Body work becoming detached?

[bigmouth]

Hi All

Have an issue with my Boxster. I know noone's tampered with it as it was parked overnight in a very secure location in the country with a Molinex cover on. When I applied the cover, I didn't see any issues with the rear wing. When I took the cover off the next morning I wasn't really looking. Then took the motorway at motorway speeds about 35 miles home. Went to put the car cover on and noticed that the rear left side of the bumper had what looked like a tear in it (see photos). I looked inside the wheel arch and where the bumper is supposed to attach it looks loose. Where the car was parked overnight no other cars had room to speed up and bang into it.

My theory is that it came loose, I didn't notice and when I drove down the motorway the air caused the tear as it pushed the bumper out.

I have the official Porsche warranty so hoping this is covered. Mostly, I'm extremely surprised at what happened!

Anyone else experience this or have any thoughts how it could have happened?

Thanks

 

[Scrounger]

So my first question would be, was the cover attached to the wheel arch in the area that it's torn? If so, and given the really strong winds we've had, I'd say the wind has tried to pull the cover off the car and damaged the bumper then as you've driven it at speed, the air in the wheel arch has blown the bumper out and torn it.

I don't think warranty will cover it and, sadly, you'll be in need of a new bumper.

Dan

 

[ianthow]

Insurance job I think. I doubt very much if this could be caused by wind alone. It looks more like something has hooked into the arch and the bumper has been pulled apart with some force.

 

[bigmouth]

So my first question would be, was the cover attached to the wheel arch in the area that it's torn? If so, and given the really strong winds we've had, I'd say the wind has tried to pull the cover off the car and damaged the bumper then as you've driven it at speed, the air in the wheel arch has blown the bumper out and torn it.

I don't think warranty will cover it and, sadly, you'll be in need of a new bumper.

Dan

Hi Dan, if you know the Molinex cover (same sold by Porsche GB, or used to be) the straps go around the front of the wheel and up to the centre of the back of the car through a loop. Further, the cover itself does not make it to the underside of the bumper as it’s not big enough. It just sits on the outside with about a third of the bumper showing. I am almost certain it is not that

 

[bigmouth]

Insurance job I think. I doubt very much if this could be caused by wind alone. It looks more like something has hooked into the arch and the bumper has been pulled apart with some force.

It’s clearly not just wind. I wonder if the attachment can come loose where the bumper attaches to the internal frame?

 

[Motorhead]

Anyone who’s been out and about walking - or even more pertinently, cycling - in the latest blustery conditions will appreciate the magnitude of the forces involved. Bearing in mind that drag forces are proportional to speed squared it’s not difficult to appreciate strength of the forces acting at 70mph on a loose piece of bodywork like your rear bumper. I reckon that - as you say - it’s possible that somehow it became detached during your journey, leading to the damage you’ve observed.

As said, I doubt that Porsche would entertain a warranty claim - especially if it’s the insurance-based Extended Warranty - although it would be worth trying, so probably it’s going to be an insurance claim. Anecdotally, more than 5-years ago when the front bumper on my 987.2 CS was replaced after I hit a kamikaze cat the repair cost was about £2.5k, so I’m sure you’re looking at £3k+ for replacing your rear bumper, although I’m sure that it could be repaired and refinished if you wanted reduce the repair costs.

Jeff

 

[bigmouth]

Anyone who’s been out and about walking - or even more pertinently, cycling - in the latest blustery conditions will appreciate the magnitude of the forces involved. Bearing in mind that drag forces are proportional to speed squared it’s not difficult to appreciate strength of the forces acting at 70mph on a loose piece of bodywork like your rear bumper. I reckon that - as you say - it’s possible that somehow it became detached during your journey, leading to the damage you’ve observed.

As said, I doubt that Porsche would entertain a warranty claim - especially if it’s the insurance-based Extended Warranty - although it would be worth trying, so probably it’s going to be an insurance claim. Anecdotally, more than 5-years ago when the front bumper on my 987.2 CS was replaced after I hit a kamikaze cat the repair cost was about £2.5k, so I’m sure you’re looking at £3k+ for replacing your rear bumper, although I’m sure that it could be repaired and refinished if you wanted reduce the repair costs.

Jeff

Thanks, Jeff. I was just studying polymer fractures and that could also explain the weird tear result.

 

[BrianJ]

I had a tear in a plastic bumper repaired and repainted by a local bodyshop on an Audi a few years ago. Couldn't see the join or sign of any damage at all afterwards. An absolute snip compared to cost of replacement. Worth a try.