aftermarket grille with distronic plate
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
MB W221 S350
![Exclamation](https://mbworld.org/forums/images/icons/icon4.gif)
has anyone bought s63 style grille from ebay where they say cruise control compatible, will it work with distronic or i will need oem distronic plate anyway?
as i understand it is not working because of chrome paint inside the plate which is painted black, it must be only chromed lines not all chromed and painted black between lines, the chrome is blocking beams?
if there is no aftermarket grille working with distronic at all, maybe someone has oem distronic plate number?
as i understand it is not working because of chrome paint inside the plate which is painted black, it must be only chromed lines not all chromed and painted black between lines, the chrome is blocking beams?
if there is no aftermarket grille working with distronic at all, maybe someone has oem distronic plate number?
#3
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: SoCal OC
Posts: 1,464
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes
on
4 Posts
S, GL, Escalade ESV, my shoes
has anyone bought s63 style grille from ebay where they say cruise control compatible, will it work with distronic or i will need oem distronic plate anyway?
as i understand it is not working because of chrome paint inside the plate which is painted black, it must be only chromed lines not all chromed and painted black between lines, the chrome is blocking beams?
if there is no aftermarket grille working with distronic at all, maybe someone has oem distronic plate number?
as i understand it is not working because of chrome paint inside the plate which is painted black, it must be only chromed lines not all chromed and painted black between lines, the chrome is blocking beams?
if there is no aftermarket grille working with distronic at all, maybe someone has oem distronic plate number?
If you have OEM distronic, it will not work (will distort the signal).
Look nice & pretty well built though. I bought one from ebay and it helps to improve the look of the front.
#4
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
MB W221 S350
i already have full facelift from s63 but i need only the grille, and i need it to work with 2006 distronic, the only solution is new distronic plate from mercedes?
#6
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
MB W221 S350
i found the number for plate, it's 2218880041, but it is insane expensive, the plastic price is like gold now?
does anybody bought cheap china or taiwan made grille which is working with distronic? where i can find it?
does this "cruise control compatible" grille will work with distronic??
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-AMG-STYLE-FRONT-UPPER-CHROME-GRILLE-GRILL-10-11-MERCEDES-BENZ-S-CLASS-W221-/360452078348?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories &hash=item53ec9e3b0c&vxp=mtr
does anybody bought cheap china or taiwan made grille which is working with distronic? where i can find it?
does this "cruise control compatible" grille will work with distronic??
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-AMG-STYLE-FRONT-UPPER-CHROME-GRILLE-GRILL-10-11-MERCEDES-BENZ-S-CLASS-W221-/360452078348?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories &hash=item53ec9e3b0c&vxp=mtr
#7
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: SoCal OC
Posts: 1,464
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes
on
4 Posts
S, GL, Escalade ESV, my shoes
Just a quick update to this thread. I ran my car through the automated car-wash over the weekend, and the plate that fake the distronic-radar fell off.
Turn out they use some cheap silicon to glue it to the grill, pretty easy to get off with heat & pressing from the car wash place. The plate is all scratch, so no point for me to put it back.
Since I have no intention to change the way my car get washed
, I put back the original grill.
I'll wait til they get a version without that fake distronic plate.
Turn out they use some cheap silicon to glue it to the grill, pretty easy to get off with heat & pressing from the car wash place. The plate is all scratch, so no point for me to put it back.
Since I have no intention to change the way my car get washed
![naughty](https://mbworld.org/forums/images/smilies/naughty.gif)
I'll wait til they get a version without that fake distronic plate.
i found the number for plate, it's 2218880041, but it is insane expensive, the plastic price is like gold now?
does anybody bought cheap china or taiwan made grille which is working with distronic? where i can find it?
does this "cruise control compatible" grille will work with distronic??
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-AMG-STYLE-FRONT-UPPER-CHROME-GRILLE-GRILL-10-11-MERCEDES-BENZ-S-CLASS-W221-/360452078348?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories &hash=item53ec9e3b0c&vxp=mtr
does anybody bought cheap china or taiwan made grille which is working with distronic? where i can find it?
does this "cruise control compatible" grille will work with distronic??
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-AMG-STYLE-FRONT-UPPER-CHROME-GRILLE-GRILL-10-11-MERCEDES-BENZ-S-CLASS-W221-/360452078348?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories &hash=item53ec9e3b0c&vxp=mtr
Trending Topics
#8
Distronic star emblem grill
Has anyone converted their 2006 S600 with the cruise control system to the grill with the emblem in it? If so where did you find the compatible grill w/ the distronic star? What size did you use the W220 or W221.
Thanks!
Thanks!
#9
Did the $199 S65 grill off ebay...
Mine had some nasty stone hits so i figured i would replace it.
They appear to be second rate "Blems" rejected by Benz.
Quality is so so...not perfect but better than what i had.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mercedes-Ben...c6efcb&vxp=mtr
Mine had some nasty stone hits so i figured i would replace it.
They appear to be second rate "Blems" rejected by Benz.
Quality is so so...not perfect but better than what i had.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mercedes-Ben...c6efcb&vxp=mtr
Last edited by SwineHund550; 03-21-2015 at 05:27 PM.
#13
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Land of Political Criminals and Urban Shootings
Posts: 4,024
Received 477 Likes
on
364 Posts
2015 S550
Ahh.....Whenever I think of Bensenville, the Victory Auto Wreckers commercial that they still air from 1977 comes to mind with the door falling off the early 70's Chevy. "That old car is worth money." LOL
I'm in Crystal Lake....just a short 45 minute jaunt away.
![Smilie](https://mbworld.org/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif)
#14
Senior Member
Did the $199 S65 grill off ebay...
Mine had some nasty stone hits so i figured i would replace it.
They appear to be second rate "Blems" rejected by Benz.
Quality is so so...not perfect but better than what i had.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mercedes-Ben...c6efcb&vxp=mtr
Mine had some nasty stone hits so i figured i would replace it.
They appear to be second rate "Blems" rejected by Benz.
Quality is so so...not perfect but better than what i had.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mercedes-Ben...c6efcb&vxp=mtr
#16
A lot of car parts are molded in China and sent to auto makers. Im sure they learned like the other companies here in this country that China will stab anyone in the back.
More tooling Fab is now staying domestic.
More tooling Fab is now staying domestic.
#17
Member
The aftermarket distronic plate is NOT the same as the MB factory one.
The construction is different, so it's not a case of them being rejects. And obviously they do not work.
I happen to have a pic of both the aftermarket and the factory ones side by side. I'll post a pic tonight.
The construction is different, so it's not a case of them being rejects. And obviously they do not work.
I happen to have a pic of both the aftermarket and the factory ones side by side. I'll post a pic tonight.
#18
Senior Member
The aftermarket distronic plate is NOT the same as the MB factory one.
The construction is different, so it's not a case of them being rejects. And obviously they do not work.
I happen to have a pic of both the aftermarket and the factory ones side by side. I'll post a pic tonight.
The construction is different, so it's not a case of them being rejects. And obviously they do not work.
I happen to have a pic of both the aftermarket and the factory ones side by side. I'll post a pic tonight.
#20
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Land of Political Criminals and Urban Shootings
Posts: 4,024
Received 477 Likes
on
364 Posts
2015 S550
I really don't see what the problem is. The plate is only a plastic shield to keep the distronic sensor clean. The only way that the aftermarket one shouldn't work is if it has some special reflective tint that doesn't let the radar signal through.
#21
Senior Member
Based on my readings, the aftermarket finish (perhaps the chrome strips) interferes with Distronic.
#22
Senior Member
#23
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Land of Political Criminals and Urban Shootings
Posts: 4,024
Received 477 Likes
on
364 Posts
2015 S550
Doubtful. It's plastic and radar easily penetrates plastic. Perhaps you should just order one from Gary. He sells them for cheap and I haven't heard of any problem with his grilles.
#24
Member
Okay here are the pictures.
Click on them for higher resolution.
-----
Firstly the front of the grilles. Top is aftermarket, bottom is genuine. It's hard to tell from the pic but the chrome finish on the distronic plate is slightly different.
![aftermarket grille with distronic plate-ljznwpj.jpg](https://mbworld.org/forums/attachments/s-class-w221/445306d1683252644t-aftermarket-grille-distronic-plate-ljznwpj.jpg)
Then the back of the grilles. Again top is aftermarket, bottom is genuine. They seem to have come out from the same mould, but the plastic welding is not the same.
![aftermarket grille with distronic plate-pja3jud.jpg](https://mbworld.org/forums/attachments/s-class-w221/445307d1683252644t-aftermarket-grille-distronic-plate-pja3jud.jpg)
This is a close up of the distronic plate of the aftermarket part.
![aftermarket grille with distronic plate-u7lffcm.jpg](https://mbworld.org/forums/attachments/s-class-w221/445308d1683252644t-aftermarket-grille-distronic-plate-u7lffcm.jpg)
And this is a close up of the distronic plate of the genuine part. You can see a hole to the left of the plate with some sort of glue (silicone?) filled in, which is NOT present on the aftermarket grille, and this may be of significance.
![aftermarket grille with distronic plate-nflkcoc.jpg](https://mbworld.org/forums/attachments/s-class-w221/445309d1683252644t-aftermarket-grille-distronic-plate-nflkcoc.jpg)
Looking at the last two pics, I reckon you can fit a genuine plate on an aftermarket grille, although it might need glueing. But you can't buy the plate on its own anyway so it doesn't really matter.
Click on them for higher resolution.
-----
Firstly the front of the grilles. Top is aftermarket, bottom is genuine. It's hard to tell from the pic but the chrome finish on the distronic plate is slightly different.
![aftermarket grille with distronic plate-ljznwpj.jpg](https://mbworld.org/forums/attachments/s-class-w221/445306d1683252644t-aftermarket-grille-distronic-plate-ljznwpj.jpg)
Then the back of the grilles. Again top is aftermarket, bottom is genuine. They seem to have come out from the same mould, but the plastic welding is not the same.
![aftermarket grille with distronic plate-pja3jud.jpg](https://mbworld.org/forums/attachments/s-class-w221/445307d1683252644t-aftermarket-grille-distronic-plate-pja3jud.jpg)
This is a close up of the distronic plate of the aftermarket part.
![aftermarket grille with distronic plate-u7lffcm.jpg](https://mbworld.org/forums/attachments/s-class-w221/445308d1683252644t-aftermarket-grille-distronic-plate-u7lffcm.jpg)
And this is a close up of the distronic plate of the genuine part. You can see a hole to the left of the plate with some sort of glue (silicone?) filled in, which is NOT present on the aftermarket grille, and this may be of significance.
![aftermarket grille with distronic plate-nflkcoc.jpg](https://mbworld.org/forums/attachments/s-class-w221/445309d1683252644t-aftermarket-grille-distronic-plate-nflkcoc.jpg)
Looking at the last two pics, I reckon you can fit a genuine plate on an aftermarket grille, although it might need glueing. But you can't buy the plate on its own anyway so it doesn't really matter.
Last edited by wywywywy; 03-23-2015 at 04:29 PM.
#25
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Land of Political Criminals and Urban Shootings
Posts: 4,024
Received 477 Likes
on
364 Posts
2015 S550
Great photos and write-up. Honestly, since the shield is only there to keep the distronic sensor from getting mucked up, I really don't see anything there that would have any negative effect using the after-market part.