Ok, so I just bought my first Stang, a Vista Blue 08 GT and I'm riding a euphoric cloud of Horsepower and New Car smell all the way home from the dealer.

When I get home, I notice (yes, this is my fault I didn't tell them not to) that the sales guy has drilled my License Plate directly to the front fascia. Not happy. I was thinking of running a screwless bracket or no plate at all before putting holes in the front fascia. And the thing is, they didn't put a mounting bracket or a plastic piece or anything behind it to keep the plate from vibrating the paint off behind it.

Suggestions? I'm going to be taking the car back in to have them remove the spoiler that wasn't deleted from the factory while I'm gone on a week long trip, so they're going to have it for a while anyway. Have them fix it if possible? Say forget it and mount something better since the holes are there anyway?

Anything has to be better than this. Makes the front look pretty ghetto at the moment...at least the plate is level....

Cheers and Happy New Year to everyone at TMS!

 

Ask them if they can fix it, unfortunately, they probably wont.

 

I assume they screwed into the 2 little indents in the bumper like every other dealer in the country.
That is the way Ford designed it to be.
I know it is too bad you didn't think about it sooner, but they are under no responsibility to fix it if you said nothing.
At your own expense, you can buy a new bumper cover from some company that puts another one on.
http://www.ninosport.com/Front-Bumpe...&category=1503
I would suggest living with it.
Now the important part...
What the heck are they doing to the trunk when they take the spoiler off ??!!
Will the paint match and how are they plugging the holes?

 

Honestly man, I dont mind having a front plate on mine. Sucks they drilled into it, so get a better bracket and there ya go

 

If they don't swap the trunklid with one without a spoiler and fill and paint it ask them to fill and paint the holes. Since it is a new car the paint match should be easier to accomplish.

 

I disagree. If you signed the papers without the holes in the bumper, and then they mounted a plate... then I think they owe you a fix. At that point they were drilling holes in your car, before that they could do whatever they wanted.

 

I guess at this point I'm going to look at a better front bracket, unless they feel like being particularly charitable when next I speak to my salesguy. I just don't want bare license plate on the paint. Also, I'm originally from a state that doesn't require front plates (Michigan) so I just chafe at the idea of them anyway.

As for the trunk, they're going to fill and paint the decklid, and as a sort of "oops we're sorry something got botched somewhere" they're installing my CDC Ducklid and third brakelight for basically no labor cost. It's not a perfect fix, but I'm pretty happy with it. Even if the decklid was pristine, I was going to do the ducktail as one of my first mods anyway, so this just saves me the trouble.

By the way, I've just been widely varying the speed and engine rpms, which is what Ford seems to suggest. Is that still the going wisdom on engine break-in? I thought I read a bunch of rebuttals to the Mototune guy's ring seating theory about running the heck out of the engine in the first 20 miles. Just curious.

 

I hear all the ppl talk about running in states that require both (like here in Missouri) and leaving them off, but that is just an extra excuse to be pulled over. I have one on my front (a personalized BTW) and put a nice chrome frame around it. The chrome frame on front and back is the only chrome on the car.

I have had it since Sept.06 and drive it like I stole it...never pulled over... Of course, I never exceed the posted speed limit...

Whatever works for you guy... I say just get custom plates and show them off on front and back!

 

Well, seeing as I have custom plates, that's probably what I'll end up doing. One nice thing about living in Virginia, custom plates are ridiculously cheap. Like 10 extra bucks when you buy the plate and that's it, no yearly fee. Might be why everyone here has em!

anyone recommend anything to put behind the bracket to keep vibration and scratchies down?

 

Just slap some stripes on the car, and they will cover the holes.

 

Now you have a good excuse to get a GT500 front fascia and a KR hood!

 

First off, I plan on striping it. Probably white in 11" with a 1.5" gap. I know a lot of people have white, but I'm from Michigan and when I saw Vista Blue with silver stripes...well...it looked to me like a Detroit Lions football helmet. I can't do it, I'll always think that when I look at it.

You are more right than you know! Although I have to admit, I'm not a fan of the KR hood (I really like the Saleen), I love the GT500 front fascia! And that's a project I've thought a lot about for the future.

My one complication, I have HID's. I have yet to see a HID headlight cabinet for a GT500 for sale yet. I know they have the option this year too, but GT500's in general aren't exactly everyday cars to begin with. We'll see how much more pricey that's going to be. I'm sure KC can probably put something together for it.

Cheers and Happy New Years!

 

get two push pins and use some touch up paint, still looks tacky but better than a plate on there. I went with a new bumper and NO plate when I got the aggressive chin spoiler

 

Justin, in my case, when they tightened the screws to attach the front plate they slightly distorted the holes and left a 2 inch radius around each hole looking terrible...in my case, the plate will cover it.
Also, you will have to run with a front plate in VA...I got stopped twice in my Vette in the past 7 years...now I have the front plate installed...the local police in Va Beach are real sticklers with having a front plate installed...not sure about Williamsburg. Remember, you don't want to give the police any reason to pull you over eventhough a missing front plate is not a moving violation.

 

Hey Mark, are you actually in va beach? I've been looking to find out if there's a local group of people in the Hampton Rds area who get together with their cars/stangs.

I was hoping to buy a bracket to avoid screwing into the bumper cover, like the one Fastrack makes. But oh well. Guess I'm going to just get something tasteful for the front and live with it until I finally get the money to do the GT500 bumper cover.

I went for a couple of years without a front plate in VA, however you're right, you can get stopped, and I was always a little worried about it.

 

Get an aftermarket kick azz front fascia