Wheel Arch Protection against Stone Chips ??

OCDaveS4

OCDaveS4

Well-Known Member
Silver Supporter
Joined
Mar 25, 2019
Messages
376
Reaction score
543
Points
93
Location
Essex
Hi there,

So I've had my Navarra Blue 66 plate S3 for a couple of weeks and already picked up a few stone chips on the (surprisingly thin) edges of rear wheel arches. Got some touch-up paint off Ebay after a recommendation on here!

Has anyone come across any "push-on" rubber protectors for these, or tried applying a protective film, or done anything else to help prevent chips? I live in rural Essex so always hurtling around the country lanes which can be quite gritty etc.

Any ideas gratefully receved

David
 
I too have been wondering about this I have 66 plate car with 30k miles . I washed it yesterday properly and it is absolutely peppered the paint seems to be really soft .
 
I got mudflaps on mine to protect the side skirts and rear bumper. Found a few after less than 1000 miles.
Seems to have worked as I haven’t picked up any more along the side skirt and rear bumper after fitting them just the bonnet and front bumper that seems to take it.
I seen a few s3 with a plastic plate around the arches about the size of a packet of fags so wondered if they made any difference. Can’t see how they are attached though.
 
Thanks - interesting - what mudflaps did you go for? - I've seen other posts on here about them, with, shall we say, mixed opinions !
 
David Stokes said:
Thanks - interesting - what mudflaps did you go for? - I've seen other posts on here about them, with, shall we say, mixed opinions !
Click to expand...
Just Audi ones. Think they’re around £120 for full set. Can’t remember exactly but it was supplied by Crewe Audi on here.
 
I fitted Audi front and rear mudflaps a few months back. Quite discreet, and seem to do a good job. They are regularly offered on eBay, often by Audi main dealers, at very discounted prices. I got front and rears (from two different sellers) for a total of just under £50 including carriage.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AlS3BE
I’ve noticed some wheel arch edge linings on some of the Q5 / SQ5 so might see if they can be adapted.....,,
 
Further to the previous contributors experience I have just fitted the genuine Audi mudflaps to my S3 Saloon and thy are quite discreet and fit superbly well to all the contours and shapes particularly so at the front flap to sill .
Again like the comment above I got mine off eBay from main dealer but at much better than retail figure from my local dealer.
I saw the comments by @OCDaveS3 about protective edge strips but these tend to be very obvious, less so dependent on the colour of your car, I would think the best option is a "clear" vinyl wrap. They apparently do ones now that have a self healing property. I think they are warmed and the mark in the surface sort of disappears. Perhaps your local wrap specialists could help with some advice.
I would certainly recommend as a first step the addition of mudflaps, genuine of course to get the best fit.
 
  • Like
Reactions: OCDaveS4
I have a '14 plate pfl S3 and the original owner had Xpel PPF ( paint protection film ) fitted to the car from when they first had it. I had been sceptical for years on ppf, but now I have it I would highly recommend getting it fitted to any new car. My car has zero stones chips on it !

It is fitted on the bonnet and on the areas such as side wings where stones would hit and there are no marks whatsoever on the whole of the car.
 
  • Like
Reactions: OCDaveS4
I have the small Audi mudflaps on my A3 Sport. They don't look as if thye would be of much use but in 7K miles I've picked up no stone chips on the back of the car. In 4.5K miles of towing I've also picked up no stone chips on the front of the caravan, so they must be of some use. They do look very good.
The film mentioned by some was factory fitted to the rear wheel arches and rear edge of back doors on my Skoda Yeti. Skoda had bad problems with warranty claims for stone chips going rusty on new vehicles in this area. The vinyl they subsequently fitted was discreet and did the job. No stone chips.

Colin
 
Doesn't seem to be a problem on my car, but I'd be very wary about using any sort of 'clip-on' covers around the wheel arches. Such items will almost certainly retain water behind them and probably accelerate corrosion. The stick on film would appear to be the best option.
JS
 
Your best bet is some PPF film pal. I have to cringe at drilling holes for mudflats as they will always corrode at the screw holes eventually. Rubber is an equally bad idea as dirt and salt gets trapped.
 
OEM mudflaps do not require any drilling into metal. At the front they use existing screws which attach wheel arch liner. Same at the back, plus one screw underneath into underside of plastic bumper.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 123Quattro
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Gav93_S3
stone chips!!
Replies
17
Views
7K
Ignition1
I
Andrew_Bu
Stone chips
Replies
4
Views
1K
WeeDram
WeeDram
J
Facelift Alloy Stone chips
Replies
2
Views
616
AlS3BE
AlS3BE
J
First stone chips !
Replies
8
Views
2K
markwiggy
markwiggy
sukrw
Stone Chips: ReSpray, Wrap or Full Wrap?
Replies
37
Views
8K
sukrw
sukrw
Top
Back