Two Armadas I looked at had bumper marks. One was a new 2010, that had a scratch on it the when I took my wife to see it. The other was a dark green (Timberline, closer to black than green) that had a chip maybe 1/2" x 3/16" with jagged edge...as if the underlying paint didn't adhere.

Is this normal? In the case of the second car, is it more likely the bumper had been repainted poorly (which is my real underlying question)?

That is all relative. If some one hits it ore the driver hits something it will chip. That's normal on any vehicle. It doesn't chip easy from road debris though, unless a nice sized rock hits it or something.

That is my understanding...which is why I think this one may have had its bumper repainted.

My 05 has had a surprising durable paint finish the bumpers. It's been through a few Canadian winters with no stone chips whatsoever. I think that the paint on the bumpers probably has a rubberized type agent in it though.

Joe

The first chip i got was from hitting a bird! lol I saw that i might have hit one while driving.....and when I got out I could see its beak left a nice scratch in the finish (to the plastic) and there was a smear from the feathers.

After 3 years (almost to the day), there are a few stone chips...but nothing out of the ordinary....and probably holding up better than any new car I have ever owned. (1996 Civic, 1996 Contour, 1997 CR-V, 2004 MDX for comparison's sake)

Were they both at the same dealer? If so, sounds like they need to get a new yard boy! Having said that, I second (or third) the comment that it takes quite a bit to chip the front on these things. Wish my Maxima was like that; the paint / bumper on that chips if you just look at it!

sometimes the cars get damaged in shipping and when they get to the dealer they repaint them so maybe the guy from the bodyshop was drunk hahahahahahahah...

I've seen new car bumpers repainted in the lot of a Mercedes dealer by a guy in a truck. Although they do surface preparation they can't do what is done with the bumper off and prepared and painted in a clean room. Just a little less than perfect sport can lead to separation. The jagged edge inplies the paint that broke away was not adhering to the surface beneath. When it does, the edge follows a smooth fracture line.