Old timer told me to never use Bondo on plastic bumpers. I ignored him.

Blew a grand on a rear bumper repair last spring. Spent hours sanding and filling a crack on a Toyota Corolla at my shop in Tacoma. Looked perfect until the first hot day. Whole thing popped off like a cheap toy. Should have listened. Anybody else learn that lesson the hard way?

3 comments

3 Comments

haydenp951mo ago

Tried the same thing on a Ford Focus bumper a few years back. Sanded it smooth, primed it, painted it, looked like a million bucks. First week of summer heat hit and it looked like a melted crayon in the sun. Bondo just flakes off plastic like a bad sunburn lol. Cost me an extra couple hundred bucks to get a pro to weld it proper.

hugo_cooper1mo ago

Learned my lesson the hard way too man, Bondo just doesn't stick to plastic.

park.adam1mo ago

Did you try one of those plastic specific adhesion promoters before you put the Bondo on? I used to think my prep work was solid but it turns out plastic is way more picky about what sticks to it. I learned the hard way on a bumper too and now I only use a two part epoxy made for plastics or just take it to a shop that does plastic welding. Saves the headache and honestly it holds up way better in the heat.