Scratched bumper repair cost
Bumper covers are painted plastic, which scratches differently than a metal panel: the paint can transfer off in a streak, or the scratch can cut straight through the color coat into the plastic underneath. Which one you have decides between a $100 polish and a $400-900 respray.
Because the panel flexes, a scratch that would crack paint on a rigid door often just scuffs a bumper — but once the color coat is actually cut through, matching the paint and blending it into the bumper's curve needs a sprayer, not a pen.
Is this what you have?
Run a fingernail across the mark. If it glides over smoothly, you're looking at a clear-coat scuff or paint transfer that will likely polish out. If your nail catches and drags, the scratch has gone through the color into the plastic.
- Fingernail doesn't catch — likely clear coat or surface transfer only
- Fingernail catches and the mark shows the plastic's own gray or white color
- Several parallel scratches at a similar height (shopping cart or curb rash)
- The scratch runs across a textured lower section and a painted upper section
Cost breakdown
| Repair | Typical cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Buff out light scuffs and scratches | $50 – $150 | DIY or quick detail |
| Repair scuffs + repaint the bumper | $150 – $500 | One panel refinish |
| Repair a cracked or gouged bumper | $300 – $700 | Plastic weld + paint |
| Replace and repaint the bumper cover | $500 – $1,500 | Part + labor + paint |
| Replacement with sensors / camera / radar | $1,000 – $2,500+ | Calibration included |
Common causes
Shopping carts and curb rash
Low bumpers sit right at cart and curb height, making repeated light contact the single most common cause.
Another car's bumper
Tight parking-lot maneuvering brings bumpers into contact at low speed, transferring paint or scoring the surface.
Dragged debris
A branch, a dragging strap, or road debris kicked up at speed can leave a single long scratch.
Low-speed backing contact
Backing gently into a post, wall, or trailer hitch is a common source of a single deep scratch near bumper height.
DIY, shop, or claim?
DIY
Compound and polish handle a clear-coat-only scuff in an afternoon and cost under $30 in materials. Once the scratch shows the plastic's own color, a DIY touch-up rarely blends invisibly on a curved panel.
Body shop
Worth booking once the scratch has reached the plastic color — a shop sands, primes, color-matches, and blends the repair into the bumper's curve so there is no visible edge.
Insurance claim
Almost never worth it — the cost sits well under any deductible unless it arrived with a cracked or deformed bumper as part of wider damage.
Get an exact estimate
The photo estimate reads the color contrast along the scratch to judge whether it has broken through the paint, which is the main split between a $100 polish and a $400+ respray.
Frequently asked questions
Why won't the scratch buff out on my bumper?
If a fingernail catches in it, the scratch has gone through the paint into the plastic — buffing only removes surface material and can't fill a color-deep scratch.
Does bumper plastic scratch more easily than metal panels?
The paint itself is similar, but the softer plastic underneath scores more readily than steel or aluminum, which is why bumpers pick up cosmetic scratches so often.
Can I use a scratch-repair pen on a bumper?
It can disguise a shallow clear-coat mark up close, but bumper plastic flexes and the pen's finish doesn't match factory gloss or hold up to that movement as well as a proper touch-up.
Will bumper scratches spread or get worse if I leave them?
A clear-coat scuff generally stays put. A scratch through the color coat can let moisture and road salt reach the plastic underneath and dull or lift the surrounding paint over time.
Want a number for your exact car? Take a few photos of the damage and the app returns an itemized cost and labor-time breakdown in your currency.