Bekker avantguard grill review

[sig425]

Before:
http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/9886/before0hx.jpg



After:
http://img379.imageshack.us/img379/9376/after6ip.jpg

[sig425]

They sent me the wrong grill at first. The grill was too long and too tall. I think it was a w210 grill. This was a huge mistake because the first grill was superior in every way to this. It was almost OEM good. This grill... well you decide. I really want to give an unbiased review but Im sorry I cant do it.

First let me say that Bekkers customer service was adequate. They are not the best in the world but they do their job and thats better than most sites. they were friendly and apologetic and delt with my problem extremely fast. I was not told they were charging me for the second replacement grill but it makes sense so I wont whine. They sent ups out to get the old grill in 2 days and sent me a new one in 3. All and all I would say they are good to do business with. We will see if they refund my shipping fees. I expect them to.

now for the detailed picture review.

[sig425]

the clips they sent stink. they are light weight and stripped out. Plus, two were missing from the new grill. I had to use the clips from my old grill. the clips from the w210 grill (the wrong grill I got first) were like the oem clips. This was made worse by the fact that the metal frame on the grill was not bent properly so the frame required some bending to get the clips close to the mounting tabs on the hood.


http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/8431/clips4wm.jpg

[sig425]

bending the metal was no big deal as the metal was very light weight compaired to stock and the w210 grill. I have seen heavier grade tin.

http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/3084/tinfoil8ld.jpg

[sig425]

The Plastic isnt so great either.

http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/636/cheapplastic24ta.jpg

[NISMOPOWERED]

So the benz takes a good screwing? Just had to comment.:D

[sig425]

The stock grill has a plate that keeps water out of the intake. So does this one.. although it is not as noticeable.

http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/3936/intakeslots3go.jpg

[sig425]

I could deal with all of these things and be happy if I hadnt seen the w210 grill I got first. This next pic really burns me. This is just crappy workmanship. The pieces dont fit together leaving large gaps in places that will collect dirt and snow. I am sure the chrome coating is on par with the rest of the quality. I dont expect it to last more than a year or so. I clean my cars a lot so I will keep the bugs off of it... but I dont expect much from this grill. All and all I give it a 5. I will give a long term review in a few months.

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/5237/gaps22kv.jpg

[sig425]

Install was extrememly easy. Unscrew the mounting bolts, lift the grill off by pulling it forward away from the car. Put the new grill in place. Screw it back on. Be careful to thread the hood latch back through the grill. The other things I had to do... Bend the tabs, pull the tabs off of the other grill, etc were no big deal. Tools needed: a 1/4 drive socket set.

Install time including the "custom" work was about 10 minutes.

[dono]

The 202 is rather timeless, but the grill gives it a nice updated look. I have that on my list, but I am getting ready to drop about a grand to replace the headliner in my C36, and that does not include the install. by the way, what is the price delta between the Bekker and the MB version? thanks for the review, it will be quite helpful.

[hvmercy]

I used to have Bekkers grill on my car and I thought the
quality was POS. Which is why I gave it away.

"You get what you pay for"

[benzfan]

Originally posted by dono
I am getting ready to drop about a grand to replace the headliner in my C36, and that does not include the install.

What happened to your headliner?

[vbrock1137]

You could always get a W210 grill from eBay or a junkyard and cut it down to fit inside your stock W202 chrome frame. Takes some work, but it's OEM quality. Also, there's one less chrome stripe, which I think looks better.

[NoC]

How much was that grille? Looks like the same grille tha's on ebay.

[sig425]

Originally posted by vbrock1137
You could always get a W210 grill from eBay or a junkyard and cut it down to fit inside your stock W202 chrome frame. Takes some work, but it's OEM quality. Also, there's one less chrome stripe, which I think looks better.


Now that I see how easy that would be, it is probably the best option. Originally I had doubts that I would want to do that. :D I bought the bekkers so i wouldnt have to take anything apart. Oh well.

[sig425]

Originally posted by NISMOPOWERED
So the benz takes a good screwing? Just had to comment.:D

not just a good screwing but repeated screwings. :D

[Sulaco]

Originally posted by dono
what is the price delta between the Bekker and the MB version?

MB makes an Avantgarde grille for our cars? WHERE!?

[vbrock1137]

I believe you can/could get them from the dealership, but they're upwards of $300-$400 I think. Someone had one for sale a while back in the classifieds for $300 and some.

Fit is supposed to be amazing though.

BTW, the OEM W210 grill has one little fitment issue. The bottom corners curve in a little more than the W202 grill, so it doesn't quite line up, but this can be fixed by either cutting off that trim, or painting it black (I plan to paint mine eventually).

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y105/vbrock1137/W202/Picture025.jpg

[marsbike]

wow...I'm just amazed. I really like the look of that grille...hopefully I'll get one for my new car when I have the cash...

[unHookt]

I don't know if I would have noticed the bottom corners if you didn't bring it up. might not even be worth painting or cutting.

what are the required mods and how much did you pay?

anyone have a pic/review of the MB version of the grill?

[J Irwan]

Originally posted by sig425
I could deal with all of these things and be happy if I hadnt seen the w210 grill I got first. This next pic really burns me. This is just crappy workmanship. The pieces dont fit together leaving large gaps in places that will collect dirt and snow. I am sure the chrome coating is on par with the rest of the quality. I dont expect it to last more than a year or so. I clean my cars a lot so I will keep the bugs off of it... but I dont expect much from this grill. All and all I give it a 5. I will give a long term review in a few months.

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/5237/gaps22kv.jpg

The reason this grill won't fit perfectly because the OEM one horizontal is tappered on this part.

Also it you look look at the horizontal line on the bottom on the picture above, IMHO you need to adjust and play around with mounting clip. I had all the horizontal lines touching the grill frame. It takes some little work.

And my grill doesn't even come with any clips either, soI definitely had to use the OEM ones.

I've seen so many times a lot of people didn't adjust the avant garde insert to the frame grill and resulting in a little crocked, and I can spot it from the picture.


In regards to the gap. This is normal. Even the OEM one has gap.

If you bent some of the metal tab on the grill frame...it might result with these gaps, depending on how you bent it.


I had the Bekker Avant guard grill for almost 3 years and had ZERO problem with it.

Like other have said, you got what you paid for.
There is an OEM avant garde grill and it speficially design for W202 insert. Last time I checked (that was few years back) it cost around $200-$300 just for the insert.


Lorinser also used to sell one piece avant garde grill (insert and the outer grill frame is one piece) and they cost around (at the time It cost around $400).



Regardz,

[J Irwan]

Here is pic of my Bekker AvantGarde grill installed.

As you can see all the horizontal lines touching the outer gril frame.

http://onfinite.com/libraries/561726/b56.jpg

My grill doesn't have the blockage for the intake mouth.
If I remember correctly my part has W140 part number on it.


Regardz,

[VIP_MBZ]

If anyone was curious, the original MB part for the real grill is B6 688 0127, the list price is $370. I'm using this one, and installation was a breeze, and fit and finish is perfect.

-Ray

[unHookt]

Originally posted by VIP_MBZ
If anyone was curious, the original MB part for the real grill is B6 688 0127, the list price is $370. I'm using this one, and installation was a breeze, and fit and finish is perfect.

-Ray

Thanks Ray - that's what I wanted to know!

Do you have any other close-ups of the grill itself?

[VIP_MBZ]

Yep, the real one gets it done.

http://suprablur.935motorsports.com/mbz/grille1.jpg

-Ray

[vbrock1137]

unHookt, I paid like $50 from a junkyard that listed it on eBay. It took something like a couple hours of cutting it down to fit just perfect if I recall correctly. I took my time to make sure I didn't cut off too much.

[benzonline]

Im in Canada, I called the dealer and they could not find that part # for the grille.

I really dont want a cheap flimsy grille eitheir.

[VIP_MBZ]

Originally posted by benzonline
Im in Canada, I called the dealer and they could not find that part # for the grille.

I really dont want a cheap flimsy grille eitheir.

It's a European part number, so maybe if you specify...? Otherwise I'm sure someone here can acquire one for you and ship it.

-Ray

[benzonline]

Yup, thanks I will let you or someone know when im ready as I just used my "grille fund" for an ipod video :D