Hello

Just washed the car and noticed that one of the front mudflaps is missing, and the other one was very wobbly due to most of it's fixings missing (so now that's off, too, before it falls off!). I think it probably had one missing when I bought it a few weeks back, I just never noticed at the time.

Anywho, do you lot reckon it's worth replacing them? I can't say I'm that convinced they make much difference and they're £135 from Ford! 😲

On the flipside, having washed the car and then removing the one remaining mudflap, there was all sorts of filth still wedged between the mudflap and the paintwork, and that can't be good for the car, can it? I know it was loose but from past experience, front mudflaps do tend to collect filth in that area.

So, front mudflaps - yay or nay?

Usually I'd say no to front flaps, however...  The Mk2 Focus had an annoying way of funneling grit directly into the lower doors/sills and making the lacquer look rough and unsightly.  Front flap did reduce that when they were new...it's possible the trapped muck now poses a different issue by this age though!

Is that an issue on a Mk3, too?

Also, are non-Ford mud flaps a bad idea? They're far cheaper on Amazon. I'd imagine a poor fit could potentially do more harm than good, though.

I agree , modern mud flaps don't stop much mud they are  too tiny but they do stop a lot of pebble chips which is why I always fit them. I work on the principle that any mud flap is better than none.

I fitted mudflaps to my current LX, and they were the cheapest of the cheap. £8 inc P&P from China, and secured by a few self tappers. I've always had mudflaps on my cars as I reckon it's my duty if someone makes them, I should buy them LOL The nicest ones I had was on my last Celica GT4 where they were proper large 4mm rally style, but on looking at the photo I took of them, you can barely see them being black, against a black background! On cleaning my car, I always power wash carefully inside them to ensure no collation of actual mud!

GT4

My two euros' worth...

I'd be reluctant to drill holes for self-tappers due to potential corrosion issues.

Poorly fitting mud flaps can hold dirt/mud (ask VW what that does to front wings!).

They help keep the sills cleaner so that there's less chance of passengers getting their legs/stockings/skirts muddy (and that's just the men).

But £135 on an 11 yr old car? Not for me - but can you get Ford ones from a scrap yard? I would think they are often undamaged even on a write-off.

25 minutes ago, alanfp said:

I'd be reluctant to drill holes for self-tappers due to potential corrosion issues.

 

Substantial squirts of Waxoyl are your friend   😄

48 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

Substantial squirts of Waxoyl are your friend   😄

Agreed... AND zinc-rich paint around the bare edges of the drilled hole!

1 minute ago, alanfp said:

AND zinc-rich paint around the bare edges of the drilled hole!

AND stainless steel self tappers LOL

18 hours ago, Darkman said:

Is that an issue on a Mk3, too?

Also, are non-Ford mud flaps a bad idea? They're far cheaper on Amazon. I'd imagine a poor fit could potentially do more harm than good, though.

Good question.  The Mk3 is a very different bodyshape so maybe not.  My own Mk3 did have OEM flaps but they certainly didn't keep it any cleaner.  I wouldn't spend £135 on an OE set now (maybe when new), think I'd either risk the Amazon ones or just not bother at all.  

 

Thanks for the replies.

I actually found a set of front mudflaps from Ford for under £40. Turns out the £135 was for a set of 4 for high-spec Foci with bodykits etc.

So hopefully these will do the job.

(And no, I definitely wouldn't be comfortable drilling new holes!)

1 hour ago, Darkman said:

(And no, I definitely wouldn't be comfortable drilling new holes!)

Woose... 🤣

I fitted them on my Mk 2.5 Focus specifically after seeing lengthy threads on this forum about sills being scoured. Iirc the genuine Ford items utilised existing mounting points with longer screws as appropriate so no drilling involved.

Never really been sure whether they are a good/bad thing overall, I guess it depends if there's a known issue and the risk of chips/abrasion is higher than the risk of hidden mud harbouring damp. 

The bodykit on my current Fiesta may be keeping chips off the sills, but given the way Ford have fitted it, I do wonder what's going on under there!

Here in rural Australia, and living on a gravel road (especially if one has a heavy right foot🙄) proper front flaps makes a big difference to the amount of mud sprayed up the panels. The side skirts on my mk6 Fiesta get a beating with stone chips that get under the flaps though. No way round it, unless you have flaps dragging on the ground😁

Not that is very relevant sorry.

But not much point in rear flaps on a fwd imo.