SpiderMan79x

I have a 2006 Vista Blue Gt and about 8 months ago someone backed into my front bumper on the passenger side. Not a huge piece of damage but slightly dented, barely any paint was taken off (maybe enough to cover the surface area of a quarter) and thankfully no damage at all to the metal. Also the turn signal now sits back on one side about 1/2 inch. I'm guessing a clip or fastener popped off. It's not even really easy to notice, well unless you are me. Anyway, I've never had a body shop or dealer look at it at, so no idea what the cost would be to repair. So on to the question.

In the general opinion of the respected TMS members, would my best option be to do nothing and live with it, have a shop repair and repaint the current bumper or to try to order one prepainted from somewhere to just have it popped on there? I'm really scared either way that the paint won't match up just right, that's why I have delayed doing this. Anyone have any experiences that they's like to share in this general area? Also, any ideas on best place to get prepainted bumpers if that's the route I choose?

ShowGT

I would get an estimate, don't cost anything. I also say contact these new take off parts places and get a new take off, most just need a polish and buff job and no more worries. The park lamps just fasten in place and there is a plastic retained too.

RobK

Why didn't you do an insurance claim? Someone backing into you in a parking lot would be covered under your comprehensive coverage. Regarding swap covers vs. paint the damage, just paint it. Shops do a pretty good job color matching and blending these days.

spike

The turn signal can be fixed real easy. Like ShowGT said, there's two plastic "trees" that hold it in place.. you probably just need a new one of those or maybe you just need to pop it back in. (you can access it by removing wheel well (real easy to do without removing the wheel, just turn the wheel all the way and unscrew the cowling)

As for paint, I'm nervous about stuff like that too. I'm so fearful of the day someone rear ends me or something. So far anyone's car I've seen that's been "touched up" looks ok for about a year, but then starts to crack and discolor after that.. which sucks! Maybe they aren't getting the right people to do the paint job but I would watch out for that. I know I would like to get as close to factory paint quality as possible.. not sure how much that costs though. Anyone?

ShowGT

RobK, I am guessing he is afraid of a rate hike? But I agree, you should have coverage to take care of this. I would bet you can get it repaired with no out of pocket here. Maybe?

DynamicmustangGT

For those repairs don't risk a rate hike. Have it checked a good bosy shop might be able to blend the paint. Any pics to give a better idea? Those new take off bumpers get messed up in transit anyway, I personally will never do it again.

347strokin

I'm with dynamic, don't risk a rate hike for that minor damage. It sounds like a pretty minor blemish, definitely check out a decent shop. They should be able to blend it pretty easily.

SpiderMan79x

The reason I didn't file a claim is kinda complicated. I live in Memphis, and I was in St. Louis for a weekend. First road trip in the car with another man's wife who had no idea that she was there as he was out of town as well. Anyway, the day it happened, like 30 minutes before I was to leave to head home that I found the damage in the hotel parking lot. No one saw a thing and had parked way the hell away from everyone in the very back of the lot too. I have speculated that it must have been a trailer of some sort or a very low to the ground car because of the location of the damage. Anyway, I have a $500 deductable and I'd rather pay the difference than file a claim on it and my insurance will most likely go up. If there would have been damge to metal parts then I would've filed a claim, but we are just basically talking about worse case replacing a plastic bumper.


BTW the wife part was a joke to make sure ya'll are paying attention.

ShowGT

You are having an affair with your Mustang......LOL I would check out a local shop, you might be surprised. I know around KC here we now have these sprayless repair guys as well. They are for the most part very well trained and all.

Speeddmn

HAHA, just wait for another a$$hole to smack you in the front and swap to a diffrent bumper cover.

lodom

I'm with the others who say just pay it out of pocket. I'd think you'd be able to replace the cover for around $500, so the difference over or under your deductable, if you're lucky, isn't going to be that much. You can always call and get an estimate over the phone from one of the shops without even driving in. I've paid double that out of pocket just to keep off my insurance companys radar.

RobK

I don't think an insurance carrier can justify a rate hike on a comprehensive claim. I know mine never would. The only time we had a hike (and it was temporary) was when my wife had a minor accident where she was deemed to be at fault. They shouldn't bang you if it's a comprehensive or if you were not at fault. What the heck is the point of having insurance if you're afraid to file a claim? In your case, with a $500 deductible your damage would likely be significantly less so you'd be out of pocket anyway.

07 HOSS Mustang

I'd call that KARMA dude for messing around....
Jerry Falwell

RobK

Read the whole post Hoss...

JeffD

got pics of the friends wife ?

Guytonius

If you buy new take off parts the paint should match from the factory. You can also check Craigslist and Ebay, etc for people in your area who have swapped their GT bumper for a different one. This way you can drive out and check the colors and avoid having the bumper damaged in shipping.

Or, you could get it repaired. I am not sure what blending would cost, but I will tell you that my bumper (GT500) cost a little less than $300, and the paint for that and many more parts was $120 in paint cost (so I am guessing about $80 in paint cost for just the bumper) and they're going to charge you about $250 or so for labor. This is for all new parts and paint, so I'm sure blending would cost a lot less.

If I were you, I'd live with it for a little while while you check out other bumpers. Then choose something a little different so you stand out from the crowd a bit.

AWmustang

I hit a nasty chunk of metal on the freeway with my V6. I was able to get a Factory painted GT bumber for $390 shipped. I wanted to put fogs on my car so I just used this as an excuse. Got the new grill and fogs included with the bumper cover. Wiring and few other parts needed came in right around $500. I have a $500 deductible so I figured what the heck.

For you it's a no brainer. You can find just the bumper cover (without grill and fogs) for much less than your $500 deductible. And the swap is really easy. If you know how to work a screwdriver you have all the mechanical know-how you need.

Just get a friend or someone to help you because you will need more than 2 hands at some points. If you want some pointers I know there's a write up around this forum somewhere.

Aidan

Can you tell me where you got the bumper cover?


I have a 2004 v6, and today on the way back from lunch some knucklehead 3 cars ahead decides to hit his breaks, a chain reaction follows and I hit the truck in front of me. I now have a hole right in the middle of my front bumper cover that matches a 2 1/4" ball hitch. No damage to him of course, so he didn't want to file. My deductable is $1,000, so I knew I could fix it myself cheaper than that and not take the rate hike for being in a "at-fault" accident.

Now I just want to find a good deal on a bumper cover and absorber that matches my very common metallic charcoal mustang.

Thanks,

Aidan

Rebel73

AWmustang

www.primacyauto.com

But I don't think they have parts for 2004's.