Damaged Grande Punto

[xlaurahunterx]

Hi, some moron has run into the drivers side front of my punto. The damage is a scuffed front bumper, damaged headlight, creased + scuffed front wing.

I'll spare you the details, but the end result is that i'm footing the bill for it despite not being to blame for the accident. I COULD get the wing repaired (apparently), although it doesn't look too good to me. I noticed that pattern part wings are quite cheap: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FIAT-GRAN...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item1c33046704

Are these ok in terms of fit and quality?

Also, regarding the headlights. I have a 2006 (on a 55) and want to make sure i get the correct headlight. I see there are some differences in plugs - which one do i need? I found this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FIAT-PUNT...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item20db339c61 but thought i'd check first.

The car is a 1.3D (90) with paint code: 598/A (3 stage pearl )

Thanks

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

I noticed that pattern part wings are quite cheap: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FIAT-GRAN...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item1c33046704

Are these ok in terms of fit and quality?

No and no.

Whats the damage to the headlight? If only the mounting brackets you can get a bracket kit from Fit to replace the broken clips and reuse the existing headlight unit.

 

[xlaurahunterx]

The upper bracket is snapped and so is the larger / lower bracket on the outer edge. The lens of the headlight is also a little scuffed.

What's wrong with the pattern wings? I don't expect it will have the same thickness or gauge of metal but pattern parts are normally decent in terms of fitment these days are they not?

Would you recommend repairing my existing wing instead? Here are some gruesome photos..

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Patern body panels are notoriously awful, having been there and done that I won't be ever again!

That all looks like it just needs a decent panel beater, and the headlamp wil repair with a bracket kit. Probably £100-£150 all min max if you go to the right place

 

[xlaurahunterx]

Patern body panels are notoriously awful, having been there and done that I won't be ever again!

That all looks like it just needs a decent panel beater, and the headlamp wil repair with a bracket kit. Probably £100-£150 all min max if you go to the right place

that bad huh?!

can you point me in the direction of a kit to fix the headlamp? i may actually have a go at repairing if there is a kit available. i think i might be able to buff out the scuff on the lens.

thanks!

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

that bad huh?!

can you point me in the direction of a kit to fix the headlamp? i may actually have a go at repairing if there is a kit available. i think i might be able to buff out the scuff on the lens.

thanks!

Bracket kit will be main dealer only part. About £15-£30

 

[Eklipze3k]

Bracket kit will be main dealer only part. About £15-£30

See here for part numbers. DS = right, SN = left

 

[xlaurahunterx]

thanks guys. I've had a look on ebay and found the n/s kit for 8.50. no luck on the o/s kit though . I've messaged the seller anyway.

anywhere else I could try before I get ripped off by dealer prices?

 

[varesecrazy]

look on FF banner for Shop4parts,
some good discounts offered and 10% off for FF members ,
just remember with prices = it's + VAT + Postage!,
Charlie

 

[xlaurahunterx]

Thanks Charlie, doesn't look like they list this part though

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

anywhere else I could try before I get ripped off by dealer prices?

Not sure where you got rip off from? Dealer price for this part is very reasonable IMO. Then again they could really rip people off and not even offer the kit and make to pay for a whole replacement light unit.

I'd just pick up the phone and call them, seems a big faf to save a pound or two, if that.

 

[xlaurahunterx]

Hi,

Well i'm just comparing the estimate above (up to £30) to the ebay price of £8.50 - i'm keen to save as much as possible on the repair as i'm paying for somebody else running into me. It's also nearly 4 times the price not a couple of pounds . I may however pop into a local scrapyard and remove the brackets from a car in the yard next week - it occurred to me that this might be the easiest way to get hold of a set.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Hi,

Well i'm just comparing the estimate above (up to £30)

Based upon Panda and Stilo prices, could only be £8.50 new from main dealer for GP

 

[Punto Sutty]

Wouldn't bother replacing the wing, looks repairable from the pics. A price of around £140 to repair wing and bumper is reasonable. If it works out cheaper buy a second hand genuine wing from a scrapyard and have that painted or even better if you find one the same colour. Same for head lamp bracket and lamp face. One thing to watch out for with a 3 stage pearl is the colour match, so check that it's right before driving away. A bright light or sun shine should show it up

 

[xlaurahunterx]

The fact it's a rare colour doesn't help matters with replacing the wing, but you're correct in that it is apparently repairable. I may well go down this route instead of replacing - at least then it still has a genuine front wing and not a pattern replacement.

i'll check the dealer prices for the bracket set tomorrow, i'd be quite happy to pay a tenner to repair it but a quote of £30 would see me digging around in the scrapyard at the weekend. I know what i'd rather be doing that's for sure!

 

[Punto Sutty]

I've repaired worse than that, to be honest it's a minor ding. Only way I'd replace is if the labour cost of repair are more than buying and fitting a second hand one. Also there's a good chance that even if you do find one the same colour it will still need blending so realistically your looking at having your bumper corner, wing and drivers door repainted so may well make no difference on the colour of wing. It really depends on how fussy you are and to what standard you deem the repair to be correct!

 

[xlaurahunterx]

OK i'm super pissed off, the car is still in the exact same damaged state as it was 6 months ago. I'm letting a bodyshop sort out the damaged wing and paint it, but i'm literally at my wits end trying to remove the bumper. I've got the torx bits across the top and started to remove the ones underneath. The 2 on the outside i've removed (with difficulty) but the 2 central ones are just not moving. I've had shock/unlock spray on them, penetrating fluid, used incredible force etc. The end result is that one has just rounded off. I've spent literally hours trying to remove them now and go nowhere.

I've taken a look at the phillips head screws on the outside (underneath) and these are going to be impossible too as there's nothing behind them. Typically they're also impossible to move. Whoever thought up this method of attaching the bumper is an absolute moron.

I've got an MG ZR and can whip my front bumper off in 5 mins flat. It is older and has done twice as many miles as the punto.

Where do i go from here? Do i just drill out all these STUPID torx bits underneath? They appear to attach to something plasticy from what i can see. What else do i need to do to remove the bumper? I see there are a couple of screw in the arch too. Anything else?

 

[Andy Monty]

https://www.fiatforum.com/grande-punto-guides/172501-front-bumper-removal.html


Decent quality drill bit about 8mm should do it something like a Dormer bit the aim is to get the bolt / screw head off without hitting the captive U nut behind...

then you can mange it to get it free......

then replace with new nut /screw / captive U nut eg

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SPIRE-CLI...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item53fa282350