Alright, so I recently bought an 09 RAM Sport here in Texas, where front license plates are required. So, not surprisingly the dealer had punched the holes up front and had one of their tags on the truck. Bad part is I'll be tagging and titling the truck in another state, which only has a rear tag. So, since the holes are there, I can leave it blank and always have them bug the crap out of me, or find a front decorative tag to put up there. I'd really like to keep the front clean since it's a sport. Anyone have a suggestion on how I can fill the holes in? I was thinking of some plastic screw grommets to just push in there, but I looked all over the local Lowes and didn't see anything that would work. I know I can take it to a body shop and get them to bondo and paint them in, but I'd rather not pay the extra money nor take the chance they'll be able to match the paint up.

 

My state is rear tag only but I had holes in the bumper. Now to actually put a tag on I had to inset plastic tabs for the screw to go in. You should be able to use something to plug the holes and paint them the color of he truck.

 

It seems since it is a Sport, the dealer just put a couple of screws through the plastic. On all the other trim levels, since they have metal bumpers the dealer had to add those plastic squares to use screws. Here is a pic of the holes I'm talking about. It's not too obvious. However, I know they're there and it's gonna bug the crap outta me.

 

There were originally dimples in the bumper. So as long as the hole edge was not too rough, you could probably fill them in and use some touch up paint. Just leave them slightly lower than the rest of the surface and it will look factory, only slightly larger. I'd just fill them in and use your finger to dimple them in a little bit. If it is flush, they will look like defects unless you paint the whole thing, something I would not do.

I saw some license plate screws at Wal Mart today that came with chrome caps. You could try something like that if you don't like the above idea.

 

I would make the dealer replace the front bumper for damaging yours with their advertising plate.

 

I had the same thing happen to me. Except they missed the dimples and mounted the advertising frame crooked. WTH.

When I had the other front end work done, had the holes filled with black epoxy and painted/cleared.

 

I would think that some flexable body putty and touch up paint would make them disappear pretty easily. Might be able to get a small body shop to do it pretty cheap if you don't want to mess with it yourself.

 

My SLT was straight from the Factory, with my Salesman watching it rolled off the Delivery Truck. Crome Front Bumper has the Mounting Holes. Not "Punched Out at the Dealership".
It's probably the way that Dodge maintains Compliance with the various State's DMVs and Federal DOT Regulations.
AND probably Dodge Marketing got behind the idea as "Tell them you can 'Repair' it with a 'Fancy' Dodge Vanity Frame".

 

Not suprising that the Chrome bumpers are predrilled, but he is talking about the plastic Sport bumper.

 

We're talking about a Sport bumper, no holes from the factory. Just small dimples. The chrome bumper is completely different and has the square holes in it for the plastic nuts.

Oldjeep beat me to it.....