Black Grill!

[97C28O]

Found this on eBay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/92-00-MERCEDES-W202-AMG-BLACK-OUT-GRILL-C220-C230-C280_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33645QQihZ007QQite mZ170040574047QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW
http://www.speedstersource.com/REDCOMETM3/GR_MB_W202_S600_BWF.jpghttp://www.speedstersource.com/REDCOMETM3/GR_MB_W202_S600_BWF_B.jpg

looks great in the pics AND this comes painted! Anyone here bought them? I looked through the sellers feedback and the products people bought and a lot bought 202 grills.

[Denlasoul]

$150!?!?!

Might as well paint it yourself, but then again people here are too lazy to do a simple mod like this by themself.

[97C28O]

Well thats true.. But if you buy one from bekkers its $150 + Shipping(?) this is $150 Painted.. I would paint mine too but the chrome has some gaps... and I am using the original frame(only bought the insert from tp)

[ryhi]

Originally posted by Denlasoul
$150!?!?!

Might as well paint it yourself, but then again people here are too lazy to do a simple mod like this by themself.

agreed. $5 at autozone/pepboys/kragen

[Proven Guilty]

its powdercoated rather than painted. slightly more durable and holds up better to rock chips. i'm curious to know if the chrome plating was stripped off prior (which would make it hold up even better to rock chips).

it's worth the money imo if thats the look you want. however you can clearly see a powercoated finish could use a clearcoat if you were picky and wanted it to shine, because it has more of a satin finish.

[ryhi]

paint looks better.

[Abuimad]

well its really expensive but it looks really good....

[go4dabukz]

Originally posted by 97C28O
Well thats true.. But if you buy one from bekkers its $150 + Shipping(?) this is $150 Painted.. I would paint mine too but the chrome has some gaps... and I am using the original frame(only bought the insert from tp)

Just FYI...that's not the aftermarket avantguard grill. Thats a OEM grill, with the chrome trim removed and painted black. I know, because I've done the same thing with my OEM grill.

[Proven Guilty]

i doubt its the oem avant garde simply based on the price. VIP_MBZ aka Ray has the real mercedes avant garde on his car, which does have the "tongue" plate on the 2nd row down for the hood latch to slide on. By looking at the clips on the top of the grille, and the fact that the slats/rows do have the finishing trim on the "face" of them suggests this is a new replica.

However, the quality looks very good for the insert, and the metal frame is easy to replicate aftermarket. There's a huge difference between spray painting over chrome, and having the bare metal powdercoated.

While I won't argue with ryhi that paint looks better, you could sand+clearcoat it all the same, and you'd get the shine + durability as if it were OEM paint.

[NEA-4311]

Chances are this product is made from scratch, meaning that frame and insert are one and everything made of plastic. I could be wrong but that is how I can explain the price. So no chrome too underneath IMO. Looks nice, no doubt.

[go4dabukz]

Originally posted by Proven Guilty
i doubt its the oem avant garde simply based on the price. VIP_MBZ aka Ray has the real mercedes avant garde on his car, which does have the "tongue" plate on the 2nd row down for the hood latch to slide on. By looking at the clips on the top of the grille, and the fact that the slats/rows do have the finishing trim on the "face" of them suggests this is a new replica.

However, the quality looks very good for the insert, and the metal frame is easy to replicate aftermarket. There's a huge difference between spray painting over chrome, and having the bare metal powdercoated.

While I won't argue with ryhi that paint looks better, you could sand+clearcoat it all the same, and you'd get the shine + durability as if it were OEM paint.

I didn't mean it was the OEM avant garde grill, I meant it's the basic oem grill painted black!

[Proven Guilty]

Originally posted by go4dabukz
I didn't mean it was the OEM avant garde grill, I meant it's the basic oem grill painted black!

this is about as closely resembling the standard grille as porche is to a ford escort.

[rman]

i like how in the ebay ad they show the "before" as a stock ass 202.

the "After" however shows blacked out, totally modded 208 and 203.

riiiiiiiight.

[go4dabukz]

Originally posted by Proven Guilty
this is about as closely resembling the standard grille as porche is to a ford escort.

What! It is the standard grille painted black. It may not be OEM, but it's an OEM replacement. See the tabs under each crossbar? That's the same as the OEM. See the black piece of plastic between the crossbars in the top right? That's the same as the OEM.

It's about as standard as porche is to porche!:D

[Proven Guilty]

Originally posted by go4dabukz
What! It is the standard grille painted black. It may not be OEM, but it's an OEM replacement. See the tabs under each crossbar? That's the same as the OEM. See the black piece of plastic between the crossbars in the top right? That's the same as the OEM.

It's about as standard as porche is to porche!:D

http://www.speedstersource.com/REDCOMETM3/MERCEDES_AMG_GRILL_W202_FACTORY.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j137/NEA-4311/100_4565-1.jpg

... Not even close

[97C28O]

Advant. grill looks so much better and it brings a clean look to it. Even if its painted or Not you can't tell if its OEM or Aftermarket. No ones going to go up to your car and start checking out the grill and say its aftermarket. It looks nice and thats what people will say.

[ncd]

Originally posted by 97C28O
Advant. grill looks so much better and it brings a clean look to it. Even if its painted or Not you can't tell if its OEM or Aftermarket. No ones going to go up to your car and start checking out the grill and say its aftermarket. It looks nice and thats what people will say.

Man i was so pissed off with this whole grill thing... adhesive strips, and plastic replicas .... grrr and their I was thinking the £80-£150 pricetag should get you some nice lump of electro plated metal..
and its basically the same deal in the USD.. That

I happen to know how much chroming something like that costs ... its not even 25% of the cost..

I should post this to the bumin on beckers thread..

[krappy]

if someone wants to buy my grill ill sell it and buy the black one and let you guys know how it is. my grill is brand new bought it in july when i had my car painted. its oem mb. any offers?

[Abuimad]

Originally posted by krappy
if someone wants to buy my grill ill sell it and buy the black one and let you guys know how it is. my grill is brand new bought it in july when i had my car painted. its oem mb. any offers?

put it in classifieds with some pics to see how clean, but make sure u have at least 30 posts to avoid the embaressment ;)

[Proven Guilty]

Originally posted by krappy
if someone wants to buy my grill ill sell it and buy the black one and let you guys know how it is. my grill is brand new bought it in july when i had my car painted. its oem mb. any offers?

i'd buy an OEM avant garde for $125, but not a standard grille is no better than what i've got now.

[Metromoto202]

I like that its powder coated, and i plan on buying it.

[black96benz]

That looks pretty sweet. The standard chrome insert grill i got from him was 65+ shipping and it has rock chips now and was hard to put in the frame. I like that it comes with the frame too now and the price doesn't seem too steep. Just gotta find $150 in an old wallet or something....:Ponder:

[vcruiser]

alright i just bought this grille

i should get it sometime next week i guess

ill post pics right away

[97C28O]

Great! Post pics of it when you get it! I'd like to see if the paint is glossy or matt finish.. What color car do you have? If you have a black one, I'd like to see the color comparison.

[vcruiser]

i have a black c36

if it is ''matt'' is ther a way to shine it up?

[97C28O]

Clear coat? I'm not sure if its a matt fnish.. The picture doesn't seem too glossy..

[vcruiser]

alright guys i gotta go pick up the grill tomorrow after school..

the grill should be on by tomorrow night

i'll post pics right away

[97C28O]

Great keep us updated.

[vcruiser]

alrighty .. the grill is installed!!

it has a little chip in it.. well not really a chip but a little scratch.. not noticeable in the pics

also its flat black, so in the summer im gonna touch it up and clear coat it since i'm not really driving it in the winter.

here are some pics...ps .. my car is filthy .. ill have better pics in when i wash it

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/199/snapshot20061205194518us8.png (http://imageshack.us)

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/4950/snapshot20061205194535gk9.png (http://imageshack.us)

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/3060/snapshot20061205194604jb4.png (http://imageshack.us)

and heres me with my car in the summer . haha
i need a new ///amg badge like the ones on the newer amgs and c43s

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/6193/andy1mp1hp2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[FromanL278]

It looks good man do you have the Xenon headlights?

[vcruiser]

nope theyre the stock ones.. i jsut got lucky with the picture.. i hate the stock lights

im getting an HID kit soon

but dont know which to get

DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT KIT THE 04-05-06 RANGE ROVERS HAVE?

cuz they are the nicest

[FromanL278]

ya the stock lights look gay but i would really like Xenons from bekkers but the only problem they are 1350 hahaha

[97C28O]

Do you have any close up/better pics? it looks good though. Was there any fitment issues? Hows the quality?

[vcruiser]

ill get some closeups next time its bright an my cars outside!

fits great

quality is good also

except for a few little tiny tiny chips

[vcruiser]

MORE PICS!

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j144/andymanaras/DSC00318.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j144/andymanaras/DSC00317.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j144/andymanaras/DSC00314.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j144/andymanaras/DSC00313.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j144/andymanaras/DSC00310.jpg

[97C28O]

Looks better now, now, you need clear coat!

[vcruiser]

yeah forsure

i'm only gonna do that in the summer tho

[Proven Guilty]

snap a pic of the back. they all look the same from the front, but curious about the build quality :D

[vcruiser]

Some more pics!!



http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j144/andymanaras/001.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j144/andymanaras/004.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j144/andymanaras/003.jpg

[FromanL278]

should I buy this grill and just have it painted over the same as my car?

[ncd]

nice work vcruiser

[Espresso]

DO NOT CLICK THAT LINK!!!!!!!!!

This person is a spammer

[edit: spammer deleted - Renn]

[Abuimad]

Originally posted by vcruiser
MORE PICS!

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j144/andymanaras/DSC00318.jpg



money shot right there...pure hotness

[vcruiser]

thanks man

hey does anyone know what clear coat is best to make my grill shine cause its matte black right now and i gotta change that

[97C28O]

You can try those clear coat cans at like Kragen, AutoZone, Pep boys or have a shop do it for you.. I think a can cost less than 10$? Forgot.. But I know they have clear coat spray cans because I helped a friend redo his whole bumper and it turned out nice, matched his Original paint..