...Or are they really rubbish, mine seem to have broken fins that don't turn with the wheel on the side. I thought no problem as would be a cheap part from the dealer.

Not the case, they wanted around £40-50 each for the vents. I managed to get up to Sko-spares in Poole and get some spares but these also seem to be on the verge of breaking so reluctant to put them in especially as they look to be a right pain to get out of the dash.

Now is it just my bad luck or are these really fragile?

No I'm in the same boat... The first fins I broke were the result of an aluminium pole being poked into the car from the boot and went a little too far...

Now they're breaking one at a time. I tend to leave them open in the same position so they don't look broken.

The price sounds right...

I've got a coupleof broken fins aswel. I jut do the same as bpm and leave open in the same position so they don't look broken.

I bought one from the dealer recently and it was £34 incl VAT.

Unless they were very much cheaper, I wouldn't put a used one in. I wouldn't say they are really fragile, but if they become stiff and you force them, the bits at the end of the slats break off.

M left air vent has a dodgy fin, i keep mine closed that way they look all the same

Your joking about em being £40 right

i have one broken fin on the drivers side one, I just adjust it with my finger to match the other fins...

You can replace a single slat (fin). I donated the two good ones to friends. Perhaps if someone is replacing the vent, they can donate any good slats.

Yeah thought about using that method, but still gotta get the darn things out and they don't come out easy.

Hmm I haven't had a problem with mine. But I don't touch them very often.

I was lucky I guess - when I repaired my car, the replacement dashboard (and airbags) came with perfect vents, so I have a few vents and unbroken slats to use as spares...

It's not that difficult to get them out.

You have two options:

1. Push the clips backwards until they come off (make sure you catch them)

2. Take four strips of plastic and pull them so they are between the clips and the dash.

Having a new one on hand to look at makes the job much simpler.

After my daughter rather unhelpfully adjusted the passenger side vent with her foot I had a couple of broken slats. I managed to prise the vent out and dismantled it and I found that the slats were OK but it was a very weedy bit of plastic behind which had broken. A bit of surgery and superglue and it's all back in working order.

So as long as the slats are OK you should be able to clue it back together.

bpm - it cold have been worse a guy I used to work with put a long steel pole in through the boot of his car, slammed the boot shut and the pole went clean through his glovebox - in the front and out the back.

Edited 29 January, 200917 yr by trundlenut
spelin

I've got no issues with mine, through 84_000 miles, and 6 and a bit years. Of course I just leave them all on, and the climate on auto, and occasionally swing the RH centre vent on a very hot day.

I've got no issues with mine, through 84_000 miles, and 6 and a bit years. Of course I just leave them all on, and the climate on auto, and occasionally swing the RH centre vent on a very hot day.

You obviously don't have small children