986 Rear Bumper Guard (Bumperette) Repair: Cost Estimate and Parts Required?

[EPWilson]

My Boxster was damaged while parked in a public garage. I'm not sure exactly what happened, but it looks like someone backed into my car, hitting it just to the right of the rear license plate.

They knocked of the right bumper guard, shearing off the metal support it mounts to. There are also some scratches and road salt marks along the right side of the bumper cover as well, but the car is really dirty at the moment and it's hard to tell how deep the scratches are.

Pictures of the damage:








I still need to speak to the manager of the garage to see if he has any more information, but for now I'm debating whether to file an insurance claim or not. I have a $1k deductible. I track the car so if the scratches in the bumper cover aren't too bad it may not be worth it to have that refinished.

From the looks of the damage to the bumper guard and mount, is this something I should be able to repair cheaply by replacing the mount that broke off (and where should I look for that particular part)? Or would fixing this correctly likely require a replacement of the full metal bumper carrier? Should I be worried about other structural damage underneath the bumper cover?

[KevinH1990]

This cost about $900 to repair:



I was hit while stopped at an intersection, so the other driver's insurance paid.

I don't know if labor rates in your area are comparable to mine, so your cost could vary.

If I had to guess, I think your repair would involve more labor because the shop will probably need to remove the bumper cover to repair the mount for the bumperette.

Good luck.

[mikefocke]

Right, the concern is as much for the structures that hold the bumper as for the cover itself. You need to have the shock absorbers and the crossbar examined, the cover repaired and the cover repainted. The muffler could also have been displaced/bent.

Perfect time to get the bumperettes painted, BTW.

Mine cost $1400 and that was with the insurance company trying to force the repair facility to reuse rusted bolts, etc. No idea what it would cost if I paid for it myself. Mine likewise looked like it had surface scratches, no sheet metal or lights damage. But lots underneath had to be replaced for safety reasons. A check of the rear alignment is not a bad idea either as is a frame measurement just to make sure the bumper support pieces did all the sacrificing and the shock didn't distort the structure.

[EPWilson]

Can anyone confirm or deny that ordering a replacement bumperette will include the bracket that the rubber part mounts to that attaches to the metal bumper reinforcement (the part bracket lying on the ground in the first picture)? Or is this a separate part number or does it only come along with the whole bumper reinforcement?

[s_wilwerding]

The other possibility is that if you have to replace the bumper, just remove the other metal support. New bumpers do not have the bumperette holes cut - when I got my new rear bumper, I didn't bother with the bumperettes. Also, it's likely going to cost more than $1K to repair, so I would recommend submitting an insurance claim.

I don't have a pic of mine, but this is close:

[EPWilson]

I have gotten estimates from two separate places and both came in between $750-850, provided I do not need to to replace the entire bumper reinforcement in order to get a new bumperette mounting bracket - the estimate jumps to $1.6k if I need the whole reinforcement. This is why I'm very interested in exactly what I need to buy in order to get that bracket.

One idea the lower-estimate place had was drilling a hole through the existing broken bracket and the reinforcement, and then bolting the bracket back in place. I'm not sure how I feel about that kind of solution...

The annoying thing about this repair is while I'm considering not getting the cover repainted at this point, the cover needs to be removed in order to remount the bumpette. The remove & replace of the cover is about half the labor on the estimate, so it seems unless I'm going to do the whole thing myself I may just pay up to get the whole thing fixed.

[KevinH1990]

Originally Posted by EPWilson

Can anyone confirm or deny that ordering a replacement bumperette will include the bracket that the rubber part mounts to that attaches to the metal bumper reinforcement (the part bracket lying on the ground in the first picture)? Or is this a separate part number or does it only come along with the whole bumper reinforcement?

If I were in your situation, I would call Suncoast Porsche and ask. They should know. Perhaps the part is something you could obtain from a recycler.

[garywo2000]

I don't know if labor rates in your area are comparable to mine.

[randy_k]

EP, I'm not sure what the rules are where you live. Insurance wise. But in New Mexico. If your car is hit in a parking lot. And there is no note or info gathered at the time (you don't know who did the damage). It goes on to the uninsured motorist coverage. Which carries a $250.00 deductible and has no effect on your premium as it's not your fault.

I have no idea who you insure your vehicles with. But if you have a local agent to call and not a 1-800 number to call. Call and ask. Or read your policy.

You have insurance and pay a them money for a reason. This is one of them!

Just a thought.

Randy