As per my usual posts, this is slightly obscure.

Serviced the motor a while back and dropped the cowling under the engine to drain the oil. As I did so I saw a few of the twist clips (plastic screws) were missing from whoever serviced it before.

Being the automotive genius I am I proceeded to lose one of the clips during the service too. So now there are maybe 4 missing.

I know the front cowling clips onto the front bumper, the wheel arches and the also where the front cowling meets the rear cowling. It's the wheel arche clips thar are missing and at certain revs they vibrate .... annoyingly.

Ok let's shorten this post, is there an easy way of replicating the plastic screws that fit the cowling or do I have to pay Skoda/VW £5 a time for them? (the screws that twist half a turn and lock two bits of plastic together). A few of them could be cable tied together but there are some that can't ..... any ideas?

Small problem but annoying nevertheless. Cheers in advance.

My "dealer serviced" Superb was handed over to me with one of these wheelarch fittings missing. The loss of these things is absolutely inevitable when you combine a stupid design with the attentions of dealers whose mechanics couldn't give a toss.

Don't waste any time with Skoda - just visit your local VW dealer. The storeman in my local branch produced the correct part without even looking in the book (take one of the other fixings with you when you go). The price was, of course a bit insane, but if the thing is correctly fitted, it stays on.

rotodiesel.

I've got some here, they are pennies each.

If you join Freedom I'll pop some in the post for free :P

Tom

That reminds me that mine also had a couple cable tied on and a few missing, all done by the one and only dealer that had been near my car, this would be the same dealer that was still using a supply of air filters date stamped 2003 in 2006 - yeh rite!

As per my usual posts, this is slightly obscure.

Fancy that

I'm not sure about what you could replace them with; but (slightly OT) I'm interested to know what peoples thoughts are with running the Superb without this cover attached...?

I have removed the under tray and undone the arch liners many times and have myself mislaid some of these clips but I have bought some from the dealers to replace them for little money.......

On the odd occasion when I have a rattle at certain revs then I have just used a cable tie to go through the tray / liner and into it's retaining hole, nice and simple and can be removed when the proper fitting is available.......

Roto - You do make me laugh mate, your so anti-VAG it's stupid.........the fixing systems are pretty standard when you look at other manufacturers accross the board so I don't really know what you expect from a Skoda, it's not the most expensive car on the market now.......

I'm not sure about what you could replace them with; but (slightly OT) I'm interested to know what peoples thoughts are with running the Superb without this cover attached...?

Running the Superb without the under tray, no no from me mate, dirt and rattling will definately be a factor..........why you lost yours?

Running the Superb without the under tray, no no from me mate, dirt and rattling will definately be a factor..........why you lost yours?

No mate, but it ****es me off I can't service the damn car myself.

It's too low to go up ramps, and I can't find a suitable point to support the car with axle stands other than under the plastic cover... but to remove it I need to support the car... catch 22.

I'd like it off for a bit so I can cut a hole in it where the drain plug is.

If you run without the undertray, at speed the arch liners will move towards the tyre and you can soon wear a hole through them! Plus the muck etc will make your engine filthty, and its not good for aerodynamics.

No mate, but it ****es me off I can't service the damn car myself.

It's too low to go up ramps, and I can't find a suitable point to support the car with axle stands other than under the plastic cover... but to remove it I need to support the car... catch 22.

I'd like it off for a bit so I can cut a hole in it where the drain plug is.

I managed to service mine with a mate and need to do it again shortly and I can't remember where we managed to put the axle stands but I know what you mean about plastic under the car, there is a lot of it...........

If you run without the undertray, at speed the arch liners will move towards the tyre and you can soon wear a hole through them! Plus the muck etc will make your engine filthty, and its not good for aerodynamics.

Yeah forgot about that, when I had the Bora and had smashed my Oettinger Splitter, the wheel arch liners rubbed on the tyres as there was nothing to hold them in place.......

No mate, but it ****es me off I can't service the damn car myself.

It's too low to go up ramps, and I can't find a suitable point to support the car with axle stands other than under the plastic cover... but to remove it I need to support the car... catch 22.

I'd like it off for a bit so I can cut a hole in it where the drain plug is.

I know what you mean with this one. I managed to trolley jack the car and throw some axle stands under. However the stands didn't look very stable and I ended up only jacking the car on one side, throwing a stand under "just in case" and leaving it on the jack whilst I worked. Awkward to work on but was only dropping oil really.

I guess that's what happens when you have a DIY trolley jack. You need a decent one to get the lift you need to stick axle stands under ... but I'm not shelling out for one. Next time I build a garage I'm planning an inspection pit into the equation. Drive the car over it and tadaaaaa.

Running a diesel without the undertray means that the oil will not reach optimum temperature and it also spoils the aerodynamics - which are not bad on this car.

I'm afraid bad design is just that - and this is a perfect example. An oil change is a routine job on any car and only an idiot manufacturer would design it in such a way as to either make life difficult or make it easy for dumbo dealers to mess it up.

rotodiesel.

I do like the system that BMW (to name just one manufacture) use, which is a hinged flap to gain access to the sump plug, however i personally prefer to remove the whole cover, this way everything can be visually inspected for leaks, wear and tear etc.

I'm afraid bad design is just that - and this is a perfect example. An oil change is a routine job on any car and only an idiot manufacturer would design it in such a way as to either make life difficult or make it easy for dumbo dealers to mess it up.

rotodiesel.

Sorry but I just don't agree, with the car off the ground on a ramp then you can access the undertray easily, it's only 6 or so bolts that need to be turned and then you have access to all you need, I don't see how much simpler it can get........I think the problem is more the end user (dealer mechanic) just not putting things back how they were found..........:(

Edited 8 January, 200917 yr by Baker21

Sorry but I just don't agree, with the car off the ground on a ramp then you can access the undertray easily, it's only 6 or so bolts that need to be turned and then you have access to all you need, I don't see how much simpler it can get........I think the problem is more the end user (dealer mechanic) just not putting things back how they were found..........:(

Yeah, it's easy enough... but I'm just not sure about lying under a "badly" supported car weighing best part of two tonnes... especially as SWMBO has started talking about life insurance recently! :eek:

Seriously though, thanks for your replies folks... I think I'll invest in an oil extractor. Anyone up for a group buy?

Yeah, it's easy enough... but I'm just not sure about lying under a "badly" supported car weighing best part of two tonnes... especially as SWMBO has started talking about life insurance recently! :eek:

Seriously though, thanks for your replies folks... I think I'll invest in an oil extractor. Anyone up for a group buy?

Well take a trip over to my new location and we can use the 'farmer's' work shop with a pit in it.........

You can also pick these spacers and bolts up off me for next to no money.............

Well take a trip over to my new location and we can use the 'farmer's' work shop with a pit in it.........

You can also pick these spacers and bolts up off me for next to no money.............

Omg!!

I'll check with SWMBO and drop you a pm/txt

(BTW I'm sure you still owe me that beer... )

Omg!!

I'll check with SWMBO and drop you a pm/txt

(BTW I'm sure you still owe me that beer... )

No worries but I am not sure about me owing you a beer..............

I think I'll invest in an oil extractor. Anyone up for a group buy?

Actually I was thinking of this.

In all fairness when you're changing the fluids in your car half of the job is jacking it up, mounting on stands and draining oil. An extractor would halve the time. Hmmmmm.

Have used one of these before years ago in the middle east in the desert. Cool idea. Whack it on the exhuast and let it jack the car up for you. Only problem was the guy that used it on his Land Cruiser a few days previous to me placed it under the fuel tank and it dislodged the fuel pump. Doh!

As for laying under a "badly" supported car .... pffffft I can bench-press a superb with my chin if need be, no worries. Be a man! ***

*** - utter rubbish, disregard entirely, I can hardly bench press the my car keys. I tried being a man once, put my back out.

Edited 8 January, 200917 yr by allclownsareevi

I thought about one of these, but when else are you going to get under the car to give it an inspection? especially for things like the CV gators?

...pffffft I can bench-press a superb with my chin if need be, no worries.

Omg, Chuck!! :eek:.

Baker - expect a PM in the next few minutes...

Baker - expect a PM in the next few minutes...

Righto.......:P