The Definitive B8.5 (2013) S4 Grille Replacement Thread

[stydie]

Hey all -

So I was at the tuning shop having my AWE stuff installed today and some of the guys were like "dang, that grill looks like garbage!". I had to agree. The stock S4 grille (the one I have at least) with the cheesy chrome plating on the horizontal cross bars just looks like crap. Glad we're all in agreement on that!

Anyway, I'm exploring options and it looks like a 2013 RS4 grille (the honeycomb / mesh one) is the best option. I've seen some group buys for ones made in the Far East but I'm hesitant to do that because of:

1) Fit
2) I live in a front plate state

So the RS4 grilles (available only in silver for now and on a 3-week lead time) are $850. Plus shipping. I'm tempted to just pull the trigger on this even though it's a ludicrous amount of money to pay for a piece of plastic.

I wanted to start this thread to give people a place to offer suggestions for grille upgrades / direct me (us) to group guys for RS4 grilles... or just complain about how dull the S4 grille looks. Loving the idea of more positive ideas / suggestions than bitching, but that's up to you guys.

In the mean time, does ANYONE have ANY idea where I can get an upgraded grille for less than $850?

thanks,
Chris

[Halmn007]

Check ebay for the grille. If you're lucky, you'll find a good cheap one. Maybe someone in the forum will find one for you.

As for the front license plate, may I recommend a skid plate?

[13S4]

I'm in the same boat.. I really want a facelift RS4 grill but haven't seen pictures of one installed yet. Someone with a B8.5 S5 bought a black one which looked good, but the honeycomb in the fog lights is a different shade of black, and has a different pattern. I'm curious what the silver honey comb would look like.

[13S4]

Check ebay for the grille. If you're lucky, you'll find a good cheap one. Maybe someone in the forum will find one for you.

As for the front license plate, may I recommend a skid plate?

That looks terrible.

[theedge111]

That looks terrible.

+1 I never understood the side plate thing.

If you are going to or need to put a plate on the front then why not just in the middle where it belongs.

The side thing always looks so wrong and out of place every time I see it.

[Velociraptor]

+1 I never understood the side plate thing.

If you are going to or need to put a plate on the front then why not just in the middle where it belongs.

The side thing always looks so wrong and out of place every time I see it.

The joys of living in Alberta, we don't have to even worry about that stuff. Front plates in general just ruin the design of most if not all cars.

[Hsiang]

i like the side plate.. but without the plate holder in the middle...

[Info@EuroCode]

In the mean time, does ANYONE have ANY idea where I can get an upgraded grille for less than $850?

The $850.00 price is a little deceptive. In addition to the grill, you will need the foam support and the trim piece that covers the foam support. You can purchase a front license plate holder (OEM) that will allow you to run the plate as it is intended in the center of the grill.

Until there are aftermarket alternatives, the OEM grill is the only option.

[well_armed]

Is that foam support made of gold?

[dparm]

I live in a front plate state. Never run a plate, never been ticketed for it. But then again, none of my cars has shouted "pull me over" with loud exhausts, ridiculous suspension drops, illegal tints, and speeding/reckless driving.

Worst thing that happens, you get a $30 fix-it ticket.....and still leave the plate off.

[DannyDeez]

Hey all -

So I was at the tuning shop having my AWE stuff installed today and some of the guys were like "dang, that grill looks like garbage!". I had to agree. The stock S4 grille (the one I have at least) with the cheesy chrome plating on the horizontal cross bars just looks like crap. Glad we're all in agreement on that!


I'm tempted to just pull the trigger on this even though it's a ludicrous amount of money to pay for a piece of plastic.

thanks,
Chris

The stock B8.5 grille looks horrible on both S4/S5 platforms. Spend the money and get the grille. It changes the look of the car completely. See the link in my sig for comparison pics. You won't be disappointed. And you don't need the form support either so save the $160 that it costs and put it towards the no front plate tickets ;)


Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 2

[Hsiang]

I would get the front grill for $850 if it's a direct replacement, trimming the piece and all the hassle is just BS...

[CreoSTi]

But then again, none of my cars has shouted "pull me over" with loud exhausts, ridiculous suspension drops, illegal tints, and speeding/reckless driving.

Unfortunately, that doesn't work in CA as you can receive a "no front plate" ticket even if your car is parked. My mother even received a ticket for the infraction when her S550 was parked on a street in front of the restaurant my parents were eating at, but the irony is that her car had a front plate on at the time. Such is the life in a state strapped for $$$...

[stydie]

The $850.00 price is a little deceptive. In addition to the grill, you will need the foam support and the trim piece that covers the foam support. You can purchase a front license plate holder (OEM) that will allow you to run the plate as it is intended in the center of the grill.

Until there are aftermarket alternatives, the OEM grill is the only option.

Sooooooo instead of $850 for one piece of plastic, I'm paying $850 for a piece of plastic, a piece of foam and a piece of trim to cover the foam? :) Then I need to buy a license plate holder on top of that?

I'm leaning towards just grabbing one of those aftermarket cheapo ones from ebay or a group buy and taking my chances with the Seattle Police Department on the front license plate issue.

[Info@EuroCode]

Sooooooo instead of $850 for one piece of plastic, I'm paying $850 for a piece of plastic, a piece of foam and a piece of trim to cover the foam? :) Then I need to buy a license plate holder on top of that?

I'm leaning towards just grabbing one of those aftermarket cheapo ones from ebay or a group buy and taking my chances with the Seattle Police Department on the front license plate issue.

No, you are paying $850.00 for a high quality OEM grill, $160.00 for the the 2.5MPH crash foam support and $59.00 for the plastic trim piece that is under the grill in between the grill and the foam. The OEM license plate bracket is an additional $200.00

[ultra]

the o.e.m piece sure does look good though

[Info@EuroCode]

the o.e.m piece sure does look good though

On the

[ultra]

you better park that car somewhere safe cuz I'm gettin me a new grille soon

[[email protected]]

We will have more definitive answers on fitment on the RS4 grille soon. I have a tester getting the first RS4 B8.5 (2013+) grille today and sounds like it will be test fit in a few days.

The RS5 B8.5 grille that is being pictured does not fit the A4, S4 models from what I have seen.

Pricing on grilles in the US is not all that great. Once the RS4 grille is tested I will be hosting a large group purchase out of Europe where pricing is far more favorable. So stay tuned and hopefully after the weekend there will be photos and a description on the fitment of the RS4 B8.5 grille.

One thing to note, B8 and B8.5 (2013+) grilles are not compatible. I notice some confusion about this, the eBay RS4 B8 grille is all over the place and it will not fit a B8.5 (2013+) model.

Cheers,

[queue]

I live in a front plate state. Never run a plate, never been ticketed for it. But then again, none of my cars has shouted "pull me over" with loud exhausts, ridiculous suspension drops, illegal tints, and speeding/reckless driving.

Worst thing that happens, you get a $30 fix-it ticket.....and still leave the plate off.

In Seattle you get an $80 ticket which can even be given while parked -ask me how I know...

[bkkchris]

I think the RS grill looks pretty great. Not sure I can justify the price tag at the moment, but as soon as someone does this first and I see pictures... might be changing my mind!

[stydie]

In Seattle you get an $80 ticket which can even be given while parked -ask me how I know...

We can also get $150 tickets for jaywalking here. Hooray Pacific Northwest!

I'm probably going to put the $200 savings on the license plate holder towards the inevitable tickets. Come 'n' get me, coppers!

Alex @ europrice - please let me know ASAP when you do the group buy - shoot I'll probably get two :)

[Borti]

I am down for a group buy as well.

[Hsiang]

Waiting for the pix

[[email protected]]

Will let folks know how the first test fitment goes.

Cheers,

[FrankO]

Waiting for the pix

+1

[beckmaster]

I have to be honest, the rs4/rs5 honeycomb grill with no plate looks like it is missing something. With a plate it looks fantastic. Plus the OEM 8.5 s4/s5 grill has room for perfect placement of laser scrambler diods (if that is the correct term.) I have seen a few pics of a black 8.5 s5 grill and it looks terrific. I think the owner plastidipped it. I'll see if I can find the link and edit here.

[cobraKaiDojo]

bump, any answers europrice?

[adamkb26]

The B8.5 RS4 grill is too tall for the S4

[DannyDeez]

bump, any answers europrice?

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=509026

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[Kay87]

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...nstalled/page4

Look for ENV² 's post. I'm not sure if it works for b8.5 rs4 grille, but I hope it will work for you.

[stydie]

Thanks Kay87 - those are B8 grilles... no fitty on the B8.5.

I'm about to just pull the trigger on a silver B8.5 RS4 OEM grille from Alex at Tag Motorsports in Socal... it's going to be well over $1000 for the grille and plate holder but I hate the stock grille so much it's worth it for me :). I'm praying the other B8.5 grille thread is wrong about the RS4 grille being too tall...

[TehDolphin3.2]

Hopefully some good news on the way for the facelift. I emailed Lltek.com who I saw made a RS style grill for the Q5 crowd and received this response:

Thank you for your email. We are working on this grill and it will be available soon for the A4/S4. Yes we are aware that the RS4 grill will not fit the A4/S4 bumper, and our grill will be specific for the A4/S4. More than likely, it will be available within the next 2 months. Shortly we will post it to our site and begin taking pre-orders for the first delivery.
Steve

So it looks like at least something is in the works.

[S4morris]

Subscribed, it would change the whole look of the car I'll do it if the price isn't ridiculous.

[s4mike]

I went with the oem plus black optic grill for my b8.5
http://www.oemplus.com/grill-s4-facelift-p-2988.html
Hope to have it early next month (currently being imported)

Looks like the oem rs4 b8.5 will require modification or full rs4 bumper. Good luck guys.

[Alex@TAG]

The B8.5 RS4 grill is too tall for the S4

This.

We had a 2013 RS4 grill in and attempted to install on our 2013 S4. It will not work. Not even with modifying.

[phillips2024]

I hope OSIR makes a refresh grill. That will make it a lot easier for me to consider a new s4 :-p

[tke770]

On the

I want THIS!

[407guy]

I agree with tke770. I'd love to have that on our B8.5 S4.

[thedollardoctor]

Subscribed, it would change the whole look of the car I'll do it if the price isn't ridiculous.

I'll likely do it even if it IS! :-)