[importsrhot]

I got rear ended yesterday by a Ford Explorer. No big damage, just a little scratch. So we decided to settle this privately, but today i brought my car to a body shop my dealer referred me to, they want to replace the whole bumper for $824, took it to another place, they said they could fix it for $371. I feel bad for the kid that hit me, that is why i'm on here to ask for your opinions. Should I get my bumper replaced or fixed? Replacing would mean that the guy that hit me has to pay twice as much as just getting it fixed and repainted.

[Oz]

I would have it replaced completely if I were you just so I don't regret it later.

[CnoteMD]

I just had my rear bumper replaced after it was scratched while parked. It was scratched completely through the paint and black was showing beneath (my car is titanium silver). They said that they could repair the damage, but often it will still show imperfections. Ultimately my insurance company's adjuster determined that it should be replaced.

If you only have light scratches, maybe a simple repair is an option. Just make sure you can live with it afterwards.

[rossmelvin]

replace

[jcase33]

I was rear ended, not very much damage but they replaced the bumper. 934 clams. Im glad it was replaced.

[aphall]

A guy backed into me, there was very minor damage, and I let it go. Bodyshop said they could buff it out, but it was so minor, I thought the bodyshop would do more harm than good. Two weeks later, I got rear ended by a Ford Focus. She put two license plate screws into my bumper at rolling speed. Both bodyshops said it is repairable, but the price difference was only 400 dollars between repair and replace. Besides, it may not look too bad, but the metal bar behind the bumper could be bent since bumpers tend to pop back out after they are hit. Replaced bumper was going to be $998 or $894 depending on where I went. To repair, they were going to charge $650. I say replace.

[bos]

[bily]

take the $ and hold on to it if you can live with the damage. This way, when you get to the point you want it repaired, you do it at your pace. Also keep in mind they will probably need your car for 3 days. That's 3 to 4 days of a rental. If you can live without the repair, i would. Once your car goes to a body shop, or butcher shop, it will never be the same. sometimes you are better off just leaving it alone.

Post some photos, it might help us form a better opinion.

[lux.sh]

sorry to hear this..

but I had to say this. Seeing all these "I got rear-ended" threads, maybe E90's brake system is WAY TOO superior to other cars on the road? I mean I rarely see "I front-ended someone" thread, if any.

[aphall]

Originally Posted by bily

take the $ and hold on to it if you can live with the damage. This way, when you get to the point you want it repaired, you do it at your pace. Also keep in mind they will probably need your car for 3 days. That's 3 to 4 days of a rental. If you can live without the repair, i would. Once your car goes to a body shop, or butcher shop, it will never be the same. sometimes you are better off just leaving it alone.

Post some photos, it might help us form a better opinion.

This is what I did. I took the lady's money and I'm holding onto it. I'm guessing with the luck my car's been having, someone will cause more significant damage to my bumper in the near future. In which case, I can get it all repaired at once.

[hotsand5]

yeah, I would also take the money for full replacement. Then keep it if you don't feel like fixing it right away. Who knows if somebody will hit you again (i hope not though). I got rear ended in my jetta and the bumper looked fine, only to see that the rebar inside it was destroyed.

[importsrhot]

thanks for your responses you guys, I will take some pictures tomorrow to show u the damage. He hit me pretty hard, his bumper came loose, but only a few scratches on my bumper....but there might be some internal damages that i'm not aware of. I'll post some pictures tomorrow.

[Pretender]

Internal damage for sure. Just replace it and never regret.

[aphall]

Originally Posted by importsrhot

thanks for your responses you guys, I will take some pictures tomorrow to show u the damage. He hit me pretty hard, his bumper came loose, but only a few scratches on my bumper....but there might be some internal damages that i'm not aware of. I'll post some pictures tomorrow.

Yeah, internal damage indeed. What I did was took a look under the car. Though our 330s cover up the undercarriage pretty well, there are a couple of "viewing holes" where you can see the rear metal bar that goes behind your bumper. Maybe you can take a look, but if he hit you pretty hard... maybe above 10 mph (just a guess), then I'm sure there's internal damage. I think our bumpers are rated 5mph - 10mph?

[Fenianz]

You should replace it, unless the bodyshop tells you they could fix it and give you warranty. Good Luck