How would you repair this scratch?

Touch up kit? Order another painted bumper? Get the bumper painted? Just looking for suggestions. Thanks guys

 

I would try touch up paint first. The dealer offers small touch up bottles of the exact paint code, and usually in a little paint brush style, so you can easily cover JUST that area. If it doesn't turn out how you want, get that whole corner of the bumper repainted.

 

I'd use some isopropyl alcohol to clean the scratch off and then use the Toyota touch up paint (with the brush) to apply a few thin coats. That is how I do touchup paint on my 08. You will still probably see it if you are looking for it and up close, but from six feet away I doubt anyone who doesn't know about it will notice it.

 

Why fix it? Just embrace the scratch. More will happen as the truck ages. My last Tacoma was ceramic coated and after two years I just stopped caring since it was inevitable to get scratches here and there. I have about a 6 inch scratch in my 2024 from either my son or the neighbor’s kid. No way to know who did it as they are always running around the truck chasing each other (they are both 3). As long as it’s not bare metal to rust, it is what it is.

 

Wait ‘til you get a bigger one near it and then you’ll never notice this one anymore.

 

Why do folks always say "embrace it", "just live with it", or "more will happen anyway and you won't care"? Not everyone wants to drive around a beat-up truck.

I personally take pride in my vehicles, as much as they cost especially, and I take care of them. PREVENTING damage as much as possible and on the chance something does happen, I fix it right away.

 

You might be able to get it somewhat decent with touch up paint. You can use some painters tape and carefully cover the whole area around the scratch. Then paint over the scratch with a couple light coats and remove the tape afterward. It can help with blending it in a little better.

 

Buy a real bumper

 

Point taken when you have to repair it to mitigate further damage like rust. But this is a plastic bumper. Touchup paint will not fix it. I’ve used it on my wife’s car to cover up deep scratches down to bare metal, but it does not hide the scratch. It just covers it up. And repainting a plastic bumper to cover this type of scratch up is stupid expensive. If you’re someone that has the experience and equipment to properly clean and spray it yourself, by all means. But to pay a shop for this? To me, that’s foolish. It is a truck, after all. If you use it like one, scratches are inevitable no matter how well you take care of it.

 

Scratches suck. I got my first door ding the other day. Made me sick to the stomach. Why can’t people be more careful?

Not sure if it would work for that type of scratch, you may want to contact them, but I’ve heard good things about Dr Color Chip.

https://drcolorchip.com/touch-up-paint-kits-premium-packages/?gad_source=1

Good luck.

 

Touch up paint.

 

Eh, it's ok for people to actually care about their things. Some people like to keep their things nice.

 

Some people just don't take care of their things. That's on them though.

 

If that is a plastic covering that's modular I'd price pulling it off and repainting that panel and if that's too pricey I'd touch it up. But I am not painting an entire bumper over that.

25 year old me who had nothing else in life to worry about but keeping a nice car perfect might have. 44 year old me would settle for a touch up that makes you have to stand a couple feet away to see it.

 

New bumper or rattle can

 

Me at 61 with very clean ride and garage kept an only gets drove only the weekend. Still says touch up paint of course matching color code.

 

I’m not saying don’t take care of your things, what I’m saying is it’s a truck. If you actually use it as design then surely you will get scratches over time. I care about my truck but still know it’s a truck and some things happen that are out of your control. I’m not going to get bent out of shape with a small scratch that’s on a plastic piece.

 

Take it to a body shop and paint that tiny piece.

 

I have had great success with my 4Runner and tundra using Dr. colorchip products…..best product of its kind in my opinion.

 

It all depends on how much you’re willing to do. Touch up paint isn’t a one shot fix.
If you have the money, send it out to get painted.
If you have patience and time, there’s plenty of videos out there on wet sanding and clear coating scratches.
I feel for you on that 1st scratch- it’s too soon! Get it fixed and go enjoy your new truck.

 

I have had good luck with the TouchupDirect Paint Pen, goes on smoother than a brush.

https://touchupdirect.com/touch-up-paint/toyota/tundra/#pf-year=2023

https://touchupdirect.com/touch-up-paint/toyota/tundra/#pf-year=2023&pf-color=216396

 

Get a few coats of touch up paint to build some depth. Then wet sand it with 1500, 2000, 3000 grit. Then hit it with rubbing compound, then a finer cutting compound, then polish. You'll probably never notice it if you do it right. Use a sanding block and soapy water to wet sand.

I fall in between the "it's a truck" and "keep my things nice" camps. For my Tundra, I'd make a big cup of coffee and make a Saturday morning out of that scratch. For my GX, I wouldn't even see it among all the larger scratches.

If it bugs you, fix it. But I'd try the cheapest method first and go from there.

 

Ask @Eurodriver

 

Dude, looks like its a total loss. Time to sell and upgrade to a 24 Pro.

 

Simple....
Replace it!

IMHO I would.

 

Shit happens, I get it. There's nothing wrong with someone wanting to fix an issue when it happens. I'm not sure where OP is getting bent out of shape for a scratch on his bumper. He's just asking for suggestions on how to repair it.

 

Agreed 100% man.
If it was me, I'd be pissed and suck it up and replace it,one and done.

Or option two is wrap the truck in color matched bubble wrap.

 

Fix it! When I unintentionally got a couple of scratches on my truck, I fixed it with color-matching touch paint. Looks much better now!



Here I fixed it: