Bumper repair

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Roadie

Active Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2007
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105
Hi all, sadly i've scratched the girlfriends dads 08 Merc at the weekend with the exhaust of my FZR :-( oh dear, she's gona ballistic so would like to get fixed while her folks are on holiday. It's taken off the paint leaving an inch by 1/2 inch black bumper showing through on his shiny silver bumper.

Any suggestions? do companies visit and fix this, has anyone used or can recommend anyone in Essex?
 
if it is that small try halfords they now do "smart" repairs you will have to take it there and they they measure up - give you a quote and then book it in
 
Just a thought, you might want to come clean and check that they are OK with that first, I know I would not want someone deciding how mine was fixed without my knowledge.

Russ
 
Just a thought, you might want to come clean and check that they are OK with that first, I know I would not want someone deciding how mine was fixed without my knowledge.

Russ

Gotta say I agree here, better to take the slap now as opposed to the MEGA SLAP if he doesn't like whats gone down and finds out after the event if you get my drift. ;) I know I'd be pretty p_ _ _ _d off if I found out after the fact.
 
where r u based Roadie..
 
Oh everybody is already aware of it I was just trying to see if I could get it fixed before they return from holiday.

The car is based in Basildon, I was thinking of a mobile repair because of course I cannot move the car until they return but if I need to take it somewhere on his return so be it. To be honest i'm trying to find the most cost efective way to get it done properly with out taking it to Mercedes and them saying oooooh you'll need a whole new front end!!
 
I wouldn't recommend doing any repairs.
Just wait for their return. tell them what's what and offer to take the car for the repairs.

I know it's harsh but you don't know what's going to happen if you attempt some repairs. This situation may try to take 'a best comedy in 2008' award and I am sure you don't want this.
Cheers
 
Being an 08 registered car, he is gonna want it repaired by Mercedes. Anyone else fiddling with it could invalidate the warranty, even if it only the bodywork part.
Its what as known as a "lesson in life". At some point we all have either had one or received one.
I would NOT do anything without his permission.
 
OP has said that they know about it and he is just trying to get it fixed for when they return, to, i assume, avoid any hassle to them.

I would take it to Halfords (or wherever) and then get a quote. Then tell the owner of the car the price and who is doing it and ask them if they are happy. if so, go ahead. if not, then suggest they sort it out upon their return and you will pay.

i agree with above, that you should also advise him that he may need to go via mercedes - depending on his situation, he may or may not be bothered by that.

FYI (and i assume new mercs are the same) the bumpers have trim that may detatch, so you could get this whole bit sprayed rather than touching in a repair.
 
To anybody on this forum, how would you react if you returned from holiday and found your brand new car had been repaired by some mobile bodger without your knowledge?
It might be a tad different if it was 5-10 years old................but its not.

I for one, would be hopping mad.
 
Its not a case of doing anything without his knowledge. The dad is fully aware, i'm just trying to have as many options as possible prior to his return, and mobile repair companies may feel a bit put out by being referred to as bodgers.

I would of liked to have it repaired prior to his return but I thought i'd just ask peoples advise first before comitting to anything. As its my fault I will pay what ever the costs will be even if it goes to Mercedes but I thought i'd check on here first.
 
My next door neighbour had a mobile chap come and repair his van in his drive.
Bodgers would be a very good description of how they carried out the repair.
Some might be OK, but some might not. My point was I would not trust a brand new Mercedes to a mobile repair man who normally fix cars older and less prestigious.
 
My next door neighbour had a mobile chap come and repair his van in his drive.
Bodgers would be a very good description of how they carried out the repair.
Some might be OK, but some might not. My point was I would not trust a brand new Mercedes to a mobile repair man who normally fix cars older and less prestigious.


I would say the chances of a mobile guy being a bodger are less than the chance of a stealer being rubbish, mobile tradesmen rely heavily on word of mouth while everyone just assumes the dealers are the best place to go and they dont have to try very hard to get your custom if you want to keep your warranty, in my experiance the work at a dealers is just as likely to be shoddy as anywhere else.
 
If someone I knew scartched my 08 Merc (not that I have one) I would like to be given the choice as to who would repair it! Wait 'till they are back and give them the choice!
 
I would say the chances of a mobile guy being a bodger are less than the chance of a stealer being rubbish, mobile tradesmen rely heavily on word of mouth while everyone just assumes the dealers are the best place to go and they dont have to try very hard to get your custom if you want to keep your warranty, in my experiance the work at a dealers is just as likely to be shoddy as anywhere else.

The majority of these mobile repair outfits are franchises.
There is every likelyhood that the guy who comes out to repair the brand new Mercedes was an accountant last year and has never got his hands dirty before. I would not let them go ahead until they could show me any of their previous repairs on nearly new cars.

Russ
 
There is every likelyhood that the guy who comes out to repair the brand new Mercedes was an accountant last year and has never got his hands dirty before.

And some might not be franchise and might be the painter from the local Mercedes dealers...

It's quite probable that the local dealer would use a SMART repairer for this type of work, most do.

However I do agree tha the repair is always visible.
 
but its only a scratch on the bumper for gawds sake even if it is an 08 car - once it has been repaired and the black isnt showing it will all be forgotten about - even if you could find it by kneeling down and searching - but life's a bit too short for all that really - its not like it is a valuable asset - it is a depreciating car.
Get a mobile repairer to touch it in after they get back - you could spend hundreds in a paint shop and it will get scuffed in a car park next week.
 
I think MB now offer SMART repairs in-house.

No doubt they might sub the work out, but your contract would be with MB, so at least there's some re-assurance for such a new vehicle.

As has been said, I'm sure no-one would be 'happy' to find this on their pride and joy, but it's only a car at the end of the day, and a 0.5 x 1" scratch on a bumper at that...

I've suffered worse in public car parks over the years, at least the OP has owned up to it and is positively trying to get it fixed ASAP :)

Will
 
I think MB now offer SMART repairs in-house.

No doubt they might sub the work out, but your contract would be with MB, so at least there's some re-assurance for such a new vehicle.

As has been said, I'm sure no-one would be 'happy' to find this on their pride and joy, but it's only a car at the end of the day, and a 0.5 x 1" scratch on a bumper at that...

I've suffered worse in public car parks over the years, at least the OP has owned up to it and is positively trying to get it fixed ASAP :)

Will

Exactly.

Actualy this has reminded me of years ago when my student girlfriend (obviously no money) was driving her dad's Datsun Sunny (remember those a 120Y) which was only about a year old at the time whilst he was away on holiday. She hit a gas board truck (or rather it hit her without knowing it) on a roundabout - he drove off without stopping she could not prove anything. Put a big dent about 2 feet long and a couple of inches deep in the nearside wing. She panicked whats dad going to say?
I took the lights out, took the wheel off jacked the car up, pushed the dent out as much as I could filled the rest borrowed a spray gun and painted it - first attempt. It was solid bright yelllow so turnd out to be quite forgiving to match and rub any runs and overspray out - to be honest it did not QUITE match but it was close - and he never ever found out - never spotted it. Now if it had been my car......
 

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