How to Choose a New Grill for Your Car

If you have now decided that a new grill for your car is what you want you have some choices to make.

• First is one of price. Leading manufactures like Grillcraft, TRYP, Precision Billet Grills, E&G Classic Grille, and T-Rex Billet Grille are just some of the companies you can check out. You can also find small boutique companies that specialize in grills for just one or two high end cars. The prices can vary from less than $100 to over a $1,000. You can also find non branded grills. The price is usually much lower, and the quality may be questionable. There is even a web site that advertises how you can make your own grill for less than $10.00.
• What is the grill made out of, is the next question you should ask. Many new cars have grills made out of molded plastic which may resemble chrome or just be painted the color of the rest of the car. Most after market grills are made with stronger materials. It could be stainless steel which never rusts, or a base material covered in chrome, or other materials painted to match or contrast with the car body color. Aircraft grade aluminum is a favorite material for companies who stress the toughness of their replacement grills.
• Style is another choice you have. Many grills use a close mesh like material, usually of steel. This is then typically coated with other materials like a zinc plating to prevent rust. Over the plating powder coating, typically black or silver to look like aluminum is applied. Another style is a stainless steel mesh. This never rusts and gives the vehicle a unique and high quality look.
• A very popular style is called Billet grills. There is some confusion of this particular term. If you checked with a dictionary you may find it defined as a "bar of metal". No mention of what type of metal. For cars and trucks billet grills have strips of usually aluminum which are typically highly polished. From a distance they may look like chrome finish. Billet grills are very commonly found as replacement grills on SUVs and trucks. They tend also to be towards the high side of prices.
• You should also consider the installation difficulty of the particular grill you are considering. Some grills are manufactured to an exact fit for your vehicle. They have a frame that helps align the grill. They come with complete instructions including pictures to help you. Others are little more than ragged pieces of material, that are cut oversize and it is up to you to trim them to the final size.
•   Modifications to your vehicle may be necessary. They can include cutting, drilling holes, removing emblems, disassembling bumpers and the like. It is very important to find out in advance what is required for a particular brand before you make a purchase. The better web sites have downloaded instructions or links to the manufacturer's site, where these documents are available. A little research in advance can save you hours of aggravation.
•   We of course recommend Grillcraft grills, because we believe in the company and their grills.