High mileage and busy weekends means the days of spending hours and hours cleaning my car are behind me.

As a result it often goes a good few weeks without a wash.

Noticed a lot of salt collecting around the edge of the rear wheelarch this afternoon, which I assume is a vulnerable area for stone chips etc.

I'll get is washed off ASAP but makes me feel uneasy seeing it as bad as this!

The Rally look i love it

Looks good.

Fresh from "the battle" looks good, i'd be more worried about the Evergreen tyres IMO...

I wouldn't mind so much if there was a good thick layer of polish underneath but there isn't

I've had some good healthy forum debates on tyres, these are my second set of Evergreens, I actively went out to find some identical replacements. Great tyres (in my opinion, of course ).

Those rear lights, straight swap?

Yes, 5 minutes each side. I also updated the badges too for the 'facelift from behind' look!

Trying too hard? Probably

Bring on the summer, long warm evenings, kids in bed and some TLC time for the motor!

Edited 19 February, 201313 yr by silver1011

I have the same problem when it comes to washing my car!

I serviced it a few weeks ago and noticed along the nearside sill a few patches of badly chipped paint......not much corrosion as far as I could see, but it was covered in dirt so couldn't really see. It was an eye opener.

My Octavia has not got front mud flaps.....all of a sudden I see their usefulness and will be fitting them shortly.

When the weather gets warmer I'll sort out the chipped patches on the sill.

Damn you.... more money spent now!!

Looks good

For a moment I thought you'd nicked my car but then I realised the car in the first pictures is too clean to be mine. Mine even has green algae/moss starting to grow around the window rubbers.

My Octavia has not got front mud flaps.....all of a sudden I see their usefulness and will be fitting them shortly.

You may be (unpleasantly) suprised.

I only recently fitted my mudflaps and haven't noticed any difference in how quickly the car gets dirty.

The sills (at least on the pre-FL) are renowned for corrosion, and by all accounts the mudflaps don't seem to offer much additional protection.

In fact my mudflaps seem to hold water and debris against the paintwork which may actually cause more issues than they cure?

For a moment I thought you'd nicked my car but then I realised the car in the first pictures is too clean to be mine. Mine even has green algae/moss starting to grow around the window rubbers.

Haha, brilliant, I reckon I might be a few months behind you then, I too noticed a green tinge, but only on the strip of felt that wipes the glass as the windows go up and down

Will agree on the mudflaps,that they are very ineffective.

Looks like mine too :(

Mind you getting a new boiler put in at the end of the week and part of the deal is a new tap at a front of the garage to make it easier to wash the car

SWMBO is away with the wee man until Sat PM so maybe some time to get it done.

Bring on the summer, long warm evenings, kids in bed and some TLC time for the motor!

Oh yes! I cant wait, kids in bed, get the wax out!

I had both sides of the area you have highlighted with clear wrap heavy duty protection .The originals protection does not go high or low or far back enough .My car when I sold it had like new sillls (6 and half years old ) but I never left salt on sills and plenty wax and sealent protection

Yes, 5 minutes each side. I also updated the badges too for the 'facelift from behind' look!

Trying too hard? Probably

Bring on the summer, long warm evenings, kids in bed and some TLC time for the motor!

I reckon you should do some naughty spacing on that plate!

VR5 7 OCT :-)

I've just treated myself to my first private plate :-D

You may be (unpleasantly) suprised.

I only recently fitted my mudflaps and haven't noticed any difference in how quickly the car gets dirty.

The sills (at least on the pre-FL) are renowned for corrosion, and by all accounts the mudflaps don't seem to offer much additional protection.

In fact my mudflaps seem to hold water and debris against the paintwork which may actually cause more issues than they cure?

Interesting. I just assumed they would offer some degree of protection against flying stones from the front wheels. Time for a rethink on front mud flaps.

I had both sides of the area you have highlighted with clear wrap heavy duty protection .The originals protection does not go high or low or far back enough .My car when I sold it had like new sillls

That certainly sounds like the perfect preventative measure.

Depending on how bad mine are cosmetically and if I can get them looking half decent, I'd definitely consider a heavy duty clear wrap...............otherwise I may just use sill paint on it.

Interesting. I just assumed they would offer some degree of protection against flying stones from the front wheels. Time for a rethink on front mud flaps.

The other to look at is I wonder how bad would the corrosion on the sill be without the mudflap?

I reckon you should do some naughty spacing on that plate!

VR5 7 OCT :-)

I've just treated myself to my first private plate :-D

It's no longer on the car, I bought it with the plate and then put my own plate on.

A shame really. Still it at least means someone else can now buy it!

The other to look at is I wonder how bad would the corrosion on the sill be without the mudflap?

Next time I clean it, I'll post a photo of the sill and you can see what 7 years and 73,000 miles without front mud flaps does!

The near side certainly seems worse than the picture you posted...the offside not so bad (although probably still worse than your pic). No rust bubbling like your picture just big chunks of missing paint .....presumably caused by flying stones.

Edited 20 February, 201313 yr by booke23

The other to look at is I wonder how bad would the corrosion on the sill be without the mudflap?

I've no flaps and they're not as bad at the one pictured.

You may be (unpleasantly) suprised.

I only recently fitted my mudflaps and haven't noticed any difference in how quickly the car gets dirty.

The sills (at least on the pre-FL) are renowned for corrosion, and by all accounts the mudflaps don't seem to offer much additional protection.

In fact my mudflaps seem to hold water and debris against the paintwork which may actually cause more issues than they cure?

I recognise that.... Oh yeah. That's my car. :-)

I could write you a list of areas that rust.