Mudflaps on ZRE hatchback

[Speed_Chaser]

I've got black plastic mudflaps laying in my garage. I had them on but then decided to remove... However I haven't noticed any difference.

Now I'm planning to colour code them and install back. They will probably add some looks and make my car stand out. But has anyone noticed if the car stays cleaner with mudflaps installed?

I am not really excited about installing them, but if they do really provide some advantages, I will have real and good reason to install them back. The car looks fine both, with and without them, so I want to be practical on this and do it only if it really helps.

Best regards, Alex

[juvenile]

Hey Alex, I took mine off the day i bought the car,never liked them... Because i have side skirts they only come with the rear ones, if i remember correctly you dont have skirts do you?

If not, the front will help alot with stone chips. Rear bumper has short sides so they dont do much except reduce spray in the rain and less dust on rear window... Your car would mainly get dirty driving in City traffic in winter (snow) .. But because you seem like you wash your car regularly you dont need them unless you just want a different look with colour coding..

[Speed_Chaser]

Thanks for your response John!

You're right, I don't have side skirts so I can have all four if I want to...

That's what I was thinking too, the sides get dirty very fast when the streets are wet and dirty after winter (like now). And if there's snow on the road it all gets stuck to the skirts of the car (I mean almost all the way from the front to the back). With mudflaps the snow will get stuck to the mudflaps and I won't have to scrub the whole sideskirt to get the snow off.

On the other hand, I've heard that with front mudflaps more water comes "out" from wheel arch and it flies to the sides of the car making it dirty. So the sides get more dirty with front mudflaps even though they prevent stones from flying straight and hit the car... Don't know if this is true though...(?)

I thought that rear mudflaps don't do much to help keep the rear window clear. At least I did not notice any difference when I removed them. Of course it is easier for other cars behind me as there's less water and stones coming towards them, but I am not convinced that mudflaps affect on my rear window's cleanliness...

Yes I like to keep my car clean and try to wash it as often as possible. But on the other hand, if there's a way to keep my car cleaner for longer time, it's always better.

Best regards, Alex

[Ascendant Rice]

car is sligtly clener and i rkn the look nice colour coded :) here is a comparison

[Speed_Chaser]

Yea definitely brings that something to the looks... :) Thanks for the comparsion!

Is the car cleaner generally, or only sides/back?

Best regards, Alex

Edited March 8, 2010 by alex-C

[Ascendant Rice]

dont get mud lines on side

[Rolla Boy]

Also protects the paint from stone chips getting thrown up by the tyres...