Technical No holes in bumper cover for moulding to fit into!

[The Twins]

Hi Guys,
Just had a call from the bodyshop who are fixing my 500 TA.
They got the new bumper cover from Fiat but thought it was the wrong one as there are no holes for the black plastic moulding to clip into.
They checked with Fiat and were told that none of the bumper covers come with holes in and that they have to cut them in themselves!
Has anyone else had this issue?
Maybe it's better to cut the tabs off the moulding and 'stick' it on.
Thoughts?

 

[jrkitching]

Hi Guys,
Just had a call from the bodyshop who are fixing my 500 TA.
They got the new bumper cover from Fiat but thought it was the wrong one as there are no holes for the black plastic moulding to clip into.
They checked with Fiat and were told that none of the bumper covers come with holes in and that they have to cut them in themselves!
Has anyone else had this issue?
Maybe it's better to cut the tabs off the moulding and 'stick' it on.
Thoughts?

Are they using OEM parts, and if so, are they using the right ones?

 

[Sweetsixteen]

Sounds a bit 'off' to me.
If this is really the way Fiat does it, then they should at the least provide a cutting template for the slots.
The dealer should also have the savvy to contact them again and push it for you.

 

[jrkitching]

This is weird - ePer recognises your car, but isn't showing any compatible rear bumper trim!

Have a look at the attached screenshot.

I'd have expected yours to be the chrome trim, which is part no 735455395. This ties in with this listing from S4P. It gets more interesting when you look at the price - 735455395 is £172.70 inc VAT on ePer!

Are you certain the bodyshop isn't trying to save a few quid by using pattern parts (they're quite a bit cheaper & readily available).

Have you got a photo anywhere that shows your rear bumper?

 

[The Twins]

This is weird - ePer recognises your car, but isn't showing any compatible rear bumper trim!

Have a look at the attached screenshot.

I'd have expected yours to be the chrome trim, which is part no 735455395. This ties in with this listing from S4P. It gets more interesting when you look at the price - 735455395 is £172.70 inc VAT on ePer!

Are you certain the bodyshop isn't trying to save a few quid by using pattern parts (they're quite a bit cheaper & readily available).

Have you got a photo anywhere that shows your rear bumper?

Genuine Fiat parts. I think it's Fiat cutting corners
There must be 20 plus holes to cut! Think I'll tell the bodyshop to cut the tabs off the black moulding and stick it on with that super strong could sided 'badge' tape they have.

 

[Sweetsixteen]

Genuine Fiat parts. I think it's Fiat cutting corners

There must be 20 plus holes to cut! Think I'll tell the bodyshop to cut the tabs off the black moulding and stick it on with that super strong could sided 'badge' tape they have.

Just make sure they line it up perfectly first. It's an instant bond - no room for errors.
You'd be real miffed if it looked even a fraction out once you'd eyeballed the job afterwards!

 

[staffordmike]

Hi Guys,

Just had a call from the bodyshop who are fixing my 500 TA.

What happened to your bumper?

 

[The Twins]

Just make sure they line it up perfectly first. It's an instant bond - no room for errors.
You'd be real miffed if it looked even a fraction out once you'd eyeballed the job afterwards!

Yes, very good point. I am a bit ocd about things like that.

 

[The Twins]

What happened to your bumper?

A BMW drove into it at an island, I took my foot off the gas to avoid someone who pulled out onto the island (I was already on the island) and the BMW that was travelling far too close hit me!

 

[typecastboy]

I've had this issue with the front bumper. If you car has the chrome trims on the front then you need the bumper with the holes for it. I bought the wrong one and have just left the front white without the chrome. Actually prefer that look.

For the back, I would imagine they do one without the holes for the Popular model. They are obviously cutting costs with OEM parts and have got the wrong one

 

[staffordmike]

Bugger! Where are you getting it repaired? A kid drove into the back of my 500 a couple of years back, it didn't do much damage, just cracked the lacquer on the bumper. The lad offered to pay so I took it to Richard Wrights in Stafford, they said that the most it would cost would be £200, that was the worst case scenario, if there was any damage that needed welding. There's no evidence of plastic welding but they still charged £200 just to re lacquer it (I presume). They took the black plastic trim off and snapped the clips, so put blobs of glue or weld on the stubs to secure it which I'm not impressed with, but at least you can't see it. They also managed to refit the bumper with the wire for the parking sensors between the plastic and steel bumpers so it had to go back to get that sorted! And they're a Fiat approved body shop!

 

[jrkitching]

Genuine Fiat parts. I think it's Fiat cutting corners

That's abysmal.

The OEM trims are crazy expensive; for that money, you'd at least expect everything to fit together like a factory-assembled car .

 

[portland_bill]

They're a bodyshop! Why are they asking you how to fit the bumper trims? It has been common over the years for replacement panels not to have holes and bodyshops have to cut them.

 

[PuntoHowTo]

Genuine Fiat parts. I think it's Fiat cutting corners

Are you 100% sure I had a body shop tell me that the mud guards on our car were first non genuine, then when we proved that wrong they claimed they were no longer available from fiat, 3 seconds later stood in front of the body shop manager I phoned the fiat parts department who confirmed the part was genuine still available and in stock to send out that day.

I would definitely ring fiat your self and ask if this is right, even patent parts may still have all the right logos and numbers embossed.

I had a similar argument with another bodyshop when the crap bumper they fitted didn't line up properly, first they again claimed the part was genuine, then not available anymore so this was the fiat recommended part, then when they couldn't get it to fit right and I'd returned it for the 3rd time they magically found a genuine bumper. On that occasion the workshop manager said "what do you expect it's a fiat, not a Rolls Royce, I pointed out that fiat managed to make the bumper fit so if they can't even get that right I certainly wouldn't trust them with a rolls.... This was a fiat certified bodyshop aswell

 

[The Twins]

Are you 100% sure I had a body shop tell me that the mud guards on our car were first non genuine, then when we proved that wrong they claimed they were no longer available from fiat, 3 seconds later stood in front of the body shop manager I phoned the fiat parts department who confirmed the part was genuine still available and in stock to send out that day.

I would definitely ring fiat your self and ask if this is right, even patent parts may still have all the right logos and numbers embossed.

I had a similar argument with another bodyshop when the crap bumper they fitted didn't line up properly, first they again claimed the part was genuine, then not available anymore so this was the fiat recommended part, then when they couldn't get it to fit right and I'd returned it for the 3rd time they magically found a genuine bumper. On that occasion the workshop manager said "what do you expect it's a fiat, not a Rolls Royce, I pointed out that fiat managed to make the bumper fit so if they can't even get that right I certainly wouldn't trust them with a rolls.... This was a fiat certified bodyshop aswell

I checked it out myself... The body shop are right! Fiat dealer confirmed 'one fits all' and the holes have to be cut holes to suit lounge, pop, etc trim.
Also confirmed that the body shop used gen Fiat parts.
The body shop were quite prepared to cut the holes but I told them it was ok to use tape as cutting holes meant more time and room for error / trim being a loose fit.
Picked the car up this morning - they've done a great job. Very pleased : )

 

[StokerRN]

Hello and sorry to sort of hijack the thread here but it's sort of what I'm trying to do.

My girlfriend has the pop model and her rear bumper also has no holes for the chrome strip trim she wants to add on. Other than replacing the entire bumper, can the chrome trim be fitted onto her bumper? Can the holes be cut easily or would it be better to cut the tabs off the chrome trim and then glue it on?

The front bumper has the holes in already where the chrome trim goes, so that should be an easy job

Thanks

 

[typecastboy]

I have bought different OEM and patent bumpers in the past and they do vary. The first one I bought had holes, but they were in the wrong place. I ended up cutting off the tabs on the trim and using glue to stick them on with just one tab holding it. Did the trick but a pain in the wotsit all the same.