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That top pic looks like maybe bumper had a dent.
Bottom pic it's gone.
Maybe an optial illusion?
Soooo. he showed up late and charged $300 for that?
I mean, it looks ok, but $300? (rhetorical questions)
If you had a car dealer friend who has connections I'm thinking you could've gotten your whole bumper resprayed like new- on site.
PS- I'm not doing jack on my car today, I'll just be getting small stuff done and hanging out at Club Lexus!
Hope everyone has a great weekend!
There was a little wavy dent that he massaged out with a heat gun. He wetsanded it between each coat of touchup and then clear, its more work than you think plus expertise (I used to detail cars so I know), the job took almost 2 hours. Respraying the bumper at a quality shop would have been $1,000.
Its like we've talked about before. its a business, for the guy to leave his shop and come to my house to do a job theres a minimum amount of cost associated with that. Sure if I had "a friend" who would have done it for no profit I could have gotten X, Y or Z but I don't and retail costs are retail costs. $300 isn't what it used to be lol.
There was a little wavy dent that he massaged out with a heat gun. He wetsanded it between each coat of touchup and then clear, its more work than you think plus expertise (I used to detail cars so I know), the job took almost 2 hours. Respraying the bumper at a quality shop would have been $1,000.
Its like we've talked about before. its a business, for the guy to leave his shop and come to my house to do a job theres a minimum amount of cost associated with that. Sure if I had "a friend" who would have done it for no profit I could have gotten X, Y or Z but I don't and retail costs are retail costs. $300 isn't what it used to be lol.
So. **** Mercedes and their license plate bracket LOL
Like I said earlier, I needed ti replace my tag renewal sticker. My plate is inside a plate frame with a clear acrylic shield, so the frame has to come off. Mercedes uses these cheap, crappy plastic plate brackets and the screws are stripped out and can't be renewed. Ordered a new bracket, new plate frame and fired up the dremel I got for Christmas.
That was NOT FUN. Smoke everywhere, soot everywhere, burned the crap out of my finger. HUGE PITA. As expected it destroyed the plate frame, but its done.
The plate:
The POS plastic bracket:
The offending nut. You can see how the square nut if you over torque it just a little will just break right out of its plastic cage, then you are screwed:
How it should have come from the factory:
The hardware that comes with the metal Amazon bracket was great, plate finally doesnt rattle...
That looks a lot better, is that actual 305+ stainless? I would hate to see it rust and you have to do the job again, put anti-seize on the fastener threads to make sure it will never give you problems.
If you haven't done so, you should drive a Pinnacle PHEV. It's heavier and so rides better. The big console armrest is great. The gas mileage is also much better. I do like your dashboard better though (the lack of a tach in mine just sucks)!
Missed this, I would get the PHEV if I were buying, the lease rates are terrible on it, shame you can't get AWD with them...
That looks a lot better, is that actual 305+ stainless? I would hate to see it rust and you have to do the job again, put anti-seize on the fastener threads to make sure it will never give you problems.
Yep, actual stainless...used anti-seize, we should be all good now.
I think its fine lol. Hurt though! I grabbed the screw head to pull it off and never even thought it would be hot.
I know the pain, literally. My dumbest moments are when I just get done using the oxy torch and go to move a bit of metal that was glowing a minute beforehand!
Usually that means that one of the batteries needs to be replaced (Pacifica has two batteries), so annoying to have to put that in the shop and be without it. No loaners, have to rent a car, etc...
