mudflaps, Audi has any?

[MSegal at STSSystems.com]

Hi Ben,

Just installed all 4 mudflaps on my new A4.  Yes, you are correct, the flaps
seal themselves to the paint.  I guess they do this to try to prevent any
dirt from getting between the flap and the paint, which would certainly
cause damage.  I think if you clean up first before you install, then unless
you're scraping them on the ground or somehow moving them back and forth
manually, they aren't going to move much, so they won't cause much damage.
They are pretty solid when installed.

Unless you're planning on removing them every Spring, any scratches they do
cause will be underneath the flap, so you won't see it.  If you're really
worried about it, you could get one of those clear plastic anti-chip sheilds
that you install on the lower rocker panels (similar to the clear sheet
headlight protectors people are using nowadays) and trim it to only protect
the area where the flaps make contact.

Of course, if you're going out and buying the anti-chip rockerpanel covers,
you might as well cover the whole length of the lower doors while you're at
it.  :)

Mitchell
2001.5 A4 1.8tqms
------------------

>Date: Fri, 14 Dec 2001 15:31:07 -0500 (EST)
>From: Benjamin Kwan <bkwan at lynx.dac.neu.edu>
>To: "Lee M. Levitt" <lee at wheelman.com>
>cc: quattro at audifans.com
>Subject: RE: mudflaps, Audi has any?
>
>I am looking for mudflaps for my 2001 A4 also but I've heard stories that
>the mudflap scrapes the paint.  I've noticed that Maxima's seem to seal
>the small gap between the body and mudflap.  How tightly does the factory
>mudflap adhere to the body?
>
>Ben