Ted in Toronto

The lower black grille on my C300 sport has a nice hole in it from ice kicked up by a passing car on the highway. This black plastic honeycomb material is very fragile and not really up to the rigors of everyday driving - I think this is going to be a common replacement item. Anyone had the same happen and know how to remove and replace that grille?

aowhaus

it also happened to me too.
I ordered the center mesh grill and the driver's side foglight mesh surround from the dealership.

The grille that surrounds the foglight is extremely easy to replace, however the center grille was extremely difficult to remove. I had to break the mesh in many pieces to remove it and it took a while to do that. Installing the new one seems nect to impossible and I gave up. It looks like you will need to remove the bumper to install it as the grill tabs clips or snaps from behind the bumper and also snaps to the plastic under pan, and there is no room to manhandle the grille in place (and the plastic mesh is fairly brittle).

I going to take my car and part to the dealer to get the grille properly installed.

itcrashed

The pic doesnt show "how" to remove it, but just like aowhaus said, it looks like a series of clips all around...if you can somehow angle it in the hole and then pull it out to fit the clips?

themundy

Same thing happened to me...a rock from a large truck carrying gravel....UGGHH

I am on a lease, so I am going to deal with it for another two years...

Ted in Toronto

Thanks for the responses. I'm also on a lease so until I get enough holes in this grille to make it noticeable, I think I'll hold off on replacement as well. Perhaps Mercedes will come out with a better quality replacement because there is no way this fragile piece of plastic is suitable for the job.
Aowhous: what did the replacement grille cost?

oblu

Seems like I'm not the only one ... damn thing seems awful flimsy.

Dealer was going to charge me $600 to remove the entire bumper to replace the lower grill. But since they'd already quoted me an hour of labor previously, they felt bad and farmed it out to a body shop they send stuff out to and ate the extra.

And yeah, I talked to the body shop; only way to replace the lower grill is to pull the entire bumper off.

I just hope it doesn't bust again. Even though it sure feels flimsy like it's going to bust if a big bug hits it.

Derspeed

My dad's W203 had aluminum lower grilles. That stuff wasn't that great, but the W204 plastic seems really fragile. I laughed at my buddy when we discovered his '07 335i had a plastic lower grille; he got his revenge in December when I showed him my C.

aowhaus

I took my car in today and the bumper indeed needs to be removed to apply the mesh grille -- the clips were designed to be snaped into place from behind.

They were very busy today due to Presidents Day so they couldn't work on it immediately. Even though this week is very busy for them the manager said because the work involved is relatively quick he will schedule me in and they will arrange someone to drive me to and from my office.

Part 204-885-01-53 costed me $48.50 net and part 204-885-02-53 costed me $22.00 net. I'm guessing the grille surronding the fog lights costs more as it has the extra chrome trim around the light and the plastic seems to be more substantial than the center mesh grille piece.

I agree that the center mesh needs to be redesigned to be either more durable and/or easily removed and installed.

rebel_mtc

Nice screen shot wonder if you can post a screen shot on how to get the front upper grille off.

My car arrived today and when I pop the hood I can't find any screws to detach the grille.

Thanks.

itcrashed

hope this helps...



A lot of people have been asking where I get all these screen shots...it's free software online for anyone to use...

http://epc.startekinfo.com/epc/home.jsp

emps

nice, thanks for the link

rebel_mtc

Thanks

aowhaus

I finally took my car in to get a new lower grille installed.
It costed me $110 for labor -- the entire bumper, engine tray and headlights needed to be removed.

The shop manager was nice enough to drive me to and from my office, he said that the design is strangely less friendly than the W203, but he said that the GL is the worst car to service and repair.

Carsy

A lot of people have been asking where I get all these screen shots...it's free software online for anyone to use...

http://epc.startekinfo.com/epc/home.jsp
__________________
Is there any way an Australian can use this very useful site? It says that it is only available to US residents.

Vader13

same thing to me, such crap, they are plastic all the way up to the AMGs, they spared no expense
I had to take it to the dealer, 2 hours labor and 60 bux for the part.

AkaSigFreak

Too bad EPC site wont load on my Mac