Front spoiler repair

senwar · Mar 9, 2009

OK, I caught my front spoiler only 1 week after getting my car and have a 10p size mark on the spoiler. Caught it on a kerbside at my parents new culdesac - their road wasn't laid so the kerb was higher than normal.

Other than been very annoyed at the time, its never really bothered me. As its only a plastic mark, its not rusted or anything. Decided to leave it as is and sort it when I sell it in case I ever caught it again one day. Anyway, while I was at the dealer on Friday for a service, I asked about how much it would cost to sort. They said its not a problem and I had 2 options:

1. Smart repair, repair the area and paint around it to blend in - £100+VAT
2. Have the whole front bumper/spoiler painted after repair (this would sort any stone chips etc although I'm not that fussed) - £250+VAT.

Now to be fair, it would probably be better to have the whole front done, but I think its possible overkill.

Any thoughts? Can your run of the mill chips away sort this, or would you stick with the dealer? Still not decided whether to bother and wait till I sell. But would be nice to sort it.

Jimbobsqpants · Mar 9, 2009

Do you have a pic of it?

senwar · Mar 9, 2009

Jimbobsqpants said:
Do you have a pic of it?

Not at the moment no (had just been looking through my pics but its not visible)

pvr · Mar 9, 2009

Is it at the same side as the kerbed wheel? :evil:

Andy · Mar 9, 2009

Had two SmartRepairs in similar things on mine and been very impressed at the results. In both cases I was unable to tell it had been looked at, at all.

I would trust the dealer.. mainly because they have the most experience of taking the bumper off and on..

un1eash · Mar 9, 2009

I had my front bumper repaired for £120 as it had a small chip when i got it and after just 2 weeks i scrapped it up a low driveway. My local body shop done it for me and you cant tell where the new paint starts and the old ends. I have since noticed though the bumper as been touched up before higher up and it is noticable. I'll be getting the full thing resprayed now in the summer, rang sytner to get a quote and was told it would be around £500 :thumbsdown:

Mr Whippy · Mar 9, 2009

I'd not get a blend/cheap repair as it won't be two pack paints, and the laquer will soften/dull, and the edges will peel... it might takes years but it will go to crap.

As for the on-car respray, again, masked up and run in the laquer is the issue, as there will be a lip and it'll work back and peel from there (it will on OEM, but if it's just masked up to an edge not right back under the panel gaps, then they will weather and work back quickly...

Sounds like un1eash has had the full on quote for a bumper off, full work back, fill all the chips, and respray/refit.

Not sure what to do. I'd just leave it. Personally, I'd prefer a tattier original honest car, than a car with a cheap nasty repair that will likely turn to crap while I own it (ie, if you had it fixed now, looks good for two years, then when I buy it the laquer goes off and it all looks like crap after another year)

I'd be tempted to take it to a good reputable repair shop, maybe even take just the bumper in to reduce their labour costs (they will charge high rates to take a bumper off and it's not a hard job, their rates are best spent doing the job they do best!), get it done, then refit. Should then be in the £300 region I would have imagined...

Dave

senwar · Mar 10, 2009

pvr said:
Is it at the same side as the kerbed wheel? :evil:

Nope - and it was scraped wheel...... Although I'm close to needing all 4 of them done too!

Andy said:
Had two SmartRepairs in similar things on mine and been very impressed at the results. In both cases I was unable to tell it had been looked at, at all.

I would trust the dealer.. mainly because they have the most experience of taking the bumper off and on..

Thats my thought, although I understand they actually use a chips away team for this kind of thing. I've got the local chips away guy coming tomorrow for a quote to compare. But Sytners Sheffield do have a good bodyshop reputation.

un1eash said:
I had my front bumper repaired for £120 as it had a small chip when i got it and after just 2 weeks i scrapped it up a low driveway. My local body shop done it for me and you cant tell where the new paint starts and the old ends. I have since noticed though the bumper as been touched up before higher up and it is noticable. I'll be getting the full thing resprayed now in the summer, rang sytner to get a quote and was told it would be around £500 :thumbsdown:

Its Sytners I've had the full quote for too mate - £250+VAT from Sheffield. Might be worth trying to price match?

Mr Whippy said:
I'd not get a blend/cheap repair as it won't be two pack paints, and the laquer will soften/dull, and the edges will peel... it might takes years but it will go to crap.

As for the on-car respray, again, masked up and run in the laquer is the issue, as there will be a lip and it'll work back and peel from there (it will on OEM, but if it's just masked up to an edge not right back under the panel gaps, then they will weather and work back quickly...

Sounds like un1eash has had the full on quote for a bumper off, full work back, fill all the chips, and respray/refit.

Not sure what to do. I'd just leave it. Personally, I'd prefer a tattier original honest car, than a car with a cheap nasty repair that will likely turn to crap while I own it (ie, if you had it fixed now, looks good for two years, then when I buy it the laquer goes off and it all looks like crap after another year)

I'd be tempted to take it to a good reputable repair shop, maybe even take just the bumper in to reduce their labour costs (they will charge high rates to take a bumper off and it's not a hard job, their rates are best spent doing the job they do best!), get it done, then refit. Should then be in the £300 region I would have imagined...

Dave

To be honest, I would be comfortable with Sytner doing the work, as I say they have a good reputation. The annoying thing is, as I say, its a very small mark, and doesn't bother me. But it will look neater if I had it done. I actually expected a higher quote so am relatively happy, just not sure what to do, and whether to do it now, or when I sell it.

senwar · Mar 10, 2009

Another point to note is that I can't decide whether to leave it till I sell it, as at least the purchaser would see what needs doing rather than being aware a front end repair (no matter how small) had been done. As they may not believe when I say it was just a graze on the side of the spoiler.

pvr · Mar 10, 2009

You say that, but if I was in the market to buy, I would not buy a car with damage on it as it means you get a "new" car and you have to get some work done straight away.

Most people want to drive the car away and not see a garage for months and months to come.

And to be completely frank, I would walk away from a car with damage in the first place ...

senwar · Mar 10, 2009

pvr said:
You say that, but if I was in the market to buy, I would not buy a car with damage on it as it means you get a "new" car and you have to get some work done straight away.

Most people want to drive the car away and not see a garage for months and months to come.

And to be completely frank, I would walk away from a car with damage in the first place ...

Thats also been my reckoning.

Saying that - please bear in mind this isn't a car with 'damage' (although it depends how people interpret it). Its literally a scratch on the bumper the size of a 10p piece. There is a reason I stress this but I'll not go into this.

Tommo · Mar 10, 2009

I went to a local bodyshop who Ive used quite a few times before. Got stonechips all over the front bumper and I was quoted £80-£100 for a full respray.

Mr Whippy · Mar 10, 2009

Well you don't HAVE to get work done.

I'd prefer an honest car, than one with a repair that is possibly not 100% perfect (ie, I can spot it's had it, and it is easy to spot repairs even on the best repairs with a keen eye), that has pushed the price up £300, for a tiny little mark, while leaving me pondering if indeed the whole front end has been smashed in and this repair was the result of a big accident.

It really isn't a win win situation. Some buyers will see a mint bumper and go wow this is a mint car, buy buy buy, some will see a mint bumper and go, hmmm, then look more closely at why it is so mint for the age/mileage etc, and then some may well ignore the genuine reason for the work and assume it's been dinked more than you'd imagine.

If it doesn't bother you I'd leave it I rekon. When I buy a new car I expect it to be honest and original, not have cheap crappy repairs done to make it easier to sell on to me. I'm sure others might be different of course, but I'd not want a bumper with peeling laquer after 18 months because the repair was crap, I'd rather have a tiny nick in the bumper which will likely collect many more. It is a car afterall

I do feel your paint, but if it's an otherwise good honest car then I don't think you will have issue selling it with the bit of damage.

Dave

Medium Dave · Mar 10, 2009

Have you asked the dealer who they get to do the work? If I take my car to the local dealer for any paint work, they will accept the car and then get it done through the local BMW approved repair shop. Have you tried getting a quote from the local BMW approved bodyshop? It might be cheaper because you aren't paying the dealer to take your car round and collect it again. Being BMW approved, the work is still covered by the BMW guarantees. If you phone the accident help line (number in your paperwork or on the back of the key tag) they will tell you where they are.

Andy · Mar 10, 2009

My SmartRepair (Robert Stern, now Rybrook in Worcester) was done in house and they're very competant.

I'd go so far as to say that when someone drove into me recently, very lightly grazed the bumper but left insurance details, I wasn't bothered as I'd seen the standard of their repair before.

My car is blatantly a keeper and I'm more sure of this with every extra mile.. but battle scars are inevitable if you drive them. I've done 28k in mine now and the bodywork is excellent.

senwar · Mar 12, 2009

Well, had the local smart repair guy come yesterday.

I believe this is the same guy who would do the work for the dealer (have been looking into this), which is why the full front end respray (unnecessary) is quoted as cheap as it was.

Anyway, the area he will do is pretty small (which I'm pleased about) as I don't want the front doing, so its just a small quarter at the bottom. That plus 2 smart repairs on my alloys - £150 all in.

Going for that - quite pleased. Going to take a before and after picture and couple that with the receipt. I'm an honest seller, so if I sell the car privately, this info will be provided with it.

outrun · Mar 12, 2009

I hear you Senwar, it's definitly best to take a photo and have it available in case of a private sale in the future.

Our cars are altogether too rare and history has a way of getting twisted if you're not careful.

senwar · Mar 12, 2009

outrun said:
I hear you Senwar, it's definitly best to take a photo and have it available in case of a private sale in the future.

Our cars are altogether too rare and history has a way of getting twisted if you're not careful.

Totally agree.

Here's the mark anyway - bit blurred as its off a cropped photo - will take a better one for my own records when I get chance.

Mr Whippy · Mar 12, 2009

Is that a scrubbed laquer mark or right down to the base and/or through the primer?

senwar · Mar 12, 2009

Mr Whippy said:
Is that a scrubbed laquer mark or right down to the base and/or through the primer?

Its basically a 'chip' through the plastic bumper through the paint.

Front spoiler repair

Active member

Member

Active member

Lifer

Lifer

Active member

Senior member

Active member

Active member

Lifer

Active member

Member

Senior member

Member

Lifer

Active member

Active member

Active member

Senior member

Active member

Similar threads