New S3 - bumped already!

[marcgti6]

What a nightmare! I've had the car for three days and it's already been bumped - my girlfriend reversed it into a wall leaving a driveway

Some questions...

Are the S3 bumpers unique to the S3 or is it just the black 'diffuser' and exhaust cut-outs that are different?

The rear light has also been marked - are these the same on all A3s?

I'm new to Audi so I'm not sure what's what or how best to repair it. Does any one know how much Audi will charge for a new bumper in Sepang and a new rear light? I'm guessing that it ain't going to be a pretty bill.

I'm absolutely gutted and she's in tears - my first new car!

Images attached...

 

[marcgti6]

I was looking forward to giving it a proper wash this morning too - seems like little point now as a bit of grime will help disguise the marks!

I've just realised you can actually see the offender in the showroom picture. She's gutted because she is usually so careful and it was only the second time she's driven it.

The funny thing is that I was going to drive until she pretty much begged me to let her!

 

[Kugaman1]

No need for her to be in tears, its just a car!

As its a new car, I would go back to Audi and get it repaired right.

No point in trying to cut corners.

Unless you know a good independent? Maybe the bumper is salvageable?

 

[marcgti6]

I know - I've told her! It's not that I'm particularly angry, she's just upset that it's happened. You're right, it's just a car and no one has been hurt, which is what I keep telling her!

I'll speak to the dealer and ask for a quote. I don't want a smart repair - gotta be done right.

 

[Gazjs]

Sorry to see this!

I would still go and wash it. Don't let it ruin your plans

A good wash a little hand polish will disguise some of it also.

Unlucky to have clipped the light and no more but as yourself and other have said, no one was hurt.

 

[marcgti6]

I've just given the area a wipe down with some quick detailer. There's a weird raised circle next to the scratches which is odd.

I know a good bodyshop that I will speak to before going to Audi. If it can be repaired, I want it 100% but I'm not sure if this is realistic or not!

Does anyone know if the bumpers and lights are S3 specific? I'm guessing the lights are not S3 specific but are they the same on all A3s?

 

[SRT]

Ouch thats bad luck but from what the piccs of the tail light show I would think its not going to cause any problem unless its cracked and would let water/moisture in, hardly visible. As to smart repair well my daughter just had chips away repair a similar graze to her Astra rear and its amazing. Cant see any sign of damage. I would guess thats what an Audi repair would amount to - smart repair I mean. Seriously,life throws a lot more at us so go easy.
My mrs managed to bang every side of a BMW 323i we had in our drive. Only the roof was untouched and I wondered then if she might manage to flip it

 

[RichardT]

Stop worrying about the details. Kiss and make up, have a nice Easter, and take it to a bodyshop next week. They'll answer all the questions.
It's just a car, but I'm sure it's more to you!

 

[RO65ERS]

Have you got access to a machine polisher with a deep cutting pad, you've managed to sort a lot of it out already which is great.
I reckon you'll get a good amount of the left over out too with a good pad and Polish.

It's only the bits that will catch your finger nail that won't buff out...

 

[Gazjs]

The raised section looks like an internal screw.

That's good results for a QD. Get some polish on it and enjoy the rest if your weekend

 

[azibux1]

...but the strange circle that seems to have been pressed 'outwards' (bolt or clip behind the bumper there maybe?) will still be visible even after correcting the paint surely?

EDIT: @Gazjs beat me to it lol

 

[Rob2k68]

Sorry to see this Marc but car can be made new again in a couple of days don't let it spoil your Easter weekend.

LED tail lights come on models with the xenon headlamp option I believe so not S3 unique. Not too familiar with bumpers but guessing this is more likely to be S3 unique. Slight pimple raise in the surface may be where the bumper inside surface contacted the crash beam structure nothing to worry about but that's probably what's created it.

 

[HawkeyeS3]

Looking at the pictures of your rear light it looks like it could be repaired quite readily - find a reputable detailer close to you and have him look at it first before shelling out for a new light as they will be mega bucks and if done properly you will never know it got caught.

Likewise with the bumper, see if a professional detailer can do anything to restore it to new. I recently had the front bumper wet sanded and buffed on mine after numerous stone chips on one side, and you would not know now. A lot cheaper than getting it respraying and as good if not better.

 

[marcgti6]

Thanks guys. Don't worry, our relationship is fine I wasn't particularly angry or shouty - she was just crying because she was absolutely gutted. It certainly won't be spoiling our weekend

A trip to York now to put some more miles on the car. Maybe find somewhere to try launch control - that should make me feel better

I'm a bit of a detailing geek so I've got all the kit - DA polisher and loads of pads and polishes. I will try tomorrow but the scuffs are fairly deep so I don't think it's going to work any miracles but hopefully it will look better on the eye until I've got a few quotes to fix it.

Love the car though. The first time my girlfriend has ever reversed into anything in 9 years driving and it happens to be my 3 day old car! FML

 

[marcgti6]

Sorry to see this Marc but car can be made new again in a couple of days don't let it spoil your Easter weekend.

LED tail lights come on models with the xenon headlamp option I believe so not S3 unique. Not too familiar with bumpers but guessing this is more likely to be S3 unique. Slight pimple raise in the surface may be where the bumper inside surface contacted the crash beam structure nothing to worry about but that's probably what's created it.

Thanks. I definitely want to replace the light so I'll have a nosey on the bay of e and see if I can find a used one. Would obviously have to be reallllly good condition though but I could polish out minor scratches I guess.

 

[Phil13]

I feel your pain.

Day 1 - girlfriend curbed an alloy
Day 13 - I curbed an alloy
Day 25 - I scraped it reversing off the drive.

I'm sure I purchased a cursed car!

 

[S32B]

Gutted for you mate, try some wd40 to hide it a bit until it's fixed....it does work!

 

[SJC]

Ouch. Your probably looking at a grand the time you get a new bumper, light and it get it resprayed. Your light looks like it will easy buff out though.

 

[Mike1981]

 

[marcgti6]

Ouch. Your probably looking at a grand the time you get a new bumper, light and it get it resprayed. Your light looks like it will easy buff out though.

There's a small chunk missing from the light so it won't buff out I'm afraid

Are the rear lights different on the 3 and 5 doors?

Cheers

 

[marcgti6]

I feel your pain.

Day 1 - girlfriend curbed an alloy
Day 13 - I curbed an alloy
Day 25 - I scraped it reversing off the drive.

I'm sure I purchased a cursed car!

That's harsh. Hope I have more luck that you! They say it comes in threes don't they?!

 

[Soulboy]

My Mrs reversed my old S3 into the garage - as she was used to reversing sensors on her TT and the S3 didn't have them.
Similar damage.
She was upset too. I felt really sorry for her after the initial wtf. Get it fixed asap to your desired level (I just got a mobile repairer out) and just move on.

 

[Rob2k68]

At our old house there was a parking space in front of the garage and one at 90 degrees to it in front of the house where the wife would park - I'd be out first so she's reverse where I was then drive away forward.

One morning she managed to reverse into my car so I asked were the reverse sensors not working to which she said yes they were beeping. I was pretty puzzled at this point but eventually I got the blame for being on holiday and for my car being there and then had to fix both cars.

Work that one out ?????

 

[Simon L]

At our old house there was a parking space in front of the garage and one at 90 degrees to it in front of the house where the wife would park - I'd be out first so she's reverse where I was then drive away forward.

One morning she managed to reverse into my car so I asked were the reverse sensors not working to which she said yes they were beeping. I was pretty puzzled at this point but eventually I got the blame for being on holiday and for my car being there and then had to fix both cars.

Work that one out ?????

You know the score Rob..........it's always our fault!! lol

 

[Tony1982]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Audi-A3-S...5b9a8a7&pid=100005&rk=2&rkt=6&sd=252180596610

 

[Tony1982]

plenty of lights on ebay mate, if you're not interested in a smart repair and wan't to keep costs down there's also a fair few s-line/s3 rear bumpers, mostly with the parking sensor cut outs though, but there are a couple without, obviously you'd still need it painting if you got one and most of them are without the diffuser, but you have that anyway. Here's one particularly cheap example:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2012-2015-Audi-A3-S-Line-REAR-BUMPER-8V4807511-8V4-807-511-555-/272139695256?fits=Car+Make:Audi|Cars+Type:S3+quattro&hash=item3f5cca3498:g:JDYAAOSwWTRWyDuC

 

[marcgti6]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Audi-A3-S3-8V-2012-Onwards-O-S-Right-Drivers-LED-Rear-Light-Outer/281848612799?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid=222007&algo=SIC.MBE&ao=1&asc=20140122125356&meid=6278f55aae4b42e4a1680e00a5b9a8a7&pid=100005&rk=2&rkt=6&sd=252180596610

plenty of lights on ebay mate, if you're not interested in a smart repair and wan't to keep costs down there's also a fair few s-line/s3 rear bumpers, mostly with the parking sensor cut outs though, but there are a couple without, obviously you'd still need it painting if you got one and most of them are without the diffuser, but you have that anyway. Here's one particularly cheap example:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2012-2015-Audi-A3-S-Line-REAR-BUMPER-8V4807511-8V4-807-511-555-/272139695256?fits=Car+Make:Audi|Cars+Type:S3+quattro&hash=item3f5cca3498:g:JDYAAOSwWTRWyDuC

Are the lights the same on the 3 and 5 door? The eBay link you sent shows a picture of a 5 door car and the description is a bit pants!

Cheers

 

[Tony1982]

I believe they are, although I'm not 100% sure, you could confirm by taking a trip to your local audi and check the part numbers

 

[Sandra]

@marcgti6 try our parts request system for part numbers and prices of the lights and bumper as well. Hope you get it all sorted out soon.

 

[marcgti6]

@marcgti6 try our parts request system for part numbers and prices of the lights and bumper as well. Hope you get it all sorted out soon.

Thanks Sandra. This might be a daft question but where can I find the parts request system? Cheers.

 

[Sandra]

http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/support-tickets/list

If you on a mobile use the menu at top left of homepage and list drops down, on a PC it's on the homepage bar below the Asn logo. I put link above for it for you.

 

[Ben Daniel Grant]

I think the rear lights are different on the SB to the hatch, the hatch are straight and the SB has a tick

 

[Rob2k68]

If you have Xenons or LED headlamps then you get the LED rear lamps that have the tick - both 3dr and SB lamps are subtly different but the lighting arrangement is similar :-

If you have halogen/filament bulb headlamps you will have these rear lamps :-

 

[visionthing]

I would be considering an insurance claim for that damage. Your not going to get much change for 1k especially if you want the light cluster replacing too. It is likely any body shop worth its salt would want to fade in the rear quarter panels and possibly the boot as well. Colour matching isn't easy at the best of times and a metallic blue like that will be a bitch.

 

[azibux1]

I would be considering an insurance claim for that damage. Your not going to get much change for 1k especially if you want the light cluster replacing too. It is likely any body shop worth its salt would want to fade in the rear quarter panels and possibly the boot as well. Colour matching isn't easy at the best of times and a metallic blue like that will be a bitch.

Probably not worth a 'fault claim' on his record, resulting in an increased premium for the next few years though surely?

 

[Tony1982]

It's brand new - colour matching won't be a drama

 

[Tony1982]

Been doing a bit of digging - Audi part number for 3dr Hatch RHS rear LED Light (outer) is: 8V3945096B so the previous link I posted is incorrect for what you need and is indeed for a sportback, well spotted.

There is this one on ebay:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AUDI-A3-S...884464?hash=item3d153649f0:g:s~AAAOSwLzdWTwsP
although I would guess there will be many more.

With what's been pointed out that the rear clusters do differ from the 3 dr hatch to the sportback in mind - the rear bumpers are highly likely to differ also so just be careful with that, the link I posted above is correct for a 3dr (8V1) I do believe though.

Either way I hope you get this sorted without it being too stressful, I had a similar occurrence with mine when it was only days old too - had to have the bonnet resprayed!

 

[visionthing]

http://www.firstchoicebumpers.com/P...S-LINE-S3-REAR-BUMPER-GENUINE-AUDI-PART-[M17] - 3dr s3 bumper primed for £180

 

[gamegenie]

The one thing I hate about my A3, is the upkeep.

Just noticed a clearcoat scratch on the rear bumper today as I was using the trunk (boot).

I just got my bumper repainted last year after some idiot bumped it with his pickup.

Now I see this clearcoat scratch that I don't know how it happened.

I know eventually I'm going to have to bite the bullet and get the Opticoat Plus detailing.

 

[RichardT]

How is getting a scratch on the bumper a fault of it being an Audi?