Scraped the lower front edge of bumper cover...

**360glitch** · 11-05-2013, 06:44 PM

I`m heartbroken. After treating the paint of my new Subaru with the best care I know how to give it over the last few weeks since i bought it new, today I scraped the lower front edge of my front bumper cover. I was exiting a parking lot after voting this afternoon. I thought I was being careful, but not careful enough apparently. This type of damage is probably to be expected with a daily driver, but it`s killing me nonetheless.

I`m curious as to if there is anything that can be done about it to make it look right again, short of taking it to a body shop. Here are a couple of pictures:

Front view:

IMG_2724 by 360glitch, on Flickr

Lower view:

IMG_2725 by 360glitch, on Flickr

**Ronkh** · 11-05-2013, 06:51 PM

Originally Posted by 360glitch

I`m heartbroken. After treating the paint of my new Subaru with the best care I know how to give it over the last few weeks since i bought it new, today I scraped the lower front edge of my front bumper cover. I was exiting a parking lot after voting this afternoon. I thought I was being careful, but not careful enough apparently. This type of damage is probably to be expected with a daily driver, but it`s killing me nonetheless.

I`m curious as to if there is anything that can be done about it to make it look right again, short of taking it to a body shop. Here are a couple of pictures:

Honestly, I`d say live with it. It`s gonna happen again

**360glitch** · 11-05-2013, 06:53 PM

Originally Posted by Ronkh

Honestly, I`d say live with it. It`s gonna happen again

Yeah... My plan is to repair it (if I can find a good but not ridiculously expensive way to do it) and then throw a cheap ($65) black lip under it and allow the lip to take future hits. If the lips tears up, replace it.

**Ronkh** · 11-05-2013, 06:56 PM

Originally Posted by 360glitch

Yeah... My plan is to repair it (if I can find a good but not ridiculously expensive way to do it) and then throw a cheap ($65) black lip under it and allow the lip to take future hits. If the lips tears up, replace it.

Don`t know where you are, but I can 99% guarantee till happen again. So you may as well wait it out for a while. Then decide if ya wanna keep throwing 1k every few months at it

**Ronkh** · 11-05-2013, 06:57 PM

lip won`t take the hit, the car will. it`s a low clearance car, so it`s gonna happen, or don`t drive it

**Addicted2Bling** · 11-05-2013, 07:51 PM

Originally Posted by 360glitch

Yeah... My plan is to repair it (if I can find a good but not ridiculously expensive way to do it) and then throw a cheap ($65) black lip under it and allow the lip to take future hits. If the lips tears up, replace it.

That`s a good idea. It`s either that, get air bags, or raise your car which I`m sure you do not want to do. My s-10 is lowered and i`m constantly having to plan my way and take long ways to avoid steep inclines and speed bumps. Last week I had to drive on someone`s lawn to avoid going over a speed bump!

**JSFM35X** · 11-05-2013, 08:13 PM

Get a can of black plasti dip. Tape a straight line a d paint it black or close to your color if you can find it.

**512detail** · 11-05-2013, 09:45 PM

dont feel bad..i did this at the track a few months ago and have yet to get it taken care of. good thing i have two vehicles

^ note the completely missing front chin spoiler that is supposed to be attached to the bottom of my front fascia

as far as your situation, im with ron..its gonna happen

hey just put some more wax on the other parts of the car and it will draw people`s attention away, guaranteed

**Paul Mitchell** · 11-05-2013, 10:51 PM

I`m wondering how a truck bed spray-on liner like Line-X or Rhino would hold up?

**JSFM35X** · 11-06-2013, 08:00 AM

Been there done that. If you had a momentary lapse in judgement fix it. If you car is a super low ride and you see this will happen again, don`t invest.

I dinged my new car getting used to the super low front air dam. I lived with it until I got the hang of the new angles of approach and the slow sppewd needed to not compress the suspension on impact. Now that I am used to it, I fixed it and so far so good.

Don`t beat yourself up too much, $*&$ happens, be happy. You will live longer.

**GearHead_1** · 11-06-2013, 09:43 AM

I had a 70 Mach 1 that wasn`t sitting particularly low but it had some large tube Hooker headers and a deep sump Milodon pan on it. I was as careful as one could be around speed bumps but these pieces would still touch on occasion. Even in the day the headers were a small fortune. They were still replaced a couple of times. I welded a 1/4" plate of steel to the pan and painted it black, touched it up as needed. It fixed that problem. It also had a front tongue spoiler on it that touched regularly. It was flexible and fairly cheap to replace. I relate this simply to say that I understand that we want what we want and even though we know it might be a problem still want it this way. I know where you are coming from.

Originally Posted by Paul Mitchell

I`m wondering how a truck bed spray-on liner like Line-X or Rhino would hold up?

This sounds like a suggestion I would consider. I think Ron`s right, it will likely happen again. The bed liner could be touched up as needed and would look purposeful. I think both Rhino and LineX offer tints for their products. You could draw a tape line up a couple of inches and it would look you`re predicting the future.

Then there`s the other option, we could leave them in the garage. What fun would that be?

Good Luck!

**Beemerboy** · 11-06-2013, 11:08 AM

I`ve recommended this company for detail customers for repairs like yours. It`s a franchised company so you MIGHT have a local person. Worth a call if so to see what they can do, one thing that you have going for you, it`s very low on the car and out of the direct line of site (except yours of course)

COLORS ON PARADE ? Auto Dent Repair, Scratch Repair, Paintless Dent Repair

**360glitch** · 11-06-2013, 07:59 PM

Thanks for the replies everyone. I appreciate the input. Beemerboy, I checked and did not find a local franchise.

I did speak to a local guy that was referred by a trustworthy source and he said it will likely cost about $250 to do it right and he`ll need the car (or just the bumper cover) for a few days. I`ve not yet decided yay or nay on that one yet.

**Swanicyouth** · 11-06-2013, 08:21 PM

I can tell you for a fact it won`t be right for $250.

**ceeeheee** · 11-10-2013, 01:40 PM

I run into this all the time working at a UCD. The saab 93 aero is notorious for this problem due to its low front skirt. Its really how much you wasnt to spend to be honest.

1) proper way is to take it to a body shop for best results.

2) go to your suby dealer and ask if the have an onsite paint medic or equvilent. They dont produce the `best` work being they are mobile. The guy I call in is actually really good and has surprised me on nemerous occasions. This being most likly half of what a body shop would run you.

3) cheepest way and not really recomended but juat grab some dupicolor paint should match up fairly good.. Grab a sander make her flush, prime then some paint. Depending on how much time and effort you want to put into it you might suprise yourself on the results.