Your advice, please --

My '06 6MT has proved to be pretty damn capable in The Great Frozen Midwest this winter -- but, alas, not invulnerable to 'battle damage.'

I was driving down a freeway in my fair city yesterday...lots of snow and ice still on it after a blizzard mid-week...and lots of I'm-From-Highlands Ranch types driving their SUVs waaaaayyyy too fast (around 60 mph) for prevailing conditions. Anyway, an SUV I was following kicked up what I believe to have been a piece of loose asphalt that must've been mixed in with the snow and slush; by the time I realized it was going to hit my car rather than simply fall back onto the road, it was too late to whip over into the next lane.

The resulting damage? A five-by-six-inch 'L' - shaped cut in the front fascia / bumper just left of the license plate bracket -- I can move it back and forth slightly by pushing in on it, so it's not created a hole, just a sort of 'flap' (which got me thinking that I could rig it to open as an extra intake during high-rpm ops...'Ram Air' Accord, anyone?)... :naughty:

Soooooo...any body shop types out there willing to bet on whether a) I can have the folks at the local dealer glue it back together, sand it down, and paint over it and still make it look okay? or b) the damaged body panel has to come off entirely and be replaced be a new one...all mine for a low, low price?

Sorry I can't post pics to help -- I've no digital camera.

THANKS FOR THE HELP!

Do you not have insurance?

Things happen, that's what insurance is for, and like I've said about a billion other times, we can't even come close to telling you what it will take to fix your car without even a picture, even then, there can be unseen damage. I know you don't have a camera, but seriously, nobody online can tell you what you need accurately. Take it to a body shop they give FREE estimates. You could have bondo done, but that doesn't always end up very pretty, even with paint. (Underside of panels are still noticeable)

If you don't have a insurance, I suggest you get some.

If that doesn't work, go to the barrio or to some projects near you and see if they can do one of those type of fixes, you know...well just try to get someone to rig it up for you, if all else fails!

I can't wait to see how wonderfully the duct tape blends in with the paint. Don't forget the crack head that takes your for a joyride. :thmsup:

Do you not have insurance?

Things happen, that's what insurance is for, and like I've said about a billion other times, we can't even come close to telling you what it will take to fix your car without even a picture, even then, there can be unseen damage. I know you don't have a camera, but seriously, nobody online can tell you what you need accurately. Take it to a body shop they give FREE estimates. You could have bondo done, but that doesn't always end up very pretty, even with paint. (Underside of panels are still noticeable)

If you don't have a insurance, I suggest you get some.
This was not a very helpful response IMO...

If the bumper is cracked I'm not sure that bondo will work on it since it doesn't really have any backing on it (so it's not really filling in a dent, it's covering a hole). I haven't heard of a glue type solution either but it might be out there.

Bondo won't do anything to plastic. It won't stick.

If you have comprehensive insurance with a fairly reasonable deductible ($250 or so), use that. Your premium won't go up because it wasn't your fault. I had a tire carcass kicked up by a car on the lane beside me and that tire flew and hit my bumper and dented the hood of my previous 3.2TL. All I had to do is to file the claim and since I didn't have to pay deductible, it was a free repair (an $850 repair) for me since there is no premium hikes.

Accordlover -- my apologies for not clarifying...YES THE CAR IS INSURED FULLY -- and Benji, thanks for your responses --

My point was this: along with my curiosity as to what people thought the best fix would be, I was wondering what the likelihood was that said fix -- patch it up, replace the whole fascia, whatever -- would max out the deductible on my insurance. Since my deductible is low and the probable cost of fixing the damage is at least a few hondo, I'm assuming I will be paying it in full when I make the claim with my agent. No big deal; I want my car looking as good as it can when finished.

Any other thoughts out there?

It's new bumper time.
I've found that the later model Hondas are using a "softer" material for the bumper that rips/tears easier than in older ones. Me thinks it has to do with the new "pedestrian friendly" front ends cars are now required to have.

My '95 Integra GSR survived unscathed a direct head on hit at (60mph to zero mph) to a deer. The bang it made and the 300' it flew I was sure the car was mangled. I got out to see the bumper slid down in it's slotted mounting holes about a half inch all the way across. No airbag deployment either. Good little car that one was.

I had an incident with a deer with my '04 and the bumper took a glancing blow but the fender and left headlight didn't. The bumper ripped right open.

I'd say about $900 to over a grand to replace/repaint it. A good body shop will prep and paint a new bumper OFF the car.

My 07 V6 6MT took a little bump in a parking lot, and got a crack just under the passenger headlight. haven't even made the first payment yet. Weather was sub zero, so the plastic was understandably brittle, but at the same time, these are clearly weaker bumpers than the ones on my 96 accord, which has taken over a decade of bumps with minimal cosmetic damage.

I can't wait to see how wonderfully the duct tape blends in with the paint. Don't forget the crack head that takes your for a joyride. :thmsup:

accordlover,

you know better.... no need to be a smart@ss towards a fellow member....

this is ur warning.....

- DA moderator

Soft bumper covers can be flawlessly repaired & painted by a good body shop. Take it to one, see what they say. It may pay to replace it, but you never know.

there is a plastic seem welder that is used on vwvortex a lot. i will try to find the name of it. you can actually put 2 different bumpers together with it. :thmsup:
it is called fusor
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=2863049
http://www.lord.com/tabid/3401/Default.aspx
it could be fused and painted no problem, i will try to find the thread where 2 bumpers are fused togeather :)
i could not find it, yours can be fixed thow, the question is, is the labor, and supplies more expensive than a new bumper?? :dunno:

..this new found sensitivity (IMHO) tends to stifle creativity....

..barrio venue does not obviate duct tape....

.ez..