Mercado grill installed
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,759
Likes: 539
From: AZ
St. Jude Donor '06-'08-'10-'11-'12-'13 '14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19
Mercado grill installed
Finally got a chance to put in the Mercado Industries C6 Euro extreme version and some observations.
1. The grill is exactly what I wanted, powdercoated in flat.
2. Product quality is good.
3. The look is exactly what I expected.
That being said I will never do that again.
This is not a Mercado bash, rather it is a comment on the difficulty of installing a grill on the inside of the eggcrate OEM grill. The instructions on the website indicate 1-2 hour install time, it took me 6. That is probably more a commentary on my skills than the instructions. But it is a very tedious job to take apart the front end, find all the screws and remove the grill. That alone took me the better part of 2 hours. Then putting the mesh on the grill. The mesh is stiff, as you would want it to be if you want protection. But its stiffness also hinders an easy install. The screws tended to fall out while trying to reinstall the grill. Trying to get the screws to line up while working blind is next to impossible. Peters tips to help install are good and need to be used but the very nature of this beast means you will be working blind in some areas. My lower center screw would not start and I had to use a longer screw due to the screen toughness. The angle and screw length where wrong so now there is a slight "bulge" in the bumper where the screw started to come through the bumper. Essentially not visible unless you look for it.
So be forewarned, if you dont want to put this much effort into a mesh guard, I would advise you look for a different option.
Again, I am in no way bashing Mercado Industries. Their product is exactly as described and looks great once in. It is just a difficult install.
1. The grill is exactly what I wanted, powdercoated in flat.
2. Product quality is good.
3. The look is exactly what I expected.
That being said I will never do that again.
This is not a Mercado bash, rather it is a comment on the difficulty of installing a grill on the inside of the eggcrate OEM grill. The instructions on the website indicate 1-2 hour install time, it took me 6. That is probably more a commentary on my skills than the instructions. But it is a very tedious job to take apart the front end, find all the screws and remove the grill. That alone took me the better part of 2 hours. Then putting the mesh on the grill. The mesh is stiff, as you would want it to be if you want protection. But its stiffness also hinders an easy install. The screws tended to fall out while trying to reinstall the grill. Trying to get the screws to line up while working blind is next to impossible. Peters tips to help install are good and need to be used but the very nature of this beast means you will be working blind in some areas. My lower center screw would not start and I had to use a longer screw due to the screen toughness. The angle and screw length where wrong so now there is a slight "bulge" in the bumper where the screw started to come through the bumper. Essentially not visible unless you look for it.
So be forewarned, if you dont want to put this much effort into a mesh guard, I would advise you look for a different option.
Again, I am in no way bashing Mercado Industries. Their product is exactly as described and looks great once in. It is just a difficult install.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,759
Likes: 539
From: AZ
St. Jude Donor '06-'08-'10-'11-'12-'13 '14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19
My ISP is changing over and I cannot post pictures, yet. Anyone want to host some pictures I would be glad to send some.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 20,054
Likes: 44
From: Swansea IL
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Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,759
Likes: 539
From: AZ
St. Jude Donor '06-'08-'10-'11-'12-'13 '14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19
Originally Posted by Zig
i've heard the same types of comments from folks that have installed just about any screen or grill into the front end.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 25,455
Likes: 3
From: Damn Connecticut Yankee
Moriarty steel mesh grille:
Installation time less than 10 minutes.
Regardless of the material, any grille that takes more than a half hour to install is just plain poorly designed.
Installation time less than 10 minutes.
Regardless of the material, any grille that takes more than a half hour to install is just plain poorly designed.
Last edited by ProfMoriarty; Nov 10, 2006 at 08:57 AM.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,759
Likes: 539
From: AZ
St. Jude Donor '06-'08-'10-'11-'12-'13 '14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19
Originally Posted by AFVETTE
Racer
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 341
Likes: 3
From: Albuquerque New Mexico
Originally Posted by ProfMoriarty
Moriarty steel mesh grille:
Installation time less than 10 minutes.
Regardless of the material, any grille that takes more than a half hour to install is just plain poorly designed.
Installation time less than 10 minutes.
Regardless of the material, any grille that takes more than a half hour to install is just plain poorly designed.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 20,054
Likes: 44
From: Swansea IL
Originally Posted by ByByBMW
Finally got a chance to put in the Mercado Industries C6 Euro extreme version and some observations.
1. The grill is exactly what I wanted, powdercoated in flat.
2. Product quality is good.
3. The look is exactly what I expected.
That being said I will never do that again.
This is not a Mercado bash, rather it is a comment on the difficulty of installing a grill on the inside of the eggcrate OEM grill. The instructions on the website indicate 1-2 hour install time, it took me 6. That is probably more a commentary on my skills than the instructions. But it is a very tedious job to take apart the front end, find all the screws and remove the grill. That alone took me the better part of 2 hours. Then putting the mesh on the grill. The mesh is stiff, as you would want it to be if you want protection. But its stiffness also hinders an easy install. The screws tended to fall out while trying to reinstall the grill. Trying to get the screws to line up while working blind is next to impossible. Peters tips to help install are good and need to be used but the very nature of this beast means you will be working blind in some areas. My lower center screw would not start and I had to use a longer screw due to the screen toughness. The angle and screw length where wrong so now there is a slight "bulge" in the bumper where the screw started to come through the bumper. Essentially not visible unless you look for it.
So be forewarned, if you dont want to put this much effort into a mesh guard, I would advise you look for a different option.
Again, I am in no way bashing Mercado Industries. Their product is exactly as described and looks great once in. It is just a difficult install.
1. The grill is exactly what I wanted, powdercoated in flat.
2. Product quality is good.
3. The look is exactly what I expected.
That being said I will never do that again.
This is not a Mercado bash, rather it is a comment on the difficulty of installing a grill on the inside of the eggcrate OEM grill. The instructions on the website indicate 1-2 hour install time, it took me 6. That is probably more a commentary on my skills than the instructions. But it is a very tedious job to take apart the front end, find all the screws and remove the grill. That alone took me the better part of 2 hours. Then putting the mesh on the grill. The mesh is stiff, as you would want it to be if you want protection. But its stiffness also hinders an easy install. The screws tended to fall out while trying to reinstall the grill. Trying to get the screws to line up while working blind is next to impossible. Peters tips to help install are good and need to be used but the very nature of this beast means you will be working blind in some areas. My lower center screw would not start and I had to use a longer screw due to the screen toughness. The angle and screw length where wrong so now there is a slight "bulge" in the bumper where the screw started to come through the bumper. Essentially not visible unless you look for it.
So be forewarned, if you dont want to put this much effort into a mesh guard, I would advise you look for a different option.
Again, I am in no way bashing Mercado Industries. Their product is exactly as described and looks great once in. It is just a difficult install.
Tom
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,759
Likes: 539
From: AZ
St. Jude Donor '06-'08-'10-'11-'12-'13 '14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19
Originally Posted by ProfMoriarty
To the OP: What is the purpose of the gap in the grille that's between the 2nd and 3rd plastic uprights?
I was wondering the same thing when I was putting on the screen. Hope someone has an answer. It was quite curious to me. It even had a "pull string" on it like it was supposed to be pulled in from the rear. Definitely was a manufactured piece, not an accident.OOPS, I just looked again, I think you are referring to where the screen has to be bent down so the plastic clips from the front fascia clip into the grill. There are 5 clips, that one happens to show since I have the car up on ramps and the camera just slightly below the upper lip looking slightly up. Hope that was what you are asking. Sorry for the confusion.
Last edited by ByByBMW; Nov 10, 2006 at 09:52 AM.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,759
Likes: 539
From: AZ
St. Jude Donor '06-'08-'10-'11-'12-'13 '14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19
Originally Posted by jesse12804
how much for this?
Check here http://www.c4dhr.com/c6_products.htm
They are also advertising an "express" kit with a 30 minute install, may be the way to go if you want this look.
Pro
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 675
Likes: 0
From: orange co. cal
I'm sorry but I just don't like the behind the grill look.The RACEMESH grills just look so good on the vette and take all of 10 MIN. to install.These behind the front bar ones really don't look good.Thay remind me of something you would buy at LOWES and stick on the front of your $50,000 car.