Anyone have this? Issue or design? - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

frenzied · 04-07-2008, 12:57 PM

Hi everyone. I am dying to get my "S" and go to the local Toyota dealership to look at one every day at lunch. Noticed today that the lower skirt on the rear bumber isn't flush\tight against the rear wheel well\quarter panel, but sticks out about 1/4". So if i look at the wheel, the skirt has a gap between teh body\bumper. Quality control issue or design?

I would have expected the two piece bumper to be flush together.

PuffyC · 04-07-2008, 01:10 PM

I can't imagine that's by design but it's probably not a major fix either. I'm not sure how those spoilers are tacked on but it's probably nothing a little double side sticky tape wouldn't take care of.

Jeff Lange · 04-07-2008, 01:16 PM

I noticed this the first day we got the new 09's in, back in February. Every S and XRS I've seen is the exact same, it's just the design I guess.

Jeff

frenzied · 04-07-2008, 01:43 PM

Jeff,

I noticed that from the rear, the skirt seems to be lower than the reflector lamps about that same amount. You aren't talking about that instead are you?

After I left the dealership, I thought maybe it was left with a gap for cleaning(those who have rust nightmares

) but then i looked at the photos and it hit me that it's tacked on to a plastic bumper anyhow, so that wouldn't be it.

Looks as if it was to go up on the bumper higherto line with the reflectors and pull it up and out further with the scoop that appears on non-skirted models.

Some photos of US models look tight.

Impelled · 04-07-2008, 08:20 PM

Real tacky design issue, looks incomplete, like they forgot to mount em flush. Too bad the rear skirt wasn't one whole wrap-around piece.

Jeff Lange · 04-08-2008, 02:40 AM

Yes it was an issue for me as well, but alas, I got over it

.

Jeff

frenzied · 04-08-2008, 10:59 AM

It was just one of those things I noticed. If not ahead of time, I'm sure I would have been upset at delivery. Now I've had the time to ask and feel better about it. It wouldn't be the first time I deal with a gap. My GM had plenty of them. They managed to get gaps in, where nobody else could.

50george · 04-30-2008, 03:52 PM

you got a real hawkeye.ihad to go look at mine and you are right.mine has a gap too.they should have made it a 1 piece and fit flush.

ZenithTheTV · 05-01-2008, 12:31 AM

All of the Corollas with the body kit (S and XRS) have that design flaw. Its not a mistake, they designed it to be that way.

Don't ask me why cause I don't know, and yes it bugged me when I got mine but Ive gotten over it. Best thing to do is write a letter to the head office and voice your complaint. They might fix it for next year's production but right now, if you've got one, then join everybody else cause we're just out of luck...

John Mo · 05-04-2008, 08:37 PM

My dealer told me that it was an intentional design "feature" so that if one corner of the car was damaged, only the damaged piece would have to be replaced rather than an entire single-piece. It would be cheaper to replace. My thinking is that it had to be cheaper to manufacture and install. I don't buy the "feature" aspect of it. I think it's very unlikely that damage to the rear end would be so localized. But then I've seen a lot of cars around with dents on one corner or the other. Probably just goes to show that it doesn't matter if it's one piece or two, most people won't replace it anyway.