How much does it cost to re-chrome a classic car bumper? The honest answer is: it depends on the condition of the part far more than on its size. Here are the prices owners have actually paid, what makes them vary, and the point at which a new stainless steel bumper becomes cheaper.
Prices reported
- 130 € excl. VAT per bumper for four sound bumper corners, with no dents or rust, where only the chrome needed redoing (Alpine Renault forum, April 2023). Other quotes for the same batch went up to 900 €.
- Around 750 € for a complete rear bumper and two front bumper guards, undented parts (same source, chrome plater on the Côte d'Azur).
- 850 € for a set: two rear bumpers, two front bumper guards, four headlamp rims and two joint covers, with collection and return to the owner's home, plating done in Portugal, one month's lead time (same source).
- 40 € each for overriders, and around 500 € for six window pillars, with a lead time of two to three months (same source, chrome plater in Touraine).
- 1,000 to 1,600 € excl. VAT for two Volkswagen Karmann Ghia bumpers, quoted from photos by four chrome platers, carriage extra (Flat4ever forum, 2007).
- Around 400 € per bumper on the public price list of a decorative chrome plater, always subject to quotation.
These figures are owners' accounts, not quotes: they give the order of magnitude. Expect between 150 and 400 € for a bumper in good condition, and easily double that for a pitted or bent part.
What drives the price
The chrome bath itself is the cheapest part. What costs money is everything that comes before it: stripping the old chrome, straightening and dent removal, filling corrosion holes, polishing the bare steel to a mirror finish, then copper, nickel and chrome. A serious plater itemises these steps on the quote; a quote that just says ‘chrome plating’ without mentioning the preparation should be treated with caution, since it is the preparation that decides how long the finish lasts.
The second factor is how few workshops are left. The rules on hexavalent chromium have closed many chrome platers, and several of those remaining no longer take individual parts. Hence lead times of one to three months, and carriage both ways for parts 1.20 m to 1.80 m long.
What to add to the quote
- Removal and refitting, if you do not do them yourself.
- Transport there and back, often 50 to 100 € for a parcel of that length.
- Overriders, bumper horns and brackets, plated separately.
- The risk: a bumper that is too rusty may be refused after stripping, or go through during polishing. You then pay for the preparation with nothing to show for it.
The point at which stainless steel costs less
A complete new stainless steel kit from our catalogue, front and rear with overriders, costs between 525 and 4,800 € incl. VAT depending on the model, with a median price of 1,580 €; a single element starts at 319 €. Once re-chroming your two bumpers comes to more than 700 to 800 € in total, which is the case for most pitted parts, the new stainless steel kit is in the same price bracket, delivered, without your own bumper being off the car for two months, and guaranteed for life against corrosion. Over ten years, with a second re-chroming likely, the gap widens further.
Re-chroming remains the right choice for a sound original part you want to keep, or for a model nobody reproduces: in that case, we can also reproduce your bumper in stainless steel from the original part.
To compare for your model
Look up your car in our marques: each product page gives the price incl. VAT of the kit or the blade, the years covered and the exact contents. The full comparison, covering looks, upkeep and lifespan, is in stainless steel or chrome: the honest comparison.
Sources: Alpine Renault forum, thread « Chromage pare chocs » (April 2023); Flat4ever forum, thread « Expérience du re-chromage » (2007); public price list of a decorative chrome plater. Prices quoted as reported by their authors.
