Paint bumper and then install?

[jtvang125]

I only have one car so I can't afford to have it at a shop for more than a few days and I don't want to deal with renting a car either. Are there shops out there that will paint a new bumper off the car and then install it on a weekend when it's done?

 

[exdeath]

Doesn't matter either way. It takes about 10 seconds to remove or install a bumper cover, it's just hanging by 4 plastic clips/screws.

 

[halik]

^ This. Any place will do that, takes no time at all.

 

[Howard]

Doesn't matter either way. It takes about 10 seconds to remove or install a bumper cover, it's just hanging by 4 plastic clips/screws.

Takes about 30 minutes for my front bumper cover.

 

[alkemyst]

I actually prefer them to paint it off the car. Less chance of overspray on wiring...

This doesn't work well if the current paint isn't fresh.

If it's a older vehicle with bad paint, painting it on the car can result in a better match.

 

[halik]

I actually prefer them to paint it off the car. Less chance of overspray on wiring...

This doesn't work well if the current paint isn't fresh.

If it's a older vehicle with bad paint, painting it on the car can result in a better match.

The problem with that tends to be that the flake in metallic paints doesn't set the same direction as with oem, so the color is a bit off.

 

[Black2na]

its plastic the metallic isnt gonna stand like it would on metal anyway. and paint done in the past 10 years isnt near as likely to fade as it was back in the 90's havnt had much trouble with cars from the late 90s early 2000 on match. just go to a shop have them get and paint a bumper then set up an appointment to have the swap it out. most shops should jump at the chance.

 

[alkemyst]

The problem with that tends to be that the flake in metallic paints doesn't set the same direction as with oem, so the color is a bit off.

Hopefully the body shop looks at that.

Leaving your car is the best bet ultimately. They'd spray the panels like the factory as well.

 

[the DRIZZLE]

I had mine done off the car a few years ago and it they had a hard time matching the colors even though the shop had a very good reputation. I actually need to replace the same bumper cover again and this time I'm going to have them do it on the car.

 

[TheHashmaster]

i would let them paint it on there, so they can match it better. i mean the shop will probably paint it off the car, but its going to be hard for a shop to match the bumper to ur car, when ur cars not there.

 

[jtvang125]

i would let them paint it on there, so they can match it better. i mean the shop will probably paint it off the car, but its going to be hard for a shop to match the bumper to ur car, when ur cars not there.

So if I was to bring in the new bumper couldn't they match it then? Or leave them my gas lid to match with?

 

[IcePickFreak]

I haven't seen a body shop that will paint it with it on. And a bumper cover is never going to match the body 100% no matter where you paint it, it's a different material, will soak differently etc.

Wouldn't be a bad idea to stop in to let them match the color beforehand, as a paint code will only get you so far and some have a lot of variances. Then you can stop in when it's done and they can toss it on while you deal with the paperwork.

 

[TheHashmaster]

So if I was to bring in the new bumper couldn't they match it then? Or leave them my gas lid to match with?

yeah i guess they could match it then. might take an hour or two to get the color right.


give the shop a call and see what theyre policies are.

 

[DirthNader]

I haven't seen a body shop that will paint it with it on.

Exactly.

A good body shop will remove it from the car to paint it so that the paint and clear gets full coverage around the edges where the bumper normally meets other body panels.

Bumper covers are painted seperately at the factory anyway. They go through paint lines on bucks with other non-structural panels (when I worked at Saturn that meant just about every panel) and are typically put on the car near the end of production to minimize the chance that they're damaged by workers or equipment.