Bumper Swap

[golf nutter]

Will a GTi or ED40 bumper be a straight swap for that of an R?  I think the R is too subdued and love the bumpers on the GTi/ED40 so would want to swap it.  Thanks

[SRGTD]

Mk7R or 7.5 R?

When the mk7 Golf was facelifted, VW’s marketing material said that the mk7.5 had new front wings, so if there are subtle differences in the area of the wing to bumper panel join, or if the headlamp units between the a mk7 and mk7.5 are a slightly different shape, a mk7 GTI or ED40 front bumper might not fit a mk7.5 R or a mk7.5 GTI bumper might not fit a mk7 R. The GTI and ED40 also have front fog lights whereas the R doesn’t, so I doubt the wiring will be there in the R for the fog lights to work.

Bear in mind that when the time comes to sell your R, swapping the R front bumper for one from a GTI might make some prospective buyers suspicious - they may think the car has had front end damage, hence the different bumper. You’d also need to inform your insurers as fitting a different bumper would be classed as a modification, and they may increase your premium.

[douglaslad]

The ED40/Clubsport does not have front fog lights.

[andy28]

The ED40/Clubsport does not have front fog lights.

... or front parking sensors

[SRGTD]

The ED40/Clubsport does not have front fog lights.

Thanks for reminding me. I’d forgotten that.

The OP also needs to consider the different location of the front radar sensor on the mk7 (lower grille) and mk7.5 (behind upper grille VW badge). If they’ve got a mk7 R and find a mk7.5 GTI front bumper, the lower grille may need modifying to accommodate the radar.

So @golf nutter; not a straight swap. Lots of potential niggles / issues to consider.

Edit; one further issue with fitting a GTI bumper to an R; the Golf R has an oil cooler - behind the small lower outer grille on the R/H side of the bumper. For R’s with DSG transmission, I think there’s also a further cooler / heat exchanger behind the L/H lower outer grille. This is the reason the R doesn’t have fog lights. Fitting a GTI bumper will block the airflow to coolers, without modification to the GTI bumper.

[dubber36]

Edit; one further issue with fitting a GTI bumper to an R; the Golf R has an oil cooler - behind the small lower outer grille on the R/H side of the bumper. For R’s with DSG transmission, I think there’s also a further cooler / heat exchanger behind the L/H lower outer grille. This is the reason the R doesn’t have fog lights. 

Plus R's have never had foglights (other than the Touareg R50). See Golf R32 Mk4 and 5, Passat R36, Golf 6 R and of course 7 and 7.5.

There is of course the early 7.5 foglight gate front bumper, but whether the foglight blanks/appartures are holes, I don't know. Either way, I wouldn't do it.

[hog_hedge]

There is of course the early 7.5 foglight gate front bumper, but whether the foglight blanks/appartures are holes, I don't know. Either way, I wouldn't do it.

Fog light gate victim here. Yes they are just holes that exit around the side of the bumper

[SRGTD]

Edit; one further issue with fitting a GTI bumper to an R; the Golf R has an oil cooler - behind the small lower outer grille on the R/H side of the bumper. For R’s with DSG transmission, I think there’s also a further cooler / heat exchanger behind the L/H lower outer grille. This is the reason the R doesn’t have fog lights. 

Plus R's have never had foglights (other than the Touareg R50). See Golf R32 Mk4 and 5, Passat R36, Golf 6 R and of course 7 and 7.5.

There is of course the early 7.5 foglight gate front bumper, but whether the foglight blanks/appartures are holes, I don't know. Either way, I wouldn't do it.

Me neither.

The OP was hoping it would be a straight swap which it clearly won’t be. Taking into account the issues highlighted in this thread (radar sensor, parking sensors, fog lights, cooling issues, insurance implications), plus the cost of getting the bumper painted the correct colour, it seems it’d be a lot of hassle and cost. Plus, you’d end up with something that might make some buyers suspicious (why does an R have a GTI front bumper? Has it been involved in a front end accident?) when the time comes to sell. Also if the OP’s car is under warranty, fitting a different bumper that could impede air flow to the oil cooler / inter cooler could have warranty implications too.

[Exonian]

Lots of good points here around the potential swap and as ever SRGTD has hit the nail squarely on the head around all the issues.

Sure, the R bumper is no thing of beauty and the GTI/D/Ed40 bumpers look tons better, but an R is an R and should look like an R.
Besides, the GTI models have honeycomb and it’s fiddly as hell to clean.
The R has nice easy wipe slats.
Embrace the slats.

[Watts]

Besides, the GTI models have honeycomb and it’s fiddly as hell to clean.

Are you supposed to clean the honeycombe grill then?