Someone hit my front bumper in the parking lot last night, and now I have a good sized hole in the bumper, that I think a new front bumper cover is needed. Does anyone have any experience with aftermarket front bumpers? I found a company called Certifit that seems to have cheap prices, but I don't know how good the fit will be. The OEM acura one is $345, and the Certifit one is $125. If anyone has any recommendations on body shops in the philly area too, let me know...

 

If the other party is paying, go OEM. Otherwise, I have an aftermarket OE-style bumper on my 2004 and its "good but not perfect". The sides where it meets the quarter panel, on both L and R side, flare out ever so slightly. Its noticeable to someone VERY picky but honestly 99.5% of the population would never know.

As for strength, I'm not 100% certain its as strong as OEM but I did crack my aftermarket one on a very very cold day (lowered car + ice chunk stuck to the sidewalk + forgot to approach driveway at an angle = oops!). It was repaired using a plastic braising process and looks 100% now, but again I'm not sure if the aftermarket bumper was just thinner, or whether it was just so cold that no bumper would have withstood the impact.

 

random story: some guy hit my back bumper on the side trying to pull into a parking space. good thing he left a note otherwise i would have had to pay a $500 deductible, but good news i didnt have to pay a cent. anyways, i got a brand new bumper (not a reconditioned) and a new rear rim b/c the body shop said the guy clipped my wheel too. i dont think he did but hey im not complaining!!

ps: listen to curls hes pretty much right 99.95% of the time

did you get the guys info who hit you? i hope so!

 

Where's the 0.05% where I wasn't? I need to know!!

 

i'll say, go OEM no matter what.

Because i have seen fitting problems with aftermarket bumpers.. (unless you dont mind)

 

I once had a front bumper replaced with an aftermarket one (at the insistence of my insurance company). In moderately hot sun, the damned thing would expand and bow outwards, creating gaps between the clips big enough to pass a quarter through.

 

unfortunately it was in a parking lot, and the guy didn't leave a note, so i got screwed. I don't want to go through insurance as there won't be too much difference between the cost of the repair and my deductible. looks like it's worth the extra cost for the OEM bumper...

 

Yessss..

getting a new bumper cost you around $365? painting it.. $200?..
not THAT bad.. but its better for long term~

 

i would go oem as well, unless your thinkin of gettin aftermarket side skirts and rear bumper in the future

 

Yea, go OEM unless you're going to be putting a kit on it, then go ahead and get that front bumper now and the rest, whenever you were going to get it.

 

Go OEM and order it offline. Just google OEM Acura parts. I forget the site but it was under $300 shipped. I got a quote for a local paint guy to do it on the side for $400 painted and he will supply the OEM bumper!