I am pretty sure I want to get a black grill for my 2009 MC pw/b and have been shopping around. So what is the difference in these two? I know that one has the chrome ring around the grill and one doesn't, but is that the only reason for the price difference? Also I've read on here that some grills are not pre cut, could this also be a reason for the price change?

The Cheaper
http://www.outmotoring.com/mini-coop...rill_trim.html

The Not So Cheap
http://www.minspeed.net/R56CGK.htm

 

Looks like the only difference is that one comes with the prepainted grille trim and the other one doesn't. I got the outmotoring one for my MC and it was perfect.

Do you have the driving lights? If you do you have to get a precut one.

 

Have the out motoring grill for my MC as well. I opted to keep the chrome trim in place around the outside.

This is before:



This is after:



I love it.

 

yep - same JCW black plastic grill. One with the replacement black trim. the other, without (you just keep your current chrome one)

 

one is JUST the grille and the other is the grille and surrounds.

Here is the more expensive one:

 

Nice MCM!

 

Sounds to me that the cheaper one is the way to go for me, because I like the chrome outline. Drewstermalloy, I do not have driving lights. So with the cheaper grill there is no cutting involved? Because that would be nice.

 

Yep, no cutting. Pop a few clips out, swap grills, pop the clips back in. Can do it in under 5 minutes.

 

When you pop the clips, just make sure you do it on a warm day and are patient. For some people they just pop right out, for me, it was more of a process of sitting in front of the car, wiggling and wiggling and wiggling until it finally let go. Hubby busted an edge off of one of my clips trying to do it when it was freezing cold outside.

If you're patient and do it on a nice day, it's a really easy mod to do yourself.

 

I have no idea how the temperature would affect getting those clips out. Just use a flat-head screwdriver and insert it in the little indentations. It shouldn't take more than 5 minutes, as stated.

 

Vic: the ones on my car are just little plastic jobs. Plastic becomes more brittle when it's cold so when you go to get the screwdriver up underneath the clip (actually more of a pop in plastic screw) and it's below say 30 degrees... the plastic snaps under stress so you can't get any leverage to raise the screw without snapping the head off of it.

I don't know how this was done on newer or older MINIs, just have experience doing my own. I kind of hope they changed this and made it easier for people, but all in all, it's still a pretty easy DIY swap.

 

Yeah, I did it when it was probably 45 degrees out, and I broke the first clip.

 

Huh I had no idea. You learn something new every day.

 

Here's another option:

 

Those clips fooled me at first. I did not realize that you pull the center part forward which releases the Christmas tree fastener in the rear.

Be carefull removing the lower crome section, as it can scratch the top of the bumper. I put masking tape on the bumper for protection the second time I took it off to install the quad lights.

Jim