Aftermarket grills any good?

[maxpayne]

The chrome surround on our 2005 A3 S-Line Sportback is faded and chipped in a few places. I raised parts request for the grill surround and that came at a whooping £78.

Given the crazy price, I got looking into eBay and there are a few RS3 style honeycomb grills for sale (with or without chrome surround) for around £100 or even less (see this for example https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/263600883972)

Does anyone have experience fitting something like this? Are they any good?

 

[ch1z64]

Have fitted 2 off the honeycombed grilles and just the same way as you would fit the normal grille . Look for an old s-line grill and just change out thr trim simple to do have done that twice .

 

[maxpayne]

Not sure I understand your suggestion? Fitting the trim from an old grill will result in the same problem I have?

 

[ch1z64]

Simples , if you wish to keep your own grille you find an old cheap one that fits your car with a good trim .Then you unclip GOOD trim and put onto your ORIGINAL grille which going by your post is fine and its just the trim thats not.
This is what you would want something decent ( 182340112474 )

 

[maxpayne]

Simples , if you wish to keep your own grille you find an old cheap one that fits your car with a good trim .Then you unclip GOOD trim and put onto your ORIGINAL grille which going by your post is fine and its just the trim thats not.
This is what you would want something decent ( 182340112474 )

I’m afraid I’ve got OCD. A trim from an old grill probably won’t be any better than what I have now

 

[ch1z64]

So why have you still got the broken one on the car . Even the Ebay one i sent you is better especially if you have OCD than the broken one you have confused i am .

 

[maxpayne]

So why have you still got the broken one on the car . Even the Ebay one i sent you is better especially if you have OCD than the broken one you have confused i am .

Lol. My original question was how good are the aftermarket grills. Also I need something with a chrome grill. From your replies it seems that you’re happy with the aftermarket grill. I might just order one then.
Cheers.

 

[A19quattro]

You could get the grill trim vinyl wrapped, colour of your choice, matt Black, Gloss Black, Carbon fibre are favorites. It wouldn't cost that much and you save the original part. It needs to come off and they are easily broken if you haven't done it before, maybe the wrapping people could do that for you. Another idea my be spray on Plasti-dip, I am sure there are how-tos and You Tube videos on doing it and it could be masked and painted on the car.
Help I hope this does, how did we end up speaking like Yoda?

 

[maxpayne]

You could get the grill trim vinyl wrapped, colour of your choice, matt Black, Gloss Black, Carbon fibre are favorites. It wouldn't cost that much and you save the original part. It needs to come off and they are easily broken if you haven't done it before, maybe the wrapping people could do that for you. Another idea my be spray on Plasti-dip, I am sure there are how-tos and You Tube videos on doing it and it could be masked and painted on the car.
Help I hope this does, how did we end up speaking like Yoda?

Thanks. I know about wrapping and plasti dipping, in fact ordered a can out of curiosity. I wanted to keep the chrome surround as for some reason I don’t rate all black grills!
Found a fair few on eBay with chrome surround and asking if these are good in quality.
The OEM grill on our A3 has lasted for 13 years and only just showing signs of wear.

 

[RS3dan]

I fitted one of the aftermarket gloss black honeycomb grills from eBay on my previous 3dr (same model year)

Really easy, takes less than an hour and there are plenty of guides on here and elsewhere for removing the bumper. Advise to be careful of the plastic clips at each end (wheelarches), brittle and fragile.

In my experience the grill fit perfectly (though I did have to source some extra grub screws if I remember as the OEM doesn’t have them but the aftermarket needed and didn’t come with).

Looks great and didn’t have any fade or peeling or anything weird over the next 2 years I had it. Would recommend, and was sub £100.

 

[samuelh_888]

I’m afraid I’ve got OCD. A trim from an old grill probably won’t be any better than what I have now

My OCD won't allow me to have an after-market grille, needs to be genuine...

 

[mechanic69]

Simple answer aftermarket grilles are cheaper and rightly so, worse quality than oem, I had a xenons for a few months but had to get the oem rs3 one instead OCD


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