How did you get those stupid plastic bolts out to do your grill replacement? I'm planning to replace my grill with a JCW grill as soon as its warm enough, but when hubby attempted to pop those bolts out with a flathead screwdriver, he snapped a corner of one of them so I made him stop...

 

If your car is financed or leased make sure you meet or exceed the requirements they specify for deductibles. Leasing has strict guidelines. Financing may or may not.

 

Took me a while, especially in the cold...but I pried it down with a very sharp flat head screw driver. I used really thin pliers, or a pair of scissors if needed to hold it down, and then I just took the bolt out with a socket attachment to a screw driver. After doing about 6 of them, the others were cake.

There's a tricky part too, when you screw the bolts back on the new Aero Grill. Let me know if you need a tip on that.

 

Thanks! I suspect I will need a hand with putting it back in too.

I'm not too much of a gear head, but the grill replacement looked really easy until we went out to do it. My new plan was to wait for a day when it's above 50 and then make a second attempt... but I like your idea of using something to hold the top of the bolt it place. Gives you something to leverage against other than the plastic...

 

Yeah, you pretty much hold it down with the pair of scissors, but not necessarily pry it off.

To put it back on, the bolts don't screw back onto anything on the new Aero grill. You kind of have to push and screw it in at the same time. But to make things easier...I stuffed very small bits of tissue into the socket and screwed it in. You have to be careful on this part or you'll end up stripping the plastic piece on the aero grill your still to screw on. if that happens, just crazy glue it or something.

 

I feel your pain my friend Some people are just careless idiots

Before filing an insurance claim I would try to see if there are mobile plastic bumper repair companies in your area. I have seen these folks repair badly torn bumpers and all sorts of scratches, cuts, rips to perfection. Typically, the work takes 2-3 hours and can be done while you wait at home or office. As far as the cost is concerned, the repair costs are less than your deductible and a third of what the body shop will charge you.

Here is an example of one such company out in Southern California:

http://www.amazingbumper.com/

Bodyshops will tell you you need a new bumper + respray = $800s. This is how they make their living. They won't tell you you have other cheaper and equally effective repair alternatives.

There are better alternatives to full bumper cover replacement. Explore them before filing a claim and losing your car to a bodyshop for days.

 

Those puncture marks likely come from the front license plate mounting bracket of the offending vehicle.

 

You'll be surprised how flexible is the OEM paint in the bumper covers of the MINI

However, if this bumper cover was repainted at some point in time and the bodyshop did not properly mixed in the paint flex agent, you will see this kind of flaking off the next time the bumper cover is impacted


If you have noticed, in more severe rear end encounters the OEM paint on the bumper cover either peels, scratches but rarely if ever flakes.

Seems to me this bumper does not have the original OEM paint...Hmmmm

 

I'm sure there are exceptions to every rule. When I got T-Boned back in Nov. 2007, there was flaking...everywhere...paint flaked, glass flaked.

Either way, I stop my mechanics today to install a rear sway bar and exhaust, (which is awesome by the way) he tells me it's about $200 to $300 to fix. Lay down some plastic epoxy on the paint. Sand it, and re paint it. Waaay cheaper than my deductible. So I may go that route once I save up a bit.

 

Sounds good my friend. Make sure to inspect the aluminum beam behind the bumper cover to make sure it isn't damaged (It is supposed to withstand/rebound on impacts @ 2.5MPH).

 

Will do. Thanks Clubman.

BTW some eye candy for ya'll.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpuZxctanKk