Hello,

So unfortunately someone in the past week hit my car while I was shopping and I am looking to get it repaired. Cost is not much of a concern, but since I do not know the process of the repair I wanted some help from you guys.

Shop A includes :

1) Re / re rear bumper
2) Repair all scratches / dents etc to bumper
3) Prep repairs for refinish
4) Blend base coat for colour match
5) Refinish bumper complete.

We will be adding flex agents and adhesion promoters when refinishing

The cost of this repair would be $325 + tax @ 13% this was an email quote w/photos

Shop B includes :

Complete bumper repaint. $450 + tax @ 13%
P/U and drop off of vehicle with same day service (they have some drying booth?)
They came to me @ work and gave me a quote in person.

Both companies have a lifetime guarantee and both have somewhat good reviews.

I am confused because shop B says that the rear bumper must be completely repainted because the location of the scratch is in a spot that cannot be blended properly. I don't mind the extra money if Shop A is taking shortcuts, but ideally I would like to keep as much of my money as possible.

What option would you take? Is the $$ too high for Toronto?

Thank you

 

Dude...did you try just compouding/polishing that? Looks like it might come out...

 

To be honest I did not. I assumed that wouldn't do anything because it looks like the paint is missing (I see white instead of black). Would polishing bring the paint back? I got some Turtle polishing compound somewhere, but no polisher.

 

It can be blended they don't need to repaint the whole bumper. Exact same thing happen to me and they blended and you can't even tell.

 

As a former detailer, I can tell you that can probably be buffed out 95% if not 100%. If you don't want to do it yourself you can take it to any car detail place and they can do it pretty quick, and for pretty cheap. I'd try that before even considering touching up or repainting it. A few months ago a gate at the entrance to a subdivision closed on the side of my wife's car and left some NASTY scuffs on the mirror and door and I was sure it would need to have paint work done, but after about 30 mins with a buffer and some compound, polish & wax it looked better than it did before the incident.

 

Thanks, good idea. I dislike the idea of painting.

 

If they did paint they will more than likely blend the paint and then reclear the bumper. But I would try the buff and polish first.

 

I've heard you don't blend black or white. you paint the whole panel.

I agree that you just need to buff it out first. It should mostly come out.

 

If it can;t be polished out. Then I would respray the whole bumper.

 

I had something similar happen a few months back and both of those price quotes seem reasonable to repaint/seal the rear bumper removed from the car.

Do a quick Google search for the two companies and see what other consumers have to say and if your accident is covered through insurance, you should get a lifetime warranty from the repair company for the paint and as part of the repair process. For the coverage reason, you may want to choose a vendor that is reputable and established.

 

You can blend just about any color. The problem comes when you throw pearl, flakes or metallics in the mix. Every paint companies pigments are different and most of the times the add-ins (pearl, metalics and flakes) to the paint don't lay right you will often see splotching where the add-ins gathered together in the gun during spraying. When you respray a whole panel you run into the problem with the adjacent panels not matching. If the they were redoing the whole bumper a repitutple shop would also throw color onto the adjacent panels to ensure a match as close as possible then reclear those panels that were resprayed. His estimate would be a lot more that what he was quoted if that were the case.