Unpopular opinion: Grabbing old bumpers from the scrap pile to reuse saves more than just trash space

I got into the habit of pulling dented but fixable bumpers before they head to the dump. Straightening them out with some heat and filler means I don't always need a brand new part. It's surprising how many are just lightly damaged and can live another life on a car. Plus, less plastic ending up in landfills feels like a small win for the shop.

4 comments

4 Comments

burns.brian6d ago

Isn't filler a problem on flexible plastic bumpers? That stuff can crack and fall out over time since it doesn't bend with the plastic. Plastic welding the cracks first, then maybe a flex additive in your filler, holds up way better. Just heating and filling often comes back in six months.

the_alice6d ago

Forget the mixing ratios, and even flex additive won't prevent cracks.

tyler_morgan6d ago

Sun exposure probably ruins the bond before anything else.

max_patel13d ago

Guess we'll just let our bumpers look like spiderwebs then, huh? Plastic welding sounds like a whole extra job nobody's got time for.