# Mud flaps.are they worth it ?



## silverback (Jun 18, 2008)

looking at getting the best protection i can on my new purchase,and i have never had a car with mud flaps on,do they give protection from stone chips etc ?? what are the positives and negatives of mud flaps ?? 

thanks in advance.


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## Ninja59 (Feb 17, 2009)

mostly pointless in my experience


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## 182_Blue (Oct 25, 2005)

On a forum i frequent a scirocco owner had them put on his new car, less than a year later he took them off and they had made marks where they had been (rubbing) and it required the area to be resprayed !!, i guess a way round this is to have helicopter type tape put under them but its not something i would want.


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## silverback (Jun 18, 2008)

Shaun said:


> On a forum i frequent a scirocco owner had them put on his new car, less than a year later he took them off and they had made marks where they had been (rubbing) and it required the area to be resprayed !!, i guess a way round this is to have helicopter type tape put under them but its not something i would want.


close the thread now :lol:


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## Derbyshire-stig (Dec 22, 2010)

I run them on the scoob, not the big chav ones, some nice mini ones, Ive not had as much crap up the front doors since fitting them so they are working in my eyes, even if it only stops a few stone chips and the muck it makes them worth while imo.


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## Ninja59 (Feb 17, 2009)

Derbyshire-stig said:


> I run them on the scoob, not the big chav ones, some nice mini ones, Ive not had as much crap up the front doors since fitting them so they are working in my eyes, even if it only stops a few stone chips and the muck it makes them worth while imo.


i found this to a degree but it just moves the problem and the dirt sat behind them was unbelievable


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## meraredgti (Mar 13, 2011)

ive recently put some on my almera GTi, has reduced the tar spots and muck on the lower doors and side skirts immensely.


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## cotter (Aug 31, 2008)

The Mondeo didn't have them fitted when I bought it at three years old, and both sills were peppered down to primer where the stones had worn the paint. I fitted a full set, fronts had a plastic film to fit to the wings to protect the paint. 

Yes, it's a bit more to clean, but certainly worth it, I'd always fit them.


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## steveo3002 (Jan 30, 2006)

helps alot i find , both general filth and stone chipping

i would suggest you take them off often and clean behind them


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## The Cueball (Feb 8, 2007)

As much use as grit guards (imo)

And they look s**t as well...

:thumb:


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## RandomlySet (Jul 10, 2007)

instead of mud flaps, what about having the sills and rear bumper (lower part) wrapped with that clear film stuff?


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## Alex_225 (Feb 7, 2008)

It depends on the car as to how beneficial they are likely to be. 

For example, when I was buying my Megane 225 owners of older models were complaining of stone chips on the door sills. I'm guessing it was due to the wider wheels of the RS model sitting slightly proud at the bottom of the arches and throwing stones up. 

I bought a set of mud flaps for my Megane as they cover the tread of the tyres enough to stop the stone chips. 

Where as on my Twingo, the wheels are well tucked into extended RS arches so it's not really a problem.


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## Tricky Red (Mar 3, 2007)

-Mat- said:


> instead of mud flaps, what about having the sills and rear bumper (lower part) wrapped with that clear film stuff?


So many cars have stonechip texture on the sills, I don't think it would adhere well enough.


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## RandomlySet (Jul 10, 2007)

Tricky Red said:


> So many cars have stonechip texture on the sills, I don't think it would adhere well enough.


True....... Mine had the texture until I had them smoothed (and the lower half of the rear bumper )


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## R7KY D (Feb 16, 2010)

Another type of "flap" that serves no real purpose either 

Anyway's back on topic , Why not use a stone protection film on the front/rear


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## hotwaxxx (Jul 12, 2007)

My Scooby came with them on and they are brilliant as they keep the muck off the lower wings and sills. 

Its remarkable how much muck it does collect. I normally have to remove them every three months to clean behind and remove the tar spots from them. 

I wasn't a fan to begin with but they are absolutely essential IMO.


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## Ninja59 (Feb 17, 2009)

R7KY D said:


> Another type of "flap" that serves no real purpose either
> 
> Anyway's back on topic , Why not use a stone protection film on the front/rear


did you really have to say "flap" :lol: some of us are trying to eat without spewing sausage roll at the screen! :lol:


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## silverback (Jun 18, 2008)

-Mat- said:


> instead of mud flaps, what about having the sills and rear bumper (lower part) wrapped with that clear film stuff?


what clear film stuff mate ???


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## Grizzle (Jul 12, 2006)

BMW ones are about £60, worth it for the stone chips, i've had mudflaps on all my vehicles, Just ordered ones for the Skoda apparently Skoda says the rears dont fit...but they do lol job for the weekend i think.


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## GolfFanBoy (May 23, 2010)

The Cueball said:


> As much use as grit guards (imo)
> 
> And they look s**t as well...
> 
> :thumb:


My thought also, never had them on any new motors I've bought.


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## apmaman (Jun 8, 2010)

Fitted some OEM ones to my car, keep the dirt down significantly and helps reduce my rain splatter to cars following my in the rain.


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## millns84 (Jul 5, 2009)

They've proven useful on the Cougar as the sill/door shape means a load of stones get thrown up against the door - I've got chips half way down the driver's door from a stone being thrown up before the mudflaps were fitted!

Also, they look good IMO :thumb:


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## zaphod (May 7, 2007)

On some Saabs, they are fitted to prevent damage to the rear suspension and other components, in front of the rear wheels, as below. Our 96 has them, too, as well as a set to the rear.


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## VIPER (May 30, 2007)

Totally car dependent in terms of pure aesthetics I think. Generally I find the newer the car the less 'right' they look, but there are exceptions of course. On older classic and retro cars, they often look great and with the cars generally having softer paint (if it's original) then they'll usually be worth it.

I'm having a new set of 4 on the XR2 as part of my project (plain black and as subtle as possible), but with it being an '80s car they don't look out of place.

Usually polarises opinion this and people fall into one of two camps: those who are wrong and those who agree with me


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## Danno1975 (Mar 30, 2009)

The Cueball said:


> As much use as grit guards (imo)
> 
> And they look s**t as well...
> 
> :thumb:


Yep mud flaps are all fail.

Stops some mud and chips but looks cack all the time. Aside from scoobies. maybe.


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## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

Function over aesthetics, they do prevent stone chips and generally keep the lower half of the car cleaner.


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## hotwaxxx (Jul 12, 2007)

Here's my Scooby with red flaps...

http://www.imagebam.com/image/7731f677812779


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## scotty_boy (May 1, 2010)

i am a converter never liked them on any cars then moved to rural scotland with lots of rough roads and when i bought my black vectra it had them on and straight away took them off.... now two years on the bottom half of my car looks grey and is very rough keep them on but depends on the roads


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## Mini 360 (Jul 17, 2009)

Useless, sometimes expensive and look sh!te. A definite no from me!


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## silverback (Jun 18, 2008)

Mini 360 said:


> Useless, sometimes expensive and look sh!te. A definite no from me!


Now tell us what you really think lol.


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## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

Looks wise it's a no but functionally they save a lot of crap being slung up the sides.


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## PugIain (Jun 28, 2006)

I like them so there.


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## OvlovMike (Jul 19, 2011)

I found they helped no end with my old Golf, but as Shaun pointed out you need to put film in behind them otherwise you end up with paint rubbing because of the grit that they can catch.


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## 335dAND110XS (Dec 17, 2010)

These beauties help keep the Landy clean (which is actually a bit wrong) - they also double as small rubber foot mats, sledges and stable floor liners.


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