After a minor accident, you might tell yourself it was just a fender-bender. Your car has a dent and some scraped paint but that’s what the bumper is there for – right?
While bumpers are built to withstand debris, bumps and other hazards, it’s a good idea to get any damage checked out. Beyond chipped paint and visible scratches, your car might have additional issues that could affect its performance and crash protection. Keep the following factors in mind.
Bumpers Provide Protection
A bumper is designed to absorb impact from a collision and deflect it away from the vehicle. This can reduce damage to the rest of the car and help prevent passenger injuries. Yet even minor damage can alter the bumper’s structure and ability to protect.
The bumpers on modern vehicles typically have a multipart design:
- Bumper Absorber: Made of durable plastic or Styrofoam, this component is located between the bumper cover and metal exterior. It’s essential for absorbing and redirecting force away from the trunk, side panels and engine.
- Bumper Bar: Adds another degree of strength and is constructed of metal.
Damage to these components can:
- Reduce the impact the bumper absorbs during another collision, resulting in greater damage
- Create an area for rust and corrosion to form, where it can spread to the rest of the vehicle
- Mask more serious internal issues when a collision occurs, particularly to the frame and transmission
- Affect the vehicle’s alignment
Insurance Concerns
You may have been told never to file an insurance claim for minor bumper damage, as it will drive up your premiums, yet ignoring the issue can make it worse. Should you get into another accident, the insurance adjuster can place part of the blame on you for failing to fix existing damage.
They may allege that the pre-existing damage weakened the frame’s structural integrity and crash protection, exposing the vehicle to a heightened level of damage that you could have chosen to reduce. Your claim may be rejected or only certain repairs covered. As a result, you are expected to pay for the rest out of pocket.
Resale Value
At some point, you may decide to sell your car. Yet for dealers and potential buyers, even minor damage is a concern. It can drop the vehicle’s resale condition down a whole category, which will affect the price, and you will likely have a harder time selling it. For trade-ins, the dealer may lower the vehicle’s value and you’ll need to pay more if you’re interested in upgrading.
DaSilva’s Auto Body provides standard and mobile bumper repair services. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.
