Well I finally got the bumper. They sanded out that lump and repainted. I think it looks ok. However, there is still a lot of debris in the paint, and orange peel in some places (although it's low on the car, so it's not that noticeable).

The paint is still incredibly soft (you can score it really easily with your fingernail). I was still able to install it on the car with minimal damage to paint.

They knocked of $50 so it came out to $500, because I was so patient.

This is how it went down.

I walk into the office and start looking at the bumper. Apparently the guy didn't recognize me because I could hear him on the phone talking to somebody, "Don't worry about that guy, if he complains just tell him it's his fault for bringing in a piece of **** bumper!" Obviously he was talking about me.

Then he realizes its me and starts talking about how difficult the job was. "My painter almost quit because the old paint was so sh*tty we had to remove it all! We had to do the job twice!" Then he rambled on and on about how it's not his fault that the job took so long, because I brought a somewhat mangled bumper, asked me if I bought it from a junkyard, etc. Then, in a first for me, he complained that a "Gypsy" probably painted the bumper before I brought it there.

Oh well. Now that I have it all back together, I think it looks pretty good!

 

 

Looks good! It takes about p30 days or so for paint to completely cure and "relax". By that time a lot of the orange peel will smooth out and then you can buff and wet sand as need if you wish.

 

Do you think it will be safe for me to take it on the highway on Friday? I am not going to take it to work tomorrow because I think taking it on the highway would damage it since the paint is so soft right now. Hopefully tomorrow the paint will harden.

BTW, I am waiting until my warranty period is over on the repair (1 year) before I write the most devastating review that paint shop will ever receive on Yelp!

 

You should be good after a few days once the paint has set. Just take it easy as it will still be "soft" enough to sustain some damage if it gets hit with anything. Wash it carefully as needed. I am sure you are anxious to start driving it again but have some patience fortunately you have another vehicle to drive in the meantime.

 

Looks brill , not just I am saying this because I wanna conciliate you
I wish you happy incident free driving

 

At least they got the color to match EXACTLY. So thank goodness for that.

I am letting my lady drive it to work today so I don't get any rock chips (her commute is only 2 miles, so there should be little risk for rock chips, etc.)

 

I'd hold off any polishing/waxing/sanding for 30 days. Looks good.

 

I finally had the ***** to drive it to work (about 20 miles or highway driving). The paint seems much harder now after sitting in the sun in 100 degree weather for 12 hours yesterday!

 

That does help, but still give it the 30 days for the volatile solvents to disperse and the paint completely cured. Anyhow you should be fine.

 

Yeah, I don't have any plans on waxing it just yet.