Rear bumper question

Gritty

Member
My rear bumper really lets the car down its got some ugly deep scratches which are too deep to t cut out.

Ive been quoted £250 -£300 to have it resprayed which is to rich for me, so been keeping an eye on ebay for a good condition replacement.

Question

Does the top bar bit of the rear bumper which house the parking sensors detach? come out?

Ive seen a couple of good condition bumpers on ebay but not with parking sensors ....guur !

any help appreciated
 
I've never heard that the rear bumper is made in two sections but, assuming you have OE parking sensors, you could probably transfer them to one of the replacements you've seen without too much difficulty. I believe that all rear bumpers have provision for the sensors and it's just a matter of 'punching out' the circles that you'll find on the inside surface and fixing the sensors in position; I recall that there's a member on here who has previously lent out a suitable punch so you might well be able to borrow it. I imagine you might be able to unplug the wiring for your current sensors so, once your sensors are fitted to the replacement bumper, the existing wiring could be re-used.
 
Try searching around for a better quite. Respraying a rear bumper should cost more than £150.
 
I have had 2 quotes for a bumper, £100 and £130, and that's Oxford (expensive area), but be warned it is almost inevitable it will not match perfectly, but I suppose that depends on the skill of whoever does the job. Your quotes are OTT.

Interesting talking to the chap who gave the £130 quote above. Bumpers are cheaper than bonnets as they are plastic rather than metal, despite them being being larger, plastic easier to do. Get this plastic substrate produces a different colour. Stood next to my Mauritius Blue FSI he said he could see the the bumper was a different blue hue, looked exactly the same to me!, but I suppose 40 years in the paint trade and the eye becomes highly attuned to colour nuances, a super 'colour seer' like a super taster or super smeller etc., or could all be flannel.

Andy
 
I had my Dolphin Grey bumper done at a back street place. £130. The quality was just Ok, however, straight from the tin the colour was a perfect match.
 
Thanks for all your help Im gona explore the parking censor pop outs see whats what and try for some better quotes.

Cheers
 
The rear bumper fitted with OEM parking sensors is different to the standard rear bumper. There are some faint marks on the back of the standard bumper to indicate where parking sensors ought to be positioned, but adapting a standard bumper to accept OEM parking sensors would not be easy. Getting your existing bumper resprayed is unquestionably the best option.

I've had multiple rear bumper resprayed and usually pay circa £150.

Cheers,

Tom
 
So is the oem parking sensor rear bumper a different part number?

Absolutely! The individual parking sensors (which are replaceable parts) are fitted into little plastic holders that are an integral part of the bumper. So, whilst you could just drill appropriately sized holes in a standard bumper (and chamfer the edges as per factory), you still wouldn't be able to fit the OEM parking sensors because the plastic sensor holders would be missing.

OEM parking sensor bumpers are desirable. I've retrofitted OEM parking sensors oodles of times. I fabricate the looms and am able to buy all the necessary electronics, but getting hold of a suitable bumper in decent condition is always the biggest challenge.
 
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