Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
So sorry you’re dealing with this situation! The good news is that you can fix most paint chips on a plastic bumper with a bit of sanding, putty, and paint.
You can complete this repair yourself, but a body repair shop is generally a better choice. This repair requires good ventilation and color matching.
Here are the basic steps for fixing a paint chip on a plastic bumper:
Using sandpaper, smooth down the chipped area.
Fill the chip with putty and apply mesh reinforcement if necessary.
Allow to dry and sand down until smooth.
Paint the repaired area.
Be aware that spot treatments are pretty noticeable. Most repair shops recommend you strip the entire bumper to achieve the best results.
The good news is that repairing your bumper is almost always cheaper than buying a new one. But you can always
app. Once you download Jerry, answer a handful of questions that will take you roughly 45 seconds to complete and you’ll immediately get car insurance quotes for coverage similar to your current plan. Jerry customers save an average of $887 a year.
Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.