While at first glance it seems to be simple to be true, I have personally observed some bumper cover dings wider than my palm pop out on their own after a day parked inside a hot garage. Recently, Consumer Reports offered some advice on how to repair a dented bumper that involved little more than a handheld hair dryer or heat gun and a rubber ended tool or stick, some elbow grease and a DIY attitude. In some cases, the shop may decide to “pop” the dent out hoping the paint isn’t too damaged, but then again this can still cost you a few to several hundred dollars. It’s not cheap and can cost over $1000, but it is effective and quick.

Many bumpers are covers made of plastic and the problem is resolved by a shop tossing the old bumper and re-installing a new one. Back in the day when cars were made of steel, a dented bumper meant a trip to an autobody specialist and at least a few days of repair while the dent was hammered out, the body puttied, the bare metal primed and then finally painted with hopefully an identical and matching paint job.

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