Question: I have a 2010 Toyota Camry and I was involved in a minor bumper crash last week where the one of the tab that holds the bumper to the car broke off.

I went to two body shops and body shop A told me they could fix it with **plastic welding** and body shop B told me they need to remove and replace the entire bumper. Body shop B also told me plastic welding is not recommended.

**Question: is plastic welding sufficient for my scenario to fix the bumper? Is it a reliable fix?**

Thanks

Answer: 
Plastic welding is great for a small crack or slit in the surface of the bumper. However, it is *not* structurally sound enough to reattach a broken mounting tab.

I've tried; it never works. The one thing you might try, if you're short on cash (although that estimate you posted seemed reasonable) is to get a two-component polyurethane adhesive (actually ironically called "Plastic Welder"), Mix this in a huge glop, and literally *glue* the bumper back in place in the broken tab area. You may have to devise some sort of clamping arrangement while the adhesive catalyzes, but this only take 5-10 minutes. Don't skimp on the amount used... put it anywhere the bumper material contacts the mounting flange area. Wipe off any excess *immediately*.

Note this a marriage type commitment, not easily undone. But it's $6 instead of $1000.
Without an actual picture and the ambiguous verbage used, here's your options:

* most often, minor crashes do not damage the bumper itself but the "clips" that hold it on. With the proper tools, you can remove your bumper cover, replace any damaged "clips" and then reinstall the bumper cover
* if the cover itself is cracked, your quote listed the part as $370. You may find a cheaper alternative at aftermarket places, and even cheaper would be the junkyard. Aftermarket places usually have unpainted bumper covers, while the junkyard should have a bumper cover in good shape that is already your colour. If you need to paint, you are probably looking at $30-$50 in spray cans, then you install your new cover yourself.