jsheets

iTrader: (2)

So I took my car into a shop a few weeks back for an alignment and 2 new rear tires and the shop scraped up my front bumper pretty good and I'm still currently trying to fight for them to pay for damages but if they don't pay up and I have to come out of pocket should I just get this fixed or get a front lip to cover it up? Opinions and suggestions are welcome!

Black Betty

iTrader: (60)

If it scraped at the height you currently have it, a front lip will hang even lower.

jsheets

iTrader: (2)

I'm lowered on Tein S-Techs so it is fairly low but normal driving shouldn't be an issue. The issue here was carelessness by the shop who probably just slammed the car off the alignment rack. This is an old pic but here is the current ride height:

SwissCheeseHead

iTrader: (6)

If you're lowered, you will scrape. I wouldn't bother.

If you're not lowered and you have pictures of the car before the tire shop had it and can prove that they did it, I would have them do it.

connoisseurr

iTrader: (5)

Where did you get your alignment done?

Go get an estimate a paint repair from a body shop and take it up with their district manager. They will pay out if you keep harassing them about it.

Either take the money they give you and get your bumper repainted for keep it in the bank for another mod.

canucklehead

iTrader: (9)

those scrapes are clearly visible when viewing the front end. if it was just scraped under the front bumper i'd say leave it, but that is no bueno in my books. i'd push the shop to pay for a re-spray. it's not a huge amount of money, ~$300 for a full bumper spray is normal.

whether or not you scrape again in the future is up to you, not a business you are paying to maintain your vehicle. hopefully the business records this as a lesson learned to improve their procedures so this won't happen again.

vqsmile

I'd caution the OP to seriously consider the condition of the rest of the bumper before going with a re-spray. With most any used bumper, due to normal driving "wear and tear" that occurs, there are scores of teeny tiny pits in the surface from rocks, etc. Normally, you can't see them and hardly even notice them, but when you respray, the clear flows down into them and makes a very light-catching curvature around each and every one of them. Basically, unless you're either very lucky (and have no micro pits) or you have the body shop spend the ridiculous amount of labor costs to sand them all out, it will never look as good as a new bumper skin would and you're likely going to be able to tell it was resprayed.

.02

Awgd8

iTrader: (1)

That can easily fix by

Surface Types - Use On Plastic or Rusted Surfaces - Dr. ColorChip: Automotive Paint Chip Repair Systems

Or Lanka touchup paint.

I tried drcolorchip before.

txg37x

iTrader: (1)

Why bother with repainting it? Go for the front lip and call it a day. The lip is hardly any lower and probably cheaper than repainting.

Or use this as an excuse to upgrade to the sport bumper!

jsheets

iTrader: (2)

When I was dealing with the shop and shop managers they had me get a quote, $775. That shop is probably a little higher than most but the scuffs are deeper than just surface scrapes and a respray won't cover that up. They took almost 4 weeks to go through their "processes" to finally tell me they weren't responsible so I started barking up the corporate tree yesterday.

blnewt

iTrader: (13)

That sounds about right, our bumper got backed into a while back and left a golf ball sized dent, would have cost about $700 for repair & repaint. Found a paint-matched new bumper from Riverside Infiniti (a mis-order) for $175 shipped. Usually that's just the shipping charge on those beasts

I think I'd just get a new paint matched front chin spoiler, it will make the front end a bit sportier and will mask the damage, and cost way less than $700.

Not sure about the 2010+ years but my 09 spoiler doesn't effect clearance from a height perspective, but since it protrudes out farther you will need
to take more care w/ steeper angled driveways, etc.

G37Xtreme

I'm so glad I have a silver car seeing that. If that were to happen to me, you'd only know it if you got really close.

I have some scrapes on mine actually, but you'd never know until you get within 6ft. Actually, I didn't believe the whole "soft paint" until I got really close and looked at my bumper. If I had a dark car, it would be pretty shocking.

jsheets

iTrader: (2)

Any suggestions on the best place to find a reasonably priced paint matched lip. I see unpainted lips all over ebay, not sure if I should snag one of those and get it sprayed locally or try to find a paint matched one.

blnewt

iTrader: (13)

You'll have to try all the Infiniti-based sites such as discountinfinitiparts.com
even your local dealer.
Here's one site that allows you to enter your zip to locate one closer to you
2013 Infiniti G37 Sedan Accessory Parts - Infiniti USA eStore

G37Xtreme

If you end up getting one that's not painted...I believe Duplicolor Perfect Match may have a pretty good matching system. A user here painted his rear spoiler from chrome to match his body color, and was happy with the results.

They don't list Infiniti, but do list Nissan. I'm not sure which colors are exclusive to Infinit, but many of them have the exact same paint code as Nissan. My car is Liquid Platinum in Infiniti speak, but the color code is K23. Nissan uses the same paint (K23), but calls it Brilliant Silver.

So perhaps a rare color like Malbec Black may not have a Nissan equivalent (or does it?). I'd take your paint code and see what it would cost you to get a can of paint and clearcoat from Duplicolor's Perfect Match collection. Then have a local paint shop quote the same job. I see you've got Obsidian Black. Is there a Nissan equivalent?

Then go from there.