1996 Mazda Protégé, 128,821 miles, in town driving 5000 miles per year in recent years.
I mentioned this in passing in a previous post question, but here it is again as a separate problem. I hit the frame of my garage door about 6 months or more ago which partially pulled off the front bumper area and knocked the right turn signal lens and headlight out of whack. My handiman fixed it up, by using good quality baling wire so the turnsignal and headlight etc worked.
Then, I did the same thing a couple of weeks ago. (I was trying to avoid hitting my bicycle which I had just had reconditioned for an ungodly amount of money) My handiman is unavailable to fix it again. I have gotten stopped once by the police for the malfunctioning turnsignal so it was time to get it fixed.
Mechanic (same one as previous posts) said it will cost 1500 to replace the bumper area etc so the front turn signals will work. He absolutely insisted that the turn signal wires cannot be reconnected. He reattached the bumper area “temporarily”. I am willing to pay to get the turn signals functioning but do I need to replace the whole bumper assembly unit?
Does this seem plausible?? I just want the turn signals to work. I do not care about how it looks. (I drove the car in the interim with a bright yellow bungie cord holding the unit together)
This is the same mechanic who said the car is worth only 1000 dollars and that I should junk the car.
Thankyou in advance for any thoughts, recommendations, comments!
The more that you tell us about this car, I have to wonder why you are even considering spending any more money on repairing it. You may differ with my opinion, but it seems to me that, with all of the issues that currently exist with this car, continued repair efforts are like trying to bail-out the ocean by using a Dixie cup.
I think that it is time to move on with a newer vehicle.
Thankyou for your thoughts. You do make a good point.
@Juanita
My brother’s 1997 Protege, which looks like yours, was in a similar predicament, and he didn’t want to spend much money fixing it
I attached the edge of the bumper to the fender using sheetmetal screws. And I wedged the turn signal in there real tight, so that it wouldn’t fall out
It may sound funny, but he drove it several more months, before he got rid of the car and bought a newer car
@ db4690: That is the plan. Just need to find someone who can get the turn signals reattached.,
@Juanita
Since ugly isn’t a problem, drill a screw, through the remaining turn signal “bracket” right into the upper radiator core support
This is such a cheap repair, a friend with a drill driver and a philips screw driver attachment ought to be able to help you out, in about 20 minutes
" I am willing to pay to get the turn signals functioning but do I need to replace the whole bumper assembly unit?"
I see no reason your turn signals can’t be made operational, especially if you don’t care what it looks like. See if you can find a mechanic that will take an hour (~$100) and wire your turn signals up and screw them on somewhere.
Thanks for the suggestions! Just the encouragement and ideas I was looking for!