Replacing front air intake grilles

[mikecolquhoun]

My front air intake grilles have 'spots' on them that I can't seem to polish out and so they are looking decidely jaded. Any ideas how to bring them back to life? Failing that, are they easy to swap out?

 

[Helen Goff]

im not to clear by what you mean by the grills being chipped, i take it you have painted grills inserted into your front bumper? in which case pop them out and paint them..

i#ve got silver ones put into my front vents.

 

[Mark_Bennett]

Mike,

I take it you mean the silver ones on the "S"?

(The standard model has black plastic - the S has silver painted)

The grilles are removable, but you have to take the bumper off first!

Instructions can be found ---> HERE <---.

I found the difficult bit was "unsticking" the bumper from the car (everything unbolted, but wouldn't budge[]) and then getting it back on after... After an hour struggling I found that the radiator rubber cowls were fouling the radiator apertures in the bumper - caught on the flange behind- pop them into place with your fingers and it's easy!

 

[Helen Goff]

Mark, does the "s" come with these as standard? I didn't have any on the standard 2.7. have you got a photo showing them? i've never noticed them before

 

[Mark_Bennett]

Helen,

I think Mike means the horizontal slats over the radiator apatures. On the standard (non-aerokit) 2.5 and 2.7 they are black plastic. on the "S" they are "titanium" (silver painted plastic!)

The link I posted might have some pictures, bit busy now so I can't go searching...(sorry!)

 

[Mark_Bennett]

Oh, and on the 2003 model year they are moulded in - and not removable!

 

[Helen Goff]

Mike means the horizontal slats over the radiator apatures

oh yes i remember mine where black, never had any trouble with them chipping though,they did have a bit of trouble with a pheasant though hence the new bumper on mine,

wouldn't touch up paint do the job?

 

[Helen Goff]

i think you might be able to see the standard grills in this picture.

 

[Elliot Davies]

Ive fitted the ally mesh grills to mine.
I got them from Simon at Essential Styling
Easy peasy to fit []

 

[Guest]

You say "easy peasy" but did it involve removing the bumper, or are they fiited over the existing grills?

 

[Elliot Davies]

If you look closely at the side vents you can see 2 silver vertical brackets per grill that fit behind the standard horizontal slats.

You DO NOT need to remove the bumper, if you have an 'S' then the middle one is the same but slightly fiddlier.

They only nip up as not to bend the standard fittings.

If you want a closer/bigger pic E me at the address below

 

[Helen Goff]

thay look good Elliot,

ps, have you managed to remove the glitter from the steering wheel yet?

 

[Elliot Davies]

NO I HAVENT [][][] Or from the steering wheel and the carpets and the .............
I would love to know what the previous owner was doing ???

 

[Mark_Bennett]

Perhaps he was a member of "The Glitter Band"[]

 

[Elliot Davies]

Oh Dear Mark [&:]