Bumper Crunch

[firemunch]

Hey everyone:

Bummed that I just got into a fender bender in peak hour traffic :( . Anyway, I was wondering if anyone has some advice on repairing it. I am mechanically fairly good (replaced the head in my old vehicle), but not much real experience working on new car bodies.

Basically, the front bumper has a big dent (the size of a foot) in it on the chrome part, and most of the left side of the bumper was pushed back under the grille. Luckily the lights are all ok. The right side wasn't damaged too bad. But the left side is kind of squashed back and about an inch from the tire.

I don't really want it panel-beated back into its original, I just want to replace it. Should I:

1. Find a replacement (unlikely) at a wreckers and replace it myself.

2. Go to a dealer and get ripped off.

3. Go to an auto body shop and possibly get ripped off.

4. Buy an OEM part over the internet or at the dealer.

5. Buy a replica of the OEM part and replace it myself.

If I do choose to replace it myself, what parts will I need to buy - brackets etc.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thx, LJ

[jaxx]

being as its a new toyota most of the bumpers are made up of alot of things

the outer part that forms all the bumper is normally just a 'shell' and are actually inexpensive if you go down you dealer and put an enquiry in

only thing you may have to add is if you need some new clips to mount it and the possibility that the reinforcing 'iron' that runs across the front of the car may be bent??

worth stripping it off to have a good look

but if all is good you should be ok to get the new outer Shell painted and be lookin good again?

[System~G]

Whatever you do, don't take it to Ford to get repaired!! Regardless what the insurance people say