Recently bought an '07 TL Type S. Wanted to remove the front plate because I like the look of the brand on the lower piece. Found this when I took the bracket off. Whoever put it on went way too tight. Is this something I can fix on my own or am I looking at body shop work?

 

they drilled right into the body.

you can see the two holes and the imprint...

a body shop can take care of you, however it might be pretty pricey

 

Its a matter of how much $ you want to spend on it. You could try to fix it DIY but it prob wont look very good. Im not sure why people go the extra mile and use 4 fasteners to attach front plates to these cars. There's clearly designated holes from the factory where the bracket goes. Id prob put it back on...

 

Why the hell would they drill holes when the bumper already has mounting holes? That's just stupid.

Take it back, fixed bumper or no sale.

 

Any rough estimates from similar work? Putting the plate back is the cheapest obviously but I really like the no plate look.

 

lol, its a used car.
the OP probably already signed the bill of sale, making any sort of negotiating a moot point....

there's an Acura Dealer here in Houston who drills license plates into ALL brand new cars.

 

they usually take a piece of old bumper and put it behind the holes.
then sand the front.
then a plastic putty to smooth it, and then spot paint.

 

I see. Thanks. Yes I bought it in November and the dealer was kind enough to replace my battery and HFL for no cost so I'm not about to call and complain now. I'm going to put the plate back and move on to my next problem. Blown rear speaker. Thanks.