Serious paint damage (pics included)... how to fix it?

Z

zimmerDN

New member
If you've read my other post about my bumper vs the garage door, then you know what I am talking about. I am not pissed off anymore but still upset.



Anyway here are a few shots of the bumper... it wasn't taken with my camera because I don't have a digicam and I don't know how to use one so these are not the best quality pics, bear with me please. :shock:







In this pic you can see the severity of the damge caused by the hex bolt on the garage door (top center) and the paint that was taken off because of it. It's so deep that you can see the bare plastics (the black spot above the circle indent).

1.jpg








In the bottom right corner of this pic you can see the deep scorch marks caused by the metal of the garage door dragging across the surface of the bumper.

4.jpg








Again, notice how deep the marks are... you can see the black plastic (bottom left and right of the pic)

3.jpg






Different angle of the same thing...

5.jpg






What are the proper steps to fix this??? Grit of sand paper... touch up paint... clear coat???
 
^^^ what he said.



The areas where the damage is will need to be sanded down so they "feather" with the surrounding paint afterwards they may have to be "filled or Glazed" to make them flush with the existing paint then reprime the repaired areas and sand some more.



Then whole panel will need to be sanded down (can't shoot new clear coat over the old unless it's been prepared)



Re-apply factory paint to the damaged areas while trying to "blend" it in with the old paint and then re-apply the clear coat to the entire panel.





If you had all the tools/supplies and a garage to do it in you probaly could do it yourself but if you had to purchase everything from scratch you would be in the neighborhood of what a professional shop would charge.
 
The image hosting site banned access to the pics for the rest of the day because it exceeded limit already. I have to find a better hosting site or wait until monday to contact my ISP about personal webspace.



Anyway, I don't have any tools and I've never done anything like that before. Sending it to a professional will costs hundreds wouldn't it (according to the amount of work involves as listed above). Would I be better off just buying a used bumper from a junkyard? This car is only a year old and if they attempt to repaint the entire bumper wouldn't it look different to the rest of the car???
 
Try using photobucket.com. That seems to be a popular hosting site I've seen people use here.
 
zimmerDN said:
The image hosting site banned access to the pics for the rest of the day because it exceeded limit already. I have to find a better hosting site or wait until monday to contact my ISP about personal webspace.
Click to expand...



Ah, okay. I was going to say that removing red Xs usually requires wetsanding and repainting. :lol
 
zimmerDN said:
Anyway, I don't have any tools and I've never done anything like that before. Sending it to a professional will costs hundreds wouldn't it (according to the amount of work involves as listed above). Would I be better off just buying a used bumper from a junkyard? This car is only a year old and if they attempt to repaint the entire bumper wouldn't it look different to the rest of the car???
Click to expand...



Even if you brought a used bumper from the bone yard what are the odds of you getting one the exact same color your car is? Most of the time when getting parts replaced it requires painting to match anyway and maybe some other work depending on the condition of the part you just got.



Since the car is only a year old Y don't you stop by the Body Shop at the dealership and get an estimate, then get another one or two from another reputable body shop. Yes it will be in the hundreds but I don't think thousands



If you had the tools and experience, I would say to take the bumper off, sand and fill then take it to a body shop and have them repaint it. But most body shops won't paint parts or entire cars they don't prep.



You have three choices.



1) live with it

2) try and repair it yourself (even if you don't achive the best possible results)

3) pay someone to do it.





On a side note, my neighbor had something similar happen to his new G35X. He called his insurance company and it was covered under comprehensive (minus the deductable) but he ended up paying for the work out of his own pocket.



Try posting a new thread over at http://autobodystore.com it's a forum run by people who do body work/paint cars for a living. Maybe someone there can give you better advice or an estimate on the work.
 
Links are fixed...



The advantage of replacing the entire bumper is there are 2 other spots on the bumper that's been damage from before but they are damages I can live with. I don't really feel like taking the bumper off because I know how difficult it is with all the clips and plastics holding on to it. Although I do have the dealers' manual to show me where these clips are exactly.



Is it really that hard to fix this myself... I thought all I need is sandpaper and touch up paint...
 
That happened to my moms car. I just asked around for somebody that can do body work. I got a number and he fixed it pratically for nothing. I detailed his car and she got it fixed for free. Her's was the same size scrapes and a major one in the middle.

Ask around or get an estimate from at least 3 places.
 
zimmerDN said:
Is it really that hard to fix this myself... I thought all I need is sandpaper and touch up paint...
Click to expand...



You can certainly try to fix it yourself, worse case senario is that after all your effort and expenditures your..



a) unhappy with the results

b) cause things to look/get worse than they already are.



Aside from totalling a car, there is nothing mechanical or cosmetic that can't be repaired, at a cost mind you.



I would look at a rattle can of touch-up paint if your going to try it.



Stop by the local book store and get a book on auto body repair (can't cost more than 10 or 15 dollars) to get a complete idea on how to go about it.
 
My concern is... is it going to look very different from the rest of the bumper after it's been repaired??? Even if factory touch up paint was used.
 
Touch-up paint from the dealership is not the same paint that went on the car at the factory. It matches in color yes, but you could not put that type of paint in pen or small bottle. You also cannot apply factory paint without air.



This is why even getting a tiny hairline scratch to look like nothing happened is daunting. How different it will look when it's done will depend largely on your skills.
 
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