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.

What should be included:

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.

Post

Comments (7)

CostHelper News

10 Quick and Inexpensive Home Makeover Projects To Do While At Home
You may not be able to host the large family gathering for the holidays, but there are still many ways to pick up items curbside to spruce up your indoor space for your everyday enjoyment and to bring a more festive spirit. || Posted December 30 2020

10 Key Ways to Prepare for Extreme Snow
Forecasters are predicting a true nor'easter will hit the eastern and central states with rain, thunderstorms, ice, snow and high winds over the Thanksgiving weekend. It's crucial to plan ahead, before bad weather hits. || Posted November 26 2013



	‣ All CostHelper Blog Posts

What People Are Paying - Recent Comments

side swipe

Amount: $512.55

Posted by: odessa perez in saginaw, MI.	Posted: May 6th, 2018 05:05PM
Car Make: chevy	Car Model: aveo
Car Year: 2007	Auto Shop: auto collision