Have it Repaired/Don’t Buy a New One

All damaged bumpers do not have to be replaced!

And I don’t mean for you to do it yourself. Unless you are an auto body mechanic already. But if not, it isn’t as easy as it looks, however it does cost a lot less than having it replaced with the cost of labor and parts and wait time.

With today’s tools and technology, it makes for the repair to be done by experienced professionals to be quicker and much more cost-effective than ever before. Why buy a new one when you don’t need to?

Here’s a quick example:

Depending on your make, model, and the severity of your collision, your cost to replace a front bumper at a body shop can be between $500 to $1500 for basic replacements and up to $5,000 or more for repairs and replacements that require extensive work. Some vehicles, however, may cost more to replace. If any lights, cameras, sensors, or other components are also damaged, those will further increase the car bumper repair costs.

Now I did mention before if you’re not an auto body mechanic or a specialized bumper repair mechanic I wouldn’t suggest wasting your money on all the online advertisements selling the DIY stuff. It takes many hours of training and only the proper experience will give you the results you are seeking.

Here is another example I just came across, you do your own investigating of course, but I’m sure you will see the similarities are close to the costs I am stating right here:

Replacing a typical passenger car bumper can cost $100-$1,000 or more for just the bumper, depending on the year, make and model of vehicle; the material the bumper is made of; and whether the bumper was produced by the vehicle's original manufacturer (OEM) or is an aftermarket bumper made by other companies.

Installing and painting the new bumper can cost $200-$600 or more, bringing average total costs to $300-$1,600 or more.

Bumpers for SUVs, pickup trucks and luxury vehicles can cost more, again depending on materials and source. A leading auto parts house estimates that a basic steel chrome-plated bumper can cost $120-$1,000 or more, while a carbon fiber bumper might be $650-$5,000 or more. On PriusChat, Prius owners report charges of $400-$1,100 to replace a bumper.

Aftermarket car bumpers can be priced as low as $30-$80, but Consumer Reports warns that car parts produced in overseas factories can be of significantly poor quality and maybe a safety risk in a collision.

Replacing a bumper may be covered by auto insurance, depending on how the damage was done and the terms of the policy, but often cost less than the average deductible amount.

Replacing a bumper is fairly straightforward. Typically, the old bumper is removed; all attached components (such as turn signals, fog lights, license plate or bumper trim) are taken off and added to the new bumper; then the new bumper is mounted on the vehicle, with all wires reattached to turn signals, fog lights or other parts. CarplusMD provides how-to instructions, estimating it takes about 2.8 hours and is moderately complex.

Federal regulations require bumpers on passenger cars to be 16"-20" above the road surface, but this height rule does not apply to SUVs, minivans or pickup trucks. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration answers common questions about the federal bumper standard.

State laws also govern bumper height and other possible modifications. AAA lists bumper laws by state.

Additional costs:

More than just the bumper may be damaged; the vehicle should be carefully examined for structural damage. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that in its latest series of tests, a low-speed crash between a small car and a small SUV resulted in damages of $850-$6,000 per vehicle.

Do yourself a big favor, google your local bumper repair shop, and make sure it’s not an auto body and fender shop. Don’t get me wrong, they are a necessity when you have a true fender bender, but with just a bumper scratch, dent, scrape, find yourself a local bumper only repair shop, save money.