Your car’s bumper protects the rest of the vehicle from damage in an accident. It absorbs a good portion of the impact, especially in crashes that happen at low speeds. However, after even a minor collision, the damage can be an eyesore that you may want to fix.
Any damage to your car’s bumpers is a hassle, whether a grocery cart bumped into it at the store or another vehicle rear ended you at a red light. Getting it fixed often entails calling your insurance provider, taking your car to a repair shop, and waiting ages for your vehicle to be ready. Then there’s the bumper replacement cost. How much is it to replace or repair a front or rear bumper? How much is your deductible if you go through insurance? What’s the price if you cover the repairs yourself?
Let’s look at the bumper repair and replacement process as well as the expenses associated with a bumper replacement or repair.
What is a Bumper?
Your car’s front and rear bumpers are two of the most important parts of the vehicle. That’s because they are engineered to take the brunt of an impact, from big wrecks to the slightest bumps in traffic. This helps to protect the rest of the vehicle and its passengers from damage. Bumpers and shock-absorbing foam sit in front of and protect other components like fog lights, headlights, turn signals, warning signals and sensors, driver-assist technology, vehicle cameras, airbag sensors, backup sensors, parking sensors, and more.
What Causes Rear Bumper Damage?
The majority of U.S. automobile accidents are rear-ended collisions, making up 29% of all car wrecks. As a result, rear bumpers are also one of the most frequently damaged vehicle parts.
Vehicle damage varies. Minor rear-end accidents may only leave behind a dent and/or a few scratches, while a wreck with a car traveling much faster can cause severe damage to the bumper and other parts of the vehicle.
Bumper Repair vs. Bumper Replacement
You have several options if your bumper is damaged. In cases of severe and extensive damage, you may need a complete bumper replacement. Severe damage may include anything from holes to deep cracks to the entire bumper coming off the vehicle. However, in cases of small to medium-sized damage, an experienced technician at Colors on Parade can repair your vehicle without the need for purchasing an entirely new bumper.
At Colors on Parade, we utilize modern technology and specialized tools to repair dents, chips in the paint, and minor scratches, among other things. After fixing the bumper, we’ll use color-matching technology to blend the previously damaged spots to match the paint of the rest of the automobile.
How Much Does it Cost to Repair or Replace a Bumper?
Because the extent of damage varies from car to car, the bumper repair cost or replacement cost for your vehicle also varies. In addition to the amount of structural or mechanical damage experienced, factors that play a part in determining the bumper repair or bumper replacement cost include where you live, the type of vehicle you drive, and whether you take your car to an auto body shop or Colors on Parade. Another element that plays a role in the cost of getting a bumper repaired or replaced is the bumper’s material. (Plastic bumpers with a reinforcement bar made of steel or aluminum are the most common.)
As such, costs may be as low as $100 for small repairs after a low-speed accident, or up to $2,000 for having a bumper replaced, depending on a car’s year, make, and model.
Types of Bumper Repairs
In addition to the aforementioned elements, the type of repair that is required also factors into your bumper repair costs. There are multiple different types of bumper repairs, including:
- Traditional Dent Repair: This method involves filling, sanding, and painting to remove the damage from a rear or front bumper.
- Paintless Dent Repair: This method uses special tools to pop out minor dents without causing further paint damage. Compared to traditional dent repair, it’s cheaper and faster, but not a good choice if the paint is damaged or the repair requires more than buffing.
- Punctures, Cracks, and Holes: With this type of bumper repair, the flawed areas get filled, sanded, or patched with adhesives.
- Scratches and Scuffs: Minor damage such as scratches and scuffed paint can also be repaired. Light scratches are easy fixes, as they are often surface level. Deep scratches, however, may cause severe chips in the paint, revealing the metal or plastic underneath. Fortunately, at Colors on Parade, we can handle both scenarios with ease.
Bumper Replacement Costs
Serious damage resulting from major collisions, such as bumper covers that are falling or have already fallen off the vehicle, large cracks or holes in the bumper, or frame damage to the vehicle typically require bumper replacement. The cost of bumper replacements typically rely on the following elements:
- The vehicle’s year, make, and model (Note that luxury vehicles, pickup trucks, and SUVs typically make bumper replacement expensive.)
- Whether the replacement bumper comes from an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) or an aftermarket supplier
- Whether your insurance covers the cost of replacement or not
Labor Costs
The labor cost is typically charged hourly and ranges all across the country and may even vary at different shops in the same city. According to AAA, auto body repair shops included in its Approved Auto Repair network labor rates range between $48 and $215 an hour.
Shops use several factors when determining these rates:
- Technicians’ certifications and skill level
- Car model, year, and make (luxury vehicles and modern cars cost more to repair)
- Whether the repair shop is independent or connected to a car dealership
- The business or facility overhead costs
Using Insurance vs. Paying Out of Pocket
Usually, you contact your insurance provider when there is damage to your vehicle. However, it may be more practical to pay for repairs out of pocket in some instances.
You’ll need to figure out the following:
What is Your Deductible?
Repair costs may be less than your car insurance deductible if the damages to your bumper are minor. Consequently, it may be more cost-effective to pay for the repairs yourself. This helps you avoid filing an insurance claim that could end up raising your insurance rates.
Are You At Fault?
Did you cause the accident that damaged your bumper? If you are the at-fault driver, check your insurance coverage to determine your choices. Your collision coverage pays for the damage to your car and the other driver’s car. However, paying for the repairs may fall on you if you don’t carry collision coverage.
Contact the other driver’s insurance carrier if you are not at fault. You can claim the costs to repair or replace your bumper. You can also coordinate this through your insurance provider.
The Final Cost
Ultimately, the cost depends on several elements, including whether you require a bumper replacement or a repair, the extent of the damage, the type of parts used, the labor cost charged by the body shop or technician, and the year, make, and model of your vehicle.
At Colors on Parade, one of our experienced auto repair technicians will assess the damage to your car and determine whether a repair or replacement is the best option. If it can be repaired, we will use our specialized tools to remedy any damages like cracks, dents, holes, or scratches for a bumper repair. We’re also careful to employ an exact color match when painting over the bumper damage, if necessary. Before returning your vehicle to you, we will thoroughly inspect it to ensure it is back to its pre-damage condition.
Do I Have to Leave My Car Overnight for Repairs?
When you obtain the help of Colors on Parade, you eliminate the need to drop your car off at an auto body shop and leave it overnight (or even days at a time). Our mobile auto body repair technicians will come directly to your location, whether you’re at home or work, and have your car fixed and back in pristine condition within a few hours time.
Bumper Repair Near Me
Replacing a damaged bumper isn’t always necessary. In cases of minor to medium-sized bumper damage, you can keep your old bumper and restore it to its original condition so it looks as good as new. Colors on Parade is proud to provide wallet-friendly bumper repair services to our valued customers. In addition to bumper repairs, our skilled technicians perform dent and scratch removal services for car hoods, doors, and fenders, as well as headlight restoration and alloy wheel repair. We can even use our mobile equipment to spruce up any imperfections in your car’s paint job.
The mobile technicians at Colors on Parade are prepared to fix all sorts of scratches, dings, and dents with the least environmental impact possible. The best part? We come to you and complete these quality repairs at a much lower cost than a traditional automotive shop. That means you save time and money while we restore your vehicle to a like-new condition.
Call Colors on Parade today for a free estimate at 1.800.7.COLORS.