Ok, so I just got my car back from having $1200 of engine work done on it, and this morning my fiance gets rear-ended ever so slightly. There are some scratches on the bumper and it's sitting about 1cm further forward than it should.

The dilemma is this: the bumper wasn't pristine before the 'accident', it was scraped up on the corners, but wasn't deformed really. My fiance thinks I should let it go, I just want the car to not actively be falling apart in front of my eyes (espcially after all the engine work.)

On one hand I feel like she rear-ended us, and should 'make it right."

On the other, the car is no spring chicken and has other bumps and scrapes...

what to do...

Thats a hard one. If a simple mistake. Foot sliped off brake. I would let it go more than likely. If a cell phone, or scocor mom yelling at children she should beat the snot out of. ( boy missbeaving in the car was a big no no when I was a kid ), or the old putting makeup on while driving I would make them pay for a new bumper.

Thats a hard one. If a simple mistake. Foot sliped off brake. I would let it go more than likely. If a cell phone, or scocor mom yelling at children she should beat the snot out of. ( boy missbeaving in the car was a big no no when I was a kid ), or the old putting makeup on while driving I would make them pay for a new bumper.

Great way to approach it :)

ATTITUDE makes all the difference.... when the daughter's car was bunped in front ouf our eyes & he denied it.... I was ready for a her to insist on a new bumper & the works! Even though it was "less than pristene".... later came an appology & an offer to make it right, so we ended up just letting it go.

My prince got a weird reaction when his little '87 HB was bumped....he pointed out the already exsisting stuff. It needed a new light, but there was some flaws close by that had been there.... I don't think THAT adjuster had sealt with someone just honestly saying that it had already had some stuff wrong. We ended getting a check for a new light plus. Since we considered it "beater car" we replaced the light, but left the rest alone.

Tough call though! Good luck on the desicion!

As much as it pains me, I'm going to let it go... I wasn't there and my fiancee thinks I should, so I would look like the big jerk showing up out of nowhere demanding my car be fixed to a nicer standard than it was before the accident. (Besides, I greatly fear the question "have you had an accident (regardless of fault) in the past 3/5/7 years")

So what's the proper way to remove and re-seat a slightly crooked bumper?

let go of the whole car, or just the damage???? i have damage on my RR door, towards the bottom...... it has become part of the cars...... personality, so to speak.... :lmao: :yes:

This happened to my wife's Accord. In our case, we decided not to pursue the matter any further as our bumper already had a few nicks. If it truly didn't cause more than a small scrape or nick, I'd let it go. It's a bumper and it will get "bumped". If your car is perfect or newer and it stuck out like a sore thumb, then I'd get the bumper reskinned (replace the bumper cover). Besides, having the car in the shop for 3 or 4 days would have been an inconvience. Enjoy your car and don't worry about the bumper.

As much as it pains me, I'm going to let it go... I wasn't there and my fiancee thinks I should, so I would look like the big jerk showing up out of nowhere demanding my car be fixed to a nicer standard than it was before the accident.
So what's the proper way to remove and re-seat a slightly crooked bumper?

Well, if I were you, I'd take a look under the bumper and see what you'll need to return it to "pre-accident" condition. If you can whatever is bent back, then do it. If you need to replace parts behind the bumper cover, just ask them to pay for parts. If the person is a jerk about it you are legally in the green to have it fixed the expensive way, and the person who hit you is liable.

Well, if I were you, I'd take a look under the bumper and see what you'll need to return it to "pre-accident" condition. If you can whatever is bent back, then do it. If you need to replace parts behind the bumper cover, just ask them to pay for parts. If the person is a jerk about it you are legally in the green to have it fixed the expensive way, and the person who hit you is liable.

That's my thought right now too, I'm going to pull the bumper cover off tomorrow night and have a look-see at it, the car is in atlanta tonight or I'd have it apart already.

I would take it to the body shop and get a quote for a full repair as well as just the bumper straightening. Show the 2 figures to the other driver and ask if she would prefer to pay you directly for the smaller repair or perhaps make a claim on her insurance for the full repair. She just might be greatly relieved not to have to make a claim and pay the smaller bill. If she's savvy, she'll offer to pay the body shop directly, rather than pay you, and get a release from you. Then I suggest giving her the release, but stating that you intend to do the repair yourself and that the amount failry represents the damage. Chances are her deductible is more than the smaller repair and you may need to point this out. If she gets huffy, go after the insurance money for the full repair. (Ask the insurer to pay you, cause you want check around and may unitl a more convenient time to get the car repaired, especially if they don't pay for a rental, yadda-yadda . . . )

The fact that you intend to pull out the bumper suggests that you have incurred damages and are due compensation within reason. You don't really yet know the extent of the damage in terms of what any degree of repair will involve. And unless you are totally comfortable with the bumper as-is, you need more information before you make a final decision.

Once you know the stakes, then, if for any reason, you feel charitable toward the other driver, that is entirely up to you. :thmsup:

My uncle put a watermelon sized dent on the front bumper of his brand new Odyssey. With a 2x4 wrapped in a towel and some brute force, we pushed it out. DIY is the best :thmsup:

I'm going to take off the bumper cover tonight to inspect the damage. On a cursory inspection (along with a little experience from a 02 Accord) I can see the 4 'push-pin' style connectors along the top lip of the bumper cover (which are normally hidden by the trunk lid. I also know of the single screw inside the rear of the wheel well as well as the white blocks on each side that the cover attaches to/sits upon.

Am I missing any big connections?