Oem Paint????
 

WADDUP all I-CLUBers!

PLEASE HELP ME!!
Does anyone know if it is possible to order a bumper that is FACTORY PAINTED!

I just got a huge gash on my rear bumper of my new 2005 STi and I want to get/order a new bumper that is factory painted

And if anyone ask me: "why do i want factory paint"
answer: new cars with the factory paint don't chip or flake off when the bumper bends

A decent paint and body shop will add a flex agent to the paint that will be applied to bumpers (covers). This is what was done to cars like older '70s model Firebirds with the urethane nosepiece instead of a chromed steel bumper.

I don't know if you can get the bumpers pre-painted from the factory but a quick call to a good parts department should be able to tell you.

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"…axles of evil…" - george w. bush[/color][/size]

Yes, you can for about $600. Ironically, this is slightly less than the price for repainting a stock bumper (strip/sand/prime/paint) at the average paint shop. It is actually cheaper to order a replacement bumper than it is to have a bumper repainted.

Where can i order?
 

Thanks for your reply!

One question though....if i can get one for $600...where do i order one??

I went to my local subaru dealer and they told me that they can't get pre-painted bumpers from the factory...however they CAN get me a bumper and have one of their local shops spray it....

To be honest....i wouldn't mind aftermarket paint, but since i just got the car...and the car is still brand new...I want everything to age with the car evenly!

Body parts and panels are only available unpainted from Subaru. This is just as well since even a factory prepainted part would not match your car exactly, there are always slight variations between batches of paint. The only way to ensure a proper match is to have a local shop mix the paint to match YOUR car. As Wingless said as long as the correct materials are used there should be no problem with durability of the paint.
Your existing bumper can also be repaired, although depending on the size and severity of the damage it may be best to replace it.
You might also try local junkyards to see if you can find a wreck with the bumper intact, but again the paint may not match perfectly.