So I removed the front plate mounting bracket (which was there when I bought the car) in preparation for installing the STO N SHO bracket I bought, and I discovered that instead of the 2 or 3 screw holes I was expecting which I could have plugged up with Bumper Plugs, there were 5 (!!!)

3 are on the flat part of the bar and I could cover up with Bumper Plugs, but 2 of them are near where the plastic bends upward and were caused by the top screws for the plate itself biting into the top part of the plastic. They're right at the bend point, so would be hard to fill in with a Bumper Plug since it would be at an angle.

So I've got two choices...I can either have the entire bar replaced (not sure if that's something I could do myself or whether it requires putting the car on a lift and refitting the sensors) or find a GOOD body work place familiar with plastics that could fill the holes, sand, and paint as needed to hide them.

Anybody know of a GOOD body work place in the SF Bay Area (preferably South Bay, around San Jose) that they'd trust to do this?

Thanks for any suggestions!

 

sorry, can't help with the body shop place...but I'll throw this in...maybe just wrap it in matte black vinyl? Just sand down the screw holes so they're smooth, then wrap the entire front bar flat/matte black vinyl. Should cost you about $100 bucks or so. Probably much cheaper and much less work than trying to actually fill it...otherwise I would say a new bar, guessing any type of filling will still show and/or very difficult to get to look seamless.

 

Any decent body shop can do it, and it's a pretty simple repair. I also bought the STO N SHO, removed my bar-mounted bracket and found 4 holes, with two in the same place as yours. I took my car back to the dealer, spoke with the GM, and he agreed they should have only drilled 2. He is paying to have mine repaired.

You should try that first, but I think the cost is around $200-250. I took it to the shop the dealer always uses and that's what he said, but we didn't get into the exact price because he knew the dealer was paying for it.

 

A wrap is not a good solution. The holes will be visible behind the vinyl as it cures and ages.