Star Grill vs Stock Grill
#26
If it's really that easy I'd recommend you pop on the stock for a few weeks to see if you like it more.
20 minutes...it will probably take you more time to read all the replies to your question.
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#27
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Porsche Macan S SportDesign / Ex M-B's: 11 & 10 & 06 E350's, 02 S500
+1 for stock. The simple design of the stock grill allows the viewer to take in the entire front end of the car which IMO is one of the best looking front ends on the road. The star draws your eye to the center of the grill and detracts from the entire picture.
FWIW - I like the flat badge with either.
FWIW - I like the flat badge with either.
COME BACK PHILLY?!
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Star grille is generic throughout the model range now, and IMO looks pretty cheesy and devaluing on an E. It also looks like a "I wanted a Coupe but my Wife made me buy the Sedan" type of thing.
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Stock grille is so dynamic, clean, and complimenting of the design. My GF saw my car from the front the other day (randomly, so she assumed it was somebody else's car), and said she thought it was the "fanciest looking front end she's ever seen".
Also the stock grille on this car is almost evil, in a confident, stately, and classy/luxurious way. IMO, that all goes out the window with the Star grille (when the proportions of the front are not designed by M-B to fit the Star grille in the first place, that is). With the Coupe grille, you just get this oddly fitting/distracting/taking way from the overall picture, funny "hi, how are you doing" kind of smile.
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OK, that's my ever-so-humble opinion. Worst case, you can always change back and forth from one to the other, when you get bored!
Last edited by K-A; 02-04-2011 at 06:44 PM.
#28
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'11 350 4matic - '14 Stingray: Gone, BMW 530i, Porsche 944 Turbo, Porsche 356, Mitsubishi 3000GT
Game over - No need for even a two minute warning. Stocks win in a landslide 18-2. Wow!!! Thanks for all the feedback guys...Im headed out to the garage now. Going to swap it back. New Poll will be a Over/Under to see how long it takes my wife to notice. Vegas places the odds at 2 weeks!!!
Enjoy the Super Bowl Everyyone!!! Thanks again.
Enjoy the Super Bowl Everyyone!!! Thanks again.
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Porsche Macan S SportDesign / Ex M-B's: 11 & 10 & 06 E350's, 02 S500
HAH! Looks like your Wife is like my GF.
And I quote, another thing she said when she unexpectedly and randomly saw my car: "I was at first thinking, wow, that guy's car looks like something my BF would want to drive".....
WTF is it with them?
She once mistook my Rental Hyundai Elantra (Silver), with my old S500 (also Silver).
And I quote, another thing she said when she unexpectedly and randomly saw my car: "I was at first thinking, wow, that guy's car looks like something my BF would want to drive".....
WTF is it with them?
She once mistook my Rental Hyundai Elantra (Silver), with my old S500 (also Silver).
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#30
HAH! Looks like your Wife is like my GF.
And I quote, another thing she said when she unexpectedly and randomly saw my car: "I was at first thinking, wow, that guy's car looks like something my BF would want to drive".....
WTF is it with them?
She once mistook my Rental Hyundai Elantra (Silver), with my old S500 (also Silver).
![nix](https://mbworld.org/forums/images/smilies/nixweiss.gif)
And I quote, another thing she said when she unexpectedly and randomly saw my car: "I was at first thinking, wow, that guy's car looks like something my BF would want to drive".....
WTF is it with them?
She once mistook my Rental Hyundai Elantra (Silver), with my old S500 (also Silver).
![nix](https://mbworld.org/forums/images/smilies/nixweiss.gif)
#31
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'11 350 4matic - '14 Stingray: Gone, BMW 530i, Porsche 944 Turbo, Porsche 356, Mitsubishi 3000GT
Transfer is complete.
Last edited by BPhillyBenz; 02-04-2011 at 08:49 PM.
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'11 350 4matic - '14 Stingray: Gone, BMW 530i, Porsche 944 Turbo, Porsche 356, Mitsubishi 3000GT
Yep, I went back to the upright star.
#34
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FYI, MB dealers' parts department(s) have Star grill (its a bit different than one pictured above) for W212 ... its about $500. They also have it for W211 (this one became available about 4/5 years ago) for about the same $$. So MB offers these grills (not identical to pictured here, but inferior looking IMO, while being well made) as accessories. This W212 star grill above is $185 shipped to your door, and is much better made aftermarket star grill (on par with MB's $500) than most aftermarket star grills for W211, for example, that I saw.
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Porsche Macan S SportDesign / Ex M-B's: 11 & 10 & 06 E350's, 02 S500
Just to clarify; what I meant by "proportionally", is how M-B designs the grille openings to look appropriate with one or the other, i.e there isn't a "one size fits all" in terms of how they design the whole front end.
For example, the W204 C-Class was clearly designed in mind for the Star grille, which is why it looks funny and weird with the Luxury grille (narrow vertically, yet wide opening).
The W212 (and Luxury Grilles) stand taller, have taller openings, which don't work well with the Star grille's (hence why when you see W212 aftermarket grille's, they keep that big chrome border at the top, which M-B never use on genuinely design Star grille's).
For example, the W204 C-Class was clearly designed in mind for the Star grille, which is why it looks funny and weird with the Luxury grille (narrow vertically, yet wide opening).
The W212 (and Luxury Grilles) stand taller, have taller openings, which don't work well with the Star grille's (hence why when you see W212 aftermarket grille's, they keep that big chrome border at the top, which M-B never use on genuinely design Star grille's).
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'11 350 4matic - '14 Stingray: Gone, BMW 530i, Porsche 944 Turbo, Porsche 356, Mitsubishi 3000GT
Hi threeMB's. Good question...Yeh, I was thinking about returning to OEM for the last month or so. When I got the Star Grill, I thought it was the bomb (and still do like it), however the more time I've had with the car, the more I thought I was just messing around with the integrity of the look too much (I also missed the upright star). I was really surprised at the lop-sided-ness of the poll (game) results, but I was going to change it back regardless. Who knows, maybe I will change it back n forth whenever I get tired of the look. Thanks for asking anyway. Enjoy yours!!! Go Packers!!!
Last edited by BPhillyBenz; 02-04-2011 at 11:42 PM.
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'11 350 4matic - '14 Stingray: Gone, BMW 530i, Porsche 944 Turbo, Porsche 356, Mitsubishi 3000GT
Yep...I was fighting K-A all along thinking it was better on "the dark side". Glad I switched back. Both are nice...this just feels right to me now. I will post pictures once this lovely freezing rain moves out of the East Coast. Man... I miss California.
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Porsche Macan S SportDesign / Ex M-B's: 11 & 10 & 06 E350's, 02 S500
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FTB, that picture is a perfect example of how well the grill is designed to perfectly compliment, and characterize the W212!
Glad to have you back Philly! Looking forward to some pics.
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'11 350 4matic - '14 Stingray: Gone, BMW 530i, Porsche 944 Turbo, Porsche 356, Mitsubishi 3000GT
Did I just have "an out of body experience" or did the Mercedes commercial during the Super Bowl feature Four new 2012 models, ALL with the Star Grill?
#43
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I tried to locate the E350- E550 in there too but all was, like you said, star grilles. Is the star grille MB is going for?
That would be cool as I have the star grille and still like it.
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Porsche Macan S SportDesign / Ex M-B's: 11 & 10 & 06 E350's, 02 S500
This is why things are changing, as the Star grill got popular because it was the rarer option (only on the SL, S-Coupe really, for a period). Now, the Luxo grill is the rarer option, so it brings the value and visual impact of it up.
For the record, I love M-B's Star grill when the Designers DESIGN the front to fit with it (not the case with the W212), but the Luxo grill looks more unique right now, and the newest iterations (W212, and facelift W221), are just ultimately bada$$ IMO, and better looking than the star grill look on newer M-B's.
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Also, on a personal note, nothing on a vehicle is more prestigious and iconic/classic to me than the upright Star on the hood. I love the visual of it when I'm driving. I feel like it'd be naked without it!
Last edited by K-A; 02-07-2011 at 12:00 AM.
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Porsche Macan S SportDesign / Ex M-B's: 11 & 10 & 06 E350's, 02 S500
Basically, it's as simple as this:
Two cars get the exclusive Luxury Grill: E and S Class.
You don't have bulky American made SUV's, and lower priced entry-level models invading on your territory.
Two cars get the exclusive Luxury Grill: E and S Class.
You don't have bulky American made SUV's, and lower priced entry-level models invading on your territory.
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#48
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Right now its only the Sedans (C, E, and S) have the Luxury grill with the standing star. I wonder if MB will make the star grill an option for the E and the S sport trims at some point.