Doesn’t look like anything major got damaged, just cosmetic stuff.
$1.7k sounds about right. The plastic can’t be repaired, so they’ll replace the bumper cap and the black piece. That part might have the active grille shutters, which could be expensive. Then there’s the paint. It’s a cosmetic issue though. I’ve driven around with worse on my Mazda3. If you can stand how it looks, I’d save up and wait.
@Uma
That black piece is part of the bumper, not separate. The active grille is way behind it, so if that’s damaged, you’d need to replace more than just the bumper.
Think of it as giving your car some character. I’d wait and save.
If it’s not causing more damage to keep driving it, I’d just zip-tie the fender liner if it’s loose and keep driving. Watch out for sensor issues if the bumper shifted. $1.7k is cheaper than I thought. My RX-8 repair cost over $3k after storm damage.
Throw a body kit on it .
It’s plastic, so no rust worries if paint’s chipped. If you can wait, try to find a bumper in your paint color online. Otherwise, get quotes from a few shops. Matching this paint should be easier than some fancy colors.
Check eBay for a bumper cover in the same color. Could save you a lot.
Labor in the U.S. is insane. A repair like this shouldn’t cost more than $200 if it’s not too bad. You could even go to Mexico and save big.
Jin said:
Labor in the U.S. is insane. A repair like this shouldn’t cost more than $200 if it’s not too bad. You could even go to Mexico and save big.
Exactly what I did. Fixed my RX-8 for under $500 in Tijuana. It would’ve been almost $4k in California.
Welcome to owning a Mazda.
Check what’s included in the $1.7k quote. If it’s just a new bumper and repaint, I’d push the dent out from the back, secure it somehow, and touch it up. Save the money if you can.
If it’s just cosmetic, you can trim the bumper cover if it’s hitting the wheel or remove the fender liner. Salvage yards might have a replacement if you’re handy.
If you’re asking, then it can probably wait.
A good shop should be able to fix that without replacing the whole bumper. Not sure about the black trim though. I’ve seen shops do this kind of work well, but I’m not in the U.S.
Why not go through insurance? Pay the deductible and move on.
Blane said:
Why not go through insurance? Pay the deductible and move on.
My deductible is $1k. Not worth it.
Blane said:
Why not go through insurance? Pay the deductible and move on.
My deductible is $1k. Not worth it.
Lesson learned. Don’t pick such a high deductible. These days, even a small repair can cost thousands.
@Blane
Not everyone can afford sky-high premiums just to have a lower deductible.