ScottAlexander

I noticed the front bumper of my recently purchased 07 E63 has an uneven gap. Before I purchased the car I noticed there has been front cosmetic paint work done, but I didn't detect any major damage (radiator, etc..).

It appears the bumper mounts behind the headlights are cracked on each side (see pics). The bumper is torn. Is there a reasonable DIY repair for this? Is it common?

Thanks

infantry

Oh man, that sucks!

Try removing the front bumper and reinstalling and see if any clips or bolts are missing.

3BNick

it is possible the metal slide brackets that hold the bumper flush to the fender have become distorted from a slight front impact (say, a curbstone). remove them and inspect them. If the spacing between the top and bottom does not look perfectly even, you can try to bend them back into shape or source replacements from your local dealer.

It is very common for a dealer to have bumpers re-sprayed and other reconditioning done prior to resale. most likely, it was just bumper(s) that were sprayed. if you suspect other work from a prior collision then you should have it inspected for peace of mind.

FromM3toAMG

alright ill ask the question...

Why would you buy this car if you know its been in an accident... regardless of the severity.

ScottAlexander

Ummm...like the previous poster said....not uncommon for cosmetic work on a high-end car. Would you spend $30K on a car with big paint chips in the front or a rashed spoiler from a parking curb?

Besides, there's a huge difference in a fender bender, usually cosmetic, and a salvage title. Wouldn't buy a salvage title, but don't mind a seller trying to clean the car up from usual wear-and-tear to get top dollar as long as the work is good.

PACougar

Not to mention how many cars are out there for sale that have zero accidents in their available history but have been in a accident. As all things go get a car inspected before purchasing it, unless you feel qualified enough to do so yourself.

ScottAlexander

Hey Cougar, knew all about the repaint of the front bumper when I bought it. Used it to negotiate a better deal. Not sure what your point is as I'm not complaining about anything, just asking for some advice. If you have anything constructive to add let's hear it.

PACougar

What I said was directed at M3toAMG. Ok so you knew about it and brought down the price, now take it to a repair shop and have it fixed. If you want to do it yourself, first thing to do is take off the front bumper and find out what's actually causing the problem.

FASN8N

There are plastic tabs on each side built into the bumper that slide into the fenders that close the gap you are seeing. If the tabs are broken or torn, I don't know that there is any way to repair other than replacing the bumper cover

jaedee

The bumper was not re-installed correctly. The correct way to fix this is to pull the bumper and re-install it. It does not appear that anything is broken. There is a metal clip that locks those two corners together. After that, there is a long clip that is a pain in the *** to install, but it pinches the joint together along the length of the joint.

PACougar

Such a pain in the ***!

Sir-Boost-a-Lot

iTrader: (1)

That long PITA metal clip can be installed perfectly however, and if the little dinky plastic part in front of it is cracked, the bumper will sag just like that.