mgcook

My car was bought in Virginia, and by law they are required to run a front tag...well here in NC we aren't so the day I bought it, I took off the front tag and there is a big dent in the front bumper. The dent is about golfball size and penetrates at least 2cm.

Is there anyway I could get this fixed, I'd rather not spend $400 on a new OEM bumper + paint costs.

Pic: (sorry for the fisheye effect, my GoPro is the only camera I had laying around)

suzuka-blue-s2k

Wtf, that's crazy how it bent in like that. All you can pretty much try is to remove the front bumper and see if you can pop it out or something from the back side. If not then it will either need fiberglassed/smoothed/re-painted, or buy a new front bumper and get it painted.

mgcook

Yeah, I was thinking maybe taking a heatgun to the backside and seeing if I couldn't massage it out. I was planning on a respray and picking up an OEM lip, I didn't want the hideous dent to go along with it though.

JulieU

I wonder if that would be a candidate for paintless dent repair (PDR). Might not hurt to ask. Kinda doubtful though since it's not a metal body panel.

suzuka-blue-s2k

That's what I would try first. Just do like you said and take a heatgut to it for a bit and see if you can work it out. If not then post back so we know if it worked or not.

If you're planning on re-spraying the bumper anyways, you could always have the shop take it out, and while your at it they could shave the bumper plug holes so it will be all smooth. I live in Kansas where we don't need front tags so when I got my ap2 front they shaved the holes so it's all smooth. Looks great!

mgcook

I was planning on shaving them too. I will try the heatgun and see how it does. I might just let my paint and body guy look at it and see what he says.

RattleHead

Do OEM front bumper come with pre drilled license plate and emblem holes?

suzuka-blue-s2k

Yes

irmos2k

start with a heatgun making tiny circles around the dent starting from the outside and moving your way in slowly, once it is heated up enough, can flex but not melting push the dent out, then splash it with cold water, in the autobody business it's called shocking the plastic, it may not get the whole thing out, however it sometimes does. so that would be your best bet before you do any bodywork, just for some help. I am certified by I-car in autobody repair through my school. so i do most of my own repairs, plus have done alot of body work on other class mates cars and teachers cars. just for some help.

james0933

^Coolio! I'm I-car platinum myself and work as an estimator. I have a couple of ase certificates, but those I car classes is what got me into collision biz.

Yea, the heat gun would definitely take care of that bump. Be careful though as you could easily warp the plastic, or melt it.

That and a respray would have that bumper looking brand new.