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Front Bumper accident

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Christian_cool, Mar 20, 2015.

  1. Christian_cool

    Christian_cool Junior Member

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    Hello everyone. I have a prius III year 2010. Today i was a bit unlucky because i didn't pay enough attention to the road. I was driving off a parking place and I misjudged the distance since I thought i could pass it at one turn until i hit the stone and scratch the front bumper.

    So i went to a Toyota dealer to get a price on the damage 550$ for repait and the guy told me they need to paint the whole front bumper so the damage or the repair area is not visible. He said that they can do it half price if they only paint the damaged area and a little more around but it would be visible.
    So i am considering if it is worth painting the whole front bumper or the damaged area?

    I put pictures below :
    image.jpg image.jpg
    I really appreciate any suggestions and advice, thanks
     
    #1 Christian_cool, Mar 20, 2015
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    It's a plastic fairing, so only cosmetic consideration apply. If it was mine I'd buy their touch-up pen (about $10), rub the area down with a little pumice (restrict to the chewed area, don't extend into undamaged), clean with isopropyl alcohol, then just fill in all the gouges with the pen. Daub it on, the object being to fill completely. Wait an hour or two, then apply a second coat.

    I think if you then take a picture from about 6 feet away, just standing, not down low, it'll be passable.

    I hate these fairings, btw, they're an expensive cash cow.
     
    #2 Mendel Leisk, Mar 20, 2015
    Christian_cool likes this.
  3. Christian_cool

    Christian_cool Junior Member

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    Thanks for your reply, I have a touch-up pen from Toyota abd same color as mine i can try. Would it still be possible to see the damage?
     
    #3 Christian_cool, Mar 20, 2015
  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Maybe get the exact colour? That said, could be it is the same, check the code?

    Another example: every so often I notice our wheel rims are a little chewed. They're the 17", bare rims. I have the touch up pen for our (silver) body colour, it is a perfect match.

    The pens I get, from Toyota, have color at one end, clear coat at the other. I'd strongly advise to avoid using the clear; it makes a mess of previously applied colour cost.

    Regarding the seamlessness of outcome, on your car: obviously up close it will be not so good, but standing back six foot and not squating down, it's passable.

    Get it painted professionaly pretty much guarantees you'll scrape it again, lol. And they will spray an extensive area to blend the colour, frustrating to reprint so much area for something down so low.
     
    #4 Mendel Leisk, Mar 20, 2015
  5. css28

    css28 Senior Member

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    Just touch it up.

    Can you even see that area while you're standing? I doubt it.
     
    #5 css28, Mar 20, 2015
  6. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    I guarantee because you know it's there, you'll always be able to "see it", with anything less than full repair.

    But the question really is can you live with it, or make it acceptable to you?
    No car stays perfect forever.

    It's up to you. But I wouldn't invest that much money into repairing that little or type of damage. I'm thinking you can use touch up paint and while not making it "showroom" good, make it passable.

    But I'm a hypocrite because when I was younger I once had a whole panel of my truck painted when a scratch smaller than that got on it.

    So it's up to you and what standards you want to apply and what you think you can be happy with.
     
    #6 The Electric Me, Mar 20, 2015
  7. Christian_cool

    Christian_cool Junior Member

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    Thank for your replies and advice !
    Today i bought sandpaper and sand it a little bid down, and i was surprised it has a very big effect since the plastic under also was black.
    Later i will use touch up paint.
    Picture i took after i sand it down and it already looks better!
    image.jpg
     
    #7 Christian_cool, Mar 21, 2015
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