I know this has happened to others after doing a search but I could not find the answer to my question.

Only the front driver side was detached and the headlight washers are fine. Actually, the bumper was pushed back into position and stays there, though it is loose by the driver's tire. Doesn't seem the negatively affect things but I took it in to be repaired--the verdict is that I need a whole new bumper!!!!???

They said the plastic piece is broken and there is no way to attach the bumper. I could leave it as is, but now the little pieces of trim directly under the headlights keep popping out and have to be snapped back in because the bumper is not 100% tight. Any ideas on how to fix this without buying a NEW BUMPER!!!

Also, does the parking lot owner have any liability for having large pieces of rebar sticking up out of their parking blocks?

 

pop riveted onto what is left of the original plastic piece. You need to remove the entire bumper cover to affect this repair, but it is LOTS cheaper than a new bumper cover, and it works fine. As far as parking lot liability, you can try but I doubt that you'll get anywhere. The best outcome would be that the parking lot owner will repair the issues.

 

Thanks for the info. I am not very handy but perhaps I could suggest this to my local body shop.

As far as the building owner being liable, I probably won't try and pursue that. The rebar was sticking up about 2 inches but I should have BACKED IN!!! Misplaced anger, I guess.

The most important thing is to get it fixed.

 

<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/84266/a8_bumper_fix.1.jpg"></center><p>...and my mechanic and I put my car on a lift and stuck our noses in there and an hour later it was back together. Maybe you broke stuff, maybe you pulled it out of place. No Audi dealer is going to do what my mechanic and I did, though -- they'll tell you that everything from the rear armrest forward has to come new from Ingolstadt. Find a good indy mechanic or body shop guy who's willing to play with it for an hour.

Once you repair it, I recommend removing the aft section of the belly pan and using safety ties to attach the rear lip of the front bumper to the aluminum belly pan mounts (as above). The belly pan only has an aerodynamic effect at high speed and is close to meaningless, and without it your car is 10 lbs. lighter and .0000014 mph faster, and it breathes easier. Most importantly, this will raise the rear lip of your front bumper about 4", making it less likely that you repeat this entertaining experience. Not that you'll be driving all the way to the stop anymore...

And I'm not a lawyer, and I don't play one on TV, but I went to law school, and I'd say, yes, contact the parking lot owner. A vertical rebar is not an ordinary feature of a parking stop. Tell him you belong to an Audi gang that will see that he sleeps with the fishes if he doesn't fix your car.

 

I personally would rather have one that not.

If you remove it, you will effect the air flow across the radiator.....there will not be as much negative presure on the back side of it.

Will this make a difference? I don't know....

I make sure my belly pan is secured to those two supports in front and it's amazing how much higher the bumper bottom sits.

Just my $0.02.

 

Great information and entertaining to boot. Thanks.

 

But Paul, I actually heard a sigh of relief from the #7 cylinder when I took it off...

 

Use plastic tie wraps to keep the pieces of trim from falling.

 

I had a customer with an A8 years ago who did this and complained to Audi with no results. I saw firsthand the incredible damage and associated cost, and couldn't believe it myself. Fast forward 6 years and I own a 2002 S8. I NEVER get within a foot of ANYTHING. Not a curb, parking stop, zip. Yeah, my *** end sticks out more than others at times, but so far so good.

 

Completely agree. Another benefit of the belly pan is that it controls air flow thru the engine compartment.

With the belly pan in place, air flow can only exit the engine compartment along the sides of the motor past the exhaust pipes, helping cool that area.

Without the belly pan, air just dumps out below the motor. I'd be concerned about cooking everything alongside the exhaust headers, which includes the tranny and inner CV joints.