So I just got up and went to Timmies for my morning coffee....and what do I see? A giant dent on the front corner of my bumper. It's pretty big and around it there are white lines indicating that the paint has been cracked.

What are my options? Can something like this be repaired or do I need a new bumper? How expensive are they? My car is leased, so do I have to tell Infiniti or can I replace it on my own?

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks guys.

 

^ that's a shame BigG. Yes, bumpers can be repaired or replaced. A new front bumper is around $400 plus install and paint. The repair will probably be a little less.

Someone else will have to comment on the lease situation.

 

Thanks RBull. Damn bumpers...why don't they make em out of titanium already?

Im gonna try and get a picture of the damage and post it up later today. Perhaps its not as bad as I think it is......but i doubt it.

Troy

 

Hi BigG
I would get an estimate. You could put it through your insurance and it would be classed as a hit and run, you would not be held at fault (your rates wouldn't go up) but it would be a collision claim so you would have to pay your deductible (probably $500). A cracked bumper on your car is more likely in the $1000-$1500 range with my experience with insurance claims. I would go get an estimate first and tell the body shop you want to pay for it yourself instead of putting it through insurance (the price is usually different). You do not have to put in the claim immediately so don't worry about that.
Just get the estimate and if it is going to be really expensive, put it through your insurance. Let em know if you need any other help
Matt
My phone #'s are on my website if you want to speak to me in person
www.matthewdubblestein.ca

 

Thanks for the input. I'll take your advise and get an estimate.

Anyone know of a good/reputable body shop in the GTA?

 

I replaced my front bumper cover with one from an '06 Sport. The cover lists for $280.00 unpainted.

Lou

 

^in the US $400 in canada

 

So I snapped some pics real quick. They are relatively small so that they can easily load for everyone. Damage doesn't look good to me. Any input guys? If larger resolution pictures are required, I can upload them.

My buddy suggested that for the time being, we can push the dent out by heating up the area with a heatgun/blowdrier first. However, should I be concerned about the cracked paint warping from the heat?

Thanks fellas,
Troy

 

^Leave it alone until you get the estimate and possibly the insurance thing done.

 

Don't waste your time money or rates with insurance , It is a lease they should not hit you for it. It is ugly though so i would get someone with plastic bumper repair on it who can warm it up and slowly smooth out the bump . The faster the better as it will only get harder to remove with the new weather. It can be done , it won't be perfect but it should be cheap.

 

Looking at the damage, it may be possible to get that out. Call one of those Dent Master guys.
But to Skperforamnce's comment about the lease, it DOES matter. If you take that back and it is not fixed properly, they will charge you for the repair and it won't be cheap. If you are buying out the lease, it is no big deal, but if you are handing it back it will matter. They will accept little stone chips but not a dent.
Call the dent guy first to see what they say and if not you can pay for it yourself at a bodyshop if it is under your $500 deductible or if it is more you can go through your insurance. Your rates will NOT be affected.
Matt

 

Being the head of the lease maturity inspections for Mercedes Benz for a few years I might know a thing or 2 about lease returns.
If it gets popped out they are not going to bother with you which can be easily done.
If you think that insurance companies do not use your "not at fault" claims as part of your premiums your are greatly misinformed. Your rate may not directly go up but it is still counted as a claim.It will make those minor traffic infractions no longer merit it given a pass with no rate changes.
If you switch to a new insurance company they ask for all previous claims and this would be one which will determine your new rates. Failure to provide that info will cause them to rescind the policy and black list you for triple premiums at a minimum.

So again get it fixed on your own dime heat gun and a round ball would be best.

 

When I made the comment about that it does matter when you return your lease, I meant that if you did not repair the damage. I am all for going to a dent guy to get it fixed if you can, I advise my clients to do this quite often. If you are not-at-fault in an accident, your rate will not be directly affected by that accident. Everyones rates are dictated by the amount of claims that an insurance company has, so you are correct when you say that the "not-at-fault" claims have an effect on premium. When you are held at fault in an accident, your rates are directly affected as a result of that one accident (unless you bought accident protection). When you got to shop your insurance, a not-at-fault accident will NOT affect the rate you are quoted. It will show up as a claim, but it is not chargeable. An at-fault accident will greatly affect the rate at a different company. Tickets, at-fault accidents and cancelled for non-payments are big things that will affect your rate when you are looking around. Not-at-fault accidents and comprehensive claims (fire,theft,vandalism) will not affect your rates (at least not in Ontario, I know that for sure. If you had like 5 windshield claims in a year, I can see a company denying you comprehensive coverage because of the frequency of the claims.
When shopping for a new company, you should disclose everything because we can trace your insurance history back at least 15 years and also your driving record (MTO) for 3 years. It doesn't do you any good to leave anything out because we will see it. People do make mistakes and forget things, but I pull there history and point it out to them and tell them if it will affect their rates. I would never cancel someone for non-disclosure if I thought they just forgot. It is just common courtesy.
Thanks for the heads up about your history with lease returns Skperformance because it would probably be very helpful to the others on this forum that are leasing.
Matt

 

Hi Skperformance
I am confused about the sentence "It will make those minor traffic infractions no longer merit it given a pass with no rate changes."
I am just not sure what you mean by that, if you could clarify.
Thanks again
Matt

 

They way my insurance looks at my premiums is by my overall driving record. So if i get 1 major ( accident,failed to remain, aggressive or dangerous,dui X3 )they will raise my rate but 1-3 minors would equal 1 major in rate increases. So if i get failed to surrender licence and then another time insurance and finally a missing front plate then it would impact my rates. Having claims fault or no fault would reduce it by a minimum of 1 minor strike as well dependent on the circumstances , agent and possibly the underwriter and each ones in dependant mood that day.
Sorry for the confusion.