Front bumper
 

Anyone else experience the front bumper slightly pulling away from the seam below the headlight? It was like this when I bought the car. I've had it at the body shop and they have tried to make it better, but it keeps popping back out. They say a permanent fix would be epoxying it, but then would be unable to easily remove the bumper if ever the need existed. Even replaced a reinforcement inside but that wasn't the fix either.

Check out this thread

https://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=108535

Slightly common issue, check the thread someone posted. Started having that issue after installed new headlights, ended up replacing all the clips and the headlight shrouds below the headlights just to tighten it up.

Not an unusual problem... Mine started after taking one too many potholes. I tried fixing it this weekend but couldn't figure it out.

Replacing the brackets that the bumper clips into seems to have worked for some people here.

This is what I did.


https://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=95624

Get new brackets it might help subaru part#507707CA050. It worked for some people and didnt for others...

Thank you for all of the tips and links.

I tried new brackets but it did not help. Because I am anal about the way the car looks and things fit, I went ahead today and had my bodyshop epoxy the bumper edge to the support. Not an ideal fix, but one that will last.

One day you are going to want to remove the bumper cover though...then what? Quick latches work although some find them hideous.

I have come to accept the bumper gap as an undocumented feature, lol.

That doesn't look bad at all. You'd hardly notice them on a black car.

They make then in Stainless too but I didn't find that out until AFTER I installed the black one's...I don't mind the black one's though.

I personally think black is better. There is a ton of black plastic on these cars. Even though stainless may have a similar color-I think it would stand out in a bad way. On a subconscious level I think everyone can tell stainless from aluminum from silver paint. I think you made the right call the first time.

Never really tried to visualize the stainless ones on silver paint...but I think you may be right!

You are right, the epoxy fix may be a problem down the road if the bumper needs removing, I'm crossing my fingers that won't be needed. If so, it will probably be because the whole front end needs to come off for reasons I don't want to even think about.