What's the best approach to repair this?

[nysimonsez]

I want to get some opinions on what is the best way to repair the scratches in the pictures below. It's my wife's '07 Lexus IS250 and the scratches are on the right rear bumper and caused by backing up a loose stone driveway. I went to a couple of body shops and both said it can't be polished out (scratches are too deep) and requires a repaint and clearcoat. The rear bumper also has a clearbra and the scratches are just below it.



One shop said it can be repaired 2 ways. One is to just repaint and clear the damaged area, but it'll leave a visible clearcoat seam between the old and new clearcoat. The better way is to remove the entire bumper and take out the clearbra, repaint the damage area and then spray a clear coat to the entire bumper so it won't have a seam and will be a perfect repair. The prices are between $300 and $700. Another shop said just to repaint the scratches and clear the right bumper area up to the clearbra edge for $300 and it will not show a seam.



My question is will just spraying a clearcoat to just that area show a seam and if so can that just be polished out? I want to get it perfect fix so I can't tell a respray even close up and want to know if a $300 job will get me that. At $700 i might as well get a new bumper.



Sorry pics are not too clear from my camera phone. thanks for your inputs.

 

[Dubbin1]

I would have the the bra taken off and have the whole thing painted.

 

[imported_DetailDan]

Removing and repainting the whole bumper is the way to go.

 

[a_guerrajr]

remove and repaint all



otherwise a few years later, it might be really visible and it will probably cost you as much to re-fix it. just do it right from the the get go.