The Cost of Bumper Repair

A minor accident can cause damage to your car’s bumper. But it can be even worse during a serious collision. To get it back in shape, you have to look for a reliable auto body shop with enough knowledge about your car’s model. The stress of the accident is already enough for you to handle. The last thing you’d want to happen is to have issues with the repair shop.

It’s important to have the bumper repaired as soon as the damage arises. Waiting for it to be on the verge of falling off isn’t wise or economical. The condition of your bumper will affect the safety of your driving so it’s better to keep it in tip-top shape.

Bumper repair may seem like an easy task, but what happens in the auto body shape isn’t just simple hammering and painting. Some aspects of the damage may prolong the fix and increase the cost. Here are some of the factors involved in the repair process:

Parts

Regardless if the damage is minor or major, there will be parts that need replacing. This is unique for every car model. And if the shop doesn’t have anything in stock, they will have to order it from a supplier first. This may take a day or two depending on the rarity of your vehicle.

The parts replacement may also become expensive if you have a rear bumper camera that needs fixing. This part is expensive and installing it would require additional manpower. Overall, the bumper repair may cost more than a few hundred dollars.

Paint job

Once the bumper is in shape, the next task is to find the right paint color to match your vehicle. Depending on the type of paint used on the body, repainting a bumper can be very expensive. Opting for cheaper alternatives will likely give your car mismatching paint spots that don’t look good.

Before painting, cracks and dings will have to be repaired first. This is another costly step that includes sanding and more prep work.

Labor

Setting aside the cost of the material, another thing you have to factor in is the cost of labor time. Large jobs will require longer to fix and will therefore cost more.

Many technicians are involved in the process since auto body shops will have people assigned for a specific task. There would be separate people for painting, repairing, and installing the new parts. If the electrical parts of your vehicle have to be checked as well, expect more hours of work to be charged.

Damage

Most bumper repair fees will depend on the extent of the damage. The smaller it is, the lower the cost should be. A total replacement will be very expensive compared to just shaping up a crumpled bumper in addition to repainting and fixing tiny holes.

The auto body shop should give you a quote before starting the repairs. This is so you can file for an insurance claim to cushion the financial blow.