Next week I'll be having a new front bumper with fresh paint job put on my car, and unfortunately we've been having some snow here lately so the salt and gravel trucks have been out coating the roads with all their paint-eating goodness. I have about a 15 mile drive between the body shop and my house and I don't want the fresh paint to get slammed with all the crap on the roads. Would I be safe covering the fresh paint on the bumper with that blue painter's tape for the drive home? Or will the adhesive damage the fresh clear coat?

EDIT: Before this turns into "why don't you wait until the roads are cleaned?" - I'm getting the new bumper because my local Nissan dealership destroyed my Veilside lip 2 weeks ago, so they are paying for a new bumper, painting and installation. I don't want to let it go until March/April because I'm sure they would conveniently 'forget' they agreed to take care of it by then.

 

I would drive the car home without the bumper, then take the subaru to get the bumper

 

Ask them when was the bumper actually painted? im a body technician and you can safely put tape on painted parts after about a full day or 2 if they baked the painted part. Just dont bare down on the tape. simply lightly touch it just so its enough to stick. Again, as long as they baked the bumper after paintwed and it was painted 2day prior youre good to go. hope i helped.

 

Just drive the car home, it's only 15 miles!

 

^^+1 Don't drive too close behind a salt truck or another car.

 

No tape. Can you leave the car for 24 hours?

 

I can leave it for a day or two. And actually, with the way the scheduling is going to work out and the snow fall they are predicting in the next week or two, it might have to just sit there until the roads are dry (summer tires).

I think I might lobby with the dealer to let me take delivery of the unpainted bumper now and just bring it back in the spring for painting and installation.

 

Hey thanks for the advice! I didn't think they actually baked these parts after painting but I will ask.

 

Leave it there for a day or two and drive it home. If it gets dirty, hose it off. It's no different if it was a spring day and raining. The paint cures in 24 hours. Just don't follow a salt truck, just like you wouldn't follow a dump truck in the summer!

 

Definitely let it sit for a day or two before taping just to be careful. Ask the painter what he suggests i'm sure he is familiar with these conditions and freshly painted cars.

Thats sweet that the dealer is paying for the new bumper and paint just for ruining the lip. Nice job lol, seems like your making out on the deal (in a certain way, because it was your part that was damaged). But this doesn't hurt getting a new bumper and paint for free.

 

You could also stick the tape on a shirt or whatever then apply it. Helps tone down the glue. I do that when I tape fresh paint prior to assembly.