Only 2 months old and already curbed front bumper.

Cool 50th AE · 07-19-2009, 12:34 AM

Not a good night tonight. I pulled a little too far into a parking space and scratched the hell out of the paint under the front bumper. It is not real noticeable unless you look under but it will annoy me just knowing it is there. I might bring it to a shop to have it fixed if I can't live with it. Anyone else do this or just me?

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DeLorean00 · 07-19-2009, 02:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cool 50th AE

Not a good night tonight. I pulled a little too far into a parking space and scratched the hell out of the paint under the front bumper. It is not real noticeable unless you look under but it will annoy me just knowing it is there. I might bring it to a shop to have it fixed if I can't live with it. Anyone else do this or just me?

I feel your pain!! I just got the front of my car repainted and within a month I left a parking lot and it scraped. I am SOOO careful but this stuff just happens. Then last week I took it into the dealer and they scraped the bottom again.

I give up. I guess owning these cars you just have to get use to having the bumper repainted every few years. I would say if you cannot see the damage unless you are under the car, I would just live with it as its bound to happen again.

Watch those parking curbs, they are killers.

mlandis · 07-19-2009, 02:13 AM

Same here. I can't help but accept that, as impressive and beautiful as this car is, well, it's still a car. This type of thing's gonna happen. I'd probably get ulcers if I tried to think of it otherwise.

garybc230 · 07-19-2009, 03:31 AM

Agreed, I haven't been able to keep a new car yet that hasn't had some sort of injury whether it be a rock chip or scraping on the bumper. As long as you drive it and enjoy it, it's still a metal vehicle that's gonna get hurt once in awhile. Don't paint the bumper just yet, wait a few months and see if you feel the same way...

traumadoc · 08-02-2009, 06:47 PM

Nobody knows it's there but YOU do. I did it to my CLS shortly after I got it. Painted it and you know what??? Never did it again! I sure felt better after it was fixed!

StephenK · 08-02-2009, 07:26 PM

It's a terrible sound to hear when you are in the car.

Does the 09 model still have the ability to raise the car?

I think some of us with the SL forget how little of a rear end there is to this car and pull in to far. I drive my S-Class a lot which needs to be brought in farther, than the SL.

IngenereAMG · 08-03-2009, 09:04 PM

There are guys out there that do mobile touch up on bumpers, etc, and it is very cheap and most of these guys are brilliant.

We had a client basically tear the underside of the bumper cover, as well as scrape the hell out of it, and $250 later.... voila! good as new!

If you are in AZ, I can give you a referral. In other places, just ask your dealer or a paintless dent guy and I am sure they have a referral for you.

Jim K · 08-04-2009, 05:28 PM

If your car is a 2009 SL push the button to the left of the gearshift lever twice, two red LEDs will light up and the car will rise about 2 inches. It may not clear the infamous bumper stops, but the damage may be minimized. It's called the vehicle level control described at page 158 of 2009 SL owner's manual. Very helpful in entering or leaving driveways also. Once you've cleared the driveway or bumper stop, push the button, the car will lower and you're back to normal drive height. Good luck!

mikesSL55fla · 08-04-2009, 08:32 PM

Fellow scrapers I feel your pain LOL. I did it to my sl and a new bumper was 1900 installed and used was 850 just primed.
I found a friend of a friend that spent a couple days working(patching the old bumper,priming , painting and clearing). It cost me so much less than the stealership and it came out great. Find a ding doc or make friends with a good body guy.

biophase · 08-07-2009, 06:22 PM

LOL. I picked up my car at the dealer from the service area. Drove it to the customer parking area and scraped the bumper on the parking stop.

I still haven't gotten used to its long hood. Luckily, I bought mine used and it already had scrapes down there, else I don't know how I would have reacted.

I'm not repairing mine, its got enough nicks and scratches that I can live with it. If it only had 1 scratch, I don't know.

Emin · 08-09-2009, 06:14 AM

Welcome to the club

07-19-2009, 02:13 AM	#3
mlandis Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Montrose, CA Posts: 328 Drives: 2007 SL550	Same here. I can't help but accept that, as impressive and beautiful as this car is, well, it's still a car. This type of thing's gonna happen. I'd probably get ulcers if I tried to think of it otherwise. __________________ 2007 SL550 w/P1 and panoramic moonroof

07-19-2009, 03:31 AM	#4
garybc230 Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Upper Marlboro, MD Posts: 150 Drives: 2006 SL500/2006 Porsche Cayenne S Titanium	Agreed, I haven't been able to keep a new car yet that hasn't had some sort of injury whether it be a rock chip or scraping on the bumper. As long as you drive it and enjoy it, it's still a metal vehicle that's gonna get hurt once in awhile. Don't paint the bumper just yet, wait a few months and see if you feel the same way... __________________ Current: 06 SL500/ Pewter w/Berry Red Interior/Sprint Booster 06 Porsche Cayenne Titanium Edition Porsche Red w/2 Tone Camel and Blk Interior

08-02-2009, 06:47 PM	#5
traumadoc MBWorld Fanatic! Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Greensboro/Pinehurst/South Beach Posts: 1,142 Drives: Gallardo SE #95 of 250, SL500 launch edition, Gwagen	Paint it! Nobody knows it's there but YOU do. I did it to my CLS shortly after I got it. Painted it and you know what??? Never did it again! I sure felt better after it was fixed! __________________ Schwinn 5 speed-stolen/Datsun Pickup/Regal/626/Civic/Accord/X1-9/SC x 2/LX x 2/Vandenplas/72 Vette/240Z/300Z/300 ZX/745Li/540/840Ci/996/Viper/Mini Cooper S/Wrangler/360 Modena F1/CL500/E class x 2/SL/Range Rover HSE/CLS55 AMG Designo/GWagen/Elise/Bentley GT Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. (Nietzsche) Measure success by the friends you have and the lives you change. Spread my work ethic not my wealth

08-02-2009, 07:26 PM	#6
StephenK MBWorld Fanatic! Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 1,799 Drives: 2006 SL600, 2001 S500, 1996 SL320	It's It's a terrible sound to hear when you are in the car. Does the 09 model still have the ability to raise the car? I think some of us with the SL forget how little of a rear end there is to this car and pull in to far. I drive my S-Class a lot which needs to be brought in farther, than the SL. __________________ 2006 SL600 - Black with Stone Exclusive Leather PICS of MY OLD 2006 SL600 VIDEO - SL600 0 to 103MPH VIDEO - SL600 11.958 1/4 Mile Run VIDEO - SL600 11.999 1/4 Mile Run

08-03-2009, 09:04 PM	#7
IngenereAMG PREMIUM SPONSOR Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Arizona Posts: 2,866 Drives: SL55AMG, Ferrari 348, Ferrari Testarossa, Ferrari F40, Ferrari Mondial t, Ducati 916, Indycar	There are guys out there that do mobile touch up on bumpers, etc, and it is very cheap and most of these guys are brilliant. We had a client basically tear the underside of the bumper cover, as well as scrape the hell out of it, and $250 later.... voila! good as new! If you are in AZ, I can give you a referral. In other places, just ask your dealer or a paintless dent guy and I am sure they have a referral for you. __________________ Ciao...Dino Aston Martin V8 Vantage SL55 AMG... delimited & 569hp/575ft lb tq Ferrari F40 (sold) Ferrari 348 Challenge... Tuned to 350 hp Ferrari Testarossa(sold) Ferrari Mondial t 87 March/Cosworth Indycar Ducati 916 BMW M3... tuned to 370 hp & delimited G500 (4sale) Mini Cooper S... tuned to 185 hp www.VelocePerformance.com

08-04-2009, 05:28 PM	#8
Jim K Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 20 Drives: 2009 SL 550, 2008 C350	Scratched bumper If your car is a 2009 SL push the button to the left of the gearshift lever twice, two red LEDs will light up and the car will rise about 2 inches. It may not clear the infamous bumper stops, but the damage may be minimized. It's called the vehicle level control described at page 158 of 2009 SL owner's manual. Very helpful in entering or leaving driveways also. Once you've cleared the driveway or bumper stop, push the button, the car will lower and you're back to normal drive height. Good luck!

08-04-2009, 08:32 PM	#9
mikesSL55fla Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 137 Drives: sl 55 amg	Fellow scrapers I feel your pain LOL. I did it to my sl and a new bumper was 1900 installed and used was 850 just primed. I found a friend of a friend that spent a couple days working(patching the old bumper,priming , painting and clearing). It cost me so much less than the stealership and it came out great. Find a ding doc or make friends with a good body guy.

08-07-2009, 06:22 PM	#10
biophase Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 53 Drives: 03 SL500	LOL. I picked up my car at the dealer from the service area. Drove it to the customer parking area and scraped the bumper on the parking stop. I still haven't gotten used to its long hood. Luckily, I bought mine used and it already had scrapes down there, else I don't know how I would have reacted. I'm not repairing mine, its got enough nicks and scratches that I can live with it. If it only had 1 scratch, I don't know. __________________ Ghillie Suit \| 2003 Silver SL 500 \| Yoga Bag

08-09-2009, 06:14 AM	#11
Emin Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Glendale, CA Posts: 347 Drives: 2006 C230 SS	Welcome to the club

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