Hi all. I poked around but couldn't quite get any installation guides online and thought I would ask the experts.

As I work out little issues here and there, I'm looking to replace the upper and lower grills some time soon. I have my ear to the tracks on anyone selling the vane assembly for the upper grill since I don't want to trash my painted stock vanes and need the bracket for the insert (let me know if you want to let go of yours on the cheap). I have a question, though, about what it takes to install the lower grill.

It sounds like the lower grill really needs to be installed by removing the bumper cover. Is that the case? Is there any permanent change to the car after doing this? I think I read somewhere that you have to cut out the splitter. Also, for some reason, I don't have a splitter (there's a bracket that something could clip to, but no splitter is there!), is that required for the installation?

 

Dont know much about the lower grill, but I did my upper grill. I did not want to vandalise the existing one just in case I went wrong and broke it. Its all very well buying the cheap ones on ebay or even your own DIY kit.
I just went to my local Jag dealer. Jag made genuine mesh grills upper & lower. They cost more but its simple to fit, takes about 30mins. A few screws bit of fiddling with clips but thats it. you end up with a nice looking front end of your car. The bracket that you are looking for come in the kit. The old slat part comes out in one piece and you then do not need it as its all been replaced!
I figured that if I came to sell the car I could put it back on and sell the mesh as an extra ;-)

I got a great deal from the dealer mainly as they are clearing out the X Type "extras" as they have stopped making them + the newer models have a different grill than the older ones. It cost me £70 uk pounds yet the list price was £130 or so. The Ebay ones where £40 + post. Although I spent more money I thought it was the best way to do the job.

 

Mine came with the Jag mesh upper but I did the lower myself. I bought the Mina Gallery one and it was very easy, cut the spliter out and put the mina in using their hardware, took about and hour. Had to access the lower via the plastic cover on the bottom of the bumper. Not hard and looks great. All stainless.

 

You don't have to remove the bumper cover for the lower. The upper is real easy but unless you get the jag part, you will have to cut out the vertical vanes. For the lower. You should remove the plastic shield that attaches to the bottom of the bumper cover to get at the plastic piece where your horizontal "splitter" would clip.