holes in my bumper

[SlySi]

So I decided to take my front license plate off and to my shock! The idiots at the dealership drilled holes in my bumper and they're not even centered. What can I do to fill them/cover them? I really don't want to start body work on a 4 month old car. IF there is already a thread on this please link it, so I can close this one

 

[webby]

http://www.bumperplugs.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=1_11
scroll down and you'll see one method of fixing it. Scroll down further to view the honda option. They come pre painted in honda paint colors if that interests you at all.

 

[Flightmaster127]

Webby's suggestion seems like a good route. I've also heard of people using rubber erasers to fill holes and then applying touch up paint over that to smooth it out. Luckily I live in a state where front plates aren't required so I told the dealer not to install the holder.

 

[SlySi]

Thx web! It looks hideous with those little off center holes. I was specific on telling them no prep and no holes, but I guess living in New York where it's mandatory. Don't they have lic frames that don't need to be drilled?

 

[Jake LXer]

all license plate brackets get drilled in during PDI (pre delivery inspection) NY state forces dealers to put it on, even if the customer asks them not to

 

[webby]

all license plate brackets get drilled in during PDI (pre delivery inspection) NY state forces dealers to put it on, even if the customer asks them not to

I've always seen hondas with some sort of mounting bracket so drilling wasn't mandatory. I don't have a picture of the 2012+ civic handy, but you should have something just like this under your bumper. I know others have flipped their plates upside down using those same mounting points. pic of a honda fit front bumper for reference

 

[webby]

http://9thcivic.com/forum/threads/front-license-plate-flip-around.4832/

some have had theirs screwed into the bumper by the dealer, while other dealers mounted it properly

 

[SlySi]

all license plate brackets get drilled in during PDI (pre delivery inspection) NY state forces dealers to put it on, even if the customer asks them not to

Explains why my request was ignored. But this is 2015, there should be a better way. They are basically damaging a 20k brand new car

 

[SlySi]

http://9thcivic.com/forum/threads/front-license-plate-flip-around.4832/

some have had theirs screwed into the bumper by the dealer, while other dealers mounted it properly

They couldn't even get that right. I'll post a pic of the holes off center tomorrow.

 

[Nix]

Im from NY. Front plates are necessary but drilling isn't as far as i know. My wife's plate holder and mine both had 3 mounting points. 2 that attaches to the mounts in the lower grill and a center one that needed to be drilled. They drilled hers but did not drill mine. Can't explain it but i never had an issue with the plate being loose.

So they need to mount the plate holder bracket but the third drilled point i can't explain. I bet most people complain about the plate rattling rather than the hole they would never see unless they move or relocate their front plate.


Edit: its stupid crap like that which i dont miss one bit about NY. Doesn't matter if you're compliant. They still find a way to make sure you're screwed later.

 

[Jake LXer]

I've always seen hondas with some sort of mounting bracket so drilling wasn't mandatory. I don't have a picture of the 2012+ civic handy, but you should have something just like this under your bumper. I know others have flipped their plates upside down using those same mounting points. pic of a honda fit front bumper for reference

I was just assuming he was talking about a 9th gen civic, but when i was a tech at Honda the PDI modules tell you to drill them, if you look at the bracket there is a 3 holes where a screws are meant to be, that go through the bumper. On the PDI modules for US models (9th gen civics) it shows Honda factory technicians squaring off the bracket(not uneven like @SlySi 's) and drilling the brackets in. I PDI'd the Civic I currently own, if I knew I was going to buy it I would have never drilled into it

 

[Jake LXer]

Im from NY. Front plates are necessary but drilling isn't as far as i know. My wife's plate holder and mine both had 3 mounting points. 2 that attaches to the mounts in the lower grill and a center one that needed to be drilled. They drilled hers but did not drill mine. Can't explain it but i never had an issue with the plate being loose.

So they need to mount the plate holder bracket but the third drilled point i can't explain. I bet most people complain about the plate rattling rather than the hole they would never see unless they move or relocate their front plate.


Edit: its stupid crap like that which i dont miss one bit about NY. Doesn't matter if you're compliant. They still find a way to make sure you're screwed later.

Yea, NY state likes to bust everyone's chops...

 

[squiggy]

I was just assuming he was talking about a 9th gen civic, but when i was a tech at Honda the PDI modules tell you to drill them, if you look at the bracket there is a 3 holes where a screws are meant to be, that go through the bumper. On the PDI modules for US models (9th gen civics) it shows Honda factory technicians squaring off the bracket(not uneven like @SlySi 's) and drilling the brackets in. I PDI'd the Civic I currently own, if I knew I was going to buy it I would have never drilled into it

My last four Honda's have come from the same dealership and they have never drilled holes in the bumpers. They always use brackets that mount into the lower grille.

 

[webby]

I've purchased from different dealers each time. Some were in different states, and they had front plates. I've not had one honda bumper drilled either.

 

[SlySi]

I'm not going look at this thread anymore because I feel like taking a trip to the dealer and giving them a piece of mind. But that won't change anything. You guys are right, they had no business drilling after I told them not to. At the same time I was so excited when I picked up the car that I overlooked those small details. I lived here 37 years and yes N.Y is definitely a Police State. I would love to move if my Wife wasn't so against it.

 

[SlySi]

Im from NY. Front plates are necessary but drilling isn't as far as i know. My wife's plate holder and mine both had 3 mounting points. 2 that attaches to the mounts in the lower grill and a center one that needed to be drilled. They drilled hers but did not drill mine. Can't explain it but i never had an issue with the plate being loose.

So they need to mount the plate holder bracket but the third drilled point i can't explain. I bet most people complain about the plate rattling rather than the hole they would never see unless they move or relocate their front plate.


Edit: its stupid crap like that which i dont miss one bit about NY. Doesn't matter if you're compliant. They still find a way to make sure you're screwed later.

I was just assuming he was talking about a 9th gen civic, but when i was a tech at Honda the PDI modules tell you to drill them, if you look at the bracket there is a 3 holes where a screws are meant to be, that go through the bumper. On the PDI modules for US models (9th gen civics) it shows Honda factory technicians squaring off the bracket(not uneven like @SlySi 's) and drilling the brackets in. I PDI'd the Civic I currently own, if I knew I was going to buy it I would have never drilled into it

Honestly I can kind of deal with the holes, but my OCD is killing me about the off center measurement. I'm going to just put frame and plate back, until there is a body kit available for the car. I put the pictures when I go on break.

 

[SlySi]

@webby @Nix @squiggy @Jake LXer

What do you guys think? not only off center but also un even!

 

[webby]

I'd prob plug it. I know someone did the same thing with plugs they bought from lowes/Home Depot. They just bought touch up paint and painted/cleared the plains themselves. They said the plugs were around a dollar. Either that or put the front plate back in that spot.

 

[SlySi]

plugs look good. Ill just give that try, until I get stopped then the plate will go back LOL

 

[Jake LXer]

My last four Honda's have come from the same dealership and they have never drilled holes in the bumpers. They always use brackets that mount into the lower grille.

You've had 4 9th gen civics?

@webby @Nix @squiggy @Jake LXer

What do you guys think? not only off center but also un even! View attachment 49482

I would definitely go to the dealer and demand them to pay for a new bumper or fix it because that is so unprofessionally done....it looks as if they just screwed it right on, those holes should be a perfect circle