eBay grille or diy?

anyone bought a grille like this off eBay?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/181813001447

Or better to do the diy mesh grill insert, cutting, etc.?

 

I went the DIY route from custom car grill. I really like the size of the holes on that mesh for mounting lights behind, but don't like the black grill surround. With your black truck it may look good/ok depending on the way it matches the color of your truck. For me with a silver truck, that Wasa total no go.

 

Do you plan on color matching? I built my own for about $115+/- with Custom Car Grills pre-bent mesh, an aftermarket old-school "TOYOTA" emblem, 2 tubes of auto Goop, a rotary tool and a few nights in my shop.

 

I started out diy and all was going well until I tie wrapped the grill to to the now painted grill surround. The tie wraps and the rubber clamps screwed up the fresh paint. I had let it dry for 2 days but clearly not enough.

If I had it to do again I'd prep the chrome piece as much as you can first. Then insert and lock down the mesh. Then tape and paint.

So, I ended up throwing it in the trash and buying a preprinted and preassembled from BPF....looks great. I did use my own letters I had already done.

 

I have a silver truck and was thinking of going with a black under coating on the surround because on the inside where your cool mesh is, mine is chrome... thats how it was when I got it but its just too much silver/chrome, do you think the black would be ok to offset everything or would it look out of place?

 

I'd have to see a pic. I'm doing retrofits too and waiting on damn HALO's to get here

 

Can you post a pic? I'm not understanding your description. The only chrome on my stock grille was the Toyota emblem.

 

yah, its some kind of aftermarket thing... I'll see if the rain will let me get a pic.

 

So, your mesh is chrome??

 

Here ya go

 

I wanted to go with the black undercoating for the front bumper and maybe the grill surround as well, what to ya think?

 

Gotcha. That's a billet slat style. Not my taste personally, plus the lights won't shine through it like I wanted.
Personally I wouldn't paint your surround black. When I see that on a taco I see it as a base level work truck. All the other levels had a chrome or color matching surround. If you feel what you have is to much chrome/silver I would remove the billet slats. Depending on how they are attached you could re sell them.

 

I have to do something about the bumper cuz it's scuffed up a little on the passenger side and the shop quoted me $650 to paint it and put it back to stock and I do have a black steel plate bumper on the rear so I thought the front should be black, what about the grill tho? maybe I should go with a whole new one, something cool like what you guys have?

 

Yeh, if you don't like the slats see how easy it would be to remove them. You may not be able to salvage the inards and you may have to start over. Or buy a new one. I do think the color matched surround looks sharp.

 

I would do it yourself, there are several threads on how to do it and it really is not that hard. Just be patient and make sure everything has time to dry and you should be fine. it was one of my first mods along with the BHM.

 

$650 to paint the bumper seems crazy. If you have a rear plate bumper a front would match nicely. I'd still remove the slats though personally. I bought my mesh for $50-60 From customcargrills.com. I forget what the Toyota emblem cost. I have about 2 hours into the mesh grill.

My truck is on the left. Sorry foam a kinda far away pic, it's all I have on my phone currently.

Here's a better pic of the grill.

 

Right now my grille is plasti dipped and it looks pretty close. I'd probably buy another grille, plasti dip and do the mod. I was looking at the Custom Car grills. Where did you get the Toyota emblem?

 

Those letters look sweet. Where is BPF?

 

Some 4Runner website up North. I can't remember. I think it's mentioned in my New Member" post. It was around $35 shipped. Somebody on here sells repros for around $75, iirc.

 

Ok thanks for the input. I like the mesh grill with lights behind it. May just stick with the Toyota emblem, but it looks good on your truck.