MG4 SE LR - Registration Plate holes in bodywork.

[inshreds]

Today we picked up my wife's motability lease MG4 SE LR from our local dealer. Not only had it got a paint chip on the tailgate, and a scratch on the driver side door upon inspection (they will have it in to fix), returned home to take off the rear reg plate to affix a registration frame to allow enough clearance for the installation of a wireless reverse parking camera. To my horror, the dealer had totally ignored the proper fixing points and just drilled holes in the bodywork for affixing the plate.

Now, obviously, it is a lease car (not that we do not intend to look after it well), and I certainly would be angrier if we actually had bought it, but does anyone think I should take this up with the dealer or am I being overdramatic in thinking that raw drilled holes in the bodywork is just fast-tracking its way to rust?

As we bought a two-pack of registration frames I also removed the front reg plate, they had done exactly the same there too, although that is affixed to a plastic block instead, but does have proper mounting points overlooked.

Do they do this because the actual fixing points would impede the lettering? Surely in this instance, they should ask the customer if they actually are ok with them being screwed on in such a manner, or whether the customer would prefer to buy a registration frame to attach to the proper mounting positions, or simply have the option for the plate to be stuck on with 3M VHB Tape.

I hope anyone that is not leasing their car is checking for such careless fixing from their dealers, grateful for anyone's thoughts on this.

 

[AndyL61]

It is downright shoddy and done for speed and laziness to do a proper job.

 

[siteguru]

You're not the first to fall foul of this ... pure laziness by the dealer. Call them out on it and ask what they're going to do to prevent corrosion developing.

 

[PristDean]

That is blatant damage to the car in my view. I would be seeking a fully guaranteed repair or replacement vehicle. I am sure your lease company would take a similar view.

 

[Eber]

Do they do this because the actual fixing points would impede the lettering?

No. They do this because they are ignorant lazy f*ckers.

 

[Lovemyev]

I have seen a very similar thing done on a member with a brand new white HS PHEV.
Drilling through the frame of the number plate retainer and then straight though the hatch back door !.
He first noticed the problem, when the hot drilling swarf had dropped down and then became adhered to the paint finish.
This swarf then quickly started to rust after only a couple of days !.
He removed the rear plate and then discovered the two holes produced in the hatch / boot lid of his new car !.
These untreated holes are going to start rusting very quickly and also allow water ingress into the car.
Ten seconds to drill two holes, that is likely to take many hours ( and a lot of money ) to rectify !.
Drilling a couple of extra holes in a plastic bumper cover is no real big deal.
But absolutely no thought at all has been given to drilling holes into the metal work of these cars.
Expensive school boy error for sure.

 

[Ian Key]

Send photos to the leasing company and the dealer's general manager.

 

[Lovemyev]

Send photos to the leasing company and the dealer's general manager.

I can almost hear the words right now, as the e.mail is opened :- “Oh S••t !”.

 

[JuziWomble]

Expect a comment of something similar to "galvanized... and screw will be locked in so - no issue" - Seen it myself & complained to no avail - So when I've come across this fitting my plates (into a plate holder) - I've cleaned said holes with cleaner - dried with hair dryer - sealed with clear sealant - dried with hair dryer (cool setting) - taped over - fit plates - forget

BUT YEAH Not on

 

[Macadoodle]

Expect a comment of something similar to "galvanized... and screw will be locked in so - no issue"

Yet to see any evidence that these cars have a bit of zinc anywhere No doubt they'll try that as a get out though.
There will certainly be creeping rust starting from those holes if not treated, a large chip on the front of my roof went rusty immediately over winter.

 

[Lucky5]

I had my boot drilled too, just going to treat it and seal it myself I think, kinda spoils the new car that no one else has had time to bu#£er about with feeling though

 

[inshreds]

Thanks so far guys for your replies on this matter. I certainly will be sending an email to the MD @ Budgen Motors Shrewsbury very shortly.

Just looking around at many neighbours cars, I reckon it is a commonplace issue that dealers ignore the proper mounting points in preference of using combination orange and white plastic screw caps at further reach places clear of lettering out of laziness, cheapness, speed and convenience, blatantly damaging the rear of the car.

Out of interest, my wife's 20 Plate car which she is selling (nothing to do with Budgen) has the same issue, I have just checked. Self tapping screws through the tailgate metal, with surface rust evident around the screw hole.

Further pictures below will help anyone with the issue with their dealer, and/or already recognise the difference in their MG4 between the proper threaded mounting positions which I believe should be populated with nylon bolts, against 'cowboy' dealer bodge jobs.

Clearly on the image above you can see the proper threaded fixing point totally ignored.

No cleaning up at all of the badly drilled holes.

 

[inshreds]

And an image from the totallyev.net review of the MG4, clearly showing the rear plate with proper nylon bolt fixings.

 

[Eber]

It's really beyond me why anyone would drill a friggin' hole right into the bodywork when there are factory fixings present. It's not even easier.

 

[siteguru]

Depends on the reg and where the holes fall with respect to the characters ... in some cases a hole might fall on the edge of a character, so you'd need to fit a half black/half yellow screw cap. (Not that that's hard to do - as long as you have one).

 

[inshreds]

Depends on the reg and where the holes fall with respect to the characters ... in some cases a hole might fall on the edge of a character, so you'd need to fit a half black/half yellow screw cap. (Not that that's hard to do - as long as you have one).

It should simply be a standard to have reg plate frame holders to avoid such nonsense.

 

[Eber]

Depends on the reg and where the holes fall with respect to the characters ... in some cases a hole might fall on the edge of a character, so you'd need to fit a half black/half yellow screw cap. (Not that that's hard to do - as long as you have one).

Are caps on the screws mandatory?

 

[Ian Key]

Depends on the reg and where the holes fall with respect to the characters ... in some cases a hole might fall on the edge of a character, so you'd need to fit a half black/half yellow screw cap. (Not that that's hard to do - as long as you have one).

My fastenings fall on the edge of a character and the dealer has still used the proper holes.

 

[siteguru]

Are caps on the screws mandatory?

Not as far as I know, but it looks better with them.

 

[inshreds]

My fastenings fall on the edge of a character and the dealer has still used the proper holes.

View attachment 17426
View attachment 17427

Do you mind if I utilise these photos in my complaint to the MD of Budgen Shrewsbury?