Wimpy bumpers can mean expensive repairs after a crash

If you get into a car accident, one of the first parts of your car to take an impact is the bumper.  In the old days, bumpers were often unattractive but functional, and you could bang them up a bit without too much worry.  However, these days bumpers are both functional and decorative, their sleek design adding to a car’s roadside appeal but also upping the cost of a future repair.

The exorbitant cost to fix the technology driven gizmos and gadgets in some newer cars is a frustration for many drivers, especially those facing a big repair bill after an accident.  Car manufacturers aren’t helping much, as the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) revealed in a recent test.

Several mid-sized vehicles tested by IIHS scored poorly on low-speed crash tests, meaning that it wouldn’t take much force to damage the bumper and land the car in the repair shop.  Not only is it aggravating to have to repair a car after a minor fender bender, but it can be pricey as well.

Here are IIHS’ low-speed crash ratings and bumper repair averages for five 2009 midsize vehicles:

• Honda Accord MARGINAL rating, weighted average repair cost of $1,133
• Hyundai Sonata MARGINAL rating, weighted average repair cost of $1,265
• Nissan Maxima POOR rating, weighted average repair cost of $1,687
• Ford Fusion POOR rating, weighted average repair cost of $2,207
• Chevrolet Malibu POOR rating, weighted average repair cost of $2,329

Think about it: if a low-speed crash can cause over $2,000 worth of damage in a new car, what is the cost going to be in a serious accident?  Ouch!