Plastic Bumper Repair?

TyeRant

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2004
Location
Campbellford, Ontario
TDI
Jetta Wagon, 2003, Silver
UG!

While reversing the wife's Honda Element SC, I was distracted, misjudged distances and bumped (under 2km/h) another car. The other car had no damage but the rear plastic bumper of our Element kind of shattered (due to the cold???)

Any suggestions on where to go to get it fixed? Will it be expensive?

Boy do I feel dumb!
 

eric_x

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Minnesota
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'96 TDI Passat Wagon


In all seriousness, though, I have heard of plastic fill/adhesives that can be sanded down and repainted (3M has several). Depending on the extent of the damage, you may want to get a new bumper (check local junkyards?), cracks are far more troublesome than scratches because the bumper's structure has been weakened. Any body shop should be able to do this if you don't want to do it yourself.
 

TyeRant

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Location
Campbellford, Ontario
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Jetta Wagon, 2003, Silver
Thanks JE and Eric

Unfortunately, I have the SC Model with the one piece bumper.

I punched a hole into the corner and cracked it in a couple of places. I searched Car-Parts for a wrecker that may have one and only came up with one in Portland:(

What would an auto body place charge for something like this?
 

BrianCT

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USA
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TDI
TyeRant said:
Thanks JE and Eric

Unfortunately, I have the SC Model with the one piece bumper.

I punched a hole into the corner and cracked it in a couple of places. I searched Car-Parts for a wrecker that may have one and only came up with one in Portland:(

What would an auto body place charge for something like this?
You can read up on this here. I'd recommend a trip to a local auto paint supplier and ask for advise on products.
 

Marchmen

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Can you post a picture up of the damage?

I have experience working with plastic bumpers and can give you my opinion once I see the damage.
 

Marchmen

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2012 Golf TDI
BrianCT said:
TyeRant's issue is over the size of the hole and fractures in the surface area around the puncture... but you already know how to handle that.
Yep.

But I'd like to see what is TyeRant means by shattered.
 

TyeRant

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Campbellford, Ontario
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Jetta Wagon, 2003, Silver
Thanks guys,

Here is a pic of the damage


I am so shocked at the amount of damage to my bumper! I was barely moving at impact. I couldn't even tell where I touched the other car??? I saw a few spots where the salt was wiped off but it looked like it was from people walking and brushing past??? There was a guy right there when it happened and he didn't think I even touched the car. We looked it up and down and couldn't tell??? The only thing we can think of is that I clipped his tire as it was turned out.

I am going to call the dealer to see if I can get a color matched replacement. If I can't, I guess I will have to go the repair route.

I am so pi$$ed at myself!
 

Marchmen

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Location
Toronto
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The problem I see with the repair route would be that the crack extends right to the end of the bumper, and that the structure of the bumper has been compromised. It could still be repaired, but it would be more difficult than if the crack / whole was contained within the middle of the bumper.

The other issue you will find with the repair route is that the bumper should really be 'at room temperature' before any repair is attempted. The plastic repair products (and the bumper) work best at a warmer temperature.

If you wife doesn't mind driving around without a rear bumper for a week, I would definitely try the self repair route (depending on what it would cost for a new bumper or a professional repair job).

I do have most of the products that I could lend you so it would probably only cost you around $70 for the fix.
 

mo_focus

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stouffville, Ontario, canada
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84 944
no way you can repair that. Buy a new one.

try junk yards. I found a cavalier pumper on Kijiji once and paid 100 for it. Paid 250 for paint. so it was 350 total. Dealer wanted 700 for the repair.
 

mo_focus

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stouffville, Ontario, canada
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84 944
ohh and while you are at it, get the backup sensors. I have them on the freestyle and love it. I would get them for the Jetta, but i bet that would just look gay. Car is too small for the sensors.
 

Marchmen

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mo_focus said:
no way you can repair that.
You'd be surprised what can be repaired, or what can be done with plastic. Ideally, a new bumper would be the way to go, but do not throw the old bumper away. It can be repaired and can be used as a winter bumper. I now have summer and winter bumpers.

Here is a picture of my summer bumper before paint. The bumper did have it's outer structure still in order, but I shaved the rub strips and did cut a big hole in the middle so that I could recess the plastic a little bit so the front plate would sit flush.

 

TyeRant

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Well, at this point, I think my pref option is to get a new OEM bumpercover... I would like to see if I can repair the old one though...In the warmer months, I may take you up on your offer Marchmen. Thanks! Hopefully I won't need a backup though...

I may actually look into a backup sensor system... I drive the Element once in a blue moon but it would be a cool mod to try out. I guess I will have to pass it by the wife though. It is her daily driver. I will call it the stupid husband mod. LOL

I drive a wagon day in day out and can maneuver it in to tight spots with no probs... I guess this doesn't relate to the Element:(
 

Wingnut

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Oct 10, 2002
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Toronto & Whitby
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Silver 2003 Jetta Wagon
I have a friend who works at a Honda dealer. I'll see what kind of a price I can get for just the cover if you want. If you can install it yourself, you can save some $$$ and just pay them for the part & the paint.

If it were me, I would repair the bumper myself, then paint it myself with a flat black or dark grey paint instead of trying to color match. It would be a much cheaper repair and wouldn't look too bad. I have seen lots of models of cars/SUV's with black or grey bumper covers. Then, get the new one painted with matching color in the spring/summer if you don't like the DIY look :D
 

CmdrData

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North of 401, where the snow double/triple up!
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Is the front bumper colour matched? It might be a bit odd if the front is and the back is painted black/grey but of cuz you save $$ for the paint. Often see mis-match colour panel on an old corolla or civic which is kinda ugly, the only cool mis-match colour panel car I ever saw was the MkIII Golf.
 
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TyeRant

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Campbellford, Ontario
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Jetta Wagon, 2003, Silver
Wingnut said:
I have a friend who works at a Honda dealer. I'll see what kind of a price I can get for just the cover if you want. If you can install it yourself, you can save some $$$ and just pay them for the part & the paint.
Thanks Nigel!

I called my local dealer today and they tell me that the cover is painted from the factory as they have different part #s for each paint code. When I get home I will look up the paint code. The descriptions they had on the computer didn't seem to match the "Root Beer Metalic" that I thought it was called???

***UPDATE*** I have been advised on the Element Forum that it will not come painted regardless of what the parts desk said... Bummer!

It looks like a new cover is the way to go...The prices I was quoted ranged from $200 to $250 part only. I asked for a labor quote but they want to see the car first... They did say that it would be a minimum of $100 but could be up to $400.

I was getting really hopefull that I may get off easy on the $$$ Oh well, depending on how much the paint job will cost, It may not be too bad.
 
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irishjetta

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Feb 2, 2024
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Ridgefield CT
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'03 Jetta wagon, 300k miles
Can you post a picture up of the damage?

I have experience working with plastic bumpers and can give you my opinion once I see the damage.
Hi, this is a very old post but I’ve a bit of damage on my mk4 Jetta bumper. Would you mind if I send you a pic to get your advice on how to repair?
 
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