Next on list is the R32 rear bumper conversion. This is a more involved stage and requires a fair few Volkswagen parts plus other modifications. No doubt most people reading this know that the exhaust sits differently on the R32 than it does on other Golfs.
I contacted AMD via e-mail asking about fitting of the bumper and additional costs, and was amazed when one of the guys (Ben) replied within a few hours listing the Volkswagen part numbers needed to build the rear bumper assembly! A trip to my local Volkswagen to collect my uncle’s Passat, I spoke to the parts department regarding the parts needed, and got some prices (these are also the Volkswagen part numbers, as provided by AMD);
1K6 807 433 C GRU - Lower half of the bumper which requires painting as it comes in primer - £245
1K6 807 568 9B9 - Black trim that clips into the above item and wraps around the exhaust - £123
1K6 807 441 E 9B9 - Toe eye cover to suit R32 bumper - £5
1K6 945 105 A - n/s reflector - £16.50
1K6 945 106 A - o/s reflector - £16.50
Naturally, some research was on the cards to discover whether there was a way to bring these prices down. I had seen many replica parts on eBay, but one night while trolling through I came across an eBay company;
http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/partsdepot_uk&ssPageName=STRK:MEFSX:SELLERID&_trksid=p3984.m1543.l2533They sell genuine Volkswagen and Audi parts, as well as a lot of other manufacturer parts, but importantly, they’re cheaper than the main dealer prices. I ordered the lower bumper part that was listed with the part number thinking it had to be too good to be true. But I ate my hat over this one, it turned up 48 hours later and on inspection was full, 100% genuine! Price… £156!
It was like opening up a big early birthday present;
And it already has the heat shield mounted in place;
So now I’m in the process of getting quotes from some reputable paint shops, so far I’m swinging towards one that AMD recommended me to (which happen to be a sponsor of their BTCC team). It will be a month or so before I can afford to get the bumper sprayed, also got to factor in the other parts that I need so there won’t be a great deal of process over the next few months. But as I get parts, I shall update here.