Removing front bumper air grille

[palpable]

Hi everyone,

I’m dealing with a minor but rather interesting issue with my car. Let me explain. I own a 2017 Audi A3 Sportback 8V, and for reasons I won’t get into 🙂, I want to replace the front bumper air grilles with versions that have chrome detailing.

 

The part I’m looking to remove is as above and its OEM number is 8V3 807 681 A9 B9 — the version without the chrome detail. The part I want to install instead is OEM number 8V3 807 671 B9 B9. Both parts have identical fitment; the only difference is the chrome trim as you may see below.

With this in mind, I purchased the chrome-detailed grilles, thinking it would be a simple DIY job with some trim removal tools. Unfortunately, the reality was quite different. The process turned out to be incredibly frustrating, and despite my best efforts, I wasn’t able to remove the existing grilles. Using multiple trim removal tools (around 4-5 at once), I managed to partially detach the right side of the left grille — but it took me 30 minutes and a lot of sweat just to get that far. At that point, I realized it wasn’t going to happen, so I pushed the grille back into place and stepped away.

So, here’s where I could use some advice: does anyone know how to remove these grilles without having to take off the entire front bumper? I’d really prefer not to go through the hassle of removing the whole bumper just to swap these parts because, simply, I can not.

Next week, I’m taking the car to Audi for its scheduled maintenance, and I’m considering asking them to install the new grilles while it’s there. That said, I’m worried they might refuse or charge a hefty fee for what could involve bumper removal and reassembly. In the meantime, I’m open to any suggestions or alternative solutions!

All the best,