Front grille dilemma- Please read!

[Blugg]

I think there will be more issues when you take off the grill. I can see it not fixing in place at the top right hand corner due to the bump. The bump has levered off the fixings from that corner.

I'd be inclined just to take off the front grill and expect the damage to the grill and the bumper seperately. I still believe using bondo will join the cracked part. But what to do with that twisted top right corner ? Heat gun maybe.

[Blugg]

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Why not just buy a bumper bra, that would cover up your grill problem !!



Just don't use the bonnet part

[macdave]

If the bumper is ok, all you need is a lower valence which is around $85 or so. You could have it painted to match or just leave it black and paint the foglight surround and center bar black too.

The P/N is 1C0805903GGRU
You might also need 3 or 4 plastic rivets p/n N0385012, under $1 each.

More P/N's:

The Grill 1C0807681E01C
Center bar 1C0807341AGRU
Front bumper cover 1C0807221EGRU

It also depends if you have the new or old style fog lights, these part numbers are for the newer style fogs.

[kellyyysayss]

Thanks for the massive amounts of replies, guys. I'm really not looking to zip-tie it unless I have to. I do plenty of body work on classic cars and I'm not trying to take said shortcuts. All aftermarket OEM grille pieces are NOT complete sets/parts. There are three pieces that have to be bought individually, and the CASING (the part that attaches to the bumper) is not sold to my knowledge.

If anyone can find that piece, that'd be great. Under the car, there seems to be no bumper damage to where the casing attaches. I'm going to look into that part from the UK, for now. I suppose I could go to a junk yard, but I'd rather have my own in red, or black.

I'll post pictures of my Mustang and Comet Caliente eventually. Please keep the responses coming, I really appreciate it!

[MiG]

Contact this seller on eBay. He had exactly what you need just a few weeks ago.
Valance frame and the mesh part - both together or separate - He had them.!
I don't see any there now but, he may have more laying around somewhere there.

He Sells front and rear bumpers as well for anybody interested.

[SMG]

Search Beetle Valence on eBay and you'll find tons:

LOWER VALANCE volkswagen BEETLE 98-00 99 1998 2000 1999: eBay Motors (item 370416606996 end time Aug-09-10 17:18:17 PDT)

[JaceyMelissa]

I ended up changing out my whole front end due to a flat tire. I bought my whole kit on new on Ebay for some store ( don't remember the name though) but I also bought a new replacement front bumper cover also just in case I ever wanted to go back. point being you can find replacement pieces on ebay pretty cheap. good luck

[kellyyysayss]

Thanks Mig, I'll try to contact them tomorrow.

@SMG- That doesn't fit directly inside the bumper. That, the fog light piece, and the mesh are the only parts I can find. The casing is not manufactured in OEM parts aftersale. The pictures are never accurate. Due to this, I'm now being fee'd for return shipping.

@Melissa- I considered doing the whole front bumper ordeal but it simply is not necessary or within my price range (for something uneccesary).

Thanks all! More posts/ideas appreciated.

[D2Beetle]

Probably not what you want to read, I have never been able to find a complete aftermarket version of the lower nose grille, so I always end up going back to the dealer. The wife's NB has had four replacements as she has this thing for parking curbs, especially at Sonic.

[raspeitia]

not sure if this helps, but my bentley manual list this as a "Front Spoiler" in looking through "VW Parts" - "Volkswagen Parts" - Parts and Accessories Catalog. I think the part you need is:

Lower panel, W/o fog lamps
SPOILER - 1998-05, W/o turbo s model
FRONT BUMPER & GRILLE »Bumper & components
Volkswagen › Beetle › 1998-2005
List Price : $122.00
Your Price : $87.84


I am attaching a PDF of the repair pages. The good thing is that it looks like the fog light section is actually bolted on from the rear. All you need is the painted section that is broken and reuse the center with fogs and the mesh portion.

I would print this out and go to the dealer and see if they can look it up locally, just to be sure.

Ray A.

[kellyyysayss]

Originally Posted by raspeitia

not sure if this helps, but my bentley manual list this as a "Front Spoiler" in looking through "VW Parts" - "Volkswagen Parts" - Parts and Accessories Catalog. I think the part you need is:

Lower panel, W/o fog lamps
SPOILER - 1998-05, W/o turbo s model
FRONT BUMPER & GRILLE »Bumper & components
Volkswagen › Beetle › 1998-2005
List Price : $122.00
Your Price : $87.84


I am attaching a PDF of the repair pages. The good thing is that it looks like the fog light section is actually bolted on from the rear. All you need is the painted section that is broken and reuse the center with fogs and the mesh portion.

I would print this out and go to the dealer and see if they can look it up locally, just to be sure.

Ray A.

Thank you! The only thing about that website is that they don't have pictures. They look trustworthy, but I'd rather not be the victim (again) of a "Oh THIS we don't sell, you can pay return shipping!"

I appreciate the pdf, I'll probably take it to my VW dealer when I have time.

[raspeitia]

Yeah, thats what I would do.

Go to the dealer have them look it up from the PDF picture and get a price and part number. If its cheaper after shipping buy local. If not that website is pretty decent, just punch in the part number to get an exact match.

Cheers.

Ray A.

[my99vdub]

Originally Posted by kellyyysayss

Thank you! The only thing about that website is that they don't have pictures. They look trustworthy, but I'd rather not be the victim (again) of a "Oh THIS we don't sell, you can pay return shipping!"

I appreciate the pdf, I'll probably take it to my VW dealer when I have time.

Originally Posted by raspeitia

Yeah, thats what I would do.

Go to the dealer have them look it up from the PDF picture and get a price and part number. If its cheaper after shipping buy local. If not that website is pretty decent, just punch in the part number to get an exact match.

Cheers.

Ray A.

^X2 on the link (thanks Ray) . . .

no connection to 1stvwparts (the linked site) but they are a VW dealer in Washington (?) state and I have never had any problems with any order and they have always been helpful if I ever had a question and called them - good luck!

[kellyyysayss]

Thanks again Ray and others! I'll be going to do what you suggested with the PDF this week as I try and do body work on my car. I'll post updates.

[dmbluebeetle]

Car-Part.com--Used Auto Parts Market is a used car parts site. You might be able to find the part in your color.

[D2Beetle]

Originally Posted by dmbluebeetle

Car-Part.com--Used Auto Parts Market is a used car parts site. You might be able to find the part in your color.

Nice web site... wish I had the extra money.

[kellyyysayss]

Ordered one at a recycling car part place today. Hopefully it'll be in by the end of the week. It's only costing me $30, and I'm being green to our environment (although I'm a bad person for draining my refrigerant, waaah).

[kellyyysayss]

And, he doesn't carry that part....So I'm back to square one. No one seems to carry the spoiler, and no NB's are in junk yards (probably a good thing!)

VW wants $122 for it with no paint. I said heck no, haha.

[BibiBug]

Someone actually posted a thread on here, or in a thread on here, about a junkyard type place that had several New Beetles to part out. Does anyone know what I'm talking about? Or was he wanting to sell whole cars for parts? If so, then that won't help whatsoever. But it's been a while since I read it, and honestly can't remember. I'll try to find it for you myself when I have a few minutes to look around. In the meantime, maybe someone remembers what I'm talking about?

[D2Beetle]

Originally Posted by BibiBug

Someone actually posted a thread on here, or in a thread on here, about a junkyard type place that had several New Beetles to part out. Does anyone know what I'm talking about? Or was he wanting to sell whole cars for parts? If so, then that won't help whatsoever. But it's been a while since I read it, and honestly can't remember. I'll try to find it for you myself when I have a few minutes to look around. In the meantime, maybe someone remembers what I'm talking about?

Read post #37 and #43...