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New car bumper damage

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2.2K views 8 replies 6 participants last post by  Trune  
#1 · (Edited)
Take a look at the pics of my new car.It was slightly damaged today at the dealers when I was due to collect it.2 x 10mm digs at the very bottom of the bumper.I have asked for the bumper to be removed and repaired in the bmw approved bodyshop and then blown over.Is this best? or should the whole bumper be sprayed? I am just worried about seeing a difference and the bodyshops prep work.Would it not be best to just soft edge it in in the appropriate area as opposed to spraying the whole lot? the rest of the bumper is faultless and swirl free.Remember it is a brand new delivery milage car.Thanks for any advice.
 

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#2 · (Edited)
With respect, if the bumper was perfect before they damaged it, I'd not be taking anything less than a replacement bumper - end of story.
As from your other thread, I now remember the saga - but did you agree to this one blind, or did you see it/get told about its condition prior to agreeing on it?
If the former, you've left yourself open to a degree, if the latter, then as above if the damage was not stated.
Is this a 2nd hand one or the ex-BMW UK fleet I seem to recall something about?
 
#3 ·
Sorry to hear about your new car.

If it was me I would be seriously unhappy however I would go for the repair over a new bumber as the repair will more than likely be done with the bumper attached to the car. If they order a new one it will obviously involve dismantling the front bumper and fitting the new one. I would rather have it fitted as it was from the factory and just repaired but that is just my choice and you have to go with what makes you feel most comfortable. :thumb:

I had some damage done to my Audi A3 in the local station car park and it was repaired at an approved BMW center which my local Audi dealer use. The work was excellent and you could not tell anything had happended even after very close paint inspection of the paint.
 
#4 ·
PJS it is a brand new car factory ordered delivery miles just registered to me!I inspected the car when it as arrived,paid the balance a few days ago and was due to collect it yesterday,when i turn up however,the sales guy had moved it out the way earlier that morning,but denies all knowledge of damage! they are sorting it out mind...I know what you are saying about a new bumper,but i am very worried about bad prep on it and swirls etc.The car is swirl free at the mo,and has been detailed so it is perfect.They are going to remove the bumper and get the 2x 10mm digs repaired at the bmw body shop and then i suppose soft edged in? i am just worried about colour match and prep/paint finish.Posted up some pics of the car I rejected yesterday as well,take a look at my other posts,it is tucked away in a warehouse,covered in more bird crap awaiting a bmw tech to see why i rejected it!

harddrive,I probably should go for the new bumper,but i just want to minimise the paint/prep they do,a good body shop may however say we will paint and do the lot,so I will have to wait and see.

Does anyone on here work in a bodyshop?
 
#6 ·
Is there any benefit in a new bumper fully sprayed against the original blown in and keeping most of the original factory finish? will both if done correctly not be as good as each other? The bumper will be removed from the car and taken to the bodyshop with the second option,so it is not being done in situ.
 
#8 ·
I suspect they're going to use a bit of heat and try and push the bulk of the damage out, then see how bad it is before touching up what remains.
I'd still not have accepted it though, since in effect you're accepting a less than you paid for.
I'd be pushing for additional sweeteners, even if the repair is spot on - first 2 services FOC, or something of decent value that you feel is compensation for the delay, inconvenience, and having paid for an undamaged car.
 
#7 ·
Our brand new Mazda was half re-painted at a BMW approved paint shop as the dealer sells both makes(SE). The work was terrible, we rejected the car anyway.
Who approves these paint shops, not BMW themselves, more likely the dealer who is looking for cheap and quick turnaround?

The only paint shops I trust are those that I've seen work from or used before with a good rep.
 
#9 · (Edited)
the problem is you never know what workmanship will be like. also these days colour matching can be a lottery.

Due to the materials probably being different, from bumper to wings, you will probably have a very slight variation in colour already in certain lights.

If they take off the bumper and respray it in full, depending on the colour match they can achieve, you may find they want to blend into the wings and bonnet, but it depends on the car really and the bodyshop.

Smart local repairs can sometimes be better, but over time they can then loose thier quality and go cloudy.

There isnt going to be a right choice, both outcomes depend on the workmanship.

Ask to have a chat with whoever will be doing the work. If its a smart style repair, request for the rest of the car to be masked off, or the bumper to be removed while its done, and do not get thier polisher away from the affected area.

If its a full repair, find out exactly what they are planning.

Bodyshops can be so hit and miss, and you cant take thier word for the quallity of work, as soon as some bodyshops get busy, alot of quality control goes out the window, even if you make it perfectly clear how fussy you are.

Id ask if they would be confident in supplying a new bumper, and giving it a full respray off the car, with no blending into wings. Find out how happy they would be with thier colour matching capabilities.

Have a look at it now in the sun as well, see if its already a perfect match from bumper to rest of body, you may find its already a few shades different, in which case this would be acceptable if its the same after they've done the work.

i know my rx-8 has a noticable difference in shade on the front and rear bumpers to the metal work of the car. I'm not 100% sure if this is due to the materials, or if they are sprayed at different locations to the body of the car (which i heard from someone, which may be a rumour)