antirich

Ok, after a few days of snow/salt on the roads, I'm quickly seeing the need for some sort of protection from the elements.

I figured the wheel mouldings from the off-road kit would be idea; not just protection from the elements but also parking lot dings. BT my understanding, they can't be installed without the whole trim package, correct? Any aftermarket options that don't look cheap?

If not, I guess the mud flaps are probably the next best option.

dsackman

The Audi mud flaps work well and protects the car from dirt and damage along the front door and below the rear valance. I had them (front and rear) on the '11. The '13 has the s-line body work and the standard flaps do not fit.

I got a set off e-bay - cheap that I will try and modify to fit. The front ones are OK, but the rear ones may need a sharp knife or something...

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arcS

the mudflaps will of course provide some protection, but IMO all it takes is a good wax (always before and after winter) + regular washing and your car should withstand elements just fine. This is what I do in scandinavia where we are currently buried in a foot of slush.

Parsec

I think the OP just doesn't want to see so many splatters on the bottom of the driver's door in between car washes. But yes, the mudflaps are used in conjunction with a bi-annual waxing to keep your car as clean as possible.

zeus48

I purchased mud flaps for my 2013 Q5 from http://www.ybmwarehouseusa.com/servl...h-Guard/Detail and never installed them. They DID fit but took away from the looks of the Q5. Not worth it IMO. There seems to bee good protection but we will see come summer when the roads aren't cleaned with rain as often.

normp

Before I even picked up my '13 Q5 I had the dealer install both the mud flaps and the 3M film on the front. The vehicle still gets really dirty around here this time of the year, I was just hoping to cut down on the rock damage.

dsackman

They fit the regular body, but not the s-line as is on the 3.0T.


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antirich

Yea, my car is white, so the snow/road dirt looks pretty bad after a few days of driving. Plus, I hate picking up road tar and other crap that gets flung on the car.

Still, i think wheel fares would do a better job protecting. The Q seems to through a mess from all around the wheel opening, not just the bottom.

Also, I noticed the rear area collects all sort of dirt around the hatch. Would like to have some sort of spoiler that deflects the wind rather than wrap it around the rear of the car. I can see that also being an issue when towing this Spring.

Parsec

That's because Audi didn't design a big enough gasket around the hatch. The dirt comes from water run-off from the roof, down behind the rear hatch, then comes to a rest on the sill. If you do a search someone posted a DIY on how to prevent water from running down.

Do you tow a boat with your Q?

rarewolf

Hmmm(?) ... this post would imply Audi had fixed that problem with a different weather strip(?)
https://www.audiworld.com/forums/sho...15&postcount=6