SaintC63

I am a recent cherry to this forum, and a new owner of a fine piece of machinery. Lately, I have been looking to personalize my C63 with specific cosmetic modifications, i.e. Vinyl wrap, window tint, and wheels. However, I have recently came across a speed bump. I recently got a couple different quotes for professional wrap services and all the companies have told me that it is better to buy a matte black/ blacked out grille for the C63 instead of wrapping it because of the likelihood of customer dissatisfaction because the natural contours of the C63 grille causes wrinkles in the wrap. To me, it was understandable, but again....I am still a cherry. So I have been doing a good days worth of seeking out Blacked out grilles that fit the '13 model of my car, and this is where I am coming up short.

What are your opinions on getting the desired result that I am looking for? Does any know where I can purchase a Black out matte grille that will fit the '13 c63? I've also noticed that there are many grilles out there that fit the C-class with the typeof grille I am looking for but it is not compatible with the C-63. Does anyone have a recommended car wrapping company that I can seek out in the NC area?

I prefer wrapping so it preserves the cars factory color and trims so if I do sell it someday, it will all be in pristine condition barring any accidents.

Any comments or recommendations are welcome. Thanks guys!

C-63AMG

A good wrapping company will know what they're doing. Painting will lead to chips down the road whereas wrapping is less likely.

C-63AMG

One more with the painted look

Guilty

If you black out, black out the whole grill. Leaving the star silver is ghetto imo. It looks like crap. Seen too many in person. Too ricey.

SaphGreyC63

Plastidip! Cheap, easy to do yourself (especially the grill since its so easy to remove and just spray off the car), and completely 100% reversible! That's how I did mine, looks great!

CoolBDPhenom03

Thing is, once you pop, you can't stop! If I blacked out the chrome on my grille, I'd have to do ALL the other chrome on the car. Dunno if I have the patience to do that just yet

SaphGreyC63

That's what I did. Plastidipped all the emblems, grill, and LED DRL surround, and wrapped the chrome trunk strip and window trim.

m a x i m u s

your car would look great with the chrome all blacked out, esp with your black wheels. otherwise, IMO, blackedout grilles look weird with the stock wheels.

adibaiz

Do you have to remove the front bumper if you want to have the grill removed for painting?

SaphGreyC63

No you don't. You have to remove the plastic part on the top of the grill, then its one single bolt that comes off and finally just push the clips and out it pops. Super simple.


Doesn't show the exact steps but with the video and his explanation I was able to easily remove mine.

Here's another

SaintC63

Thanks for the support! I am still surprised that I havent found and aftermarket grille that has what I am looking for.

VaclavSV

I painted mine all gloss black. I was beside my buddy with plastidip and it looked like crap. A wrap wont chip but it will peel over time guaranteed. Especially if you wash your car enough. My grill hasnt chipped yet and I drive on very dirty roads in Canada through the winter.

SaphGreyC63

There probably is, but the price is going to be steep. I really would try the plastidip if you can. Again, the grill comes out super clean because it can be removed and sprayed outside the car. Here's some pics. My buddy loved how it came out and we did his G37 grill also.

johnnyblaze

I gave up on aftermarket grilles. They are either overpriced or just dont fit right. I ended up plastidipping the grille and it came out looking pretty nice. Like others have said, I blacked out all chrome on the car. I had the window chrome wrapped and the trunk handle wrapped and the b-pillars wrapped with carbon dinoc.

CoolBDPhenom03

What you could do is use Plastidip as a tester. If you like it, you could probably get it powder coated for $20.

adibaiz

Thanks! Just one question: Is it the same for a 2012 C63? I see all the time on Ebay grills for sale, but it says that it does not fit C63 or up to 2011 only.
I took the car to a body shop to get mine painted but was told to reschedule because they did not realize they have to remove the front bumper...

SaintC63

Those pics are fantastic!

SaphGreyC63

It should be the same. Mine is a 2012 and as you see from the pics above I didn't touch the bumper. Also, the grill on the 2012 (maybe on the earlier models too) has a separate piece attached to the hood which is just held on by screws that you also take off.

m3equals333

I have been turned down from 4 bodyshops now for painting my grill/led housings, etc. they say the paint won't prperly adhere to the chrome and it would be begin to peel within a short period of time. then I come on here and hear people saying it works well with our grills, etc. the guy at one of the bodyshops said he had painted a bunch of those huge chrome Acura grills and it came out good, but soon turned to $&%*, also the MB bodyshops and sister bodyshops said it would not turn out well... also hear conflicting opinions on plastidip.

so I am with OP, and in a bit of a state of disarray with regard to the blacking out....

VaclavSV

The grill must be prepared properly by the bodyshop before paint/powdercoat. You cant just paint over chrome hahaha. It needs to be sandblasted to remove the chrome.

I would stay away from plastidip after seeing what it did to my winter rims after 1 year of use. Never again! It doesnt just "peel off" easily like they claim... and I had both parts that were done with a lot of the stuff and a little ... same outcome. DW-40 and steel wool to get it off.

m3equals333

ah ha....any insight into the preparation??

TTA850

I did just around the grill and the drl surrounds, I liked the 507 look

SaphGreyC63

Don't get me wrong, I don't think I would ever Plastidip my rims I can't see it holding up on rims. But so far, for the emblems and grill I think the stuff is perfect. The main Pros is its extremely cheap ($6 per can, I used three cans for the whole car, would probably only need 2 now that I know what I'm doing) and 100% reversible. I had my window trim Plastidipped didnt like it, and it took me 5 mins to remove both the upper and lower trim on both sides. For me it came off amazingly easily once i rubbed off one section. Plus, if anything chips or hits the grill, it will take me $6 and an hour or two of work and it will look perfect again. Its been a little over a month now and three washes and no problems with the stuff at all. From me, for this purpose, it gets a recommendation.

andrew c230k

I 3m carbon wrapped mine didn't like the look.



I dont think it looks getto with the star not painted. I think it looks rich and classy.







Mine is chipped up bad however I didn't prep it properly by removing the chrome I am going to have to do it again in the spring.

chrisridebike8

yeah, soooo ricey... "RICE," by the way, stands for Race Inspired Cosmetic Equipment...much like the diffuser our car has.


Anyway, I went the wrap route. I think these guys were pretty lazy and I almost wish I had done it myself. some edges are peeling and I have a stone chip in the middle of one of the horizontal bars. I might try painting next time.