Here are some questions for people knowledgeable about cars: I'm worried about the front bumper on my 1997 Honda Accord. It's loose on one side, enough that it's noticeable when looking at the car from the side. I checked it more closely a couple of weeks ago, when I first noticed, and found that the bumper is no longer bolted to the car on that side because the bolt hole has rusted through.

I'm guessing that I'll probably have to get the bumper replaced. But it will probably be a few weeks before I can get the work done--because of time and financial constraints--and I have a trip coming up in a week and a half, where I'll have to drive about two hours each way on the highway.

So, for people who know: what's the risk of the bumper falling off? I've patched the loose side with duct tape, and I've continued to drive about two or three times a week--that's as often as I really need to--and it's held for a couple of weeks. Is it reasonable to expect it to last through the trip, or do I need to be bending over backwards to get it fixed first?

And what would be a reasonable price? I've looked up prices for bumpers, not found anything that would fit my car specifically, but it looks like bumpers for similar cars run over $100 but less than $200. I'm guessing that plus labor cost--is that right? Need to know what I'm talking about when dealing with possibly unscrupulous mechanics. While I have a mechanic I trust, they don't do body work, so I have to start from square one to find someone who can fix my bumper.

I don't have any sort of price estimate for you, but your temporary repairs should hold up for your trip. One rusted put bolt isn't going to make it fall off although it can stress other bolts if it's hanging.

I'm not in the know regarding car repairs, but I'd make sure the other bolts holding the bumper are tight. I think I'd feel safe traveling if all of the other bolts were in place and tight.

Update: I initially decided to wait it out, but last Saturday, the other side of the bumper came loose, too, and the headlight popped out of place without the bumper to hold it. A friend and I taped it up so that the car could be driven a little ways without it falling all the way off, and I got it to a body shop. It turned out that they could bolt the bumper back on fairly quickly and for just $100 in labor cost. So it's all fixed, and I didn't even have to replace the bumper, although most of the shops I called for estimates told me I would.

Glad it's fixed.