Bumpers protect your engine from sustaining damage in accidents. Many bumpers also crumple on impact to keep the driver safe. Every vehicle has a front and rear bumper and when you get into an accident the bumper is the first part of the vehicle that makes contact. Whether it’s a fender bender or a serious collision, it’s important to assess the damage to your bumper and come up with a plan for repair or replacement.
Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done. You may not know what to look for or want to maximize the amount of insurance funding you have. Thankfully, 4 Wheel Parts is here to help. We’ll help you assess the damage to your bumper and come up with a plan for repair or replacement.
Accessing Damage On Your Bumper
Accessing damage on your bumper is the first thing you need to do. Only after properly seeing and assessing the damage to your bumper can you come up with a plan for how to handle it. The key things to access include the grill, impact bar, side retainer, absorber, and lower deflector. These are the basic components you’ll find in most bumpers.
Bumper Cover
The bumper cover is part of the bumper that’s visible; it’s the face of your vehicle. Within the bumper cover, you’ll find parts like the headlights, fog lights, license plate mounts, and other components. Assessing damage to bumper covers is simple because you can see the dent, scratch, or damage. Also, keep an eye on the grille. Damaged grilles will result in damage to the radiator in some cases, so check behind the grille.
That said, the bumper may look fine but there may be extensive damage to components like the impact bar, which is tucked away behind the bumper.
Impact Bars and Absorbers
Behind the bumper, you’ll find impact bars and absorbers. These components secure the bumper and absorb shock if you get into an accident. Impact bars, absorbers, and deflectors minimize injury and reduce damage to a vehicle’s engine. To assess these components, you have to remove the bumper cover and look for dents, bending, and other types of damage.
Accessing Components Inside and Behind the Bumper
Bumpers protect important components behind them like sensors. These components may also get damaged if you get into an accident. Plus, many of these components aren’t all that durable. You’ll want to check the following components when you sustain damage to the front or rear bumper:
- Lights: Headlights, fog lights, license plate lights, turn signals
- Sensors: collision warnings, sensors for weather, parking sensors, cameras, backup sensors, airbag sensors
- Cosmetics: Aftermarket or factory cosmetic enhancements like fender flares, lips, bumper bars (reinforcement), off-road lights
When you have a damaged bumper, always be sure to check these components too. Damage may not be obvious, so you’ll want to look behind or under the bumper.
Cost of Replacing or Repairing Your Front Bumper
When your front bumper is damaged, you have two choices. You can either replace the bumper or repair the bumper, and the best option depends on your situation. A front bumper that only has a few scratches or dents can be fixed by most body shops. On the other hand, a front bumper that’s dangling off your vehicle likely needs to be replaced. Typically, it costs more to replace the bumper than it does to fix it
How Much it Costs to Replace Your Front Bumper
Replacing your front bumper costs between $500 and $2,000. The cost comes down to the cost of the bumper, labor for installing the bumper, and the price of the paint.
On average, the cost for each repair is as follows:
- Labor: $45 to $200/hour
- Bumper: $100 to $1,000
- Painting the bumper: $200 to $600
It’s important to note that these figures are for the average price of replacement. Luxury vehicles, light trucks, and SUVs have more expensive bumpers to replace. Plus, lights, grilles, and other accessories on luxury vehicles further increase the price.
How Much it Costs to Repair Your Front Bumper
Front bumpers with mild damage don’t cost too much to repair. Most types of repairs for your bumper include dent repair, fixing holes or cracks, and removing scratches. These can be repaired in body shops with special tools.
On average, the cost of repair for these issues is:
- Dent repair: $100 to $700
- Paintless dent repair: $150 to $250
- Cracks, punctures, and holes: $325 to $425
- Scratches: $100 to $600
These figures are based on averages from trusted sources like Car and Buyer and a handful of body shops. Keep in mind that the cost varies based on the extent of the damage. Severe damage may cost upwards of $1,000 for any type of repair. In these cases, it’s worth it to replace the bumper instead.
Cost of Replacing or Repairing Your Rear Bumper
Damage to the rear bumper usually needs to be taken care of quickly because it’s illegal to drive without tail lights or license plate lights. Always assess the damage on your rear bumper before choosing to repair or replace it.
How Much it Costs to Replace Your Rear Bumper
The rear bumper is similar to the front bumper and has many similar components. Therefore, the cost of replacing your rear bumper is similar unless the trunk is damaged – somewhere between $500 and $2,000.
Still, these are just averages. The cost varies depending on the vehicle, the extent of the damage, and if there are any structural problems. For example, damage to your vehicle’s crossmember or mounts may increase the cost by another $1,000 or so.
How Much it Costs to Repair Your Rear Bumper
The rear bumper isn’t too expensive to repair as long as the damage is mild and doesn’t include the trunk. It costs between $300 and $1,000 to repair your rear bumper for most vehicles but may cost as much as $1,500 if there is damage to the trunk.
Also, check for damage to tail lights, sensors, and cameras. Damage to these components will further increase the cost of repair and may add thousands to your repair bill. If everything is damaged, it’s a better idea to replace the bumper.
Looking for a new stock bumper for your truck or SUV, or are you considering a beefy aftermarket replacement? We’ve got what you need at 4 Wheel Parts. Shop our extensive selection of body parts and bumpers that will get your rig looking like new again.
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