Changed the reg number on my Panda 100 HP this week, on changing the rear number plate found the dealer had drilled straight through the tailgate using 2 self tapping screws.
Any comments on how this will affect paint warranty, dealer is in recievership, so if problems later on who pays for repairs.
Have sent e-mail to customer services at Fiat UK, lets see if they reply.
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Save your breath - In my experince, FIAT are not worth communicating with.
The tailgate is not a prime rust area. Take the screws out, apply Waxoyl, replace screws, Waxoyl again, then forget about it.
659.
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Does the Panda have a plastic tailgate? Only reason I ask is that Im fairly sure my first car (some years ago now!) was an Uno which, IIRC, had a plastic tailgate...
Peter
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no tailgate is metal.
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 23/02/2008 at 12:32
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Are you absolutely sure it was the dealer who drilled the holes? Are there any enregd cars lurking about to compare?
I am amazed sometimes when i've seen new unreg cars with holes pre drilled into tailgates, as even if they were painted after drilling, a ungrommeted self tapper will soon chew the paint up.
Good advice about the waxoyling , pity that you have to start dismantling and waxoyling a new car in 08 though.
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Dealer did the same to my Panda, like you, only found out when I changed the plates. The tailgate is galvanised, so should help, I painted the holes with touch up paint to stop it rusting. Really annoying when Fiat fit it with fittings for the plate, it's just laziness on the dealers part.
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Many years ago, as a main dealer mechanic, I found that some customers were unhappy. Number plates were a major cause of concern to many of them.
It didn't matter how the plate was attached, they could think of a better way. A fellow mechanic suggested 'nailing' the plate on - this would give the customer a real reason for complaint as he 'could have done better myself'.
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>>Any comments on how this will affect paint warranty, dealer is in recievership, so if problems later on who pays for repairs.
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I am struggling to identify what you are worrying about.
So long as the number plate is centralised, top edge horizontal and the screws not affecting the legibility I would forget about it.
I am trying to recall all the vehicles that I have seen with such extensive rust on the rear that it has spread from the fixing screws beyond the edges of the number plate.
( I drive my cars til they go to the scrapper due to rust elsewhere)
Perhaps there should be a box on the order form " please specify number plate fixing method" :-(
Have sent e-mail to customer services at Fiat UK, lets see if they reply.
I would expect a curt reply saying " not to worry" and then it might be posted on an internal notice board.
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Many years ago as a main dealer mechanic I found that some customers were unhappy. Number plates were a major cause of concern to many of them. It didn't matter how the plate was attached they could think of a better way. A fellow mechanic suggested 'nailing' the plate on - this would give the customer a real reason for complaint as he 'could have done better myself'.
Surely you should just fit the number plates how they are supposed to be fitted and then you can just tell them that it has been done correctly? Didn't you have fitting kits like the Fiats?
I've seen unregistered cars in the (Fiat) dealers with four plastic bits for the number plate. I can't understand why anybody would not use the holes provided.
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The tailgate is galvanised so should help I painted the holes with touch up paint to stop it rusting.
I believe parking sensors are dealer-fitted into holes they drill. I have not seen and rust areas around sensors.
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Parking sensors are usually in the bumber aren't they? So plastic.
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As I live on the coast and rust is an ever present enemy I have specified that my last three new cars have had the number plates stuck on using adhesive pads.
ndbw
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The whole story is that Fiat provide a number plate mounting kit that bolts into the existing bolt holes in the tailgate but, for reasons beyond my ken, dealers almost always discard this kit. The sensible ones fix the plates with double-sided tape but some use self-tappers into the tailgate. Now, it's unlikely that this will produce much corrosion but it's a bit lazy, isn't it.
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The whole story is that Fiat provide a number plate mounting kit that bolts into the existing bolt holes in the tailgate but for reasons beyond my ken dealers almost always discard this kit. >>
They do it as Fiat Pandas prefixed mounting holes are spaced for slightly larger than standard number plates, basically the dealers can't bepink fluffy dice to have the correct sized number plate made up even though they are freely available.
They will tell you otherwise though . . .
Edited by Webmaster on 07/02/2009 at 20:28
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use self-tappers into the tailgate. Now it's unlikely that this will produce much corrosion but it's a bit lazy isn't it.
It always amazes me how many dealers can't be bothered to centralise or level the plate on new cars. Doesn't bode well for the Pre Delivery Inspection!
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I'm sorry to say, you'll find most dealers of what make of car do this. Whether its metal or plastic.
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My 10 year old golf has a tiny bit of rust in the same place where the plate was screwed in. I just sanded, primed and sealed the holes and stuck my new plates on with velcro. Works a treat.
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Is this not done to make it difficult for people to steal your plates?
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I would say screwed on plates are easier to steal than stuck on ones, nothing hard about using a screwdriver and they are unlikey to break like stuck on ones can if you try and peel them off.
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