I know, I know... I'm not normally into aesthetic modification type crap either but I bought a '17 Tacoma TRD Off-Road in October. I like it fine. I just can't stand looking at the cheap E36 M3 chrome grill. It has bothered me.
So... while this isn't a supercharger install thread - it is me being my usual cheap berkeley self. Toyota will sell you a "Pro" grill for $450 but not only is it not really an improvement in the looks department - it's $450 dollars. For an ugly plastic bro-tastic piece of plastic. berkeley that.
So... a little light disassembly, some powdercoated aluminum mesh from the mesh store, a factory emblem for a land cruiser off eBay, some nibbling and fitting... and a bit of Amazing Goop to hold it onto the factory bezel and... under $100 later... viola. My wife does not think it's an improvement. She is wrong. And yes, my truck is filthy. It's winter and it's going to rain in about 20 minutes. So, no washy either.
Gotta be said: Your wife is wrong.
Night and day, the new grill looks 100 times better.
The mesh store? is that an online resource? 'Cause that looks great! That factory piece was hideous.
I have always approved this look since the first time I saw it several years ago.
I don't know why Toyota hasn't made it a dealer installed option yet.
ultraclyde wrote:
The mesh store? is that an online resource? 'Cause that looks great! That factory piece was hideous.
Mesh store:
perforated mesh sheets from customcargrills.com
Emblem on eBay
Readjusted actual price including zip ties, and Amazing Goop is close to $100.
Looks much cleaner---- well done!
How do you like the roof rails?
SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote:
I have always approved this look since the first time I saw it several years ago.
I don't know why Toyota hasn't made it a dealer installed option yet.
This is the $450 factory option. It's not as hideous as mine was... but still bordering on heinous. And, well, too bro-tastic. And expensive.
Woody wrote:
How do you like the roof rails?
I have only used them for a Thule ski rack so far but they work as advertised and are easy enough to deploy and put back away again. Empty they are quiet - with ski rack on... super noisy.
Definitely looks better now, and it's more tasteful than the $450 grille.
AClockworkGarage wrote:
Gotta be said: Your wife is wrong.
Your wife is always right. Even when she is wrong. 
I approve. I always find it funny the manufacturers make the hideous grills (with more material) the factory option, but you have to spend extra to get less materials so it will look better! It literally is addition by subtraction!
Wife is wrong. Since wives are rarely, if ever wrong , I would be sure to show her this thread and rub her nose in it.
Tell us later how that goes.
With pictures.
What is it with current truck stylists anyway? Every new truck has a grille that looks like a 1950s juke box.
That's remarkably better than stock!
Way better, the stock chromed out grill on the current gen Taco almost ruins the look for me.
I think that is a huge improvement. I'm not really a fan of the way they raised the hood of the new Tacoma to accommodate that larger grill (more macho/bro-tastic?). I drove my friend's for a week and I had the hardest time figuring out where the front ended. It may have something to do with the awful seating arrangement too, where you're sitting on the floor.
kilgoretrout wrote:
I think that is a huge improvement. I'm not really a fan of the way they raised the hood of the new Tacoma to accommodate that larger grill (more macho/bro-tastic?). I drove my friend's for a week and I had the hardest time figuring out where the front ended. It may have something to do with the awful seating arrangement too, where you're sitting on the floor.
Did it have a fake hood scoop? I hated that when test driving - hence mine has no fake scoop.
All Tacomas have the low seats on the floor. I kinda like it vs my Silverado where I felt like I was sitting up on a couch.
Huckleberry wrote:
kilgoretrout wrote:
I think that is a huge improvement. I'm not really a fan of the way they raised the hood of the new Tacoma to accommodate that larger grill (more macho/bro-tastic?). I drove my friend's for a week and I had the hardest time figuring out where the front ended. It may have something to do with the awful seating arrangement too, where you're sitting on the floor.
Did it have a fake hood scoop? I hated that when test driving - hence mine has no fake scoop.
All Tacomas have the low seats on the floor. I kinda like it vs my Silverado where I felt like I was sitting up on a couch.
Yeah, his was the Sport. I hated the low seats and there's no way to adjust it. It is definitely a preference thing though - I like to sit higher in an SUV/Truck, for some reason.
Is it lighter? We need a weight and before and after quarter mile times to compare
I'd say in the looks department you added about 10hp based on my newly found Honda math.
