Approximate cost to install a customer provided front bumper cover?
- Thread starter Whammo
- Start date
I am surprised they even agreed to installing a customer provided part.
You make a good point of liability, but there is also the question of profit.
Sounds like 2.5 - 3.5 hours labor.
Seems about right, depending on the car.
Seems about right, depending on the car.
JHZR2
Staff member
I removed the bumper cover on a car once. Bunch of screws, kind of annoying, not more than 30 mins.
If there's fancy radar sensors, headlight washers, fog lights, etc., it might be more complex.
Shops can't profit of of supplied parts. Sometimes they boost their rate due to that.
If there's fancy radar sensors, headlight washers, fog lights, etc., it might be more complex.
Shops can't profit of of supplied parts. Sometimes they boost their rate due to that.
Some front covers take minutes to change out. Youtube replacing front bumper covers look at at least 3 vids to get an idea. and do it yourself. Is a 1.5 to a 2 on a 10 scale. ANYONE almost can do it.
A lot of "how easy it is" depends on what was damaged behind the bumper cover when the original got damaged. If nothing behind was damaged, then it varies between car models as to how long it will take. It's not hard, but it can be a little time consuming,some cars have a multitude of fasteners while others don't.
Yes it is true that the bumper cover itself is a quick 30 min or less job. BUT - you all are not considering the labor to move all the old parts over to the new bumper. This would be things like the grill, fog lights, trim pieces etc. Almost everytime a clip or tab will break so that as to be repaired or new clips added and that cost money.....I would accept a 1.5 hr labor charge as reasonable for shop to install. That is about $150-200. Would I pay that, no because I do all my own work and run a little shop of my own. I would charge a customer $50-75.
If it is all that easy, then DIY.
Otherwise you can pay a shop a few hours worth of labor to do the work. I am assuming the shop thinks it will take over an hour and possibly more which they will not know until they get knee deep into the job.
Otherwise you can pay a shop a few hours worth of labor to do the work. I am assuming the shop thinks it will take over an hour and possibly more which they will not know until they get knee deep into the job.
twouvakind
Site Donor 2025
Research everything before pulling the trigger, that's what this place is here for(and then some)!
They are adding in extra time for unknown issues (small things that break, trying to make a cheap cover fit properly, etc). When they aren't supplying the part, their profit is reduced, plus they don't know what the quality of your part is. They're just protecting themselves from spending 3 hours on a job they bid at 1 hour.
I've taken my front cover off and it wasn't that hard but it wasn't easy either... millions of clips that like to break or won't come out.
And yeah, you're lucky you found a shop that would do customer provided parts. In my past dealings, most won't for a variety of reasons.
Try Craigslist...a lot of body shop guys do work on the side... you can probably get it done in your driveway. It's not hard just a pain in the rear... especially getting aftermarket parts to line up with the factory trim. Sometimes they don't quite line up perfectly and you gotta get creative.. and that can make the job even more a pain in the keister!
And yeah, you're lucky you found a shop that would do customer provided parts. In my past dealings, most won't for a variety of reasons.
Try Craigslist...a lot of body shop guys do work on the side... you can probably get it done in your driveway. It's not hard just a pain in the rear... especially getting aftermarket parts to line up with the factory trim. Sometimes they don't quite line up perfectly and you gotta get creative.. and that can make the job even more a pain in the keister!
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A Rav4 takes 4 minutes, not many clips.
On my car changing a bumper is easier than changing the oil
What car is it for?
Originally Posted by Whammo
I contacted about 5 different shops and only one said they don't do that kind of work. Everyone else had no problem accepting the job but issued widely different quotes.
Consider yourself lucky then...You gonna do it yourself??... If not just pick one with the best reviews and make sure they offer a guarantee on the labor, if they break something they replace it at their expense and the quote covers shop materials and touch up if they ding something.
I contacted about 5 different shops and only one said they don't do that kind of work. Everyone else had no problem accepting the job but issued widely different quotes.
Consider yourself lucky then...You gonna do it yourself??... If not just pick one with the best reviews and make sure they offer a guarantee on the labor, if they break something they replace it at their expense and the quote covers shop materials and touch up if they ding something.
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Ask another shop. I am guessing they adding enough fluff to make money and and excess parts in case they need replacing.
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