Changing Bumper to face lift single Grill bumper

[wez_sline]

Hi all,

I have just joined cus i have just brought an A3 TDI S-Line with a DSG box (Great Car).

The year of registration is 2004 so it has the 2-piece grill but i have seen a few cars that have had the single grill conversion. I have looked on loads and loads of forums and read all the comments but not 1 forum has ever had comments on there from some who has actually done the job.

The point im trying to make is this... I really want to do it but im afraid to by the parts if they don’t fit.

The info i have put together so far is this

What you need is:
Face-lift bonnet
Face-lift bonnet gasket
Face-lift Bumper
Face-lift Bumper assembly
S-line Grill

Now what i need to know??? Is that all the parts i need? Is it a straightforward swap?

Please Please Help

 

[MarcQuinlivan]

Just get the ABT panel - about STG£100-ish. Much cheaper than doing a full conversion. I fitted it to my last A3 (MY04).

The red one is my current one for a side by side comparison

 

[wez_sline]

What front bumper has the Red A3 got, is it just a S-line bumper and grill. Love that front spliter to thats what i want.

 

[MarcQuinlivan]

It is the S-Line one.

 

[wez_sline]

So does any know anyone that has done the Conversion.

 

[PNH80]

I think you've got to ask yourself how long you're keeping the car and how much it will cost to do the conversion to be honest. I might not be economically viable.

 

[MarcQuinlivan]

I think you've got to ask yourself how long you're keeping the car and how much it will cost to do the conversion to be honest. I might not be economically viable.

Agreed. I bought the 04 A3 in Jan 04 and was due to change in Jan 07. Was looking at doing the facelift conversion, but couldn't justify the extra cost as there would be no additional return when changing it. No buyer is going to give you an extra grand or so for a 2004 car just because it looks like a 2006 one.

In the end I just fitted the ABT panel in Jan 06 and was happy with it. The guy who bought the car off me was pleased because it looked like a newer one, but I didn't get any more money for it.

 

[wez_sline]

i will have the car 4 year probably. I had a Golf Gti !.8 Turbo before that i had for 4 years and spent around 10k modding... Engine 250bhp, brake, bodykit the lock stock..

Chances are i will be spending ££ on this.

 

[MarcQuinlivan]

well I suppose if you are going to have it for another 4 years then it is probably a justifiable expense.

if you do decide to go with the S-Line front bumper you should look at the S-Line rear bumper too.

The exhaust cutouts on the S3 rear bumper are slightly further to the left or right so if you have the twin exhausts you'd have to hack a lump out of the bumper to make it fit.

Get yourself a private plate and nobody will know it is an 04 or 54 plate.

 

[Teejay]

Sorry, but in the world of modifying cars, most people do it because they want to or can do. Someone who mods a car because they think they'll get a decent return on investment is kidding themselves.

Lighten up, enjoy your car, let others enjoy your car and do whatever you want to it.

I've thought about doing the same on my 53 plate 8P, but in the end decided that I could better spend the money elsewhere, and to be honest the nicest front I have seen on an 8P is a black 1.6 on here with a reiger front. No single grill in sight.

 

[wez_sline]

Yeah i will i really like the look of that, thanks...

I have seen a great plate but its a bag of sand so need to wait for my bonus to come through..

 

[The911SC]

where did you get the flooring for your garage!?.. I am after some of that..

 

[MarcQuinlivan]

where did you get the flooring for your garage!?.. I am after some of that..

A B&Q type diy warehouse over here called Atlantic Homecare. They had crates of the stuff and couldn't shift it. I think it came in packs of 10 and they were selling it for about a tenner a pack. Ended up taking their entire stock off them for something like a euro a pack. they had two colours in it so we made the parking bays out of the other colour.

It is quite handy stuff - even put some down in the garden to make a path to the sheds. The grass grew through it so you can't tell it is there. It is pretty sturdy too - can even drive over it with the ride-on lawnmower.

 

[Boydie]

If you want to do it right, do it properly and don't get tje ABT grill.

What is a bonnet gasket??

As far as I know its just a direct swop of the bonnet and bumper

 

[wez_sline]

Not sure, its just what vagparts said i would need. ~Thats why i started this forum to see if anyone else had done it.

 

[mattandrew]

I am in the process of doing the conversion, bonnet getting ordered anyday. I am in the trade so can discount parts direct from audi. eg bonnet 136.83 + vat

I need to compare a facelift bonnet at the side of mine, I think all the seals will bransfer straight over.

Where are you from wez

Matt

 

[wez_sline]

Im from leicester pal, Groby just after coalville. Where you from...

My sisters boyfriend works as a mechanic at Audi in Leicester, he is gonna fit a cruise control and ipod connection for me. He is also gonna fit my body kit (S-Line stuff) too when i can find all the info i need.

 

[mattandrew]

I wouldn't go for the audi ipod i would go for the dension one. lot more control of ipod, basically audi one lock the wheel out.

Use the search function on forum there is loads of info

 

[wez_sline]

thanks for that pal i will look it up.