Front End Refresh
Coming out to a parking lot to find someone has backed into your car isn't the most pleasant event of your day. Thankfully, as the other person was willing to pay for the damages, I had an opportunity to refresh a severely stone-chipped front end. After six years of year-long driving, it was a minefield of white dots all over the bumper!
I decided to save some money by removing the pieces and bringing them to the body shop myself. They were charging $500 labour for this basic part... enough to buy my wife the iPad she's been trying in vain to save for. BONUS: I learned how the front end is put together.
The shop ordered a new nose panel and I brought them the bumper (which was only scratched--not damaged). Before I delivered the bumper, I took all the lights out. The screws holding the fog light back and fronts together were quite rusty. I took the opportunity to replace them, though i had to drill out one of them, re-thread the plastic, and put in a new bolt. Lucky for me, a tool & die set happened to be on sale at Canadian Tire (75% off!).
The shop ordered a new nose panel and I brought them the bumper (which was only scratched--not damaged). Before I delivered the bumper, I took all the lights out. The screws holding the fog light back and fronts together were quite rusty. I took the opportunity to replace them, though i had to drill out one of them, re-thread the plastic, and put in a new bolt. Lucky for me, a tool & die set happened to be on sale at Canadian Tire (75% off!).
Nothing like refurbishing car parts on the kitchen table!
I picked up the re-painted bumper along with the new Porsche-supplied OEM nose panel. Installation was pretty straight forward... and the results look good. I am glad that the OEM nose panel fits perfect; Porsche claims to supply exact body parts and this one makes good on that.
I picked up the re-painted bumper along with the new Porsche-supplied OEM nose panel. Installation was pretty straight forward... and the results look good. I am glad that the OEM nose panel fits perfect; Porsche claims to supply exact body parts and this one makes good on that.
One of the body shop's rivets for attaching the metal bar to the plastic bumper (top edge) popped out and failed to hold. Instead of returning the bumper, I went out and bought a rivet gun and some rivets to fix it myself. Lights back in on the kitchen table and rear cover nuts all cleaned and covered in Copasol to prevent seizing.
All done and looking good!