A little issue

[AnubisZed]

I'm not aware of any prior paintwork being done to the front bumper, and I've got all the paperwork for the car from purchase. So unless someone surreptitiously removed all references to it, then I think it's original paint from manufacture. It's a 2012 so the wear and tear is probably commensurate with age at this point. But it's the one thing dragging the nice finish of the whole car down.

Incidentally, I was looking at that same bumper on eBay as an alternative to getting mine painted, but it's just as bad if not worse than mine. I'm now trying to fend off my DIY instincts and convince myself that buying a few spray cans of 300 Alpine White from Halfords and patching it up is a terrible idea. I saw a YouTube video of a paintshop guy doing his with rattle cans and it looked really good so a decent finish isn't impossible for £50-60...

I appreciate you don't want it looking bad. So it's probably a good idea to have it repainted properly and then a clear wrap applied to protect it.
My spray painting skills aren't up to much so it'll defo go to a professional for that to be done, once I've prepped it properly first, but like I say I'm in no rush so I can just take my time.

[Silverstar]

Incidentally, I was looking at that same bumper on eBay as an alternative to getting mine painted, but it's just as bad if not worse than mine. I'm now trying to fend off my DIY instincts and convince myself that buying a few spray cans of 300 Alpine White from Halfords and patching it up is a terrible idea. I saw a YouTube video of a paintshop guy doing his with rattle cans and it looked really good so a decent finish isn't impossible for £50-60...

Of course for the best finish you have to take it to the paint shop but for what little it costs why not try it yourself if you have the time? Not much to loose other than a few quid and bit of time and if it doesn't work out you can always take it to the paint shop. Years ago I patched up the bumper on a white Subaru and it came out just as good as if I took it to the paint shop. Buy your paint from a automotive paint supplier correctly mixed to match the car and you can get a one stage paint mixed up, that is base colour and laquer all in one which will be much easier to do. As for spraying techique keep the can around 8" from the bumper and spray from one end of the bumper to the other and do not release the nozzle on the can until you go past the bumper and remember to overlap the paint as you progress up the bumper.

[BeardyJon]

Incidentally, I was looking at that same bumper on eBay as an alternative to getting mine painted, but it's just as bad if not worse than mine. I'm now trying to fend off my DIY instincts and convince myself that buying a few spray cans of 300 Alpine White from Halfords and patching it up is a terrible idea. I saw a YouTube video of a paintshop guy doing his with rattle cans and it looked really good so a decent finish isn't impossible for £50-60...

Of course for the best finish you have to take it to the paint shop but for what little it costs why not try it yourself if you have the time? Not much to loose other than a few quid and bit of time and if it doesn't work out you can always take it to the paint shop. Years ago I patched up the bumper on a white Subaru and it came out just as good as if I took it to the paint shop. Buy your paint from a automotive paint supplier correctly mixed to match the car and you can get a one stage paint mixed up, that is base colour and laquer all in one which will be much easier to do. As for spraying techique keep the can around 8" from the bumper and spray from one end of the bumper to the other and do not release the nozzle on the can until you go past the bumper and remember to overlap the paint as you progress up the bumper.

You're an enabler!

[Silverstar]

Incidentally, I was looking at that same bumper on eBay as an alternative to getting mine painted, but it's just as bad if not worse than mine. I'm now trying to fend off my DIY instincts and convince myself that buying a few spray cans of 300 Alpine White from Halfords and patching it up is a terrible idea. I saw a YouTube video of a paintshop guy doing his with rattle cans and it looked really good so a decent finish isn't impossible for £50-60...

Of course for the best finish you have to take it to the paint shop but for what little it costs why not try it yourself if you have the time? Not much to loose other than a few quid and bit of time and if it doesn't work out you can always take it to the paint shop. Years ago I patched up the bumper on a white Subaru and it came out just as good as if I took it to the paint shop. Buy your paint from a automotive paint supplier correctly mixed to match the car and you can get a one stage paint mixed up, that is base colour and laquer all in one which will be much easier to do. As for spraying techique keep the can around 8" from the bumper and spray from one end of the bumper to the other and do not release the nozzle on the can until you go past the bumper and remember to overlap the paint as you progress up the bumper.

You're an enabler!

Anything to help!

[mkinternet]

AnubisZed - if you need a front bumper in better condition than the ones on this post, drop me a message. I have an SE one sitting in the garage which is taking up space. Don't want much, say £50 if you collect from Bedford (light silver and would need spraying, has a few marks etc)

[AnubisZed]

AnubisZed - if you need a front bumper in better condition than the ones on this post, drop me a message. I have an SE one sitting in the garage which is taking up space. Don't want much, say £50 if you collect from Bedford (light silver and would need spraying, has a few marks etc)

Thank you very much, but that one pictured above is now sat at home as it was delivered this morning

[BeardyJon]

AnubisZed - if you need a front bumper in better condition than the ones on this post, drop me a message. I have an SE one sitting in the garage which is taking up space. Don't want much, say £50 if you collect from Bedford (light silver and would need spraying, has a few marks etc)

Thank you very much, but that one pictured above is now sat at home as it was delivered this morning

Fancy doing a How-To YouTube video on respraying it with a rattle can? For science..

[AnubisZed]

AnubisZed - if you need a front bumper in better condition than the ones on this post, drop me a message. I have an SE one sitting in the garage which is taking up space. Don't want much, say £50 if you collect from Bedford (light silver and would need spraying, has a few marks etc)

Thank you very much, but that one pictured above is now sat at home as it was delivered this morning

Fancy doing a How-To YouTube video on respraying it with a rattle can? For science..

I would but I don't do comedy videos!!

** I appreciate I've left myself wide open there!!

[MikeyH]

AnubisZed - if you need a front bumper in better condition than the ones on this post, drop me a message. I have an SE one sitting in the garage which is taking up space. Don't want much, say £50 if you collect from Bedford (light silver and would need spraying, has a few marks etc)

Thank you very much, but that one pictured above is now sat at home as it was delivered this morning

Fancy doing a How-To YouTube video on respraying it with a rattle can? For science..

that would be very useful

[AnubisZed]

that would be very useful

There are how-to videos on YouTube already that cover this subject

OK, update.
The bumper is here and I've opened up the packaging to see how it is. And I'm very happy, the photos were spot on as there is only some minor cracking to the paint and everything else is perfectly fine. So I can start, when I have time, to do the crack repairs to the paint and sand it all down and prep it ready for the paintshop.
Very happy bunny

So as a reference for anyone wanting to swap over to the M-Sport bumper there is a lot of talk about the brackets being different, well they're not. What is different is the tow eye cover, all three lower grills and the three sections of the inner air ducts (as photo, only photo I could find of all three together). Now I'll test fit the bumper to see how much difference there is with these air ducts, and if it just requires a trim with a knife then I'll do that.

[Christopher72]

What part number are we looking at there... and I see that you even paint your floor silver.

[AnubisZed]

What part number are we looking at there... and I see that you even paint your floor silver.

Centre section is 51 74 7 903 728
Left is 51 74 7 903 729
And right is 51 74 7 903 730
Those are the specific M-Sport parts.

And that's not my floor