Ahhh Crap!!

[psaboic]

Well, it was bound to happen. Wife hit a deer a glancing blow tonight with her 07 Harvest Moon NB.

First off, she is OK, and the car runs fine. Cosmetically, the car has the equivalent of a broken nose and a couple missing teeth.

Here is the damage. Black center grille is destroyed, Left grille is missing, fog light mounts in bumper are busted,(but the light assembly is OK. Left turn signal and lens are destroyed, and the lower front bumper is cracked in three places. Headlights, fenders, and hood are untouched, but cars has deer hair and blood on it. No damage to the bumper beam or anything else.

So, I need to replace the lower bumper cover, the grilles, and the turn signal. I've priced all the parts already and it comes to about $500. Then I will need to get the bumper painted, so I figure I am into it for about a grand (Deductible on the car is a grand, so.....)

Big question is this. Can someone give me a DIY or a how to on removing and replacing the lower bumper cover? I try to post a picture or two in the AM. Many thanks,

Glenn

[MyOtherRidesAVette]

Just put this up for someone else, just a minute.

See below, Krash beat me to it!

M.

[Krash]

Look Here...posted by MORAV

replace left front fender- nbts

Krash

[MyOtherRidesAVette]

Originally Posted by Krash

Look Here...posted by MORAV

replace left front fender- nbts

Krash

That poster (and psaboic) needs an R&R on the headlight assemblies. Is there a good DIY or How-to around? or do I need to snag it from the Bent?

[MyOtherRidesAVette]

I know it's probably deer season, but why is everyone wanting to use their car? Sorry about you're wife's unfortunate meeting. She's okay, the car could be way worse. You both win! Last one on here I read about was $7k.

Please watch out for Rudolph

M.

[IndyTom]

Originally Posted by MyOtherRidesAVette

I know it's probably deer season, but why is everyone wanting to use their car? Sorry about you're wife's unfortunate meeting. She's okay, the car could be way worse. You both win! Last one on here I read about was $7k.

Please watch out for Rudolph

M.

Too Late! He ended up in here :

[psaboic]

So from what it looks like, You cannot just remove the front bumper cover by itself, but you have to take both fenders off with it?? Am I correct in this? If so, when I order the new lower front cover, how do I attach it to the femders?

Glenn

[MyOtherRidesAVette]

Originally Posted by psaboic

So from what it looks like, You cannot just remove the front bumper cover by itself, but you have to take both fenders off with it?? Am I correct in this? If so, when I order the new lower front cover, how do I attach it to the femders?

Glenn

The reverse of the way it comes apart, then it all remounts as an assembly, and to do it properly you want to have it painted BEFORE it's assembled and mounted. That's the way all bumpers should be painted, off the car.

M.

[VDubYah]

Once you get the bumper cover and both fenders off as an assembly you can get the 3 bolts on the front end of the fenders to seperate them from the cover. You cannot get to the fender to cover bolts with the assembly on the car.
Got to love the engineer who designed that assembly.

[Krash]

That is correct you need to remove the complete front assembly as one piece (fenders and front bumper cover)

Bolts 4 & 7 (items 1-6 white circled) can not be accessed with the assembly on the vehicle, so the best course is to remove the complete front end, unbolt the finders (bolts 4 & 7, items 1-6) and reattach the new parts and then reassemble. Its not hard, a little time consuming, best to have an assistant when lifting off the front assembly, its not heavy but a little awkward to remove install by your self.

Originally Posted by psaboic

So from what it looks like, You cannot just remove the front bumper cover by itself, but you have to take both fenders off with it?? Am I correct in this? If so, when I order the new lower front cover, how do I attach it to the fenders?

Glenn

[MyOtherRidesAVette]

Note the use of anti-friction foil and Loc-tite (be sure - removable Loc-tite, not permanent Loc-tite)

[psaboic]

Just want to give a big shout out to 1stVWparts.com They work out of a local dealer here and are absolutely AWESOME. They can get factory parts at a great price, and have great customer service to boot. They really helped me out on scoring the parts to fix the wife's car.

[Smileybug]

1stvwparts is great. I have a small list of sites that I tend to price check between. Sometimes they have awesome prices, other times you can find the parts far cheaper elsewhere. germanautoparts.com tends to have OEM parts at good prices as well. ECSTuning is another place to check, as is autohausaz.com.

[IndyTom]

Originally Posted by Smileybug

1stvwparts is great. I have a small list of sites that I tend to price check between. Sometimes they have awesome prices, other times you can find the parts far cheaper elsewhere. germanautoparts.com tends to have OEM parts at good prices as well. ECSTuning is another place to check, as is autohausaz.com.

I also find that VWOEMPARTSONLINE.com has usually some great deals as well.

I like ECS tuning. They have great stuff at fair prices. Not always the cheapest but usually high quality stuff.

[Smileybug]

ECS is good for kits (timing belt kit for example) and aftermarket parts, at least thats more of what I go there for. They also sell Driver Gear stuff too, but last time I bought something from DG, it was actually cheaper through VW because ECS wanted some crazy amount for shipping. Good stuff though for sure. I love having so many choices for parts and accessories

[psaboic]

After looking at the above linked instructions for putting the new bumper cover and fender "wings" together, I have only one question...........What IS the proper sequence for tightening the bolts they are talking about?

Glenn

[MyOtherRidesAVette]

The bolt up and tightening sequence (circled numbering) for both the bumper/fender assembly, and the liner is in the post, linked above, but, again. -
replace left front fender- nbts

[VDubYah]

Sequence is bolt 2-4-7 look in the post pictures to see which bolts are which.

[psaboic]

Got it....Thanks, I must have missed it the first 10 times I read through it!

Glenn