[deeceedub]

Okay, I hope I'm in the right place to post this question. And yes, I am clueless in this area, so please be gentle if I ask something stupid :shy:

We just bought a '99 1.8T that needs just a little TLC. Nothing too major, but we'd really like to get him back to pristine condition if we can. Here's what's wrong:

• Driver's side mirror--- the frame around the mirror is broken and can't be fixed.
• Front grille valance-- also broken; the bottom 'bar' was broken off.
• Rear bumper-- apparently the last owner backed into something and damaged it. I'm not sure if I'd have to replace the whole thing or if it's fixable.

We have an appointment at the VW house on Monday and we're going to get replacement part prices from them, but I'm working on the assumption that they will be obscenely expensive. I've seen a replacement mirror and the bumper on EBay, and while the price is okay we'd have to have them painted (techno blue). I have not been able to locate the valance. Is the paint something that any old body shop could do? 'About' how much would it cost to have them painted? (I'm not looking for a solid price quote, just a general ballpark idea, so I'll have a clue if it's worth the trouble.) My dh thinks he could paint them... and while I love him very much, he's not that mechanically inclined and has never done auto paint before and I DO NOT want a poopy paint job on my car. I'd rather leave it like it is than ruin it with a bad paint job. Any suggestions will be welcome, and remember we're in a very rural area, so it's not like there's a body shop on every corner. We'll be about 60 miles from the closest.

 

[pdoel]

Any old body shop should be able to paint these pieces. Depending on the damage to the bumper, it's possible it could be fixed and not require a whole new bumper.

A body shop would probably be a bit cheaper than the dealership. It's not something I would want to do myself, althought that is possible. But like you, I'd rather have it done right, than do it myself for cheaper. At least with painting body parts.

For the front bumper, you actually have a couple options. If it's just the bottom bar near the grill that is broken, you could even go with an aftermarket front valence. That piece needs to be cut away to install the Caractere front valence. Not sure how much the caractere piece costs compared to a new stock bumper, but it's definitely something to think about. If the cost is the same, you could end up with a neat new look for the same price.

Oh, and about the stuff for Ebay. Even if you get the parts from your dealership, they will come unpainted and require a paint job. So no problem getting something off ebay for cheaper than if you got it from the dealership.

 

[deeceedub]

Thanks for the help, pdoel! :curtsey: