marcvv

So I had my car maybe 2 weeks or so and took the car for a ride last night trying to get at least 1000 to 1500 miles or so in for engine break-in but the ride ended short when I smashed into a rabbit that darted out in front of the car. It hit the center grill and stripped the bottom part of it back so needs to be replaced.

Found the part on Suncoast but wondering if this is a job I should attempt myself or leave to the dealer? Seems like it is either really easy or really difficult.

Anyone ever tackle this before yourself? Also any instructions or tips on how to pop the new one in?

Here is the part: http://www.suncoastparts.com/product...3GRILLEFR.html

(sidenote the bunny was nowhere to be found. I'm hoping it bounced off and landed somewhere and was ok. I slammed the PCCB's as hard as possible to try and stop short of hitting the poor thing)

Thanks!

drewbam

Sorry to hear that. I hit a bunny with my GT3 the other day, too, but I apparently just grazed it with the corner of the splitter. All that was left was a streak of fur ;( Those things can dart out amazingly fast.

Mike in CA

Sorry to hear of your incident.

My car's not here at the moment, but I'm pretty sure that the grill is secured from behind the bumper and I suspect the bumper would have to come off to replace it. Regardless of how easy or difficult it is to remove and replace the bumper it does add more steps to the operation and probably takes grill replacement out of the "pop it in" category.

marcvv

I think you are right that the bumper would have to come off. Not something I want to do with airbag sensors in that area. Sounded like to big a job.

So the mesh was pushed far back in the center grill and I figured let me try to pull it back forward and try to just pop it into proper position. There were no tears in it so figured nothing to lose. I rigged a L hex wrench that I clamped into a vise grip as a pulling tool.

By simultaneously pushing down the plastic center bottom piece and gently pulling the mesh forward with the tool bit by bit from edge to center I was able to get it back into position and shape. It's about 99.8% perfect now. I was shocked this worked so well.

unclejosh

I hit a rabbit as well and caved in a grill and broke a strut of the support frame behind the grill. To replace the black plastic support frame, you need to remove the front bumper cover. There may be a DIY somewhere out there.

As mentioned, if you wish to try and fix grill without replacement of the frame or grill, you can carefully pull screen back by working it back and forth with a hook or needle nose pliers or zip tie: the screen edge or perimeter locates in the slot or margin. However, if the grill or frame are badly damaged, you need to remove the cover to properly replace those parts.

Mike in CA

Problem solved!

Jpacione

This happened to me the other day. Was fueling up the RS for hibernation and on the 2 mile drive home, a rabbit darted out. No sign of it, and caved in the grill. Pulled it mostly out with some twine, but the black coating on the grill started chipping off as a result. $700.00 rabbit encounter. Gotta love it! So far I've hit two birds - one KIA, one flew away, and now a rabbit. I'm apparently very good at hitting random animals with the RS. Hope they don't get any bigger.

bronson7

^^^ Be thankful it was just a rabbit and not something bigger like a deer.

Jpacione

That ran through my mind! I am thankful it did no real damage. I miss driving the RS already. Keep going into the garage to take a peek. It's been brutaly cold here in the Midwest for the last week or so.