The swap that you are thinking of is quite an improvement.

Some tips -

0. Take a good look under the car before you start, I had to replace a broken evaporation cannister as well when I had my meeting with a LARGE raccoon.

1. If you go to pick up both parts in one trip, be advised, they won't fit in an 850 wagon together! I put the bottom part in then took the cover out of its box and folded the box up.

2. There is a fastner in the middle of the wheel well. The female part looks like a nut with no threads, the replacement that I got was smaller than the stock part, but it worked OK. The bottom of a Dunkin Donut iced coffee cup will work in a pinch, just punch a hole smaller than the fastner with an awl and force the cup bottom over the fastner. I did not replace the male part of the fastner, but I did have a little trouble "finding" it to get it to go through the hole in the fender liner.

3. The four grilles from the old bumper will fit into the new bumper. I painted mine silver (just the vertical round parts of the large center grille). I did not paint the R model bumper, it looks pretty good as its original black color. This way it does not show scratches much. I won't paint it until my wife lets me do it in beige like the bumper tops and trim!

4, The pieces under the headlights have to be removed. Just pry the inboard end out and peek inside to see where the next fastener is.

5. The hardest part of the job was lining up all of the 4 or 5 rivets that hold the wheel well and bumper together. I used nails to line up all the holes before I seated any of the rivets.

6. Back into all parking spaces that have curbs or cement barriers of any height, or you will damage the R bumper cover. I think that it is the same height as the other bumper, but it sticks out much more.

Good luck
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2 8s & 2 7s 600,000 miles total