Do I need a new bumper or can it be bent back into shape?

[WoodyGreen]

Hi everyone, I just joined as unfortunately I foolishly hit a trolley park barrier at the supermarket today when reversing out of a space - it pulled and bent the bumper of my new car. I contacted the garage I bought it from and I am concerned that because I told them I’m a woman with a baby and it’s tricky for me to get over as I’m on my own during the day that they are saying it needs a new bumper to charge me more money as they think I’m clueless. So just wondered if I could get an opinion from these photos from you experts! I drove the car home fine, it seems to have bent pretty badly but I was hoping it was repairable. My main motivation is wanting it fixed quickly rather than waiting ages for them to get a new bumper in etc. please help! Thanks

[arco_iris]

Hi Woody,

The bumper itself is made of plastic, may be soft enough to straighten back to where it was, as long as there isn't any of it broken off - difficult to tell from your pictures. Looking at pictures of undamaged Suzuki Ignis online, it may be OK.

However, the metal front wing is also damaged (above the wheel, where the arch trim is popped away) - although the paint is not scraped, special care must be taken to straighten it out.

Google for "car bumper repair (insert name of town)" and also "Smart repairs (town)". Many of the outfits you will find come up will be small independent operators, mobile with a van, and come to your home or place of work. Go to their websites, see if they have any reviews.

Speak to a couple of them and see what they say. There is no need to go back to a main dealer.

[dewaltdisney]

Have a look on eBay for a used bumper in colour and replace it. The work repairing that and paint will cost more. Same with the wing, they are all bolt on. Is it a Suzuki Swift?

DWD

[WoodyGreen]

Thank you both, it’s an Ignis yes. I have contacted a few body repair people now, thank you for this recommendation it’ll be good to see what they say.

I think with it being just me during the day with a small baby I panicking and am looking for this resolution to be quick and easy (even if it’s not the cheapest) and went for the dealer as we know them, never had any repairs done at a garage before as this is our first car.

I’d rather have it repaired than wait ages for a part, hoping it could be done this week as we have lots of things planned at the weekend for a few birthdays. This is what a baby does to your brain, you forget you’re parked next to metal bollards as you’re so focused on caring for them and tired.

Hopefully it can be resolved soon, maybe it will need to be a new bumper but seems a shame for such a seemingly low impact incident.

Thank you guys

[dewaltdisney]

What a shame, I have to say that this is an insurance claim really, have you got a protected NCD bonus? A proper repair will mean a new bumper and all the bits that broke. With original manufacturers parts and fitting it will be around a £1000. A second hand bumper in colour from a parts dismantler will be around £400. The thing about bumpers are that they are premade and coloured for the manufacturer for quick assembly to the car when built. They simply supply the bumpers in colour. You can buy aftermarket bumpers that have to be painted and fixed but the fit is often not as good. Painting a panel is around £200 these days plus stripping off the old and fitting the new costs.

My guess is the work repairing the old bumper and the painting and fitting will cost nearly as much as a new one.

As it is a 2 year old, get it done properly.

DWD

[dewaltdisney]

I had exactly the same problem with a rear bumper I caught on a hidden rock in a grass-covered bank. I went down the road of buying a used part in colour but chickened out. In the end, I made a claim and the job came out at £1,300 using OEM parts and fitting, it looked new again though. Sometimes you have to bite the bullet. I feel your pain.

DWD

[arco_iris]

There's nothing to be lost in making enquiries of SMART repair operators. I had similar damage on a BMW, the guy fixed it in my driveway and you couldn't tell it had been repaired.

SMART repair stands for 'Small, Medium Area Repair Technology'. It's the process of repairing a small area of your vehicle to make it look as good as new again, without replacing a whole panel. The SMART Repair service is made to make your life easier and to cut cost.

[WoodyGreen]

Thank you @arco was it as bad as this?

[dewaltdisney]

Looking more closely at the pictures on my laptop, rather than my phone, it does look like the bumper is just pulled out of the tabs. you can see the black locating tabs on the wing end and the slots clip onto tabs under the grille. A Dent man might be able to get this back and repair the metal so it is worth getting a quote. If you have the strength pull the bumper end out towards the wing to take out the tension.

DWD

[WoodyGreen]

Great thank you, yes that’s what I’m thinking too. Clearly I’m no expert but it looks like nothing is broken, just bent out of shape. Fingers crossed someone can sort it.

[arco_iris]

It wasn't quite like that, but nearly - it had been caught by a lorry under-run bar as the wagon turned, popping the bumper off its mounts.

This image shows what it should be like, everything below the line from headlamp to wheel, and the black trim round the arch, is plastic, which flexes. Only a very small part of the metal wing is bent, a S.M.A.R.T. technician can deal with that easily.

8530_suzuki_2020_ignis_sz5_lf_r2_dual_pure_white~2.png (679.33 KiB) Viewed 3172 times

[dewaltdisney]

And do not lose that loose bit of black wheel arch trim hanging on the end of the bumper, temporarily tape it on.

DWD

[WoodyGreen]

Thank you all, I went to the garage today for a quote and they bent it back which has made me feel much better already! Now I just need to get some quotes in to get it repaired. Thanks everyone

[dewaltdisney]

That was good of the garage it clipped back well. A PDR man will easily fix the metal.

DWD