Help! My friend back in to my front bumper :/

I think you'll still be charged that fee. I don't believe it's mainly "things" like panels, but the management and control of environmental pollution or nuisance, which involves more the washing, paint preparation and application etc involved in the repair.

 

I think there are specialty companies that do plastic repairs to bumpers with cracks in them.

 

True - they do a creditable job, particularly if it's painted. I had the rear bumper repaired in my Mitsubishi bus, it had a split and impression of another car in it (I didn't do it!!), which they welded up and re-textured the area - it looked like new.

Which wasn't what the rest of the bumper looked like, quite faded. They ended up painting the bumper so it was consistent.

 

I suspect that bumper could be restored to as-new condition.

 

No, not at all. I'd be very surprised if there was anything which needed attention.

I've known that to be a wise move a few times. When I was a teenager, my dad scraped his back mudguard, leaving a shallow indentation. He ignored it. Just as well he hadn't spent the $$, because later, someone hit it much harder and destroyed the mudguard good and properly, requiring it's full replacement.

 

That is your other option - get it vinyl welded. BUT - you'd still need it painted, which was an appreciable amount of the repair cost.

 

Keep the old one if it is repairable, have it fixed and sell it. Just an idea.