It costs about $1000 to have the bumper fixed at Cadillac. (I’ve done one before, but the insurance paid for most of that.) We already have all the extra parts — the covers for underneath (brand new), side cornering lights, etc. because my husband was going to try fixing this bumper himself. After cleaning and adjusting the shell, he has decided that it is beyond repair.
My question: Who designs a bumper that cannot withstand a gentle tap when pulling into a parking spot? I’m not the only one who has had one of these bumpers crack. As far as I know, they are still making them the same way. The problem seems to happen in the winter when you are pulling straight into a freshly plowed parking space. The snow is white, the sun is glaring, the car is white, the plastic is britle. It is hard to tell how close you are to the snow bank. One tap and you have a $1000 repair! Otherwise, I love this car.
Before I bought this Cadillac, I drove 2 Chrysler LHSs and several Pontiac Bonnevilles. I never cracked a bumper. As I remember, the Chryslers had a strip of chrome across the center of the part of the bumper that protruded the most. I don’t remember the Pontiacs at all, except that they were red.
My Cadillac is one of the models with no hood ornament, so in a white car, approaching a white snow bank, on a sunny day, it is hard to tell where the front of the car ends. It just fades into the scene. LOL.
Turn your headlights on. When you cannot see a distinct reflection of them on the snow in front of you, stop. I got used to automatic headlights coming on when I entered the garage - granted, it's dark in the garage, but when you no longer see the bright light reflected back at you, it's time to stop (usually about a foot or so away from hitting anything). I've found it works the same in daylight in parking where I work, as the spot where I park is up against a solid barrier.