Weird uneven hood clearances.

[StarPD]

The vehicle is my 2005 Q45. The gap between the hood and the front bumper cover alongside the grille is different on each side. The gap on the driver's side is noticably (to me) bigger than on the passenger side. The hood is flush with the fenders, and the headlight assemblies look even and straight in all dimensions and even with the bumper, fenders, and hood. The front bumper looks straight. I can see no reason for the difference.

Shimming the hood on the close (passenger) side would make it higher than the fender, so that's not an alternative.

This car was owned by a Nissan GM's wife, and she was a little careless with it; scratches on the console wood, drivers door edge, and drivers door window surround, plus scuffs on driver's door speaker.

The front bumper had a very slight, almost invisible indentation in the center, visible only from an angle and in the right light, and two scuff marks through the clearcoat to the base paint from a license plate bracket, one on each side of the license frame about the size of a quarter. I suspect she hit something in a parking lot, but there is no other evidence of damage to the bumper, no paint cracks or chips.

This damage was concealed by a front license plate bracket and dealer license plate sign when I bought it. After I got home and removed it, it was too late to get the dealer to do anything about it.

I'm concerned that even though there is little exterior damage to the bumper cover, there may be some to the bumper mounting brackets, hardware, or front frame horns. So far, the dealer service people just scratch their heads and have no answer except to pay to have it all torn apart and checked out. I'm already going to blow the $466 to have the paint damage repaired. I don't want to get into other major body repairs.

Has anyone experienced minor damage to the front bumper on an F50?Is repairing a mildly bent mounting bracket a major hassle, or is it something that a good body shop can straighten without removing and re-installing the bumper cover?

I'm having the paint damage repaired ($466!!!!) and want the hood to fit evenly on the front. Outside of the minor damage, all of which is probably only important to someone as anal as I am, the rest of the car is clean and standup. Most people wouldn't even notice it, but I can, and it bugs me.

Comments or help?

Thanks.
Modified by StarPD at 3:45 PM 4/1/2007

[Q45tech]

You purchased a USED car AS IS without having an expert spend a few hours examining it.

As we always point out almost every used cars needs rehabilitation.

In FSM there is a page of exact dimensions of every body component to enable body shops to restore things as close as you are willing to pay.

[StarPD]

You purchased a USED car AS IS without having an expert spend a few hours examining it.

As we always point out almost every used cars needs rehabilitation.

In FSM there is a page of exact dimensions of every body component to enable body shops to restore things as close as you are willing to pay.

You are of course, absolutely correct. My fault I overlooked the damage hidden behind the license plate bracket and frame, since the car was so clean otherwise, low miles, and drove perfectly. The minor scuffs and scratches are not of consequence, and are to be expected in a used car. I was aware of them and accepted them. But I'm not whining. As much as I don't want to, I will have to pay to have The front bumper fixed, and I have not aproached the dealer to try to get it done free. I'm just wondering if anyone familiar with the front bodywork on an F50 has any ideas or suggestions as to whether I'm facing major expense or if it's as simple as adjusting or bending a bracket or two. I was hoping someone else had experienced similar concealed damage.

Except for the difference in hood/bumper gaps, everything looks straight and aligned.