My 2003 Honda Accord was rear ended by a Ford Aerostar. While the car took quite a jolt, neither vehicle appeared to have any major damage. The bumper of my Accord is scratched, but there is no other visible damage. I’m tempted to not bother to have the bumper cover removed and repainted, but both body shops that I took the car to for estimates said that the foam behind the bumper cover or the bumper itself could be damaged and the only way to know for sure is to remove the cover. I was wondering if not having the cover removed (I would have it repainted if it was removed) to check for damage is a bad idea. If there is some damage and I don’t have it repaired, will it affect the future crashworthiness of the vehicle? Thanks for your help!
The bumper cover, is just that, a cover. The REAL bumper is under the cover, and the only way to inspect/repair it is to remove the cover.
If the bumper itself is damaged it will affect the crash-worthiness of the vehicle.
If the hit was substantial, as you say, I’d let them have a look.