My weekend project, or how to save $700

As I mentioned last week, I had a small accident. I rear-ended another car and this is the result.

I took the car to a couple of shops and the cheapest estimate was $950!

I’m going to have to do it myself. The radiator is trashed. It’s the one I spent four hours on in December 2002 installing. The bumper is destroyed as well.

I’m ordering a new radiator from the place I got the last one. Just $99 delivered (versus $175 locally). I found a bumper in a local salvage yard for $150. I haven’t picked it up yet, but was told it had “a big scratch” on it. Since it’s highly unlikely to match colorwise, I’m not too concerned about a scratch. Another salvage yard had two unscratched bumpers, but they wanted $275 each.

The bumper looks to be a challenge. The radiator I can handle.

Wish me luck.

Good luck with your project.

Have you thought about seeing if an automotive repair class at a local communitity college could paint you bumper for cheap. Gives them something to practice on and saves you lots of $$$.

I’d thought about that, but the waiting list is about a year long!