Has anyone here installed the M7 Steel Mesh Grille? If so, how much painting and cutting of the body was necessary to make it look right? Anyone here install the grill with the chrome surround left intact to the lower grille? I like the chrome look and bought the chrome package, so I dont want to delete it. Will installing the lower grille remove the lower chrome?

Any pics and experience with install is greatly appreciated!
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From the M7 Website: Please Note: For the best look, cutting of stock grilles and painting of some surfaces is necessary. These processes are optional and the grilles will install without any problems if you choose not to undertake in cutting or painting.
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From the M7 Website:

 

Red Bull did:

 

no cutting to the body needed just the factory grill.. I have an m7 upper grill FS if interested =]

 

I just did mine. The upper requires the outer part of the stock grill, to mount. So all you do is dremel out all of the stock mesh. Really easy. The bottom, required taking off the bumper removing the stock grill and screwing the new grill into the bumper. Simple, just a little time consuming. It looks a million times nicer!! And as for the painting part I think they are talking about the mounting screws used to put the grill on. They are silver, and to make it look better you should paint them black. That's it, no painting of the body or car.

 

I want to know what the silver (not chrome) looks like, they only have pics of the black (or chrome) on the site.

 

Just an FYI!! Anyone who has these, driving in snowy conditions be aware of your grills. I was headed down to AMVIV on Thursday and it was snowing. My club and I were cruising along and soon my check engine light came on, and I pulled over to find that my car was overheating. The grills had covered in slush/ice. So be aware of what is going on with your car, because the water temp light that MINI has as a safety thingy......didn't even come on until I was pulled over and it was obvious that I was overheating. Needless to say, I have a warped head now and a headache coming on to see what MINI will do for me.

 

I wish they made it for the Factory Aero, com'n m7 hook us up!

 

Thanks for the warning! I was considering this mod.

 

OH WOW. Holy hell.. thank god I came across this, I have the top and bottom and winters coming soon and I didn't even think of this happening....

Thanks for the warning Master, hopefully everything get's resolved smoothly

Search for a winter car just went to priority #1. MINI is going to hibernate in the garage for the winters from now on.

Why are you worried about snow? your in Arizona

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/53074154@N00/111486228/http://www.flickr.com/photos/53074154@N00/110882456/http://www.flickr.com/photos/53074154@N00/363631092/http://www.flickr.com/photos/53074154@N00/2247289767/http://www.flickr.com/photos/53074154@N00/4212106966/http://www.flickr.com/photos/53074154@N00/5328242457/http://www.flickr.com/photos/53074154@N00/4221296016/Last one was the Dec. 2009 photo contest winner.
That answer your question?