k9shelly1

I recently purchased our first Lexus ES350. It is used with 38,000 miles. Car looked new with minor scratches here and there.

On the way home from the dealership I pulled to the shoulder and ran over a blown out tractor trailer tire. Big scratch on the lower passenger side of bumper. Bad but not very noticeable as it was at the very bottom. Two weeks later my wife backs into a cement fence. No real damage but surface scratch that is very noticeable.

I got an estimate from a local repair shop. $500 for both. Remove bumpers, sand, paint and clearcoat. Would this be about right? I did get another estimate at $800. I think this is better than replacing the bumpers.

Any thoughts?

EJC

$500 for both bumpers sounds pretty reasonable to me
Have you used th shop before? seen there work?

Dave Mac

Assuming the damage is nothing more than surface marks I would be happy with even the $800 bid if the shop does the job the right way which is to remove and refinish the bumper covers. I had a very small blemish repaired on the car on a CPO LS a few years ago and while it looked great for almost a year evenually the clear coat started to peel back from the edges. Fortunately for me the dealer agreed to pay to have the bumper cover removed and refinished and I saw the invoice - $650 for just the rear bumper. The car was in the shop for 3 days. If there is any real damage to the bumper cover I wouldn't even consider a repair - I have never seen it done to my satisfaction and new bumper covers really don't cost very much. The cost is all in the labor and painting.

Get the bumpers fixed and continue to enjoy your car.

Dave Mac

k9shelly1

Thanks guys. I was still debating it. I just couldn't see this nice car taken care of for 38,000 miles only to have my wife and I come in and in two weeks give it two black eyes.

I'll get it done and hope for the best.

miniz

Perhaps you should have gotten a non base model with a rear cam and sensors to avoid hitting all this stuff? $500 for both is a deal. Just make sure they know what they are doing. Most body shops treat bumpers like free money and paint them as fast as possible, which causes all sorts of problems in the finished product.

k9shelly1

I don't know how my wife hit something eventhough we have the rear camera. I think she thought she was too cool. Hitting something in a nice looking Lexus sure does attract attention.

Anyway, I don't think I want it repaired. I'd rather wait and get to a Lexus dealership. Any idea what they charge?

flowrider

iTrader: (9)

^^^^Lexus dealers don't usually have body shops. They usually subcontract that work out to one. If you have a good body shop in your area, they can fix it and you will never know. I have had my front bumper cover replaced because of road debris, and my rear cover repaired because I was tapped in the back. My wife has had her cover repaired because she hit a curb. Both repairs were done by a very professional shop. BTW, both front covers, now do not have the license plate nipples, I had them filled in

Lou

miniz

Please explain how she managed to hit something WITH a rear view camera? I would send her to driving school.

Unless you go to one of the 5 largest Lexus dealers in the US, they won't have a body shop. The car will be sent out to nearby body shop and they will add on a hefty 50-100% service charge markup for their troubles. You could find out who they use and go there directly.

k9shelly1

Well, my wife has dinged every car we've had since we've been married so it didn't surprise me. She usually gets it out of the way early so I hope her trend continues.

On the body shop, thanks for the info. Unfortunately I live on the border where everyone offers a "lifetime warranty" untill it needs to be fixed. Then they give you the run around. I will try to hold off and get it repaired in San Antonio.

BTW, anyone have an opinion on those "bumper specialists"? It seems most can repair the bumper in less than 4 hours.