before you get off the phone with your Audi dealer getting ready to pick up your car, do yourself a favor...<p>the A4 has the crappiest front license plate fixing method...drilling 3 holes with a hole-saw to mount the ugly license plate bracket. now i HAVE to mount the license plate on the front!<p>i'd demand that the dealership NOT install the front bracket even if your state demands a front license plate...a better method could be developed to bolt on without defacing the front bumper.<p>i should go back to the dealer and make them take the bumper off and replace it with a new one.<p>

When I was having the windows tinted on the car I decided to take the front license plate assembly off and made the same discovery--three holes bored into the front bumper. Needless to say I was furious. The guy tinting the windows couldn't believe it either. After he finished I drove straight to Jim Ellis Marietta in Georgia where I bought the car. I hunted down my salesman and laid into him for defacing the car and not giving me a choice. His lame excuse was that the state was *planning* to go to front and rear license plates and that it was part of prepping the car. He then went on to say that if they didn't do it I would have to have it done in the future. I left disgusted. It was a fitting end to a pitiful experience at that dealership. To be sure, they got reamed on the "Satisfaction" survey. <p>David<br>1.8TQM MTM

I would...<p>- Stan<br>

Before my dealer prepped my car a specificly said "Do not put on the front plate please." They said, "Ok." 2 hours later I returned to pick up my car, and what do I see? A cheesy "dealership" plate sitting right on the front bumper! <p>Needless to say, I have never been back to that dealership. Although, they did send me a great Christmass basket full of cookies in the shapes of Audi rings, A4s and other stuff!<p>-Stu Koch<br>99 2.8 thl (Three Large Holes)

nt<p>

bad joke???

whereas it seems that some people knew that the front plate would cut holes, i did not.<p>i'm calling the dealer tomorrow to see if they'll switch out the front bumper with one of the gazillion A4-tips on the lot.<p>no bumper, bad write up. get bumper, good write up.<p>

Ask Sean G about his ordeal. Some of the dealers have inexperienced people doing these mounting holes...and what results is HUGE gaping weirdshaped holes. I wanted to look underneath my license plate frame...(mine came with it already on the car)...but I couldn't...why? because the screw is stripped and I cannot get it off easily. Most people have three small holes that can be plugged with various remedies...and painted to match the bumper.<p>I can garontee {cajun accent} you aint gonna get them to replace the bumper plastic cover. The law in your state probably states a front license plate is required, that is why they put it on the car. The question is...."do they know how to install it properly"? A lot of times they may not.<p><br>Steve S.<br>97 2.8QM

Well, first in CA we have mandatory front plates, and then I told the dealer not to install one. If he had drilled the holes anyway, I am sure I would have gotten something out of it, though.<p>We don't have enough suits in *CA*, we have way too many in the *US*.<p>- Stan, the European<br>

I recently picked up my A4 from Bellavia Audi in West New York, NJ. They had done a dealer locate and found my specified car bound for a VA dealership. I had specifically requested NO HOLES be drilled (not needed in PA), but the boneheads in VA drilled them anyway. The guys at Bellavia just swapped the bumper from another virgin A4 they had on their lot - took about 30 minutes. All for $1000 over invoice.

The answer to whether they knew how to install it on my car is no. The holes looked like they were drilled by a preschooler. Upon seeing them I must have looked at them for a couple minutes in amazement. Oh well, at least I'm leasing the car, would be really upset if I planned on holding on to the car...<br>

An Idea, here's what I did. As soon as I got my brand new gem home I removed the front plate crap and found those holes. Thinking fast and having a lot of tools, I took the AL standoffs from the plate bracket and ground them to fit flush with the bumber put the screws back in and VIOLA. Looks better than three holes and much better than the frame.

Sean<br>97 1.8Tqm

I got lucky that my car didn't have the holes drilled. The dealer doesn't drill the holes unless the customer requests it; and this is in California where it is required. <p>The key to getting a front bumper without holes is to request it BEFORE taking possession of the car. To make that sale, the dealer will swap it with a virgin one, unless it some rare color. Once you take possession of that car, most dealers will do little to fix a problem. Of course they will tell you you can purchase a new bumper.<p>Paul

NT