I purchased a new grill insert from a local MB dealer for our 1991 300CE a few years back because a mild deer hit had broken it. The new grill insert was dark gray and high quality, as is any part I've ever purchased from a MB dealer. MB has rigid specifications for all parts that vendors manufacture for them ... the same specification as the original part ... so no reason for a replacement part to be inferior to the original.

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Fred Hoelzle