Front grill crack

You don't carry Comprehensive (non collision) Insurance?

 

With Geico insurance, if your glass (windshield) has a crack and is less than a dollar bill, then they will fix it for free with no deductible. Idea is that replacing the entire windshield will cost much more, hence encouraging insurers to fix it for free. I am not sure if the front grill will be considered the same as glass.

 

I would either do nothing, or fiberglass mesh with epoxy on the back, then fill-in the front with more epoxy, maybe multiple layers till it's slightly proud, and sand it down. Go finer and finer with the sanding, finish off with something like rottenstone, a polish.

Or...:

It's goofy, we drive around with plastic chandeliers for "bumpers".

Maybe preemptively spraying that piece with black plasti-dip, multiple layers, would protect it a bit?

 

Wow things on the left coast are pricey. I’ve got $0 deductible Comprehensive for $26 for 6 mos w/State Farm.

 

No it won't. Because glass continues to "grow" the crack, where as plastic won't.

Contact a couple of independent body shops in the area.

Or if you insist on it being "perfect" just bite the bullet and let Toyota do it.

 

Yeah this doesn't look too hard to repair. I wouldn't replace; if you do, it almost guarantees it'll happen again. Kismet.

 

My daughter had a small dent in a front fender.
Toyota wanted $3000 for a new fender, painted and installed.
A well respected local body shop said they could do exactly the same thing for about $1100.
THEN.....when he actually looked at it, he said he could "pop it out" for about $100.
Turns out it only took 10 minutes and he charged us $50.

 

Yeah, that clear acrylic cover is not durable at all. It looks like a separate piece but TOYOTA only sells it with rest of Grill sub-assembly Grille Sub-Assembly Rad - Toyota (53101-47051) | Toyota Parts which cost $569. Mine was cracked probably by a rock. I complained to TOYOTA but they would not do anything about it. I do have zero deductible comprehensive on my car, but as long as they use substandard material this is going to happen again. I am just leaving it as is.

 

Yeah painted plastic fairings fore and after became a thing in the mid-eighties, how we progress.

 

Although there is probably no way to make a crack in plastic become invisible it is possible to use a low viscosity epoxy and allowing it to flow into the crack, thereby making it less obtrusive.

Opticon Fracture Sealer and Hardener

 

^ Maybe do that, then just spray the whole thing with black plasti-dip.

 

Fill in the smaller voids with regular epoxy (in layers if they are deep), wet sand flush with extra fine sandpaper and then coat with the plasti-dip. You could make it go away.

 

I just had mine replaced 2 weeks ago. I guess a rock hit it and shattered part of it. The whole center grille was about $408 with tax. It's stupid that you can't buy just the plastic part.

 

I have almost the exact same thing on mine. looks like it was hit by a .22 Tiny puncture hole right through the plastic.

Seems like there's a common theme going on here with the crappy ness of the plastic being used for the grill. I'm really not liking the durability of some of the pieces of the car.

 

Painted plastic fairings are a close second, behind this hard plastic dreck. Utilitarian and effective bumpers died, around 1982?

 

I've got the same problem - mine got hit by something, probably a rock, and now theres a about a tennis ball width lattice of cracks on the right hand side of the acryllic portion of the grille.

Luckily where I have my damage, all the cracks and lines 'line up' with the patterns surrounding it so it's only visible when you get close, so I'm going to just leave it assuming nothing weird happens to it next time I try jet-washing it (if it shatters or something then obviously I'll need to get it fixed).

After seeing what it costs to get it fixed though... I'll be avoiding it at all costs!

 

The ChuggyPig has various dings and chips on the paintwork if examined closely, and I guess I could get everything fixed and tarted up if I so desired, however as I (and the car) age, I tend to look on them as "duelling scars" which will keep on being replaced by new ones no matter how many times they are fixed!

 

That looks like a real "glass jaw" beside your front license plate!