Last year after getting off of a 16 hour flight, I got a nosebleed in my car and ended up rear-ending a guy. Go ahead and make jokes, I know there is potential.

Anyway, I barely hit the guy and the only damage was his trailer hitch put a nice little hole in my plastic bumper. It helps me to find my very generic car in the parking lot (it's a 06 Camry) but I have been thinking of getting it replaced if I can do it at a decent price. Can anyone recommend a body shop?

7/20/2007 10:46:31 AM

you could probably do it yourself with a little bit of bondo and one of those screen things.

7/20/2007 10:49:15 AM

what kind of nigger "bondos" an '06 plastic camry bumper??

if it was my 97 civic, then yeah.

and no, you cant make it look good.

7/20/2007 11:26:05 AM

i'd hit up the junkyards, you can probably find a new bumper cover for <$150

for that late of a model, i would try city auto salvage in durham

7/20/2007 12:40:11 PM

Quote :

"if it was my 97 civic, then yeah."

[Edited on July 20, 2007 at 12:55 PM. Reason : .]

7/20/2007 12:55:05 PM

Quote :

"i'd hit up the junkyards, you can probably find a new bumper cover for <$150 for that late of a model, i would try city auto salvage in durham"

You ought to try shopping for new aftermarket. Keystone or CertiFit. Both have websites. Certifit is out by the airport, and Keystone is out off of Greenfield Parkway.

You might be surprised...if they cover that late of a model, the prices are fantastic.

On the other hand, the "Bondo" approach isn't a totally bad idea. Evercoat makes a plastic bumper repair kit that any Carquest can get for you. You're going to have to have it painted no matter whether you replace, repair, or whatever. Unless you're just that ghetto.

[Edited on July 20, 2007 at 1:02 PM. Reason : more...]

7/20/2007 1:01:15 PM

Looks like certifit has a bumper cover for $39. Is installing it something I could do on my own or does it take special tools/knowledge. Also, when I get it painted will the whole car have to be painted or can they match it pretty close? The color is grey.

Thanks guys, the garage seems to be much more helpful and relevant than other sections.

Also I just went out to look for a part number on the underside of the bumper (there isn't one, I'm guessing its on the inside after you take it off) and noticed what appears to be the airbag sensor. If that is indeed what it is, how sensitive are those things. Do they go off when the car's not on? Stupid question I know, but I don't want to end up spending a couple grand getting new airbags because I replaced my bumper!

[Edited on July 20, 2007 at 1:46 PM. Reason : another question.]

7/20/2007 1:39:35 PM

no, the airbag sensors are mounted to the frame and wont set anything off when the car is off, i use jeffries out on lake wheeler rd. for getitng small stuff like that painted, they'll probably do it for around $50-60


Jeffries & Sons Auto & Marine
1515 Lake Wheeler Rd
Raleigh, NC
27603
Phone: (919) 833-7349

7/20/2007 1:52:45 PM

its not difficult to take off and install a new bumper cover... but be warned when you buy certi-fit or any other aftermarket bumper its not perfect. you might get lucky and get one that fits like a glove. but my experience... that RARELY ever happens.

it will fit, but some lining up will need to be done.

the cheapest you can do is find a used one from a junk yard...

or get an aftermarket original one and get it painted by someone and you take off, and put on the new one...

the camry is not hard at all to take the bumper off... if anything, you have to worry about fog light wires.

7/20/2007 6:18:02 PM