Auto Body Damage Question.

[Jem]

Sooooo, my Brother in law backed into my parked van with his truck (I was not even in the van at the time). There is a significant crack in the lower left side of the bumper and the licence plate cover was shattered with the licence plate dented.
My bumper is made from the plastic stuff not metal.
We brought it to someone and they described what they think happened.

He backed into it almost dead on (hence the dented licence plate) but hit it hard enough that the bumper dented and torqued causing the crack. It's a perfect crack, with no pieces missing, I didn't even see it until I got home. When the bumper dented in the middle it caused the ends to flair out which also caused the left side (same side as the crack) to lift off the clamps so it is not sitting perfectly around the headlight anymore. (The bumper no longer looks dented as it is made of plastic and re took it's original shape)
He also said that there is some sort of "bar" in front of the airbag sensor????? That seems to be damaged, and had he hit just a bit harder, my air bag probably would have gone off (I assume if I were sitting in it with the ignition on - do airbags go off if the car is parked and off?)
He said he can fix the crack, repair the damage behind the bumper, and replace the airbag sensors (if needed), for WORST CASE, $1800.
BUT, I looked online about how much it is to REPLACE a bumper, and it does not seem like we are saving money by repairing it instead.
If my my research a replacement bumper is between $800 to $1300 and an airbag sensor is $250 to $290 (each) - I have WORST CASE three that MAY need to be replaced. Then I would assume that if the sensors do not need to be replaced my $1800 worst case drops to around $1000, so why not just get the bumper replaced completely instead of fixed???

My husband is being stubborn on this, because he trusts the guy.
My sister is angry because she does not think that $1800 is reasonable and thinks the guy is trying to scare us to to more work than we need to. (Which I kinda agree, but he did say WORST CASE, it will probably be less as I highly doubt that my sensors need replacing - he'll only know the extent of the damage under the bumper after he takes it off) She also doesn't have that kind of money to just fork over. But she also does not know cars either.
I mean, I remember fixing a small dent and scratch on my fender and that was $1000! So it seems like a good price, but then I read stuff online, and I think that it's not a good price, then my husband explains something else and....I'm overthinking and going back and fourth and just need an opinion.
And I'm stuck in the middle trying to keep the peace so that everyone feels like they are being taken care of and not being taken advantage of.

So to anyone who knows cars...
Is that a reasonable price for the damage described?
What is the "bar" that the guy was talking about?
Will my air bag go off while I'm driving due to the damage?

I'm in Ontario Canada, in case that helps with price comparison.

 

[NY cat man]

First off, it's difficult to tell about the 'bar' without knowing the year, make, and model of your vehicle. That said, remember that most of the cost in vehicle repair is in the labor, not the parts. I had to have a heater core replaced, and the core cost about $100, but the bill came to almost $2000 because they had to remove the entire dash assembly to access it. Air bags have a capacitor built into them so they can deploy even if the battery is destroyed in a collision, so yes, it is possible for them to go off with the ignition off, and also, depending on the degree of damage near the air bag sensor, it is also possible for them to go off while you are driving, but I would think that if it was a real concern, the one who looked at your van would have warned you accordingly. After all, by not doing so, he leaves himself open to a lawsuit.

 

[Jem]

First off, it's difficult to tell about the 'bar' without knowing the year, make, and model of your vehicle.

2014 Dodge Grand Caravan, base model, no fancy stuff.

That said, remember that most of the cost in vehicle repair is in the labor, not the parts.

See that's where I have an issue. If it was just replacing the bumper - that's not labor intensive but buying the whole bumper would be more expensive.
But to repair the crack, the cost of material is less but I assume it's more labor intensive.

And when it comes to the sensors, If they are defective now due to the collision, it's supposed to warn me with a light on my dashboard, so I can only assume that the sensors still are in working order, but whatever this "bar" is, is what is damaged. I just wish I knew what the bar was. Is it something that is part of the bumper? or part of the frame? or some sort of separate part that protects the sensor?
And because I'm dealing with second hand information, I can't ask questions, I don't even know who the guy is that my husband went to. The van is in his name and under his insurance so he has to deal with all of it. I get the wonderful task of relaying info to my sister who then relays it back to my brother-in-law.....

 

[Jem]

I would think that if it was a real concern, the one who looked at your van would have warned you accordingly

Well...he did recommend that we stay away from highway driving just in case the half hooked on bumper bounces around too much....
But I wonder if it's just because he's trying to make it seem worse than it is.

 

[NY cat man]

2014 Dodge Grand Caravan, base model, no fancy stuff.



See that's where I have an issue. If it was just replacing the bumper - that's not labor intensive but buying the whole bumper would be more expensive.
But to repair the crack, the cost of material is less but I assume it's more labor intensive.

And when it comes to the sensors, If they are defective now due to the collision, it's supposed to warn me with a light on my dashboard, so I can only assume that the sensors still are in working order, but whatever this "bar" is, is what is damaged. I just wish I knew what the bar was. Is it something that is part of the bumper? or part of the frame? or some sort of separate part that protects the sensor?
And because I'm dealing with second hand information, I can't ask questions, I don't even know who the guy is that my husband went to. The van is in his name and under his insurance so he has to deal with all of it. I get the wonderful task of relaying info to my sister who then relays it back to my brother-in-law.....

It's probably a structure to protect the sensor from low-speed bumps. It requires a certain impact speed to activate, and because the plastic bumper cover is designed to absorb small impacts, the sensor requires protection because of its location. Again, I don't know how many parts need to be removed before the bumper can be, but most collision shops work by what is called a flat-rate manual, which allots a certain amount of time for any repair. Also, did they make any mention of used parts for your repair?

 

[NY cat man]

Well...he did recommend that we stay away from highway driving just in case the half hooked on bumper bounces around too much....
But I wonder if it's just because he's trying to make it seem worse than it is.

I would take his advice very seriously, because if that bumper comes loose, even if it is temporarily secured, you will be in a whole world of hurt.

 

[Jem]

Oh don't worry, we haven't used the van except to get me to work, and I use side streets that don't go over 50 km/hr. I'm trying real hard too to avoid pot holes and such.

Also, did they make any mention of used parts for your repair?

The guy is supposedly fantastic with fiberglass and patch work type repair. And because the bumper has a clean crack, he said the finish would be flawless.
As for the damage underneath / the "bar" - IDK about using used parts, maybe the damage is not too extensive and he can bend it back into place?
The clamps for the bumper are just these little plastic things so I assume getting new is no big deal.

 

[NY cat man]

Oh don't worry, we haven't used the van except to get me to work, and I use side streets that don't go over 50 km/hr. I'm trying real hard too to avoid pot holes and such.

The guy is supposedly fantastic with fiberglass and patch work type repair. And because the bumper has a clean crack, he said the finish would be flawless.
As for the damage underneath / the "bar" - IDK about using used parts, maybe the damage is not too extensive and he can bend it back into place?
The clamps for the bumper are just these little plastic things so I assume getting new is no big deal.

It appears, then, that it is only the bumper cover that is loose, and not the bumper itself. That piece is also sometimes referred to as a valence.

 

[vyger]

Cracks in plastic bumpers and such can be welded with a plastic welder. They even have plastic rod that fuses with the bumper plastic to reinforce the weld. There are lots of options if you want to try and fix it yourself. You might even be able to get used parts, a used bumper, as a replacement. Dealer charges are always a lot higher. For example replacement headlights from a dealer can cost 2 to 3 hundred each. You can buy exact replacements on ebay for as little as $40. a set including new light bulbs and free shipping. I no longer try to clean older foggy lights, I just get new ones because they are so cheap. So the markup on parts from dealers is huge. A used bumper from a salvage yard may cost you as little as $100. A major concern for you might be that a 2014 is still relatively new so a DIY repair might have an impact on the resale value if you plan on selling it.
Where I live in rural Montana people hit a lot of deer, way more often than other cars, so front end damage to bumpers and headlights is pretty common.

If your really adventurous and want to consider DIY here is an article I wrote about fixing a car of mine.
How to Fix a Totaled Car for a Fraction of the
This was written a few years ago, but I did repair $3000 of damage for a cost of $400. Oh, the plastic bumpers are actually called bumper covers as the actual bumper is considered to be the bar that supports the cover.

A good crew of helpers is also a plus.

 

[Jem]

Oh, the plastic bumpers are actually called bumper covers as the actual bumper is considered to be the bar that supports the cover.

So, maybe the "bar" that the guy was talking about was the fact that the bumper was bent right where the sensor is. And yes the crack does seem to be in the bumper cover, it's a thin molded plastic piece.

A good crew of helpers is also a plus.

Super cute!

There are lots of options if you want to try and fix it yourself.

If it was just the cover, I MAY have attempted this, but the fact that the guy says there might be a problem with the area around, or with the airbag sensor itself, with my luck (or lack there of...) I would end up deploying the stupid thing!

It appears, then, that it is only the bumper cover that is loose, and not the bumper itself. That piece is also sometimes referred to as a valence.

yes, the cover is what is not quite attached on the left side, but he did say that there was damage to the center of the bumper itself too.

Thanks to both of you for your insight. We (well, my husband) is still adamant that this guy is a good guy and we are going to still deal with him. I also found out that this is not "just a guy" but the dude that runs the collision center in our area, so I guess he must know what he's doing.