Lost a Battle with a Snowbank

[ecniemann]

So I'm driving to work yesterday, pull into the parking lot, and slowly start into a parking space that has ice on the ground. It was slightly downhill and my car skids uncontrollably into the snowbank in front of me, crunching as I hit it. I was pissed, but checked the front and saw no damage, maybe just some minor marring from the icy snow on the lip of the bumper, but nothing serious.

So after work, I check more closely, still see nothing, and drive home. I get home, get the mail, and walk around the passenger side of the car, and to my horror, the R bumper is hanging off the car. I look and see all the pressure clips in the wheelwell have been broke/lost and the upper point of attachment on the bumper, from the mudguard, is broke. See demo picture below. Luckily the lower pressure clip insertion point on the bumper is still good. The 3rd attachment site on the bumper that is screwed in as shown in the 2nd picture below is also cracked, but not completely broke off.

So I had to unsrew this 3rd site, reattach the bumper, and pop some of the pressure clips back in around the headlight. It looks OK, but I am now missing 2 pressure clips in the wheelwell, one of which will probably not even be functional, except to fill the hole in the mudshield.

Any suggestions where to get these, besides the obvious, at the dealer? Does Autozone or anyone else carry this specific style? Maybe Ken at PG? Also any suggestions how to get that upper, 2nd clip, to hold the bumper since the point of attachment on the bumper is broken? Plastic welding? I really do not know, so please help.

 

[essejkcamraw]

that sucks man. good ole' fl...winter and 80deg haha.

 

[axisboldaslove]

ken at PG.com

 

[laracroft]

That sux. I got my MSP stuck in like only 1/2 inch of snow. Damn Potenzas, it was crazy. lol But I do feel your pain.

 

[340CID]

That sucks. You're not rolling on the Potenza's are you?

I used to live in Greenflied just off Layton Ave years ago.... small world!

 

[TheRxForSpeed]

That sucks, those potenzas are useless in the snow. Day after I got my ms3 I slid down a hill by my house that was completely coated in ice, into a snow bank. Fortunately it was fluffy soft snow and I was going maybe 2 mph. I ditched those Potenzas quick for some Pirelli Winter 240 Scottozero tires which eat up the snow.

 

[ecniemann]

That sux. I got my MSP stuck in like only 1/2 inch of snow. Damn Potenzas, it was crazy. lol But I do feel your pain.

That sucks. You're not rolling on the Potenza's are you?

I used to live in Greenflied just off Layton Ave years ago.... small world!

That sucks, those potenzas are useless in the snow. Day after I got my ms3 I slid down a hill by my house that was completely coated in ice, into a snow bank. Fortunately it was fluffy soft snow and I was going maybe 2 mph. I ditched those Potenzas quick for some Pirelli Winter 240 Scottozero tires which eat up the snow.

No Potenzas. I ditched those last year and got some Pirelli PZero Nero all season tires. Work great in snow, but nothing works on pure ice.

ken at PG.com

I'll PM him and see what he has. I'm going to Chicago this weekend anyway and sorta drive right by there.

 

[Captain KRM P5]

i dont have any in stock sadly, would not be able to have them until next weekend from mazda. most decent parts stores will have generic fender push pins that will be right about the perfect fitment. i know my local ace hardware used to carry them.

 

[ecniemann]

Thanks Ken. I'll try Ace on the way home tomorrow. Are there any body-guys on this forum that can chime in if there is a way to get that broken bumper loop to grab the upper mud-guard push-pin? I am missing approximately half of it, and I doubt it will grab. I can provide pics if needed. There has to be some sort of easy solution.

 

[J-Villa]

Thanks Ken. I'll try Ace on the way home tomorrow. Are there any body-guys on this forum that can chime in if there is a way to get that broken bumper loop to grab the upper mud-guard push-pin? I am missing approximately half of it, and I doubt it will grab. I can provide pics if needed. There has to be some sort of easy solution.

duct tape.

 

[KZL_99ES]

don't forget the zip ties!

 

[Sport6]

I can't really tell how its broken in the pictures, but if its just torn then maybe some plastic welding epoxy could help it hold?

 

[Hank3]

I saw an assortment of those types of clips at my local NAPA two weekends ago.

 

[J-Villa]

I took this picture a few months ago on my phone, and find it fitting for your repair solutions problems (I thought i'd never get to post it)






































































































































































































:dodgy:

















































































:dodgy:

 

[leadf00t]

That sucks, those potenzas are useless in the snow. Day after I got my ms3 I slid down a hill by my house that was completely coated in ice, into a snow bank. Fortunately it was fluffy soft snow and I was going maybe 2 mph. I ditched those Potenzas quick for some Pirelli Winter 240 Scottozero tires which eat up the snow.

I am using the Pirelli's, and they are pretty awesome in the snow, and still allow me to have a little fun between snow storms here in IA.

 

[240ka]

these potenzas are useless on the street. expensive, wear very quickly.

i hate them.

already looking for tires to replace them an di only have 5k miles on them

 

[MikeHTally]

I saw an assortment of those types of clips at my local NAPA two weekends ago.

Ditto that. They don't know what fits, but the packages are cheap enough to buy a "spread". Also, Lowe's carries a fair selection.

 

[ecniemann]

duct tape.

don't forget the zip ties!

Real helpful guys! (yupnope)

I can't really tell how its broken in the pictures, but if its just torn then maybe some plastic welding epoxy could help it hold?

Those pictures are not my car. I took them from the "how to" section regarding removing the bumper since it illustrates my problem so nicely. I will take some pics when I have time. Right now my wheelwells are literally coated with ice and snow. I went to Ace, but they have like 20 different sizes, and I do not know which is correct. In fact, I do not even know if it is just a presure clip or a rivet clip, as Autozone had both, and it looks more like the rivet clips, but maybe it is just meant to look like the phillips head does something. I then tried to get the clips out of the L hand wheelwell, and of course when I want to remove them, I cannot. So snowbank FTW to remove pressure clips on the bumper. I will have to wait until the weather clears up to fix this so I can clean the wheelwells to get at everything.

I took this picture a few months ago on my phone, and find it fitting for your repair solutions problems (I thought i'd never get to post it)
:dodgy:

Totally ghetto!

 

[J-Villa]

Real helpful guys! (yupnope)



Those pictures are not my car. I took them from the "how to" section regarding removing the bumper since it illustrates my problem so nicely. I will take some pics when I have time. Right now my wheelwells are literally coated with ice and snow. I went to Ace, but they have like 20 different sizes, and I do not know which is correct. In fact, I do not even know if it is just a presure clip or a rivet clip, as Autozone had both, and it looks more like the rivet clips, but maybe it is just meant to look like the phillips head does something. I then tried to get the clips out of the L hand wheelwell, and of course when I want to remove them, I cannot. So snowbank FTW to remove pressure clips on the bumper. I will have to wait until the weather clears up to fix this so I can clean the wheelwells to get at everything.



Totally ghetto!

If you have a rivet gun and your pressure clip holes are gone, You can put a rivet into it to hold it together, in theory . Drill a small pilot hole w/ a sharp drill bit then rivet it. paint the rivet black and viola. Now if you want to remove your bumper.... thats a different story.

 

[Stamperman]

I don't know if you found your clips yet or not, but if no, then I would try here.

https://www.clipsandfasteners.com/

Good Luck