Noticed a piece of black plastic hanging below the car just behind the front NS wheel this morning. On investigation it turned out to be a piece of a broken plastic cover which is flat to match the floorpan and has some sort of cone-like plug pushed into the body shell. Unfortunately I couldn't pull it out (perhaps its screwed in). I'd like to get a new one. Could someone tell me what it is and what it does please?

Dill

It's not about 4-5" x 4-5", not quite square, black plastic, with holes for a torx screw or two to hold it in place, and looks like it finishes off the underside of the car, almost an areodynamic cover?

If so sounds like it could be the blanking plates I replaced when I fitted jacking pads (from Audi as Octavia floorpan is same as A3), there is one on the off side too, and a couple similar in front of the rear wheels. They were a bugger to get out as once fitted they expand and lock themselves into a round hole in the underside of the chassis. There's a thread about these somewhere which I can't find right not but sure it'll turn up pretty soon (has pics so you'll know for sure).

thanks toonfan. That sounds right. I'll search the forum.

As a matter of interest, why did you fit jacking points?

dill

Ooh, yeah, i'd be interested in fitting jacking points instead of relying on the sills if you care to expand on this one Toonfan??

Wasn't it a Yeti owner?

See here:

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/221240-fitting-s3-jack-pads-to-octavia/

Good hit. There's a little talk about needing to use all four points to distribute the weight evenly, but anyone have any further thoughts on this? Can't see it being an issue, personally, but it's good to know.

thanks toonfan. That sounds right. I'll search the forum.

As a matter of interest, why did you fit jacking points?

dill

I fitted them because I swap to winter wheels every year, and also on the other half's A3, and wanted to make things as easy as possible.

I don't subscribe to the view you need to need to use all 4 points, after all you don't do this when changing a wheel using the supplied scissor jack and can't see how it's any different.

As for feedback I think they are great, it's the second year I've done this, it makes it so much easier to swap wheels and you don't need to have to think about locating the (trolley) jack in the right place, scratching the paint/underseal etc