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Last year, my Toyota RAV4 hybrid endured an indignity. A very low-speed collision put a dent and a scrape in its rear bumper.
2020-04-27
Nothing to panic about. Minor impacts are pretty common, and the damage was minimal.
But it was still noticeable, and the bumper panel was slightly detached from the rest of the body, as well as being scraped. So I decided that although I didn't really want to fully repair the damage — a new bumper would be required, and with paint and body work I was looking at a few hundred bucks minimum — I wanted to tidy up the impact.
Minor repairs such as these are easy and worthwhile, as I've already demonstrated by fixing a few scratches on my beloved Toyota Prius.
Here's how I used a $6 roll of tape to solve my problem:
Dang! That's a decent little dent in the rear bumper of my Toyota RAV4 hybrid.
Matthew DeBord/BI
As you can see, I have a dent, a slight crack, some scuffs, and a section of the bumper that's detaching.
Matthew DeBord/BI
Not to worry. I've fixed scratches on my other car, a Prius. That time, I matched the paint. But because the damage is worse on my RAV4, and the vehicle is black, I could use another technique.
A roll cost me $6 at AutoZone. Gorilla Tape is stickier than duct tape, which I've used before to fix my cars.
Matthew DeBord/BI
This isn't going to be a serious repair — just enough to hold by bumper together for a few months. I also have to deal with that damage to the trim down by the exhaust pipe. And I'm not going to worry about that dent.
Matthew DeBord/BI
Step 1: I cleaned the area so that the tape can stick well to the surface.
Matthew DeBord/BI
Step 2: I secured the problem area so that I could pull it flush with a second layer of tape.
Matthew DeBord/BI
I continued to the area above the dent.
Matthew DeBord/BI
Step 3: I applied larger pieces of tape in sections, so I could get a good, tight seal.
Matthew DeBord/BI
Mission accomplished! The bumper should now remain attached.
Matthew DeBord/BI
Step 4: Cover the scuffs and scrapes.
Matthew DeBord/BI
Now I'll deal with this tricky bit. I don't think the tape is going to adhere to the finish all that well, but I'm gonna do my best.
Matthew DeBord/BI
Repair complete!
Matthew DeBord/BI
It's far from perfect, but at least the damage won't get any worse!
Matthew DeBord/BI
Don't be afraid to tackle these minor repair jobs! They're simple, cheap, and they can help you keep your car on the road when damage is minor. And the repair has held up for several months now!
Matthew DeBord/BI
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Matthew is a Business Insider senior correspondent who covers transportation (and chess, guitars, home-audio equipment, cocktails, and sometimes classic rock). His focus is the global auto industry, including Tesla, a company he has chronicled since 2007. He also looks after Business Insider's annual Car of the Year award, announced every fall.He's written for The New York Times, Slate, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, HuffPost, and CBS Interactive. He's commented on the auto industry for a variety of media outlets, including Sirius XM, MSNBC, Radio France, KPCC, and KCRW. DeBord won the 2018 Ken Purdy Award from the International Motor Press Association.He's taught at New York University's Stern School of Business and the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California.His book "Return to Glory: The Story of Ford's Revival and Victory at the Toughest Race in the World" was published in 2017 by Atlantic Monthly Press and came out in paperback in June 2018. In the New York Times Book Review, Jonathan Kellerman called it a "page-turning synthesis of business book and adventure saga."
