Jetta GLI sde skirt on A3 8P project: should I continue?

[dp_motley]

I was struggling to find side skirts I liked for a long time. I've got a base A3 and slowly modded it to look and feel better. On an exterior, I replaced the halogen headlights with the bi-xenons, the SE front bumper with the S-line one, fitted a RS3-look rear diffuser and a honeycomb grille and a S/S-line roof spoiler. Don't forget about the chrome wing mirror caps and window tints. But the sides needed something I couldn't figure out what.

I dislike Votex side skirts due to the stupid looking jack stand spots and the fact that they don't actually add too much to the look.

I like the S3 side skirts together with the S3 front and rear bumper, but without the bumpers they look out of place for me.

Osir or SRS-Tec? No, not sure.

I always liked the A4 B8 bade style side skirts / stone guards, but they aren't available for the A3 8P.

I also liked the MK6 Jetta GLI style side skirts. They aren't bulky and they don't change the car side profile at the front and rear fender. They add a little curved look to the rocker panel yet they don't stick into the eye. So I decided to try and fit a replica of the MK6 Jetta GLI side skirt to my A3.

I bought them on ebay (abs or PP, not fiberglass). They fitted good at the front but they were too long and I had to cut, file and bend them a little at the back in order to follow the curve of the A3 rocker panel. I didn't try to install them yet because I was unable to use the MK6 fitting points. I just used masking tape to fit them temporary and see how it would look.. and now I'm unsure. Do they look good on my car? I was going to paint/plastidip or wrap them in gloss black to match the rear diffuser and front grille before the final installation, but I have some doubts. If I drilled the holes and put some windshield glue on the rocker panel, it would be a kind of point of no-return and there wouldn't be an easy and cheap way back. What do you think? Do they look out of place? There are a few pictures taken from different angles below. Imagine if there was not any masking tape and the side skirt was gloss black.

 

[Daveyonthemove]

I like them, reminds me of the 8L S3.

 

[Gm95]

Not seen this done before, I quite like it!
I think it compliments the rear diffuser well, will do even more so after a plasti dip, like you mentioned.

 

[samuelh_888]

I think it works. Surprised they fit so well even for a mock up.

 

[dp_motley]

I think it works. Surprised they fit so well even for a mock up.

They were thin and flexible and I imagined they weren't hard to modify. I cut off approximately 10 cm and copied the sliding down part of the rear end. Easy job. It takes more time figuring out what to do than doing it. I bet making the second one would be really fast.

 

[Daveyonthemove]

I may shamelessly steal this idea in the future. Just giving you fair warning

 

[dp_motley]

I may shamelessly steal this idea in the future. Just giving you fair warning

I should patent the idea

 

[Daveyonthemove]

I should patent the idea

You should!
But you haven't ....

 

[Matt268uk]

I also think this works well, well done for trying

 

[ch1z64]

Looks sweet but the only think that looks out off place and is only my opinion is the RS3 diffuser just due to it being sliver if it blended in with the colour off the car it would be cool

 

[dp_motley]

Thanks everyone for your feedback! I'll continue the project.

@ch1z64 , I like the aluminium silver lip on the RS3 diffuser. It's not a single aluminium silver part on my car. It has a matching aluminium silver front splitter, a matte aluminium grille surround and silver RS3 alloys. It would fit less if it was just black IMHO.

 

[ch1z64]

Thanks everyone for your feedback! I'll continue the project.

@ch1z64 , I like the aluminium silver lip on the RS3 diffuser. It's not a single aluminium silver part on my car. It has a matching aluminium silver front splitter, a matte aluminium grille surround and silver RS3 alloys. It would fit less if it was just black IMHO.

A right never noticed that , but do you not think the black honeycombed grille kinda sticks out off place against the sliver trim and the front grey splitter ( looks grey in first pic.) But still nice to see your trying different things

 

[downtothebone]

Personally I think the RS3 style grille in general doesn’t fit with fog surrounds that aren’t honeycomb - it’s a mismatch of styles on the front end. I like the grille but only if it all blends in.

 

[dp_motley]

A right never noticed that , but do you not think the black honeycombed grille kinda sticks out off place against the sliver trim and the front grey splitter ( looks grey in first pic.) But still nice to see your trying different things

There are matte aluminium grille surround and the same matte aluminium front splitter and rear diffuser lip. Everything is color matched. The color is the one used for RS cars, aluminium silver, code L1h7.

 

[downtothebone]

There are matte aluminium grille surround and the same matte aluminium front splitter and rear diffuser lip. Everything is color matched. The color is the one used for RS cars, aluminium silver, code L1h7.

Would you paint the side skirts in the same colour or is that too much?

 

[ch1z64]

There are matte aluminium grille surround and the same matte aluminium front splitter and rear diffuser lip. Everything is color matched. The color is the one used for RS cars, aluminium silver, code L1h7.

Check out gumtree under S3 in the search a few S3 side skirts and a full back bumper if your still wanting it to change it , and i sure there is bumpers there too just incase you haven't looked there

 

[dp_motley]

Would you paint the side skirts in the same colour or is that too much?

I considered this option. It would be too much aluminium. I will paint gloss black to match the rear diffuser and all the gloss black front grills. It's likely that I add an aluminium stripe on top surface of the side blade but I undecided on it yet. Let me install it first, there is some work left.

 

[dp_motley]

Check out gumtree under S3 in the search a few S3 side skirts and a full back bumper if your still wanting it to change it , and i sure there is bumpers there too just incase you haven't looked there

Thanks. I'm not in the UK. And I don't want to replace my bumpers. Actually, I fitted the s-line front bumper just one year ago.

 

[ayfreetee]

Get some good quality body tape to attach them, after all it’s what manufacturers use to fix body kits, plus it can be removed with a heat gun or hair dryer, they look really good, well done buddy.