So as we all know, **** happens... And below was the result. Is this something that looks like someone could DIY repair with touch up and careful sanding, or should I defer to professionals/full redo? Total area isn't huge, like the size of a penny or less. The real concern (in my opinion) is the depth and potentially the stress cracks in the paint. It's a pretty hefty gouge... Kinda bummed about it, honestly.

 

Touching this up with a brush...when you take into account the area of the stress cracks...is not worth it.

Although the damaged area is kinda small....the major problem is where it is located and the type of panel that it is on.

Any advice I would give would be on the professional level and doing a substandard repair is something that I can not try to explain....because that would make me out to be an ***-hat by giving bogus information in order to try to save a DIYer from doing it the correct way....in my opinion.

I know that if I did not care I could tell you how to knock this repair out quickly...BUT...I also know that doing that comes at a price. And that 'price' is that the job would be able to possibly be detected due to critical steps were bypassed would start to show up...and because the job was initially done incorrectly...that if trying to make it right on the second attempt would make it even harder due to the short cuts.

I do know that if your car came into my shop the bumper would have to come off the car. Then it would be going through the process of getting it prepped and repaired correctly.

Often times finding a shop that will treat your bumper cover correctly and prep it THOROUGHLY and CORRECTLY are few are far between due to unless you take it to a specialty shop...the bodyman and painter are looking to get it done quickly because that is how their heads are set-up. Production shops generally have people working for them that are into volume and not so much the BEST QUALITY. I am NOT saying all of them...I am just saying that they do so many cars...they often times have lost the LOVE of doing the job right and respecting the car and teh owner over making the bucks.

Sorry for the rambling on...but in order for your to do this correctly..the costs of what you would need could rival that if taking it to a shop...if you are concerned about money....an hopefully the shop you take it to has the correct products in order to do it correctly also.

DUB

 

Thanks for the words, drives home the point. This is a job for the professional... Now to find someone in my area (NW Florida). I do share the concern you mentioned about finding a shop that is about more than pumping out jobs as fast as possible. I had a guy back home I could go to, but here I've got an empty slate.

 

Possibly ask around at some of the local car shows and gatherings there and when you find the place where all the Corvettes hang out...ask them who they recommend.

DUB

 

Will do. Thanks DUB