bluenoise

I'd like to plug the screw holes where the front license plate mount attaches, but my local dealers want $16-18 per plug. Is this reasonable or should I be able to find them cheaper elsewhere? It seems silly to pay $30+ for two little plastic disks.

kona

Have you checked your glove box and trunk? Some dealers put them there in a plastic bag. IMO you already paid for the plugs when you bought your car. Your delaer should give them to you free.

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=96586

SMF-TLS

Mine came free with the car. Check in your glove box or manual holder.

bluenoise

I'll have to check the trunk, but I suspect I don't have them. I bought the car "certified pre-owned" so the original owner may have done something with them. My dealer won't give them to me.

bluenoise

I just checked the trunk and I pulled the spare out. While I didn't find the caps, I found that the previous owner must've been a bicyclist. I found a tube of Blistex, a tire patch kit, tire tools, and a set of metric allen wrenches. I also found a couple of receipts, so now I know his name. Maybe I should give him a call.

Repecat

As I recall, the actual cost of those little puppies is about $1.66 each.

260 HP

iTrader: (3)

When I purchased my car, they already removed the plugs as well. I just came back the next day, walked straight to the Parts counter and mentioned that I need the plugs. The parts guy just went "OK", grabbed a box, FULL of plugs of different colors. He just asked me the color, and gave me 4 plugs, free.

You probably can do the same... Just mentioned you bought a NEW car and need the plugs. The price is not a problem, but they should have given the plugs to you because it's part of the car.

Ron A

It looks as if the price has gone up quite a bit for these little buggers.

Click here for the parts list. They are #11, and now show a list price of $12.58 each. That's ridiculous. Hope you can get them free from your dealer somehow.

madehtsobi

yeh thats a ridiculous price....my salesperson asked if i was going to put on my front plates and i told him no and he immediately went and got the two plugs for me for FREEEEE!!!!!!!

i have seen someone on ebay sell those plugs as well for like $5 a pair i believe

i dont think ebay has right now but just search for "acura tl 2004"

good luck

daikon38

I was also able to get them from my dealer for FREE.

In my opinion, you shouldn't have to pay for something that should've come with the car, especially given that they're so cheap and dealers tend to keep them in a box in the back.

jmn4667

I went to my dealer and asked for them and they gave them to me. The salesman told me that they usually just throw them away.

Lore

Definitely talk to the service staff. They're the ones who prep the car (in terms of screwing in the license plate holders, etc) so they'd be the one who would know if there were any extras laying around. I would not pay for them.

chas22

I live in okla. and bought a used 2004 TL from someone that just moved here from Texas. All I did was get on the phone and call Texas dealerships until I found someone to mail them to me, FREE. They have to have a front plate and just throw them away.

A-TLvic882

We talk about this plugs before, and I took it from my dealer for FREE.

TerminaderTL

I asked my dealer's salesguy to remove the front license plate frame before I pick up my new TL on Sunday. He said they have to leave it on, but he will make sure that they leave the plugs for me.

He then went on to say that here in SoCal, he is hearing more and more about people getting the $275 fine for driving wihtout a front plate. He said it's no longer just a fix-it ticket, but an actual fine!!!

Has anyone experienced that in SoCal or elsewhere?

DevTL

TerminderTL, Fight On, I would think the $275 fine would apply to all of california not just so cal. Anyone get fined for this in Cal lately? Im interested also.

iLL TL

No doubt I felt the same way when i purchased the car... those plugs are part of the car whether it came with the car or not... you shouldn't have to pay for them.... unless you've been a real dick in making your deal you should get them for free from the dealer

sparkz

$275 is the bail amount most likley. If it's a straight 275 fine, I'd like to see where in the law they can do this

260 HP

iTrader: (3)

I got a fix-it ticket for no front plate last September in LAX. It may have changed between then and now, but I doubt it.

bluenoise

I went to my local Acura dealer on Saturday and they wanted to charge me for the caps. Today, I called the dealer where I bought the car and spoke with my sales guy. He said, "I've got some silver caps here in my desk. I'll drop them in the mail to you."

Woo!

Jerky

should be free

i got them from dealer just ask the service rep

NOT THE PARTS GUY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

mark 3M bra man

I got them FREE from the dealer.

We have front license plate law in MO, so my TL has a license bracket on it when I bought it. The salesman went to the clean-up/ prep guys and pulled some out of the trash. They basically pitch them when they put the brackets on.

Try talking to your salesman.

Good luck, Mark.

deandorsey

Do Not Pay For Plugs!!!

SI Guy

2.99 for pkg of 4 black caps in Strauss - just put them on look nice

madehtsobi

here's a link on ebay for them

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...category=33723

bluenoise

Well, after my sales guy seemed to forget to drop them in the mail for me, I happened to be near the dealership last Saturday. Though my sales guy wasn't in that day, someone else helped me. He cannibalized another SSM on the lot to give me the caps. He took them from a package containing the locking wheel lug nuts. When I saw that, I figured I better make sure my CPO TL came with the key as I have locking lugs. I tore the car apart with his help and could not find the key. Within minutes, the sales manager had me pull over to the service bay and they swapped all my lock lugs for new ones so I'd have the matching key. I figured they were going to make me order a new key and wait days (weeks?) for it to arrive. Instead, they took care of me on the spot.

Hats off to Los Gatos Acura for the good service.

crvlvr

Are these license plate holder mounted at the factory or by the dealer?

kona

The mounting bracket comes from the dealer. If you don't want it mounted just tell your dealer to leave it in the trunk and you'll install it when your license plates arrive. This way you'll know if your plugs are missing.

PiP

I bought my car in NJ and the sales guy told me that law requires that all cars have to leave the lot with the bracket mounted. I didn't remember to get my plugs when I picked up my car - I'm gonna go back for them.
I also noticed that they may have mounted the bracket by drilling through my bumper. Are the plug holes in the bumper there specifically for the license plate? Does anyone else have their bumper drilled through?

Casper42

I got the bumper plugs from my dealer for free, but I had a young guy as my dealer.

I simply called him one day, told him what I wanted and he said no problem. A Few weeks later when another Blue TL came in, he made sure to remind his "Car Prep" guy to save them. All I had to do was drive down there one day.

For those getting charged by your dealer.... You are getting ROBBED. If they can't just save you a pair from another car and expect you to buy them, they are definately not interested in your customer satisfaction.

PS: PiP: My front Mount was ONLY mounted to the bumper via the 2 approved Bumper Plug Holes. No tapping into the bumper anywhere else. So when I removed the front plate mount (required in CA) and then got the plugs in, it looks nice and smooth.