Minor Bumper Repair

Last week our ""Minor" Bumper Repair" featured a scary collision where damage was much worse than expected. This week's bumper is more common. And it really is a minor bumper repair. We fixed a dent and repainted the bumper with factory matched paint. It didn't cost much or take much time. Absolutely no hidden surprises.

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"Minor" Bumper Damage

Be wary of hidden damage after a collision. This Honda was rear-ended. At first glance the damage seems fairly minor. There's a small dent in the bumper and it is hanging a little low. As we'll show you in the series of photos below, the plastic bumper cover flexed during the accident and is hiding sever damage to the frame and the floor of the car. The rear floor and body panels had to be replaced and the frame had to be straightened to get this car back to original condition.

Rear bumper hanging down after collision

Rear bumper hanging down after collision

Looking at underside of car after bumper cover removed. There are large dents in floor and rear panel.

Looking inside the truck after the rear panel and floor have been removed.

Prepping the new floor for installation on the car.

Car with new floor and rear panel installed.

Interior of car looking from the driver's seat through to the trunk with new floor and rear installed.

Interior of car with seats and interior panels removed so new floor can be installed.

Repairing dents in sides of car that resulted from collision.

Car back in original condition after collision repairs at Almost Everything Auto Body.

Car back in original condition after collision repairs at Almost Everything Auto Body.

Car back in original condition after collision repairs at Almost Everything Auto Body.

Complete Paint Job to Fix Delaminating Paint & Microchecking

Almost Everything's Car of the Day is a 2008 Honda Civic Coupe. The original paint was peeling off in chunks. It also had microchecking, something that can happen to any car but we see more often on certain years of Hondas & Acuras. Microchecking looks a bit like cracked ice. It usually occurs when the primer under the paint is failing. Microchecking can allow water to penetrate to the metal and cause rust.

We sanded off the delaminating paint and repaired a quarter panel. We stripped the panels with microchecking down to bare metal. Then we applied a coat of primer-sealer and painted the entire car in the original Nighthawk Black Pearl using single-stage Enamel+UV Protection paint.

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Close-up of microchecking: lots of small cracks that can be caused by repeated heating & cooling.

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Rusty Honda Makes a Comeback

Almost Everything's Car of the Day is a 2000 Honda Accord Coupe. The owner did a great job fixing damage himself. However he soon found his brand new hood was rusting.

The hood had been primed but not painted. It is a common misconception that primer prevents rust. It is true that primer is essential in the fight. But primer and paint are designed to work together, separately they fail. Primer "bites" into metal and plastic to establish the bond between a surface and paint. Primer is porous, full of microscopic holes. These holes allow the paint to sink in and connect. Paint is not porous and keeps out water and rust.

It is critical to paint a primed part as quickly as possible to prevent rust. Once rust starts, it is like cancer. It is hard to fight and can return and grow again.

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Santa's Honda

Most folks don't recognize Santa driving around town. On the reindeers' days off he sports a 1997 Honda Accord. Mrs. Claus says that Santa is mostly a very good boy. So while he was off making his rounds she brought his car to us for an upgrade. After all, a beat-up green Honda isn't how Santa should roll.

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