Have a 2013 Honda Fit Sport Manual with 3000 miles. Somebody glanced my rear bumper with tier car and did not own up to it. The bumper is not dented bit the paint came off. The color of car is raspberry pearl. I took it to three auto body shops they said they will remove bumper paint the area with damage only and clear coat whole bumper. About $350.00. they said they do not strip paint off whole bumper and repaint because bumper is plastic and would make more sense to replace with new one and paint that if I wanted whole bumper painted. Mind you scratches are on driver side corner only. I took it to one last shop this morning and the appraiser said $1500 remove bumper, all emblems from hatch, lights and paint bumper, rear quarter panels, and hatch because that is the only way to get it to match. The other body shops said because bumper is plastic the color naturally would be darker than the rest of car. My question is with the paint being new just a bumper fix should be fine? Any opinions from professional auto painters.

 

I am not a painter but I run a custom shop that does mechanical and has a full body and paint shop and am very familiar with paint.

The body shops that want to spot paint it will blend the area they are painting with the surrounding area and then clear over the rest so it all matches. If they are good at mixing paint then it should come out just fine and not be noticed.

Before you let them paint it, ask them to stand behind their work and repaint it if the blending or color difference is noticeable. If they wont then go to someone who will guarantee that.

The shop that wants $1500 seems to be responding more to your desire for full painting and their suggestion will work but is a lot more work. By painting that large area they will be alble to fade and blend the paint over a larger area and around the sides which will make it even harder for you to notice.

We have a memebr here named painterguy, i think thats it, that works at a dealer and I have seen one or two others that work at body shops post here too. Maybe one of them will give you their advice too and you can make a choice after hearing opinions by a few different people.

 

Not a pro painter but if they can't color match a brand new car they need to find another line of work. Whether metal or plastic it will have the same primer so material is irrelevant.

Every time I've ever went in for bumper repair I've been quoted $400-$600 just to repair/repaint/replace. Nobody's ever tried to repaint my whole rear.

 

I've had my rear bumper done twice.

1st time was at Honda. They repaired a deep scratch, painted the bumper, and charged about $600.

2nd time I got the same quote from them, but having looked up the retail cost of the bumper cover, the labor for repairing the bumper was more than the plastic cost. I called this to their attention and they reduced the price by about $50 and it included the new bumper. I had it done at Toyota who quoted me about the same with new Honda parts without asking.

The 2nd time the paint was a better match than the first.

What's the moral? shrug, it'll get hit again, don't spend too much.

 

If they are a good shop and they have the latest and greatest in paint systems they should not have to clear the whole bumper. The latest water based color systems blend really well.
With that being said the particular color of your car might be a little more tricky than some but it shouldn't be a problem.
Below are some pics of my car. I'm super anal about my paint. My buddy's shop has had my car 5 times for bumper touch ups and to fix my rear hatch.
The hatch pics below are before and after. The area was repaired and blended and re cleared. No color variance at all.
My rear wiper trim and mugen rear lip were painted with no color sample being supplied and are spot on.
So it can be done.
Btw 350 is way to much to spot repair what you are describing.
Post a pic of your damage.

 

Water based paints work very well but many shops havent switched over to it yet.

You are right about the blending and maybe it would be a good question to ask to the shops that coinago is going to consider having it repainted by.