Shrkb8

I ordered a new front license plate bracket from here:

Subaru Parts Mall: Genuine Subaru Accessories for your Subaru Legacy Forester Impreza Outback Baja

This is: subarupartsstore.com

Subaru part #SOA342L120. The page identifies this front plate bracket as for a 2009 Forester. So, I ordered it.....

It does not fit. The holes on the plate are to close together, the holes in the Forester front bumper cover are wider apart.

I called the guy in their parts dept, he wanted to give me a hard time, advising me that I am wrong that it fits all Foresters.............advised him nope...not this one.

To top it off I was advised that they no longer sell Subaru's at this dealership............It's looking like I am screwed here on this deal.

Anybody know where I can get a real Subaru front license plate that actually fits my 09 Forester??????? I gave my wife a vanity plate for the front as part of her birthday. Now we cant mount it because this place identified and sold me the wrong mounting plate part.

I guess all I can do is maybe offer this part up for sale here in the classified sales section and see if I can get a little something back out of it.

It's brand new, still in the plastice case...anybody want to make me an offer??

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09 DGM FXT LTD

pleiad7

The pre-molded holes in your bumper are for JDM license plates; the US plates have a different spacing and you will have to drill into the bumper to make that bracket fit.

If you're averse to drilling, I have a few of the custom plate brackets left that use the JDM holes: http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulle...earance-38742/

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-Silke
04 FXT PP PSM ~ "Subed"
98 Forester S ~ "Slynki"

SubieOutlaw

can you make a bracket that says, "subieoutlaw"?

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My 09 FXT Journal

pleiad7

We don't make them anymore, hence, the blowout price.

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-Silke
04 FXT PP PSM ~ "Subed"
98 Forester S ~ "Slynki"

Shrkb8

Thread Starter

By chance does anyone know of a thread w/in this forum or any other that will provide step by step instructions for drilling and mounting a Subaru front license plate bracket?? Preferably w/photos

The Subaru plate I have (Subaru part# SOA342L120)...so I'm told fit's my 09....I was also told it fits previous year models as well. I find it a bit odd that the same Subaru part fits both previous models and the 09 model given the body style changes.....but that is what I've been told.

If this is a project I can do myself, I would prefer to do so rather than take it to the dealer service dept and have to pay the labor rate for the install....I guess I'm cheap like that........anyway, any help here is appreciated.

Thanx

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09 DGM FXT LTD

pleiad7

Is it the one that looks like this?



I asked my husband (he's a Subaru parts specialist at the local dealership) and he said that there are no specific install intructions. If you hand it to the service dept., they will simply line it up and drill into the bumper with regular sheet metal type screws. On the older models there were two dimples in the bumper between the molded holes that show exactly where to drill; not sure if that is the case on the 09's too.

If it were me, I wouldn't voluntarily drill holes into my bumper just for a vanity plate, but that's just me... be happy that your state doesn't require a front plate!

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-Silke
04 FXT PP PSM ~ "Subed"
98 Forester S ~ "Slynki"

ArcadeTom

I had the same concerns you did and purchased my front plate bracket from the same place I bought my rain guards for my '09.
Subaru Forester 2009 Front License Plate Frame/Bracket Assembly: Buy it at MyCarWorx.com
It is custom molded to the front of our Foresters and theyhave GREAT customer service. Please...someone else besides me ask them about becoming a supporter of SF.org. They really make some great products and would be a great addition to the forum.

Attached Images

	2009_Forester_FtLicPlt_circle.gif (14.4 KB, 298 views)
	2009FtLicPlateForester_SideView.gif (54.6 KB, 257 views)

ArcadeTom

Yes, the one that Subaru specifies for the '09 is that one and it simply does not fit worth a tinkers da^*. The holes do not line up and the square ones in the bumper fit only the wider plates that Europe has.
The one I just installed from another vendor is moulded to the front bumper and should keep the plate from sagging on bending backwards during high-speed runs.
It still has to be screwed into the little dimples in the bumper, but IMHO is a much better bracket and looks like a part of the bumper.

Shrkb8

Thread Starter

yes............that is the plate.

wife wants the vanity plate..............so............it's her car. The plate came with mounting hardware and there were 2 sheetmetal screws included.........I guess I just center the plate and w/drillmotor in hand just punch and drill?? Hoping the screws will self tap into the front inner metal...sort of one of those leap of faith things I keep hearing about

scary

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09 DGM FXT LTD

ArcadeTom

Ummmm..there is no inner metal directly behind the plastic bumper cover-just air space. That's why I like the plate bracket I got for mine as is has adhesive tape as well as the screws to hold it and your plate on the front.

Meyer

I'd start a new thread, but bringing this one back to life seems appropriate. I have an '09 Forester. The dealer has already helpfully (ha!) drilled holes in the front bumper to mount the license plate, but didn't bother using the appropriate Subaru part (pictured by pleiad7). I'm wondering if it would be worth installing the Subaru license plate mount, but I can't find a picture of a Forester with one installed. I really kind of hate the free-hanging plate look and would like be able to install a steel/aluminum plate frame (using all four screw holes).

Thanks for your suggestions,
Meyer

mcliu

I just tried to install the front license plate on the front bumper (of an '07 Forester) and discovered that holes on the bumper don't match the license plate.

Thinking about having the dealer drill holes now..Is this just a Forester thing? You'd think that a car manufacturer would be mindful of U.S. specs...

steamloco76

I used a universal front license plate bracket and a set of those snap-in plate screw inserts to mount a plate on my 2009 using the factory euro-spec width holes to mount the bracket. Worked well enough, but I decided I didn't like the look of a front plate on my car.

Bought my plate mount at Advance Auto parts for $7.99.

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'09 Steel Silver 2.5X 5 MT(sport box) & '06 Honda Element(box box)

dreed2

@ArcadeTom, Thanks for the link and information on the plate holder bracket! I just ordered one because I had to get two new plates to replace my single plate and was wondering what to do. Found this thread in a Google search. I'm a first-time Subaru owner (2010 Forester) and it was nice to find this forum!

ForesterBill

Just how does your mounting bracket attach to the JDM slots? Do you use self tapping screws and/or is there an insert that goes into the JDM slot?