Paint etching help

I bought my 2013 used in Dec 2015 and this problem has existed since the day I bought it.

Below is a picture of what I used to believe was etching from bug guts in my front bumper. This paint damage exists in no other panel of my truck, just the front bumper.

I have attempted to buff this out 4 times. It's not budging at all. I may try to sand but I honestly think a re-paint is the only fix. Even then, A steel bumper with a winch might be neccessary to fix it .

My question is, do you agree a re-paint is the only fix? And what do you think caused/is causing this?? Is there a paint defect problem? Should I be looking for a new bumper rather than just a repaint (ie the problem will continue if I just paint over it)?

 

Have the same problem on our Accord. Wonder if it can be wet sanded. I thought about trying but don't have the nerve. I really want to get a used body panel to practice on first.

 

I think you already know the solution

 

It's really hard to tell from the picture, but if you've tried to buff it out before and it isn't getting any better, I'd go for Plan B. The reason I say that is that a front bumper leads a really tough life. It's the first part of your truck to run into anything and it gets that crap at full speed. I have a number of "interesting" divots in my white bumper cover that as much as I hate looking at them, they're just normal wear and tear after 60,000+ miles.

Remember though, if you go with a steel front bumper, how it gets prepped and painted will have a lot to do with how well it holds up to the same crap hitting it. (Translation: "pretty" isn't always the same thing as "durable.") And since it's steel instead of plastic, chips will eventually rust - unlike on plastic.

 

Steel bumper is the only feasible solution

 

Is it from rocks/debris making slight indentations in the plastic? Tough to tell from pics.

 

No, the paint surface is perfectly smooth. I'm almost worried there is a defect/contamination between the plastic and the paint like it's coming from under the paint.