Anyone know if the signal bars can be removed without having to take the whole (Turbo) bumper off?

One of mine is fogging up and I'd like to avoid a labor charge (and possible bodily harm from my body shop manager) if I can do the swap for a new one myself.

Thanks,
-dave

P.S. More props to ECS. Sent them a pic this morning and they are already working on a replacement for me. No hassles or questions, just continued excellent service.

 

I really &^%*^@#$ hate Porsche!

I just don't get it, why do they make what should be simple tasks a pain in the ***?

I got the replacement signal bar from ECS and since there is a break in the weather today I tried to swap them.

At least with the Diesel there is no way to get at both screws on the back of the unit. I assume that the Turbo is the same way due to the intercoolers, but I don't know if the other models might let you do it by coming through the wheel well. Even if you can do that on the non-intercooled cars, the light still hooks into the bumper a bit at one end so I'm not sure if it would be able to come out even if you can get the screws.

So with the headlight out (which they make incredibly easy) I looked for alternative and it appeared that I could remove the plate under the headlight and that would give me plenty of space to get at what I needed. So I started down a multi-hour ordeal of pain, frustration, confusion, and murderous rage!

There are 2 bolts on the floor of the headlight area that come right out. That was the last easy thing for the day. Next up it appeared that there were 3 9mm nuts attached to studs. Turns out that those nuts are welded to the plate and there are bolts on the opposite side that you need to remove instead.

The inner rear bolt was really only annoying because I had to remove the engine bay trim (what is that stuff really for other than to get in the way when you need to do something ).

The forward inner bolt faces the radiator and there is no space to get in there and get at it. I finally rigged something up that let me get at it just enough to get it out, but in the process I dropped a tool down into the bowels of the bumper and getting the under tray off and reaching up into the bumper without jacks or a lift is a PITA. Somehow during that process I also dropped my phone and broke it's glass. I realize this isn't strictly Porsche's fault, but it wouldn't have happened if their engineers had a brain between them...

The outer bolt requires you to come through the wheel well. Not really difficult, but more work that should be needed.

The problem I have with their placement is that there is no logical reason. There is plenty of space that they could have used the existing bolts, but on the inside, which would have made this a 5 minute job if you are slow, are missing a hand, and half blind! Makes no damn sense!!!

The real problem, however, is after all that frustration and wasted time I get the last bolt out, climb up off the ground, reach in to pull the plate out, and it doesn't move. I look at it all again and it's spot welded into the frame. WTF do you put bolts on it to "hold" it on when you weld it on?

It's not like LEDs and electronics don't go bad or something or things on the front of the car don't get hit by road debris, so why make replacing one of these signals require removing the bumper?

I understand the argument of MFGs making things just difficult/involved enough to discourage the limited guys like me and/or justify increased labor charges, but when it actually requires all that effort from your experienced Techs it's not really making anymore money...

Gah! I love the car. I love the overall finished product, but when you get down to the details it just makes me want to beat a Porsche Engineer into a pulp with one of these signal bars...