Bumper madness

"Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo" (thetomselleck) 08/04/2017 at 15:50 • Filed to: Sportcross

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It screams at me

As I’ve mentioned, the ugliest part of this car — other than the driver — is the rear bumper. The paint job is starting to flee from the plastic and chips if you just look at it. I and the previous owner a virtually certain that this is not the original bumper.

Good job, doggo

My wife was the one who suggested I get it repainted. “It’s just TOO NICE of a car to have that.” So I went to the body shop I’ve used for many years.

Here’s what I got:

- for them to sand it down and repaint: $815

- for them to install a new factory bumper: $1135

- for them to order a new bumper and I install it myself: $535

Obviously option 3 sounds the best, but I’m not confident in my skills to replace a plastic bumper on a nice car. Also, the sedan bumper is different, so nice dice finding one laying around somewhere.

I could just leave it? No, I can’t do that. Any advice? I don’t think there’s any stopping the chipping.

Also here’s a garden and doggo photo

OPPOsaurus WRX > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 08/04/2017 at 15:55

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http://www.car-part.com/

find a new pumper, have it shipped and install it yourself. I did thin with a fender for the Allroad. I was able to find a color matching fender and had it shipped to my house.

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 08/04/2017 at 15:55

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came here for doggo

left happy

2Fast2Furious: Rotary Powered > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 08/04/2017 at 15:58

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What’s the difference between the wagon and sedan bumper? If it’s massive work on the wagon one you currently have

jvirgs drives a Subaru > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 08/04/2017 at 15:58

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$815 seems a bit expensive. Is it some fancy white paint?

DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 08/04/2017 at 16:02

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Touch up paint. If you don’t look for it, you probably won’t notice it.

Just remember. 6 feet rule.

Chariotoflove > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 08/04/2017 at 16:04

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I’ll add two other thoughts. The first will probably get me yelled at. You could ask for an estimate from MAACO to repaint that bumper. They will be cheaper than your body shop. People will argue the quality won’t be the same, but the goal here is to make it indistinguishable from the rest of the car. If you ask to see the work the shop does, and it passes muster, it could be a more affordable option. The second is to check eBay for a part that will cost less than new from the factory.

benjrblant > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 08/04/2017 at 16:04

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If you’re into doing it yourself, PE had a pretty good writeup on repainting a bumper:

http://thegarage.jalopnik.com/how-to-make-your-cars-face-pretty-again-1794126301

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 08/04/2017 at 16:06

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Well installing that new fangled stuff may or may not be tricky. I guess find some instructions and see if it’s doable without trade skills.. I realized someone in my condo complex has a silver one of these, auto too. You could wait awhile, scrape it worst and tell insurance it was hit parked...... errr I didn’t say that.... And I am looking at land to build on and here is a bonus picture of a lot I looked at here in Marin today. I think based on my google GPS it runs along the left of that wood wall, 1 acre. My cousin is a contractor so I’m ok with all that stuff.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > jvirgs drives a Subaru 08/04/2017 at 16:07

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Lexus has that pearl white, not sure if it’s that but it looks fancy on cars I’ve seen.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > jvirgs drives a Subaru 08/04/2017 at 16:10

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It’s like this antique metallic pearl or something.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > 2Fast2Furious: Rotary Powered 08/04/2017 at 16:11

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The footprint of the tail light on the sedan is larger

Spaceball-Two > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 08/04/2017 at 16:12

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Cover it with this

sony1492 > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 08/04/2017 at 16:12

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jvirgs drives a Subaru > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 08/04/2017 at 16:12

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Sew fawnceh.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Spaceball-Two 08/04/2017 at 16:12

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I drive an Altezza, not a Prius

Rust and Dust - Oppositelock Forever > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 08/04/2017 at 16:14

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The prices on replacement are in line with what I’d expect (labor rates vary quite a bit across market areas, and we’re on opposite coasts). I wrote up a quick estimate to replace (screenshot attached below, as well as rear bumper graphics for a bit of fastening info), and it’s inline with what they’ve written. Based off of their pricing, I’d imagine their repair estimate is overhaul bumper, 5 hours to repair (strip), and repaint, which is fair and accurate.

It’s tough to tell from a photo, but it looks like you’ve got 070/071 3 stage pearl, as opposed to 040 Super White paint, which increases the price a bit, too.

I’d also be willing to wager dollars against donuts that the rear bumper cover has been not just repaired previously, but replaced. Most OE replacement covers have a sealer applied from the factory. Toyota sells their replacement bumpers in raw plastic, as do a few other manufacturers. There are additional steps required on prepping a raw bumper to ensure proper paint adhesion. When these steps aren’t taken, the paint peels away in sheets, usually starting from nothing more than a small chip.

Their $535 price is just retail list on a cover, though (not painted, it’d be flat black, and you could buy it from the dealer as opposed to the body shop for the same money).

Rear covers are pretty easy to install. The labor portion to remove and reinstall a cover is only 1.5 hours (@ $xx.xx/hr, the cheapest part of the bill), but you can probably tackle it on your own. You should have a pair of 10mm bolts at the rear portion of the wheel opening, running upwards into the quarters. There’s a handful of plastic clips along the bottom, possibly another pair of 10mm. You’ll need to pull the rear sill trim, as well. That model had some plate-studs that slid into the center of the cover, passed through the rear body, and fastened from inside (8mm I think, possibly 10).

If it were mine (and I didn’t work in a shop), I’d probably strip it (80% will blow off with an air hose aimed right at that chip) and repaint it properly . If they don’t strip it (i.e. just feather edge sand the chips and paint over what is currently adhering), or apply an adhesion promoter to the raw plastic it will fail again.

OKcarburetor > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 08/04/2017 at 16:15

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If there is any pearl in that paint at all, just get a new factory painted bumper and install it yourself. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a pearl repaint go well.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Rust and Dust - Oppositelock Forever 08/04/2017 at 16:18

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Wow, thanks! That’s TOO helpful!!

The fact that it would come from Toyota as an unpainted cover sure changes things...

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 08/04/2017 at 16:18

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Sticker bomb it. That’s what I’d do.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 08/04/2017 at 16:18

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Then get a sticker hat says that

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 08/04/2017 at 16:19

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Isn’t that Wagon bumper also longer in the side?

PartyPooper2012 > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 08/04/2017 at 16:20

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surely there has to be someone little cheaper. Shade tree body guy?

Also, pick up sand paper, sand the fucker, rattle can it. Call it a day.

Also, plastic shiny matching paint of car bumpers piss me off.

Bumper’s job is to bump into things. It is never meant to be pristine, non scratch surface.

Sooner or later (after you fix it) a shopping cart will be twirling in a sharknado and undoubtedly will land right on your newly painted bumper.

Money pit. Leave it alone or rattle can it

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 08/04/2017 at 16:22

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I believe so

Spaceball-Two > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 08/04/2017 at 16:27

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better?

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Spaceball-Two 08/04/2017 at 16:28

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Excellent

ShrimpHappens, née WJalopy > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 08/04/2017 at 16:34

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Yeah, I came to reiterate parts of what he said:

1. We had the same thing happen on my wife’s RAV-4 that was rear-ended. The body shop didn’t do the sealant stuff, and the paint came off within a few months. They re-did it for free.

2. You can take a bumper cover on and off. I did it myself last summer on my wife’s 2017 Outback that we’d had for less than a month. Nerve-wracking for sure, but not impossible.

Rust and Dust - Oppositelock Forever > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 08/04/2017 at 16:43

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Glad to help. Feel free to reply back with any other questions, been in body shops 20 years, 5 at a Toyota/Lexus focused shop.

A small part of me just wanted to have an estimate in my system for “Zoidberg, Dr.” to confuse the hell out of my coworkers.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 08/04/2017 at 16:55

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Long shot, look in the glove box for the body shop reciept, most of them have a “life time” guarantee on the paint. I had to get the bumper replaced on my Impreza and after a year the paint was peeling off. I took it back and they had to remove it and re-paint it. All covered by their warranty. Their excuse was my insurance didn’t pay for the proper prep work but they did the shitty job anyway knowing the paint would peel off, maybe hoping I would not return and make them fix it.

Textured Soy Protein > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 08/04/2017 at 17:10

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See if you can find a body shop that specializes in plastic bumper repairs. There’s a place here in Madison called Auto Color and they’re not a full-service collision repair place, but do smaller jobs including fixing up plastic bumpers, paintless dent repair, etc. It’s a lot cheaper than traditional body shops. Maybe try to find something similar near you?

fintail > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 08/04/2017 at 17:18

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You can get a band aid sticker for a buck or two, problem solved:

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 08/04/2017 at 19:23

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It’d be weird if it wasn’t

pip bip - choose Corrour > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 08/05/2017 at 08:48

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new bumper will need to be painted anyway, so just get yours repaired and repainted.

Jayvincent > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 08/05/2017 at 10:28

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or you could touch it up for $20 and it would look fine from 10 ft away...

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

try it, you’ll like it a whole lot better once the ugly black scar is gone, and you can always go the nuclear option later and replace or repaint the whole thing. My 17 year old white Honda Odyssey totally backs me up on this suggestion.