So your bumper’s dented, or damaged. Whatever the case may be, you need to have it fixed. Whether you do it yourself or you ask a professional to handle the fixing, repairing your damaged or dented bumper would entail costs.
Now, you may certainly be wondering how much the cost of bumper repair is. It varies. It varies in a sense that when repairing bumpers, you would need to consider a lot of factors that influence your total cost. It could be the extent of the damage or it could also be the make and model of your car; one thing is for sure, bumper repair rates differ depending on each and every situation.
Average Cost of Bumper Repair
The price ranges from as low as $65 for minor dents to as much as $5,000 for major damages. While rare, there would be damages that could cost you for up to $9,000.
A minor dent may be fixed without getting the help of a repair shop; but if you choose to, companies like Dent Guys in Las Vegas has a paintless dent repair starting at $65. Another company, SDR Certified Collision Center, priced their dent repair at $199.
There are also other companies that would quote you depending on the size of the dent. Normally, a 1-inch dent would cost you $25, with prices increasing another $25 for every succeeding half of an inch. If you choose to do it yourself, you can get a hairdryer which would cost you $20. You can also use a heat gun with costs ranging from $19 to $37.
Once in a while, sandpaper is needed prior the painting job, which could cost you about $7; giving you a total of about $46 for a DIY bumper repair. Numerous websites detail steps on how to fix the dents yourself.
Other shops, depending on the extent of the damage, would charge you about $125 to $450 for bumper repairs. AutoColor Inc. in Wisconsin has bumper repair rates ranging from $90 to $450. The Dent Doc in San Diego, on the other hand, has prices starting at $125 for a bumper repair. They also offer senior and military discounts to their customers.
Replacing bumpers would be more costly than repairing them as it requires complex processes involving car systems that could make it difficult to repair. Add to that would be the labor cost in doing the painting job which would vary depending on the number of hours worked in fixing your vehicle.
On the average, replacing could cost you around $900 and could even exceed $1,000 dollars. Depending on the many factors mentioned above, the costs could be more than that.
What is Included?
Repairing minor dents includes heating the damaged area until it becomes pliable. The dent is then popped out from behind until it retains its original look. At times, when the paint is scratched, painting jobs may be added to the process, which could make the repairing much longer and costly.
Replacing a bumper only needs the old and damaged one to be removed. The existing car systems should be taken out of the old, and installed into the new bumper before it is put attached to the car.
Additional Costs
Sometimes, the damage may include more than just the bumper. Some internal systems may also be destroyed as well.
Deep paint damages can be as cheap as $50 to as expensive as $1,500 depending on the extent of the paint scratch. T&S Body Works in Tempe, Arizona published their cost at $800 to $1,500.
Headlights and/or taillights may also be damaged together with the bumper. A headlight/taillight repair could cost you about $78 to $106.
Cameras, warning sensors, airbag sensors, and decorative lights may also be damaged due to a collision. In total, these additional costs can easily exceed $1,000.
Shopping for Bumper Repair
Replacing or repairing bumpers can be done at auto shops near you. Service King Collision Repair Centers have 330 locations in 24 states. They also have a store locator on their website where you just need to key in your zip code. You are then shown repair centers in your area.
Your local body shops can also provide you with parts that you may need for the repair(s). Most of the time, the cost of these parts are already included in the total price that you have been quoted but still, better ask the owner first just so it is clear.
Factors Affecting Cost of Bumper Repair
One of those factors is the extent of the damage done to your bumper. As discussed previously, a small dent can cost you about $50 to $450 depending on how damaged it is. The initial assessment done by the technician would determine that.
The size of the bumper also has a say in your total cost of repairs. SDR Collision Center, for example, is a service center located in Maryland that charges $199.99 for a small one, with the price increasing to $229.99 for large panels.
Your costs are also influenced by car systems that may be damaged together with the bumper. The repair or replacement of headlights, taillights, cameras, and the likes can easily reach or exceed $1,000 when damaged.
The make and model of your vehicle have great impacts on the quotes you’d get. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) listed repair costs based on low-speed crash tests. Ford Focus has the lowest repair cost at $3,031 for all front and rear damages. And for the same amount of damage, repairing Volkswagen Rabbit is the most expensive, pegged at $9,511.
As you already know, some bumper repairs involve the removal of car systems which could take about three or so hours. Labor charges can also play a role in your total charges. Expect labor fees for both repair and painting jobs to be at $75 to $100 per hour.
Insurance companies also cover bumper works; only that your provider will not be paying for anything until you were able to reach the cost of your deductibles. If your repair costs $450 and your deductible is $500, you would need to pay for the amount yourself.
Some companies offer coupons and discounts. One example is Bumper Medic, a service center with locations in Las Vegas and Henderson in Nevada. The company offers a $25-discount to customers who submit an online estimate via their website.