Toyota Driver Gets In An Accident. Then She Fixes The Damage With Duct Tape: 'Still Looks Like That'

A woman is making light of her beat-up Toyota after revealing that part of her bumper is literally being held together with duct tape.

Nelly (@nellyfit_) shared the condition of her car in a recent TikTok video while joking that other people’s days could probably be worse.

“If you’re ever having a bad day, at least your car doesn’t look like this,” she says in the clip.

Nelly then shows viewers the front end of her Toyota, where much of the bumper appears damaged. Part of it has been patched back onto the car using strips of duct tape.

“Yes, that is duct tape, and yes, I had to duct tape my car,” she says.

According to Nelly, the damage dates back to a car accident she was involved in about a year ago. “So yeah, my car still looks like that,” she adds. 

She does not explain why she never fully repaired the damage or whether insurance was involved, but the caption suggests the decision was partly financial.

“Lmao at least I don’t have a car note,” Nelly wrote. As of this writing, the video has generated more than 31,800 views.

Duct-Taped Toyota: Can You Really Drive Like That?

A lot of people end up driving around with damage like this longer than they planned, simply because bodywork has gotten so expensive.

Even relatively basic bumper repairs can cost hundreds of dollars once shops factor in labor and paint work. If the bumper needs to be fully replaced, the bill can climb well past $2,000.

And on newer cars, bumpers are no longer just plastic covers. Many now contain parking sensors, cameras, and other driver-assistance technology, which can make repairs even more expensive once everything has to be recalibrated afterward.

That’s part of why some people choose to live with the damage for a while rather than fix it immediately.

Still, body shops generally warn that duct tape is really only meant as a short-term solution to keep loose pieces from dragging or falling off while the car gets repaired.

Over time, heat, rain, potholes, and highway driving can weaken the adhesive, especially on damaged plastic. If part of the bumper comes loose while driving, it can pose a hazard to other drivers.

A damaged bumper can also become a bigger issue later if someone eventually wants to sell or trade in the vehicle. Even if the car runs fine mechanically, visible body damage can lower resale value and scare off buyers.

That said, plenty of drivers online related to Nelly’s reasoning. Between rising car prices and monthly payments stretching into the hundreds of dollars, some people would rather drive an imperfect car they already own than take on another loan.

Viewers Split Over Duct Tape Repair 

Commenters who watched Nelly’s video were divided on whether the duct tape fix was practical or something she should have repaired properly sooner rather than later.

Some viewers argued the damage would likely not cost much to fix if she sourced used parts instead of paying full body-shop prices.

“You can buy that whole front clip from pick a part for like $100 and have a back yard mechanic put it on for like another $100,” one person wrote.

“Friend, you need to call some insurance,” another commenter suggested.

“Junk yard,” a third viewer recommended. “You can [find] a [bumper] cheap.”

“Yeah, a new bumper is about $185,” a fourth commenter added, arguing the repair was affordable enough to handle without insurance.

Others, though, backed Nelly’s decision to keep driving the car as is for now, especially if it still runs mechanically fine.

“At least you riding,” one person wrote.

“Trust me, it’s fine, nobody notices,” another viewer commented.

“In this economy, whatever it takes,” a third user added.

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“Looks good to me,” another commenter wrote. “You don’t have to depend on anyone for a ride to me.”

Motor1 has reached out to Nelly via direct message on TikTok. We’ll update this story if we hear back.

 

 

 

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