It was a rough Monday after a nice Thanksgiving holiday break. My head hangs in shame as I type because I accidentally pulled the front bumper off my E46 M3 yesterday morning.
I drove too far over one of those parking lot spacers, and when I reversed it came almost totally off. A stunningly stupid thing to do. I’ve parked there so many times but this time the spot available was sloping downward. Not that I noticed until it was too late.
I called Triple A for a tow since one side of the bumper was still attached and I couldn’t drive the car. Then I thought I’d try and avoid the ignominy and get the car driveable. This was the first time I was forced to resort to tools from the BMW trunk kit. Using the screwdriver and the 10mm. wrench I got the other side free.
Then I disconnected the windshield fluid reservoir and taped up some hanging wires, canceled the tow and was back on the road. The bumper was a tight fit in the back seat but I made it work. (Hey I need something to feel good about right now.) I needed to be mobile because I’m not sure where to bring the car for repair.
The damage is cosmetic and the bumper itself is in good shape. It’s got scratches and will need a respray but I don’t think I need a brand new one. Likewise, while there are doubtless some clips broken and screws pulled out nothing else is broken, like the fog lights. I was careful when disconnecting the reservoir and a drooping brake duct.
The other option is to go new. As you might guess that’s an expensive route, plus painting and install. Going to a dealer would ensure knowledge of the car, but some dealers farm out their body work. That would mean paying a premium just for a pass-through, and top price for any small parts found necessary. There are repair places that can competently paint and reinstall a bumper. When I bought the car I had the bumper redone by Caliber (then Cherner), and they did a good job.
OTOH, these cars in good condition continue to appreciate in value. So sparing no expense could pay off sometime in the future. A car that recently sold on Bring a Trailer was very similar to mine in color and mileage, albeit with a rare leather/fabric interior. It sold for $54,000 in September.
I’m reaching out to my BMW DIY cronies and my mechanic for first-hand references. Being seen as more than just another customer can mean a lot. Drop me a comment if you have a recommendation in the Washington, DC metro area. Or just to rag on me for doing something so dumb.
There are plenty of worse things that happen. The repair will get done. I’ll share details in an upcoming post.
Did the exact same thing with my 335is in front of a Harris Teeter a few years back. Fortunately nothing major broke and a professional reattachment and spray job did the trick. The concrete spacer that I ran over was sitting at an angle to the parking space, presumably dragged there by a previous parker, and stupid me didn’t notice.
I’m not sure if all Caliber shops do the same quality work, but I can vouch for the one on Gude Rd in Rockville. They did flawless jobs on the bimmer as well as the Macan S (story for another time!)
All the best for a great holiday season,
Wally