Someone must have backed into my car in the parking garage yesterday. I noticed a small paint chip on the rear bumper when I was getting in my car, and it pissed me off but I didn't think it was so bad. Then when I got home, I inspected more closely and noticed that there is about a 4 inch wide area on the top of the bumper that has a very shallow wrinkle. It's very difficult to see, but when light shines off it, you can see that the bumper is distorted.

It looks like someone backed into my car and buckled the bumper, and the bumper tried to return to its old shape but didn't quite make it. The imperfection in the bumper is convex, not concave.

Is there any way to fix this? It's really going to bug me. I know a new bumper costs like $800. The wrinkle is so shallow that it's very hard to notice, but I know it's there and it will surely bug me.

Any suggestions?

 

I'd suggest posting a picture so we can get a better idea of the damage.

 

Check it out

 

Replacing rear bumper and paint $576.62
Someone rear ended my wife Sunday.
Acura repair center quoted price above...

 

One friend suggested that I use hair dryer to warm the plastic, then push the wrinkle flat while it cools.

Another friend suggested that I spend my time doing something more valuable than worrying about some minor defect that no one on the planet would ever notice.

 

those probably are your best options instead of replacing the bumper and repainting.

This is my suggestion, try the hair dryer method, heat the number up and push down on the crease (gently) to see if it comes out. It may improve but may not clear the problem entirely. If you want, you can do this by also removing the bumper to get under the crease, but I wouldn't put that much time into it. If it comes out, great! If not, then don't worry about it Its barely noticeable

 

oh and get the liscense plate cover off your car and pick up a flat black one at wallmart for $4-$8. You don't want to be giving your dealer free advertisement on YOUR car

 

Or you could leave it on and tell them you want to charge for that space and suggest to them to provide you with some nice goodies for your car in return for the free advertisement

 

Another solution I heard on Click and Clack's NPR call in show was to use hot water. Judging from the picture, the bumper folded upwards and may need replacement. Hopefully the actual plastic bumper behind the bumper cover didn't get crushed. Hot water is excellent for popping out indentations that are round and smooth. The hair dryer method is slower but controlled which may help you slowly massage out a dent. But I feel a crease like yours may require the cover to be replaced. Keep us updated.

dsc888