Repair of Bumper Scratches

[jettbird]

I usually park way away from any other cars in the office parking garage but no plan is idiot proof. Sad story, I now have several deep scratched on my front bumper. Does anyone have suggestions for touch up painting the scratches or will that make matters worse. I prefer to avoid repainting the bumper at a body shop.

Thanks,

Jim (jettbird)

[BirdsAndBugs]

Re: Repair of Bumper Scratches

For light scratches, I've used this product called Nu Finish Scratch Doctor and it works OK. You can buy it at most auto parts stores, Target, Wal-Mart, etc.

http://www.nufinish.com/products_scratch.html

I also keep a bottle of touch-up paint (available from your Ford or other new car dealer) for each car I own which is handy for touching up small rock chips and scratches that may be a little deeper too.

[My Raven]

Re: Repair of Bumper Scratches

Jim, similar experience happened to me. I just bit the bullet and took it to my body shop: Removal, Sand and Repaint was about $400.00 I think.

Nothing less would have satisfied me everytime I looked at it.

[joe166]

Re: Repair of Bumper Scratches

I doubt that you will be happy with anything short of a body shop. I know I haven't been.

[Mark501]

Re: Repair of Bumper Scratches

Well a dent is kinda like a scratch....

I'm in this boat. Two weeks ago I drove my car into the garage and hit the corner of a picture frame I had stored on a shelf. It put a dent the size of a fist in my front bumper. Forty four thousand miles then it happened. I looked on the net for remedies and found this out.

Heat the damaged area with a hair dryer for about a minute then hit the dent with either compressed air (Hold upside down) the propellant is -159 degrees or rub dry ice on it and it pops the dent out. My dent had a crease in the middle so it did not resolve my problem totally but I reduced the dent to the size of a half dollar and applied touch-up paint as the paint had been slightly broken in the crease.

This method will work with a small dents without a crease and not harm the paint.

All this said, I have decided to get my dent repaired. My eye always goes straight to that area and it is very painful and I cannot deal with the pain.

I agree with My Raven.

501

[BirdsAndBugs]

Re: Repair of Bumper Scratches

After re-reading your post, I would have to agree with the general concensus here that your best bet would probably be a professional bodyshop especially if the scratches are deeper as you say. The suggestions I made earlier work great for light scratches and minor rock chips but probably won't give you the results you want if the damage is more extensive.

[Ediron]

Re: Repair of Bumper Scratches

Only good part ,it's an ideal time to have a custom grill installed also.Good Luck on the repair.

[prbre]

Re: Repair of Bumper Scratches

In most cases the front bumper paint don't match any way. If its really bad just get it repainted. But make sure the person painting knows what he/she is doing. I had my volvo done and they did a real good job matching the paint after 8 years. Also take pic of the front before and after to show anyone you might sale the car to that it was not wrecked.