Hi all,

I pulled into a steep driveway downgrade like the garage was on the lower level of the house. No problem. When backing out, the front airduct caught what looked like a slightly raised drainpipe cover and cracked the two plastic connections where the bumper screws into the frame. I went to a body shop and was told new bumper. I went another body shop who used a plastic welder to fix the connectors so the bumper can be fastened with the black plastic screws.

It's not perfect, but it holds.But things are slightly off. I am wondering if I should replace the bumper as this is more of a bandaid than a fix. The entire bumper except for the underneath is perfect and has been under a clear bra the life of the car. I also don't want blending into the fenders if I do replace it.

What would you do?

 

Just want to compare thanks in advance

 

Lodge an insurance claim and get it replaced. Will likely need to be painted so not cheap.

 

I guess it is really hard to tell based on those photos. If the front fascia looks ok, I would not worry about it. If you get it repainted, it is almost impossible to make a perfect match and it may end up bothering you more later.

 

thanks for the reply. There is no cosmetic damage to the bumper. This is underneath the car and the plastic welds are holding the bumper to the frame (the tabs broke off). Things seem a little loose and not aligned or flush, but it holds. I do feel like I hear some noise at speed but not sure, and am concerned if the airflow would be off since it;s not a smooth surface anymore.

 

In my opinion there's no need to replace the bumper. I would suggest interviewing a few auto body repair shops that routinely perform bumper repair. The shop should be able to fix the damage so that it's nearly as good as new.
Check out the video below demonstrating the use of specific 3M products to repair damaged bumper tabs:

 

Wow - that's amazing! Have some stuff I need to try that on! Thanks for sharing.

 

Rep to Red! Nice job!

Still confused by the OP's posting though. I couldn't post photos of the stock setup even if i wanted to. Maybe a video would help with the explanation?

 

Wow - that is exactly the repair I need. The tabs broke off completely and I would need them reformed. The entire bumper is perfect except for the tabs underneath the car. Thanks for this - now how to find a place that does it.

 

went to Final Touch today and they can repair the bumper with 3M correctly and have it in shop, sand and paint from the bottom back for a like new repair. The rest of the bumper remains untouched.

Many thanks to Red for the advice and video - lifesaver!!!

 

Glad you were able to find a shop that can perform a proper repair. I've been in a similar spot to yours in the past so happy to share!