Fixing Plastic

[TheJudge]

Hi, when I bought my car a few months back I inherited some prior damage to both the front and rear bumpers. Having not done much paint repair I was wondering if I need to do anything specific. I assume for the big damage on the front bumper, t-cut and sand down a little around the damaged are areas, couple of layers and black with wet sand between coats (?) and then few layers of clear gloss? I'm worried that I won't be able to blend in to the original bumper?

What about these scuffs on the rear, looks like they are just on the top(ish) layer so a couple of black coats and sand down?

 

[Abb]

Have you not considered taking it to a body shop for a quotation to carry out respraying the bumpers or contacting a local smart repair company. After all, what you will save by doing it yourself 'may' result in devaluing your car by the same or even more than the body shop would of charged to have done it professionally. Unless you are very good with body work, have the right equipment, and the means to carry out the work in the right environment, personally I would leave it well alone.

 

[chrisk2010]

I agree with the above, I spent two days trying to blend the wings on my old w202 C Class and although got them very close it wasn't the same and ended up re-spraying the whole wing in the end.

Have a go yourself if you have the equipment but be prepared to take it to a body shop if you're not happy with the result but consider just doing the bumpers as a hole patch repairing can be harder than just doing the whole thing.

Personally I would have a ring around ad see what local body shops charge and if they would do it cheaper if you removed and refitted the bumpers yourself if that's something you're willing to do, failing that there's the smart repair option but do your home work as they can be hit and miss from what I have heard.

Thoughts on the pictures are your have a few stone chips anyway all down to the primer so doing the whole thing which ever way you decide to go would be worth while.

 

[Joderest]

Sorry, have to agree, unless you are very good at body work and spraying you will always be disappointed with the result. Just to show whats involved, if i were doing it, and i am not an expert by any means i would be removing the bumpers (saves masking for over spray) and repair the damage, front looks like rub down, fill with filler, rub down again and put stopper over top, rub down to create surface, mask area, primer, rub down edges of primer, rub down whole bumper and give a couple of coats of colour, then clear coat. Rear would be the above but just rubbing back to a good surface.
Full paint of bumpers because even black sometimes will not match in. But the experts can mix the exact colour.

 

[W145user]

After I hit my wifes A Class rear bumper a few years ago, a local bodyshop did an excellent repair and paint match for just over £100.

It was far worse than your photos.

 

[TheJudge]

OK thanks all seems I should heed everyone's experience and get a professional, I guess this is why I've never been a fan of paint jobs anyway. I'll ring a few local bodyshops.