Do I Need Experience to Replace My Car Bumper?
If you’ve been in an accident or have noticed significant wear and tear on your car’s bumper, it might be time for a replacement. When this happens, you might be wondering if you can perform a bumper fix on your own. It is definitely possible, but after reading this article you’ll have a better understanding of when you should do it yourself and when you should call a professional.
Types of Damage a Bumper Can Sustain
Even in a light collision, your bumpers can sustain damage that may require replacement. While the materials inside the bumper may prevent serious damage from occurring, that doesn’t mean there will be no damage. Even a glancing blow could scrape the paint, crack the plastic, or leave behind paint from the other car. A more severe impact could cause the bumper to split open, dent, or crumple inward. Some impacts can also damage the hooks that attach your bumper to your car. This could cause one end of the bumper to sag or even drag along the ground. If both bumper hooks break, the entire bumper may fall off.
Why You Should Replace a Broken Bumper
A bumper that has damage will not be able to protect your vehicle as it normally would. However, the next impact your bumper takes could do serious harm to the critical components of your car that it typically protects. You may end up repairing or replacing even more expensive parts of your car like the exhaust system, hood, or grille.
Even loose bumpers pose their own potential hazards. A bumper that is still partially connected to the car could become completely detached due to the vibrations from continued driving. If your bumper were to come off while you were driving, it could collide with another vehicle. It could also get underneath your car’s wheels, causing you to lose control of the car.
Some bumpers can be fixed with a simple repair rather than a complete replacement. For example, a bumper that has scratches or other surface damage may only need a repair. However, sometimes your bumper will require extensive work, leaving you no choice but to replace the bumper altogether. Some situations that might warrant this include if the metal support beam or hooks have sustained significant damage or it contains damaged lighting or parking assist.
How to Fix a Bumper With Surface Damage
When it comes to cosmetic issues, you might have success with a DIY bumper fix. For example, you could likely fix the paint if it is scratched or has a small puncture. In this case, you should start by finding the right color paint for your car. Often, the factory paint code can be found either under the hood or inside the driver’s door.
Before you begin touching up the paint, you should clean and sandpaper the damaged area. Doing so should make a clean surface for you to work around. Then, add just a little bit of touch up paint with a fine-tip paintbrush. You will have to go over the damaged area several times, using just a tiny amount of paint each time. Wait until the paint dries before determining if you need another coat.
When you have completed your coats of paint, you need to seal it with a clear coat of paint. Make sure you use a clean paintbrush for this step and go over the painted area lightly. Wait at least 48 hours for the paint to completely harden and dry. Finally, you can go over the painted area with a car polish to give it a glossy shine.
How to Fix a Broken Bumper
However, if you have sustained damage to the inner structure of your bumper, you should get it replaced by a professional. If your bumper doesn’t have the full capacity for energy absorption, you put yourself and your car at risk of much greater damage or injury the next time you get in a collision. In addition, if you aren’t sure whether you need to fix your broken bumper or replacing it will be better, don’t hesitate to get a professional opinion. Taking your car to a professional body shop can help you determine what the best course of action is. Most of the time, a replacement bumper does not have to cost you too much money.
Some car owners may be tempted to DIY their bumper fix by themselves. We understand the appeal of saving a few dollars here and there. While it is certainly possible to fix a broken bumper on your own, you probably shouldn’t if you’ve never done anything like it before. There are many reasons why, but here are a few of them.
It Requires a Lot of Tools
If you try to Google a DIY bumper fix, you’ll likely come across many tools that the average person doesn’t have on hand. And if you end up going out to get them, they are probably something that you will never use again. As you tackle just the first few steps of your bumper fix, you could be spending close to $100 - and with no idea what to do with them!
Need For an Exact Paint Match
The vast majority of shoddy paint jobs you see are the result of someone attempting to fix a broken bumper themselves. Even with your best attempt to find a paint color that matches your vehicle, there’s a very good chance that it won’t match at all. One main reason is because paint fades over time. Depending on how long you’ve been driving your car, it will have different levels of fading. Only a professional can give it enough attention to blend the paint color seamlessly.
Bumper Fixes at FitParts
Replacing a bumper doesn’t need to cost you an arm and a leg. If you are thinking of doing a DIY bumper replacement, FitParts is the first place you should look. Start by addressing the severity of the damage to the bumper. Can it be repaired or does it need to be completely replaced?
As you’re looking for the right bumper to fit your vehicle, FitParts has all the options you need. We have tons of high-quality options at reasonable prices to help you get back on the road quickly.