I recently purchased a 2013 Toyota Avalon that had NEVER washed or cleaned his car. Mechanically, it was perfectly maintained, but it was a mess otherwise. It took 2 weeks to clean the interior, but it now looks like new. The paint is in bad shape.

11 YEARS of bug splatter left the front bumper in horrible shape, it was literally coated. Under it all was a crimson metallic paint. I soaked it with bug remover, clay bared it,,and cleaned everything off that could be removed. the paint was still very hazy and dark, but the real problem was that the bug splatter that seemed to make it's way into the paint. I've hit it with a polisher and orange pad with Chem Guys 32. It helped the paint, but the bug splatter marks are still there. I now have a shine except for the bugs themselves. After the cutting, there were no scratches left but I'm at a loss as to what to do next other than pulling the bumper and getting it repainted, which I'm loath to do, since I don't have the expertise or the equipment to do so. I don't want to put any real money into it since I'm retired and on a budget. See the pic to see where I'm at.

Other than the bumper, all is good and the car looks good. I've restored the headlights and all the little scratches that accumulated, but this is ruining the car for me...the stupid bumper. I'd appreciate any and all advice,even if it's to save my sheckels for a paint shop.

Thanks in advance

The only thing to try, and I mean, "try", is to lightly sand the bumper with some very fine wet sandpaper, 1200 or 1500, and then hit it with some compound (not liquid polish). If you don't take off the paint, there's a chance you can save it.

Bug juice is a chemistry nightmare. It does indeed etch/embed itself in the paint. What he said^^^^^^^^^^^^^ is about the extent of trying to fix it. Other cheap fixes would be to buy a nose mask and just cover it up or have a local vinyl wrap company just do the bumper area. Teenage wrap guys around me do the noses on cars like that for about $100. You get 5 to 7 years out of wrap....