Bumpers Scratch the Surface

Question: I have a white Toyota Camry, which has a painted white plastic bumper. Over the course of the past year, the bumper has developed a lot of nicks, scratches and chips. It looks terrible. What can be done about it?--L.B.

Answer: Painted plastic bumpers have become a common styling feature on new cars in recent years, but, as you have observed, they have some failings for consumers who value durability.

Automobile manufacturers began to introduce black plastic bumpers in response to federal legislation requiring that cars be able to absorb moderate front- and rear-end impacts without damage.

Generally, those bumpers lived up to their promise, in that they were able to absorb moderate impacts and provide long life, in terms of retaining their original appearance.

But the black bumpers are a major styling limitation, especially because they contrast with the rest of the car and tend to look larger than they really are. The solution has been the color-keyed bumper.

The problem is that these painted plastic bumpers are very susceptible to chipping and scratching. If the bumper is touched to another car or wall while parking, it is likely to leave a mark or tear the paint off the plastic. The paint can become chipped even as a result of a lot of freeway driving.

Among auto-body professionals, the only adequate repair to a paint-damaged plastic bumper is to replace the unit at a cost of about $350. That cost includes the plastic bumper that comes from the factory with a primer coat, the painting of the bumper to match the color of the car and installation labor.

If the damage is not severe, these bumpers can be repainted, but that alone costs at least $150. Furthermore, many good body shops do not like to do the work because of the high risk of customer dissatisfaction with the finished product.

Many bumpers on new cars are repainted before they are even sold, the result of damage during shipment. Sometimes, these paint jobs are poorly done with improper paints.

Lacquer paint is easy to use and quick drying, but lacks flexibility. As a result, bumpers repainted with lacquer often severely crack after a few years.

There isn’t much you can do about the problem. You can buy some touch up paint and try to repair the chips, which might keep the bumper looking respectable for a while. Ultimately, you may have to replace it.