Grrr. A week after my car came back from the auto body shop for damage to the rear bumper (my only accident in 20+ years of driving), I slid down the hill on some black ice, barely missed the Camry at the stop sign (thank God), and tried humping the stop sign with my TL. Well, the damage to the stop sign is barely noticeable (I bent it back and no one--not even the HOA hawk!--is the wiser). The damage to the car is in the attached pictures. It actually does not look bad (see first picture) but I opened up the carnage so you can see the internals better (see other pictures).

I went back to the auto body shop and the guy was licking his chops. He told me that it was $1000 just looking at the bumper (a new bumber = $500 + paint = $350...). Anything they find underneath is extra. I told him that I was going to be paying this out of my pocket unfortunately and was looking for some sympathy. All he did was salivate some more.

So, I looked at eBay and some other places. $350 for a painted front bumper. What else do I need to do? How hard is this? I am in between employment as of this moment and I don't have $1000+ to plunk down for this dude. So I really need to fix this myself. As FYI, the horn seems to be at a lower volume--I'm guessing the car has two and one of them was lost in the battle with the stop sign. Also the left front blinker is not working. My guess is that the blinker is fine, it's just the cable got messed up.

Can you guys please take a look at the pictures and give me a sense of what needs to be done? How hard is this? Spring is here in Seattle and I am ready to do some work--and not give that leech any more.

Appreciate all the help in advance.

 

^hook up the cable with the blue harness. see if that solves the blinker issue.
your body guy was spot on....to me, it looks like;

-front left fender liner
-maybe the high pitch horn.
- Bumper + paint.

thats what it looks like to my eyes!

of course, you could go without the front fender liner if you so choose.

the biggest expense would be the bumper and paint!
a brand new bumper is about ~$250, well it was the last time I checked at www.acuraoemparts.com

so he might be taking a profit from selling you a bumper for $500


also, dont sleep on junk yard bumpers!!! you could get the same color in pretty good condition for less than $250
junk yard fender would be $30 or less
junk yard horn would be $20 or less

 

Dude that'll buff out.








Sorry, obligatory buff out joke.

 

Thanks for the insight justnspace! Love it and appreciate it.

The blue harness is smashed. I'll need to get another one.

I have a few more questions and would love your guidance:

1. If I end up buying a new front bumper, it it a good idea to buy a painted one? Or do you recommend buying one that then needs to be painted?
2. Look at the bent metal edge at the top in image #4. How do you recommend that I deal with that?
3. What special hardware do I need (e.g. image #5) when installing a new fender cover and a new bumper? I assume that some old hardened plastic clips and screws will die upon removal and I should order some in advance.
4. The blue harness is smashed. Do you know what it is called (so I can get a new one)?
5. Is there any risk to things like airbag sensors, etc. when I replace the bumper? Anything that I should be careful of?

Gracias.

 

If doing this yourself, just make sure you deal with the bent metal with the paint missing. I can't tell if that is part of the fender or the something else...just make sure it gets treated and covered back up.

 

Yes, I certainly will be doing this myself. That bent metal does not seem like part of the fender to me. It is some part of the body of the car--wish I knew more. How do you think I should deal with it? Would love your insight.

 

pic#4 is the headlight/bumper clip. this metal "bar/clip" holds the headlight and bumper!
your best bet would be to try to align the bumper and make any adjustments to "mounting bar" by beating it out with a hammer, if you can. but you will need bumper first to help you "align"

Bumpers do not come painted! i believe from acura they are non-painted for $250...
then you would have to get it painted for an additional cost! likely $250+
I can see the cost of paint and bumper = $500.

but if you can score a same colored junk yard bumper, that would be my route.

 

if you check out youtube.com there will be a 3G TL bumper removal and installation video.

it will help you tremendously with where the clips/harnesses are located.


also, if you head to www.acuraoemparts.com , you can check out the expanded views on specific part-diagrams with accompanying part numbers for your ordering convenience

 

I'd search salvage yards in a couple hundred mile radius for a rear ended NBP 04-06 TL. It's worth a shot. But that said, Justin's right. A new bumper is around $250 from an online wholesale source like Delray or Acurapartsforless. A decent shop will spray it off the car for a couple hundred. Needs flex additive though.

 

My insight is to take it to a shop.

I haven't done home body work since I was 17 and used a small sledge hammer and a large log to beat a smushed body panel back out. I then rattle canned the side of my car with White Duplicolor paint and called it good. I do not recommend this style of repair method on the TL.

If it doesn't have to be bent back into place to for the bumper, light, liner, or fender...just scrape off the lose paint, lightly sand or wire brush to clear any rust, and cover it up with some type of paint. Just don't leave it exposed to the elements.

If it must be bent back...well....I already told you my story, so you shouldn't listen to anything I have to say about that.

 

lol that info doesnt matter if its just superficial damage.

like the bumper cover fits all years (04-08) and all transmissions (AT/MT) and all mileage....

even the fender liners are the same between years, trans and mileage....

if for some odd reason, the head lights have to be replaced....all headlights can fit all model years (04-08), all trans(AT/MT) and mileage....

lol

i might even add the Horn is the same between years, trans, and mileage....

 

^they both fit.
so in that case, i would grab the cheaper of the two.

again, all the parts are interchangeable. 04-08

furthermore, if he heads to a junk yard, he'd be able to snag one regardless of the years

 

car-part.com and look for a bumper and fender that's already painted. You can find them much cheaper and save the time and $ of getting them painted and not having them match the car, etc.

 

I had a similar problem back last year. Slid on some ice, and went right into a sign. Same part of my car, except the headlight also got damage as well. It costed me about $1900 with a new horn, bumper, headlight, paint job, inner fender, and whatever else got damaged.

Not sure if you decided what you're doing, but I would definitely check out a junkyard for a painted bumper. Some shops (well at least some around NY), don't match paint as well as others, and if that's something you care about, then I would keep that in mind. If you're able to get a decent front bumper from a junkyard that would be fine.

Also, your horn is most likely messed up too, I know when I hit a sign the horn said "nope" and shattered.

But like someone already said, just make sure you take care of that metal part. I personally would have gone to a shop, but I understand why you aren't able to. It always sucks when things like this happen.

Hope it all works out!

 

Ok, my parts inventory for the local junkyard looks like this:

-front right fender liner--the front inner fender assembly, not the panel set (FENDER ASSY., R. FR. (INNER) for 2005 Acura TL|74100-SEP-A10)
-the high pitch horn (HORN ASSY, HIGH for 2005 Acura TL|38150-SEP-306)
-black front bumper--the cover, not the guard or the reinforcement-- (FACE, FR. BUMPER (DOT) for 2005 Acura TL|04711-SEP-A90ZZ)
-the clips and things to put this together.

Anything else?



Does that look right?

 

Awesome help. The metal is gnarled but I will attempt to straighten it out. It only needs to be straightened enough to mount the bumper cover anyway.

Now, if you look at pic #2 closely, note that the blue harness is not itself broken, but it holding onto some black plastic. What is that part?

 

No where in the production run from 2004 to 2008 did the TL body get wider, smaller, taller, ect. All 3rd gen bumpers fit any year. This is another beaten to death topic with countless members (including myself) have done the conversion or swap or replacement from a base 04-06 bumper to any 07-08 bumpers. MOST have done it because they want to have lower fog lights. Others have use accord fog lights and custom fit them for the 04-06 base bumpers. Before you start ripping members who have been here much longer than yourself, you should take a long step back and start researching topics before you claim to think you know something. Use the search function here and google as well. Make sure to add Acurazine at the end of every google search.

 

On a side note... when did this happen!? I live in Snohomish County but haven't had an overnight freeze for a couple months. Regardless, sorry to see that bumper in such bad shape. That really sucks, but thankfully you didn't damage the FR quarter panel and/or hood! Now that would be expensive.

 

OP, do not listen to this 01acls. The bumper covers and everything else justnspace stated are correct. Research the forum and you will find evidence of 11 years of members documented work.


01acls, your speculation on this matter is pointless unless you have hard evidence including experimenting and concluding that it does not fit and not because of "your opinion." I want that resignation letter on my desk first thing Monday morning.


Again, I have stated that I and other members have base model TLs with Type-S bumper covers with NO fitment issues. Others have Type-S models with base bumper covers with NO fitment issues. Most members like myself did it ourselves.

 

PM sent to a few folks, stop with the BS. If you can't answer the OP then don't post. Bans will be issued if you can't stop for those involved.

 

OP,

Wow, you're so lucky that these 3g TL guys got your back. They really know their 3g bumpers since

1. By ownership that makes them experts by default.

2. They've change like 1 or 2 front bumper for sure so these guys are not just bunch a wannabe posers.

However, you should always post the car's year and model for the record so everyone is on the same page.

 

Ban handed out. Who else would like to make some passive aggressive comments and/or continue this nonsense after csmeance made a warning?

 

Well, I sure would *like* to make some passive aggressive comments, but I don't think that would be wise at this point...

It's a little hard to tell, but it looks like that blue connector is still mated with it's other half. Is that a bulb holder?

 

the blue connector shouldn't be a big deal to replace... just a matter of sourcing one without paying an outrageous fee.


OP, are you capable doing minor electrical repairs (properly), in such a case? The last thing you want is for your crimped/soldered/whatever connections to break while driving, leaving you in a pickle. It's not hard, but do some reading before hand to make sure it'll last.


Also, is it possible to just buy a connector from Honda or a wrecker? I'm sure you have to be... but at least in my mind, I keep thinking that you'd have to buy a whole harness.. but that doesn't seem right.

 

If there is a "U-Pull-It" type place, those sort of little bits can be *ahem* "procured for free". According to a friend of mine.

Even better if it's a connector common across years or models, easier to find.

Trying to get a brand new one can be troublesome. Auto manufacturers typically don't itemize them for parts lists. But sometimes they can be had from a sub-tier supplier or reseller. I've looked for similar parts for other cars and it's not always an easy journey. So that's where the "Pick-n-Pull" starts to look attractive.

 

you are also going to need the little plastic trim piece under the headlight as that is what lets the bumper clip in under the light. A rubber mallet + some wood/hard rubber balls will help in getting the metal pulled back a little bit. I'd also recommend a blue propane torch from the plumbing section at walmart, it's $15-20 but great for wrenching. Heat up the area (not the headlight or any plastic bits, just metal) and it'll help soften the metal to bend it back into shape.

Also works well on stuck/frozen bolts to get them freed!

 

Thanks for the info. Can you please provide more info on the plastic trim you are talking about? I am looking at acuraoemparts and cannot tell which.

Your point about the propane torch make a ton of sense. I didn't think of that. What do you mean about the hard rubber balls? Is there a video that you can recommend watching?

 

It was a few months ago (hence the rust on the metal parts). Since then my dad got sick, family vacation, then job hunting...

I live on the top of a hill on the Sammamish plateau. I've seen that the plateau than is colder than Issaquah and it is colder at the top of my hill than on the bottom. Sometimes you can even see a clear frost line in the middle of the hill a hundred feet below my house!

But this day wasn't like that. It was just icy in the shady spot at the bottom of the hill. Normally I check the HOA FB page before leaving but on this day I was in a hurry and paid for it. But thank God it was not one of the quarter panels!

 

What is your deductible for your car insurance? If it's $500 then I'd file a claim and get it fixed professionally. $1k or more might not be worth it.

 

BUMPERS for 2006 Acura TL

It's either parts 9/15 or 16/17 but leaning more towards 16/17.

I used a lacrosse ball to help massage a dent out from a fender but it doesn't look like it'll help you here...