Hi Nick-
Thanks for the comments. I flew my GD into a gully after being run off the road by a truck who was intentionally blinding traffic with HID's and two banks of off-road lights (bumper and roof). Totaled. But insurance paid me $2K more than the GD cost me new in the settlement. Got a new GE at MSRP with no out of pocket expense. I just had to wait for 3 broken bones to heal enough to be able to drive before I could pick up the new car. The GE is OK, but I would trade it for my original GD if there were such a thing as magic. Life is a bitch (and then you die).

 

manxman - first of all . . . it's GREAT to have you back. You are an invaluable resource to fit freak members and I'm glad that your ban was only temporary.

Now, Thank you very much for all of the great information regarding the Mr. Grille grilles. I think I'll take your sage advice and avoid the upper grille. If you say it looked poo poo, then it looked poo poo.

I realize that you've detailed to many posters in this thread that the grille is TIGHT. So does that mean I should have no worry of my bumper's paint wearing at the points of contact or should I try to get some sort of neoprene or something stronger to put in the contact points between the grille and my bumper?

Thank you again for all of your contributions and I look forward to reading more information from you in the future!!

 

Hi Darryl,
Thanks for the comments and support. I would describe the fit of the grill as "just right"- neither tight nor loose. When you tighten up on the zip ties or with the supplied metal clamping straps, the grill is drawn against the plastic ribs of the stock grill. I don't think that it actually rests on the bottom lip at all. So, I don't think that you need any sort of pad on the bottom edge of the new billet grill, but use your own judgment. My mind-set with the installation was/is that this will be permanent- never to be removed.

Re: the small upper grill from Grills4U- I hated it on my BOM in combination with that maker's lower grill. But, although I can't see theloxmyth's blue Fit in person, his sig. photo does not look as bad with both grills as the combo did on my BOM. Since the upper grill provides no protection to anything inside the engine bay and it is just for looks, I could not bear the look on my car. Your own opinion may differ. If you want the upper grill, I'll give it to you.

Besides which, you have an '09, and my previous grill was for a GD3. MrGrille does not yet make an upper grill for '09 Fits, and I don't think that Grills4U does either- at least I have not seen any eBay ads for upper grills for '09s so far.

Dave

 

For those interested, TOOL added a post to this thread that said " I didn't even ban you". He then deleted the post.

So TOOL, pray tell, who did ban me and why? You are the only admin who uses his position as protection while he attacks me with PM's and open posts, that you then delete so that other members don't see your attacks. It is those attacks that give me reason to never open your PM's. Opening a PM from TOOL is the same for me as opening a sewer- they both contain the same things. So exactly who is this "moderator team" who banned me and is illiterate, just like YOU:

"Reason for the ban" ""Refusing to OBIDE or listen to the moderator team"". That is your illiterate writing style- who is imitating you? Find "obide" in any dictionary- it's not a word.

YOU were the only one posting threats to me immediately preceding the ban.

 

Can I assume that this will only fit the Sport model? I have a base model and the front bumper is different. The "grill" area itself is actually painted on mine and not just the flat black. If that is the case, does anyone have any suggestions on another solution for protecting my condenser?

 

I have never looked closely at the lower grill of a Base Fit, so I have no idea if they are different from a Sport. If this grill won't fit, then follow the two other threads that describe the attachment of various screen materials behind the grill (between the grill and the condenser, not in front of the grill).

 

Ok, thanks. I tried to find this information before but I guess I wasn't searching on the right words. I found it. Another post by you no less.

https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/fit-...iy-photos.html

I think I will try that blue mesh from JCW. They still don't seem to have the black in stock. But the blue will be fine with my Sensation Blue Fit.

I like the idea of these Bullet grills but I don't like the look myself. If they had a black one and it fit the base model I would be all over it.

I am so glad I joined this forum. I have already learned so much about my Fit I bought 4 days ago. I am a little hesitant to remove the bumper from my car but I am more hesitant to fork out $700 to repair a road hazard repair that could have been prevented with better design by Honda. I honestly think they did leave the condenser exposed intentionally so the dealers could make more money on repairs. How else could they engineer the hell out of this car to make it so functional and leave a glaring flaw like that open?

 

It must be embarrassing to be caught so blatantly setting up your customers for a needless costly repair. If I worked in the Honda design div. I would certainly be embarrassed. As you said, the rest of the car is pretty well put together, but the grill is unforgivable.

Also, look carefully on eBay. I saw another grill vendor offering mesh grills in colors including black. And again, I don't know that the overlay style billet grills will not fit on Base model Fits. I think it would be odd to design and make two different grills, one for Base and another for Sport. But equally odd that the grills provide absolutely no protection to the condenser.

 

lets spread some truth and erase the idiocy

it is GRILLE not grill

 

Here's my thoughts after installing this grille:

• Necessity: Although I drove my previous Fit (GD3) for 2.5+ years and never had a rock hit my condensor, I lost a windshield to a rock and my second windshield and upper hood (area not covered by Expel film) were pitted after that time. I think a rock damaging the condensor was very possible. One of my previous Civics did lose its condensor to rock damage and it was expensive to repair (>$600 as I remember). I think this mod is well-justified if you want to save yourself an expensive repair.
• Ease of installation: Thanks to Manxman's info and pics I got up the nerve to do this. Once I got into it I realized it wasn't too bad. I actually made it easier on myself by removing the upper grille cover (the plastic bridge) and a the upper grille itself containing the "H". My arms are skinny and I had no problem reaching in and threading the zip-ties through.
• Fit and Quality: This grille is extremely sturdy and solid and the zip-ties hold it firmly in place. It is easy to remove if you need to work on the car. Just cut the zip-ties and replace when you re-install it.
• Looks: I haven't made up my mind yet if I like the stock aluminum finish. It's not horrible, but it does stand out. I can always take it off again and paint it, but like others have said the paint would chip and need repainting frequently.

 

I installed my own grille this weekend but I went with the mesh inside the stock grille rather than the bullet. After seeing the pics of the bullet, I was certain I didn't like the looks. Besides, I have a base model and I am now almost certain it wouldn't fit anyway because the openings are different. But thanks to Manxman and his previous post about installing mesh, I didn't have any problems. I actually did the job without taking my bumper off which I was happy about. I didn't want to have to do that. I just took the top cover off and threaded zip ties through. I didn't even need to do extra drilling. While you can see the zips if you look hard for them, you don't notice them at all when standing right in front of the car looking down. I put them up high so they are concealed by the bumper. I got the mesh off ebay (also suggested by Manxman) for about $20 and it was all good from there. I did this mod for the protection and wasn't really concerned about making the car look better. But it does in fact look way better than the stock "grille" that is in there.

 

The grill looks like an honestly practical addition to the car. And at a good price. It is not as sexy as an air cleaner or intake manifold, but damn, it surely is practical.

 

The Grill4u model is for a "base" and will not fit a sport (without cutting), I sent mine back. The MrGrille is for a "Sport" and will fit either as the base's opening is wider than the sport's. Overall IMHO the MrGrille is a higher quality product. If you have a front plate the MrGrille is very easy to cut to allow for this.

 

This grille is very strong. I've decided I like the look of it as is. Not going to change a thing.

 

I just spotted an ABS plastic mesh that looks like it might be a decent match to the stock upper grill material. It's shown here: Mesh grille, Universal 33.75"x16" black ABS: Electrodyne, Quality Motoring Accessories
Anybody used this for a DIY grill on the lower area? I'm thinking I might give it a shot.

 

I seriously need to DIY a lower grille on my fit and then put lexan over the fog lamps, as I have broken 3 fogs in 10 months. The condensor/radiator is getting pummeled. So many ribs and fins are already bent to shit, and the car isn't even a year old.

That grille material looks nice, i used plastic Gutter guard on my old car and it looked pretty good, for 5 bux of plastic mesh and zip ties.

 

I bought the MrGrille full kit for the GD3 today in flat black coating. It comes with lower and upper matching black billet grilles. If you ask them they have the option of black coating it for FREE. I took some pics of my AC condenser and will upload them, along with my fogs(both cracked again). The car is 10 months old and there is so much road debris damage already I hope nothing is actually broken yet.

this is the one I ordered, but in black, goin on my silver fit. I want it to be a subtle hard to notice thing. I like mods where you don't really notice the fit and finish and detail unless you are really lookin for it. Cant WAIT!!!


Thanks for postin up so many of the comments about the MrGrille kit, made droppin 109bux on something I was gonna DIY a lil easier.

 

If it gets all chipped up I will do a texture black thicker powdercoat and have some other ods and ends for my different cars and bikes done at the same time. I could get rims, swingarm, grilles, rearsets, and stuff all done for like 200-250. When I have more $$ than just fixing shit thats gettin beat, and paying bills, My OEM rims will be gunmetal to match my accord and RR. I'm a powdercoat and wheel whore.

this is a 90% gloss black set of RangeR Rover Supercharged Sport factory set of 20's I had done for a customer.


The owner said the rim powdercoating I got done for him gets him more looks and comments on the rims than the $8500 dollar strut grille package gets. I have done a few of the sports. Now everyone wants it.


The strut package grille is ridiculously overpriced, but great fit and finish. the black chrome one looks so gangster


I powdercoat EVERYTHING black or Gunmetal, just looks more racey and hardcore, and you almost never have to clean them due to brake dust. I just prefer Clean Sleeper look on everything.

Posting the pics of the rover makes my fit $109 dollar grille makes me almost feel ghetto. I'm still excited for my new grille.

 

Amen brother amen

 

Hi Guys
I just received my black billet grille from Mr. grille todayIt's a real nice looking and well made product.I'm going to put It on tomorrow after work.And we will have another bad ass looking SSM Fit on the road YEA.Jimrb66