Installing Autotech European Bumpers
Installing Euro bumpers on an A1 vehicle isn't difficult. The only part that will make you nervous is drilling two holes in the front fenders to attach the mounting hardware for the front bumper cover. These steps apply, of course, to my GTI, so there are no existing turn-signal lamps in the OEM bumpers.
Please note that the Euro bumpers are pretty flimsy in comparison to the 5 mph bumpers mandated by the feds, so if you ever hit something at any speed at all, you're in for some serious body work.
Your kit should contain the following:
| Qty | Description | >Comments |
| 1 ea. | Front Bumper | With black plastic cover |
| 1 ea. | Rear Bumper | With black plastic cover |
| 8 ea. | 13mm Bolts | |
| 8 ea. | Flat washers | |
| 2 ea. | Front turn signal assemblies | Amber lenses are supplied |
| 2 ea. | Front bumper cover side supports | |
| 2 ea. | Rear bumper cover side supports | Not needed |
Install thusly:
1) On the front, remove the two 11/16" bolts on each front side of the engine compartment that hold the front bumper in place. Your clearances on the passenger side will be tight due to the alternator, and these bolts will be torqued down pretty good. Pull out the old bumper. Float test.
2) Repeat step one, except for the rear bumper. The four bolts holding the rear on are located in the back of the trunk, on each side. You'll have to move the trunk carpeting out of the way to access the bolts.
Once you have both bumpers out, now is a good time to peer into the holes vacated by the bumper rails to determine what has been crammed in there for the last several years, and remove the offending items.
For the rear bumper, it is not necessary to drill into the bodywork of the car to install the side support hardware. The side rails on the bumpers are short enough to where they do not flap around during even spirited driving.
3) To install the rear bumper, you will most likely need to loosen the nuts that hold the support rails on the bumper itself. Test fit the new unit to determine if the rails will fit into the bodywork of the car. If not, loosen the rails and slide the bumper into position. The hardware supplied with the kit isn't as beefy as the OEM stuff, but works well enough. Install the new bolts and snug them up.
4) Stand back about 10 feet to determine if you have the bumper level with the rest of the bodywork on the car. Whack into place until visually pleasing, then tighten the bolts to about 50 ft-lbs. Use a small ratchet and extension to tighten the rail nuts on what is now the inside of the rear bumper.
5) Remove the plastic cover from the front bumper by removing the six nuts on the inside of the bumper.
6) Install what is now just the metal frame for the front bumper using the same method as the rear.
7) The picture below (left) is of the plastic fasteners that support the plastic cover. On the right is what they look like after installation. Looking at the left picture, and the fastener on the left, you will note that the top and bottom have two protrusions. On the top are plastic cylinders that push down into the slots on the bottom. This action expands the fastener and holds it firmly in the front fender. Nice system huh? Only if you want to drill huge holes in your car.
Pull out the two cylinders, then cut the flanges off the bottom. You will now have a relatively flat fastener that will only require a sheet metal screw to hold it in place.
8) Test fit the cover on the front bumper, noting where the mounting points on the sides line up on the fenders. I used a bubble level to make sure everything was lined up top to bottom. Use a grease pencil to mark the front, rear, top & bottom of the mounting point on the fender. Measure twice to be sure you've got the right spot.
9) Okay, take a deep breath and get out the drill and a small bit. You've marked where the mounting point hits the front fenders in the step above, so you know about where you have to drill your hole. You don't have to be down to the 1/8" on your placement, just get it somewhere in the middle of the box you've drawn on the fender. Close your eyes, squeeze the trigger, and drill your hole. Only one per side is needed. If you live where the roads are salted half the year, you'll want to paint the inside of the hole to prevent rust.
10) Get a sheet metal screw and a washer, and screw the mounting bracket into the fender on both sides.
11) Slide the cover onto the front bumper frame again. If you did steps 8-10 correctly, it should snap into the fasteners on both sides. Re-install the nuts on the inside of the bumper and tighten them up (you won't have much room to work with here).
12) Install the turn-signal lenses in the bumper. Since I already have the fender mounted turn-signals, I just shoved the wires up into the bodywork until I can figure out what I want to do with them. The turn signal hardware is not Mercedes quality. There are square plastic tabs that push into the sides of the bumper openings, and the screws that hold the lens in tighten into these. Be sure to install the rubber gasket around the assembly before you install the lenses.
Enjoy the new look!
