Were you recently in a fender bender?
If your bumper has seen better days, you’re probably wondering about bumper repair cost.
Several decades ago, repairing a bumper wasn’t a big deal. It involved unscrewing a couple of bolts and hammering out some metal. (Okay, maybe it was a little more complex than that.)
But today, this sort of repair is considerably more involved.
The Bumper Repair Process
When you take your car into a bump shop such as Sudden Impact Auto Body & Collision Repair Specialists, you can expect a number of things to happen.
First, the technician will inspect your bumper to determine the extent of the damage. He or she will take note of what needs to be done. They will also be aware of systems that may be integrated into the bumper including lights, warning signals, air intakes, and airbag sensors.
They’ll then remove the bumper to fix it. They’ll need to disconnect all of the above systems in order to work on it. Once removed, the next step is to get rid of any scratches, dents, holes, or cracks. The affected area will be smoothed out with specialized tools and they’ll hit the area with a fresh coat of paint.
Finally, they’ll replace the repaired bumper by fastening it onto your car’s brackets.
Bumper Repair Cost
As you may have guessed, removing the bumper and all the system parts of those integrated systems can take 2 – 3 hours. Possibly more. Given the average labor cost is $50-100 per hour, you’re getting an idea of what you can expect to spend.
There are several types of repairs:
1. Holes or Punctures
Holes or punctures can be pretty labor-intensive. The technician is required to smooth out the affected area and then use a strong adhesive to repair the hole or puncture that is behind the bumper.
As a result, this sort of repair will typically run in the $325 to $425 range.
2. Traditional Dent Repair
Pulling out a dent requires the use of specialized tools to smooth out the damaged area. The area is painted back to its original hue. This entire process usually takes three to four hours and can cost between $300 and $450.
3. Paintless Dent Repair
If your dent occurred without damaging the paint, then you’ll need Paintless Dent Repair (PDR). It’s essentially the same process as traditional dent repair, but without the extra step of painting.
Since the process is not as involved, the average cost for this repair is between $250 and $350.
4. Cracks
Did your bumper sustain a crack? If it’s relatively minor, the technician will fill it in with plastic filler and carefully sand the area down until it’s smooth. You can expect to pay between $325 and $425.
5. Scratches
A bumper with a scrape or scratch will need to be buffed out and sanded down by a professional. Depending on how much work it is to remove the bumper, it will likely run in the $250- $350 range.
Need Bumper Repair?
Are you looking to get your bumper back to its original condition? Now that you have an idea of bumper repair cost, you’re good to go! So don’t hesitate because your bumper is important.
And for more great articles on cars and transportation, keep checking back with our blog.
