Getting back bumper sprayed?

JHMEG

I badly scuffed the back bumper on herself's car and an considering getting it sprayed.

I can get a replacement bumper, already painted from the maufacturer, for €360.

What I'd like to know has anyone gotten a (metallic paint) bumper sprayed and been 110% happy with the paint match and the cost... and if so who did it and how much did it cost?

TIA.

unkel

JHMEG wrote: »

I can get a replacement bumper, already painted from the maufacturer, for €360.

That's a good deal. If the car is otherwise perfect, I'd go for that.

R.O.R

unkel wrote: »

That's a good deal. If the car is otherwise perfect, I'd go for that.

That might not match the colour though if it comes pre-sprayed. Depends how old the car is and how faded the rest of the paintwork is.

Bills I see for paintwork, the largest part is labour for blending in the new paint with the old paint.

Owen

If your own car isn't too old, I'd go with the new bumper. Unless you're very pedantic about the difference in paint colours. I've got 170000 paint swatches here from different manufacturers, so for example Volkswagen have 3 different reflex silvers all with the same paint code, but you'd want to be right up next to them to see the difference in the size of the metallic flakes/grain, and the slight difference in colour.

What colour is your car, and how old is it?

JHMEG

The car is 6 years old, wine metallic. Paintwork is in excellent condition, and the new scuff is the only mark on it.

I would expect a new bumper to be *slightly* different, but as there's a panel gap between it and the existing paint I don't think it'd be noticeable.

If I could get the bumper sprayed as good as a replacement from the factory, I'd go with it, assuming it's no more than €360. Ideally less tho.

Anyone had a bumper sprayed? How much did it cost? How was the result?

voxpop

I got a back bumper sprayed before - the paint (silver) matches exactly as far as my eye is concerned and I think it was around the 200 mark. Only problem, which I only notices about 3 months after getting the job done - so couldnt really take it back, was a slight run - like a bead - of lacquer. So my advice would be to check the work thoroughly in decent light before paying.

Anan1

JHMEG wrote: »

I can get a replacement bumper, already painted from the maufacturer, for €360.

Are you absolutely sure the bumper will be painted in the correct colour and not just in primer?

voxpop

Im the same as yourself with regards to having it look right. A friend knew a backyard crash-repair guy who said he could respray and blend the scratched part of the bumper for less than 100 but I knew that if it didnt match 100%, it would annoy me and Id end up getting the whole bumper resprayed - so just whet and got that done.

Another option I toyed with was getting a bumper from a breakers yard, there are some good examples out there where say the front of the car is mashed but the back is perfect.


Also as Anan1 points out - usually the panel comes with just the primer rather than painted to match the car

Captain Slow IRL

Anan1 wrote: »

Are you absolutely sure the bumper will be painted in the correct colour and not just in primer?

If it's a Honda, the bumpers come painted.

JHMEG

Yeah, it's a Honda, so it's fully painted from the factory. Part num 71501-SAA-E00ZK, which matches paint code R518P.

I got one before, about 6 or 7 years ago, for my own car at the time. 185 quid back then. The car was 5 years old and with a good polish it was hard to tell bumper and boot apart.

voxpop, where did you get it done in the end?

Owen

My paint software only lists one shade of R518P Radiant Ruby Metallic, so other than perhaps your cars paint ageing a little, a polish should blend the two quite nicely.

Heroditas

JHMEG wrote: »

Anyone had a bumper sprayed? How much did it cost? How was the result?

I took a chunk out of my bumper recently and the guy came to the house, filled in the chunk, sanded it down and sprayed a portion of the bumper all-in for €140.

If you just need it sprayed, he might very well do it for about the same price.
I can PM you more details of you want.

Also, Car Craft will do a full bumper (according to their website) for €250 + VAT

jameson4me

im a panel beater/sprayer and that 200 price is about bang on.. if the cars paint has faided then usually we would "blow in" the quater panels to match the paint perfect. so we would paint it, de nib any runs or dirt in the finish coat, buff and the polish it.... hey presto looks like new

JHMEG

Thanks for the helpful replies lads. Could anyone explain why I see paint flaking off so many resprayed bumpers? It's something that concerns me. Don't want to have the paint flaking off in 6 months if I do get it sprayed.

rebel.ranter

Had my sapphire black metallic rear bumper painted & I cannot tell the difference in colour. I am very fussy when it comes to paint. I eveb do all the stripping of trim myself just in case. Car is a 2002

However I also got the two passenger doors painted some time later & they look a little milky on a really sunny day so not happy about that.

I also had the front & rear bumper of my Hellrot (red) car painted, the rear bumper looks spot on but the front looked a bit too red when I first got it done. It looks a little better now.

I hate getting a car painted as I think it is always noticeable no matter how good the gun wielder.

Owen

Paint flakes off if there's no primer. Some idiot painted the bumper on my mother's 00 Polo 2 years ago before I got into this business, and painted straight onto the plastic. First time I power washed it six months ago, off it came.

Also, because a lot of paints are waterbased now - if not all - the water has to be completely dried out before lacquering. If it's still wet underneath, it's possible to powerwash off portions of the clear coat & paint as a result.

TomMc

If the bumper is beyond a Smart repair, and you can get a new one ready painted and all for 360, why pay 250 or so for a repair job. If filler is used (then repainted), the likelihood is that this area would damage (or crack) more easily (less flex) if you get a minor tip in future. You also run the risk that the finish will not be done to as good a standard as a factory job. Or where the new paint may possibly start peeling off if powerwashed. Cheaper repair jobs usually means corners get cut and so new paint doesn't bond as well as the original factory one. Also more prone to stonechips.

As an aside, it is quite normal for the same colour to look a slightly different shade on colourcoded plastics as on metal bodypanels, even from the factory.

Owen

TomMc wrote: »

As an aside, it is quite normal for the same colour to look a slightly different shade on colourcoded plastics as on metal bodypanels, even from the factory.

Golf GTi is a perfect example of that. Front bumper and wing from the factory always look slightly different.

JHMEG

ned, you're in the south, Cork, somewhere iirc?

@TomMc. Preference would be for as close to original as possible, within reason. If I can get a 99.9% match for €360, or a 99% match for €200, I'll forego the 0.9%. Fortunately the bumper is just badly scuffed. I don't think any filler will be needed.

The other reason for considering painting is that there is some delay in getting a new bumper. Possibly 6 to 10 weeks.

Owen

Yup, right in the City JH.

TomMc

As has been alluded to, it is not just about the colour match but also the quality of the repair. I cannot see someone putting primer, basecoat colour and clearcoat on an entire bumper for 200 quid. Unless it is within the realm of a smart (local) repair in which case you often tend to see where clearcoat is blown in, when viewed from a certain angle. Only really noticeable to the trained eye though than the average person. Cheaper back street merchants are not ideal for this type of work. An OEM panel is oven baked at higher temperatures and in a more ambient environment.

jameson4me

can be done for 200 depending on severity of damage.. all our work is quarenteed. any problem come straight back

JHMEG

PaintDoctor wrote: »

Golf GTi is a perfect example of that. Front bumper and wing from the factory always look slightly different.

I have noticed that, but always put it down to lower standards at VW.

maidhc

JHMEG wrote: »

I have noticed that, but always put it down to lower standards at VW.

Most A4s and MkII Ford Foci suffered from the same ailment