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Model 3 Mud flaps
- Thread starter CMc1
- Start date
I purchased a black set too, but now I find out the car comes with it.I fitted the Chinese variety and I rate them as the best accessory for the car that I have purchased in terms of what they do, how they look and value for money. I went for the dark grey plastic. I recommend them if you want to preserve the paint and reduce cleaning of sills .
I purchased a black set too, but now I find out the car comes with it.
I gather that you only get a front set of mudflaps factory fitted (with an optional splash fitment loose) so you can still fit the rear mudguards from the set you purchased if you want to.
Picked up a SR+ 2nd hand Model 3 (200 miles on the odometer and under £40k) from Tesla in March. Is actually a made in the USA model.
In the car were some tiny, rubbish looking mudflaps so decided to order some bigger ones off ebay - set of 4, front and rear for £17. They don't look tooo big - so hopefully won't catch on high ground. The pack came with 8 plastic plugs and fittings + 4 screws.
Steps. 1. pop off the 2 existing plastic rivets. 2. fit a few layers of doublesided tape into the mudguard where it will touch the car. Fit plug washer then plug (might need to lift mudflap while doing so so hole aligns). Hammer in plastic clip. The inner most one is a right pain to push in. Might need to lever it in with a bit of wood pressed against the tyre or have gorilla hands. Add one of the supplied screws at the top (do not over tighten!). Seal gaps with clear silicone. 30mins for first, 15min for second. Simple. This is for someone who does not do after-market mods on cars, but does do some DIY!
The tape I saw recommend is "Extra Strong Foam Mounting Tape 25mm x 10m" Toolstation (Product code: 45669) to help adhere the plastic to the paint up the sides. It's waterproof and is also suitable for changing the front numberplate (removing the black plastic plate holder).
The photos into the wheel well make things look brighter than they really are. In fact it all looks dark grey / black unless you get right down low. Let me know your thoughts people!
In the car were some tiny, rubbish looking mudflaps so decided to order some bigger ones off ebay - set of 4, front and rear for £17. They don't look tooo big - so hopefully won't catch on high ground. The pack came with 8 plastic plugs and fittings + 4 screws.
Steps. 1. pop off the 2 existing plastic rivets. 2. fit a few layers of doublesided tape into the mudguard where it will touch the car. Fit plug washer then plug (might need to lift mudflap while doing so so hole aligns). Hammer in plastic clip. The inner most one is a right pain to push in. Might need to lever it in with a bit of wood pressed against the tyre or have gorilla hands. Add one of the supplied screws at the top (do not over tighten!). Seal gaps with clear silicone. 30mins for first, 15min for second. Simple. This is for someone who does not do after-market mods on cars, but does do some DIY!
The tape I saw recommend is "Extra Strong Foam Mounting Tape 25mm x 10m" Toolstation (Product code: 45669) to help adhere the plastic to the paint up the sides. It's waterproof and is also suitable for changing the front numberplate (removing the black plastic plate holder).
The photos into the wheel well make things look brighter than they really are. In fact it all looks dark grey / black unless you get right down low. Let me know your thoughts people!
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Jason71
Well-Known Member
until Tesla released their own these were literally the only ones that were readily available. They do catch on curbs if you drive down a full hight one and and deep puddles at speed can partially detach them if you are unluckily but they are generally pretty good. I've had a set for 18months
The ones the car came with looked too small - didn't look they'd protect that leading edge of paint as it rounds the wheel arch. And £17 on ebay with postage is a great price!
Cnixon
Member
They don't do much. Had them on for last year done 10k non motorway miles and rear sills have a lot of stone chips. I also have chips on the arches/sills where the rear doors sit in a little lower than the edge of rear arch. It is hardly 2-3mm but I have several stone chips on the corner/edge.
curmudgeon
Member
There is now a version 2 of these, without the need to screw the front flap into the wheel liner, but a clip-on like the rear. I really like them and, after having V1s on my last car have installed a set of V2s on my second M3. The V2s are, I think, a big improvement with less movement over the previous version. Also much better IMHO than the factory fitted ones.
I installed the flaps over the top of XPEL sill ppf kit so no worries about paint rub or chips. I learnt this the hard way after getting the abovementioned chips in the paint in front of the rear wheels on my last car. I would recommend PPF on that area asap after delivery.
I think the front flaps keep the doors a little c;leaner, and, hopefully, the rear ones will keep some spray off the bike rack on the tow hitch. That's the theory anyway, too early to know if it works in practice.
Front clip on mudflap, now a truly no-drill install, over ppf:
I installed the flaps over the top of XPEL sill ppf kit so no worries about paint rub or chips. I learnt this the hard way after getting the abovementioned chips in the paint in front of the rear wheels on my last car. I would recommend PPF on that area asap after delivery.
I think the front flaps keep the doors a little c;leaner, and, hopefully, the rear ones will keep some spray off the bike rack on the tow hitch. That's the theory anyway, too early to know if it works in practice.
Front clip on mudflap, now a truly no-drill install, over ppf:
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curmudgeon
Member
The push-in fasteners should go in OK without a hammer. The trick is to line them up properly.
I also bought one that has the tow hitch - and that's a good point about keeping spray off what you're towing if I fit the rear ones. The rear ones of mine clip, but the front ones have to be screwed at the top. Like I said I used silicone and the strong number-plate waterproof tape. Mine was a "used" UK model 3 with 180 miles on it being sold for £2k under the asking price - and it so happened to have the optional £1200 tow hitch! Spotted scratches on rear of drivers seat - but otherwise looked perfect. Unfortunately maybe it is not the Lithium Iron Phosphate as the 278 miles range and 100% regular charge would be nice!
Wasn't mine. My front pair are screw on at the top. The rear ones are clip-on at the top. Ebay seller is: smallapplecore on eBay Price was £16 including delivery (< 1 week). For the front ones I used a few layers of doublesided tape sold by Toolstation product code: 45669 - "Extra Strong Foam Mounting Tape 25mm x 10m". Into the gaps I squirted in some clear silicone, but the screws, clips and tape looked to be holding it tight... but it's only been 3 days and 5 miles driven, and no wet weather.
I'd originally bought the tape when reading about removing front numberplate plastic holder. I used that tape to attach it to the black plastic behind it. Numberplate doesn't stick out 1+ inches at the edges. Now 1/2 an inch.
I think the black flaps on the standard white car look good. Goes with the black tyres, dark-grey/black caps, and the other "chrome delete" style of the cars made in the last 6 months. Although they stick out 20-30mm from that edge of the door. They stick out less than the front wheels as the car is narrower at the arch behind the front wheels. The fact they stick out is going to protect the paint from the stones flying off the edges of them wheels.thanks, will look at this eBay seller
As it happens, mine is a white car (with19" silver wheels") ...and black tyres 
Its also good that they don't stick out wider than the front wheels.
I've look at the sellers item, they are the screw on type, using some of the existing holes, not the "V2" clip on type @curmudgeon mentioned.
Haven't decided yet which might be preferable.
Its also good that they don't stick out wider than the front wheels.I've look at the sellers item, they are the screw on type, using some of the existing holes, not the "V2" clip on type @curmudgeon mentioned.
Haven't decided yet which might be preferable.
MrBadger
Badger out
The 'generic Chinese' mud flaps were once (I don't know about now) pretty prevalent across eBay and Amazon, sold by dozens of different sellers with weird names but an otherwise identical product, even if marketed differently - I chose one that I thought was flexible but on receipt it was just the standard ABS version that the seller had oversold the (non) flexibility. It was a case of choose how much you wanted to pay, or were prepared to wait (the cheaper ones shipped from overseas) and how much you trust the seller then pick the seller. Sounds like now, as well as having the choice of black or body coloured, you need to watch out for the screw or clip types.
We have the screw type and didn't bother with the top screw, not least because it would rust out in a few months. Not had any issues from it not being fixed up top although there is a bit of a gap, but we do have PPF around those parts to prevent any rubbing.
I was initially disapointed with them, having expected them to be more flexible (for reasons of @Roy W. 's earlier post of stone damage) but tbh, they do a useful job at keeping most of the big debris off the car (lots of pine needles around these parts) and if you treat them as something that may need to be replaced occasionally then certainly a worthwhile and easy fit.
We have the screw type and didn't bother with the top screw, not least because it would rust out in a few months. Not had any issues from it not being fixed up top although there is a bit of a gap, but we do have PPF around those parts to prevent any rubbing.
I was initially disapointed with them, having expected them to be more flexible (for reasons of @Roy W. 's earlier post of stone damage) but tbh, they do a useful job at keeping most of the big debris off the car (lots of pine needles around these parts) and if you treat them as something that may need to be replaced occasionally then certainly a worthwhile and easy fit.
