Thread: Rookie Mistake - Please help!

Detailing geniuses I really need your help! I made a huge freaking rookie mistake, with over a year and a half of not so much as curbing a rim on my 335i, I backed out of a driveway carelessly and misjudged the curbed. Ended up scrapping the passenger side bumper. I managed to not just scraped the bottom of the bumper but about an inch or two of the face of it.

The scratches are mostly surface scratches but also have some that are a bit deeper. The bottom the bumper has a roughed up patch with some raised plastic but this isn't visible unless you are under the bumper.

Is there anything that can be done to fix the visuals on this? I am going to be putting this car up for sale shortly and would like to avoid having the buy a new bumper since it has the m-package and those bumpers are quite a bit more expensive, I know that is the most likely outcome though.

I know we have some of the best detailers around on this forum and thought someone might have some magic! Any info would help! The pics below were taken while sitting on the ground, and thus the size of the scratches look a bit exaggerated but definitely gives an idea of what it looks like.




Thanks guys!

By the looks of it that will need a smart repair.

if the finger nail catch the scratch is too deep and needs touch-up paint/ repaint
by buffing you may reduce the visibility of the scratch but will be still there.

Originally Posted by Swissvax USA

By the looks of it that will need a smart repair.

What is a smart repair?

Yeah if you were to run a nail over it it would definitely catch. The pointy end of the nail.

finger nail...

put it on a lift, scuff it with 800 grit, get your local paint supply house to make you a spray bomb of your paint color... get that and a can of clear... spray it yourself... done it many times, granted i've been doing it for years, but its not hard at all. its the bottom of the car noone will know

Originally Posted by chunky

finger nail...

Hahaha yeah i know, sorry, attempted joke to lighten the situation from my side... Epic fail haha

Just take it to your local body shop they well paint the bumper for $200.00 it's not worth to take the risk and buy the sand paper, paint,clear, spray gun, Air compressor, buffing materials. Etc. all this with no experience

Originally Posted by Pro Detail

Just take it to your local body shop they well paint the bumper for $200.00 it's not worth to take the risk and buy the sand paper, paint,clear, spray gun, Air compressor, buffing materials. Etc. all this with no experience

You don't by chance know of any good body shops in the DC metro area? How hard is it to match the OEM paint?

Originally Posted by Youngbp04

You don't by chance know of any good body shops in the DC metro area? How hard is it to match the OEM paint?

The larger the panel the harder it is. Something small like that will probably only run $100 all said and done