Instead of being a safety feature designed to protect the vehicle's occupants from injury, the function of a bumper is to absorb the energy from a low-speed collision without significant damage to itself and little or no damage to the front or rear end of the vehicle, thereby reducing the overall cost of repairs after a minor fender-bender. Modern bumpers typically consist of a plastic cover over a reinforcement bar made of steel, aluminum, fiberglass composite or plastic.
Typical costs:
Replacing a typical passenger car bumper can cost $100-$1,000 or more for just the bumper, depending on the year, make and model of vehicle; the material the bumper is made of; and whether the bumper was produced by the vehicle's original manufacturer (OEM) or is an aftermarket bumper made by other companies.
Installing and painting the new bumper can cost $200-$600 or more, bringing average total costs to $300-$1,600 or more.
Bumpers for SUVs, pickup trucks and luxury vehicles can cost more, again depending on materials and source. Auto Parts Warehouse[1] estimates that a basic steel chrome-plated bumper can cost $120-$1,000 or more, while a carbon fiber bumper might be $650-$5,000 or more. On PriusChat[2] , Prius owners reports charges of $400-$1,100 to replace a bumper.
Aftermarket car bumpers can be priced as low as $30-$80, but Consumer Reports[3] warns that car parts produced in overseas factories can be of significantly poor quality, and may be a safety risk in a collision.
Replacing a bumper may be covered by auto insurance, depending on how the damage was done and the terms of the policy, but often costs less than the average deductible amount.
Replacing a bumper is fairly straightforward. Typically, the old bumper is removed; all attached components (such as turn signals, fog lights, license plate or bumper trim) are taken off and added to the new bumper; then the new bumper is mounted on the vehicle, with all wires reattached to turn signals, fog lights or other parts. AutoMD provides how-to instructions[4] , estimating it takes about 2.8 hours and is moderately complex.
Federal regulations require bumpers on passenger cars to be 16"-20" above the road surface, but this height rule does not apply to SUVs, minivans or pickup trucks. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration answers common questions about the federal bumper standard[5] .
State laws also govern bumper height and other possible modifications. AAA lists bumper laws by state[6] .
Additional costs:
More than just the bumper may be damaged; the vehicle should be carefully examined for structural damage. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that in its latest series of tests [7] , a low-speed crash between a small car and a small SUV resulted in damages of $850-$6,000 per vehicle.
Discounts:
Removing minor dents can be a relatively simple (and free) do-it-yourself project. Auto Parts Warehouse provides instructions for restoring and repairing a bumper[8] using a heat gun or blow drier.
Shopping for a car bumper:
Replacing a car bumper can be done at a car dealership, an independent repair shop, an auto body shop or car-repair chains like Pep Boys[9] or Sears[10] .
Both the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence[11] and the International Automotive Technicians Network[12] provide a searchable directory of repair shops.
Forgotten Expenses In a Home Addition Budget Items like construction costs, permit fees or debris removal aren't the only expenses to consider when calculating the total costs of a home remodeling project. || Posted August 5 2013
10 Most Popular Cosmetic Procedures Before the Holidays With reunions and other get-togethers scheduled during the holiday season, most people want to look their best at this time of year. For some, that means filling in those wrinkles with a bit of botox, or having a nip and tuck down here and there. || Posted November 23 2013
I intrusted goodyear to install the new tires, and an oil change on my dodge stealth and when the car was retrieved noticed on spot that the entire front bumper had been hit. They didn't want the police involved and offered only a $200 discount, free oil change and wipers. The bumper is hanging, completely destroyed and my custom plate is even damaged.
CostHelper is based in Silicon Valley and provides consumers with unbiased price information about thousands of goods and services. Our writers are experienced journalists who adhere to our strict editorial ethics policy.
Cost of Annual Mammograms Paid: 772.00 I Had a routine mammogram then had to have the right side repeated(needed a better reading). Insurance said it was not covered in our policy. Firelands Regional Medical charged me $241.00 for the routine mamo, then charged me $256... [more]
DETAILED MY 2006 FORD FREESTYLE Paid: 150.00 IS $ 150 TO MUCH TO PAY TO A PERSON TO DETAIL A 2006 FORD FREESTYLE IT WASNT WAX IT CLEAN BUT I THOUGHT DETAILING WOULD BE BETTER THAN IT REALLY LOOKS... [more]