Piston Slap: 'Butt' What About Future Collision Repair?

Sajeev Mehta
by Sajeev Mehta

Scott writes:

Sajeev,

I’ve got a two-year-old 2015 Golf with a scarred rear bumper after an encounter with a stone wall (lesson learned — use the mirrors to complement the fuzzy nighttime camera image). Two repair estimates for refinishing the bumper cover average $525.00. The damage is down low behind the rear wheel and I can live with the gouge, for now.

However, I’m wondering about being gouged later when I inevitably decide to trade the car in (probably a few years). My question is: Fix it now, fix it before I sell the car, or don’t worry about it and roll the dice on what a dealer will ding me at trade-in time?

Sajeev answers:

Come on son, gimme a few more variables to make this even more challenging! That said, I wouldn’t fix it because I’m a stereotypically cheap Indian the odds of another mishap requiring collision repair is quite possible in the next few years of ownership!

Super hypothetically, let’s say you keep it another five years, racking up 70,000 miles. Edmunds says that a comparable 2009 VW Rabbit has about a $1,000 difference between a “clean” and “average” trade-in. Let’s say that bumper is the tipping point for your Golf’s valuation — considering opportunity cost, is that extra $475 (five years from now) worth it to you?

It certainly isn’t if the bumper gets messed up again!

Odds are you’ll have future problems (cosmetic, electrical, worn tires, etc) that’ll make this bumper a drop in the bucket. Upon trading in, it’ll be at the bottom of your list.

Your thoughts, Best and Brightest?

[Image: VW Accessories Shop]

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com. Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry…but be realistic, and use your make/model specific forums instead of TTAC for more timely advice.

Sajeev Mehta
Sajeev Mehta

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  • Burgersandbeer Burgersandbeer on Nov 25, 2016

    On one of my cars I was sick of the drone from the exhaust installed by the previous owner, but the bumper had also been modified to accommodate it so I hadn't gotten around to putting the stock exhaust back on; the bumper cutout would look ridiculous. I did get hit that winter and was able to replace the bumper cover, giving me a chance to get the stock exhaust back on. The car already had an accident on the carfax from a previous owner, so I wasn't worried about that. Waiting for someone else to hit you can work, but how often do you guys take damage from another party and that person sticks around for their insurance to take responsibility? The above mentioned incident is probably the only time my car has been hit on the road in maybe 10 years.

  • Krhodes1 Krhodes1 on Nov 25, 2016

    I wouldn't be able to stand looking at it, so I would get it fixed. I have a PDR appointment coming up for my wagon to have 5.5 years of minor dings removed, will cost about the same.

  • 1995 SC At least you can still get one. There isn't much for Ford folks to be happy about nowadays, but the existence of the Mustang and the fact that the lessons from back in the 90s when Ford tried to kill it and replace it with the then flavor of the day seem to have been learned (the only lessons they seem to remember) are a win not only for Ford folks but for car people in general. One day my Super Coupe will pop its headgaskets (I know it will...I read it on the Internet). I hope I will still be physically up to dropping the supercharged Terminator Cobra motor into it. in all seriousness, The Mustang is a.win for car guys.
  • Lorenzo Heh. The major powers, military or economic, set up these regulators for the smaller countries - the big guys do what they want, and always have. Are the Chinese that unaware?
  • Lorenzo The original 4-Runner, by its very name, promised something different in the future. What happened?
  • Lorenzo At my age, excitement is dangerous. one thing to note: the older models being displayed are more stylish than their current versions, and the old Subaru Forester looks more utilitarian than the current version. I thought the annual model change was dead.
  • Lorenzo Well, it was never an off-roader, much less a military vehicle, so let the people with too much money play make believe.
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