need a replacement. This process can be costly and timely; however, remember if the bumper has become misshapen and cracked, it won’t offer much protection in the event of an accident.
Damage to the Paintwork
Another common feature of a damaged bumper is chipped or scratched paintwork. Rather than repairing, it’s much easier to have a full replacement, and the result will have better quality, too. If there’s a large number of scratches or scrapes, the bumper will need to be sanded down to make it level and ready for a paint job. But for deeper damage, it’ll need to be filled with a compound to make the surface even again.
Damaged or Broken Hooks
The hooks are important for keeping the bumper in place. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to replace or repair hooks once they’re misshapen, and a full bumper replacement is essential to eradicating the damage.
Repair or Replace
Small scratches and dents can be repaired relatively easily. But not all damage falls into that category. In some cases, you’re better off simply buying a new bumper and having it installed.
Damages that can be repaired
- Light scratches
- Medium scratches
- Deep scratches
- Minor dents
- Small cracks
Damages that require a replacement
- Large cracks
- Extreme dents
The Cost to Repair or Replace Your Bumper
The cost to fix your car’s bumper all comes down to how badly it was damaged. While exact prices vary by location and the type of bumper you need, here’s a general breakdown to give you a good sense of what you can expect to pay for each kind of damage.
- Light scratch: $50 – $200
- Medium scratch: $200 – $400
- Deep scratch: $300 – $600
- Minor dent: $150 – $250
- Small crack: Minimum of $300
If you need to replace a bumper for any reason, then you should plan on paying between $500 to $2,000. You may need to pay even more if your lights, sensors, or cameras were also damaged in the collision.
Do you need your bumper replaced or repaired? Fit Parts is a great place to find and purchase the right bumper for your car’s make and model. When your bumper is damaged, getting it repaired or replaced is the best option. I think we can all agree, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
