Mud flaps - help me decide?

[Mamil]

Anyone fitted mud flaps to their Disco Sport?
I'm in two minds about it as on the positive side I think they would reduce spray up the sides and back of the vehicle and hopefully also stone chips on gravel roads, but then they might also be a pain if driving in deep ruts or sand and even get ripped off?
What are your thoughts...

[BobD]

Doesn't seem to be too many people on here yet. I haven't got mine yet, so I can't help. It will be a couple of months before mine is built and shipped.


Is there an option of mudflaps? I didn't see it or think of it when ordering mine but if there is I will get them, as I have on my D4. I currently have cheap Chinese knock off mudflaps on my D4 and they have actually performed much better than the original OEM mudflaps, so that may be an option.


I was going to get a tow bar but at the price they are asking I will just continue to use the D4 for towing. My car is ordered through Southerns.

[Mamil]

Hi Bob,

Yeah it's pretty quiet round here isn't it. Guess it's such a new model. Mind you that's one of the things that attracted me to it - the fact there aren't so many around on the roads! I got mine last weekend (from Southern LR like you) and went for a drive round the burbs, and didn't see another DS all day until I went thru Cottesloe and saw three of them! For non-Perthites reading this, Cottesloe is an exclusive beachside suburb and the most expensive real estate in Western Australia.

Thanks for your comments about the mudflaps, and I guess if you haven't ripped them off your Discovery in the sand dunes then I shouldn't worry about it on the Disco Sport.

As to your question, they aren't a factory option but a dealer fitted after market accessory - which means you can still order them at the time you order your car but they'll be fitted by the dealer when it arrives. Take a look at this Land Rover Australia Accessories Online Catalogue. - DISCOVERY SPORT - EXTERIOR - EXTERIOR PROTECTION for all sorts of goodies you can add to your Disco Sport. I've already added the towbar, dog guard, rubber mats, cargo mat, loadspace cover, 2nd row sun blinds, windscreen shade, and the rear seat cooler box! The items are pricey for sure, but very well made. The dog guard for example is very solid, allows the rear seats to recline, and mounts direct into the Disco Sport's luggage space cargo rails - well worth spending the extra for the real McCoy IMHO.

If you order accessories for delivery with the car they are also covered by the 3 year new car warranty, and you can probably negotiate a bit of a discount off their list price

[westernterra]

Hi - I have a SD4 HSE in Corris Grey from Barbagallo and have mud flaps fitted - I wasn't even asked by the dealer they were just fitted (and don't recall seeing them on an invoice either!). They are relatively small and don't look they would create any dramas off road - I actually can't imagine not having them as I think they will prevent mud/stones being sprayed around.

[Mamil]

Hi - I have a SD4 HSE in Corris Grey from Barbagallo and have mud flaps fitted - I wasn't even asked by the dealer they were just fitted (and don't recall seeing them on an invoice either!). They are relatively small and don't look they would create any dramas off road - I actually can't imagine not having them as I think they will prevent mud/stones being sprayed around.

Hi Westernterra, thanks for your feedback. I've decided to go with the mudflaps and bought them today. Will try fitting them myself at the weekend as it looks relatively easy - and the dealer wanted $250 just for fitting!

I was a bit surprised to find they are relatively small fixed mouldings like you'd find on a standard car, rather than the larger flexible flaps you see on 4WD vehicles, so I'm not expecting them to be much use at reducing stone chips from gravel roads - but we'll see.

[Mamil]

Well I fitted the mud flaps today. Took me a couple of hours and was relatively easy if a bit fiddly. Didn't even need to take the rear wheels off like was in the fitting instructions from Landrover. Here's what they look like, and I'll be testing them out on a gravel road tomorrow to see if they make any difference!

[Mamil]

Well I took the DS with its new mudflaps for a bit of a drive in the countryside yesterday - nothing too extreme just a few muddy puddles and a bit of gravel track!

Despite their relatively small size I was impressed that they seemed to have offered a bit of protection, judging by the fact that the insides of the flaps were splattered with mud and red dust but none of it made it onto the sides or rear of the vehicle itself.

So my conclusion is that they do offer some protection, and therefore aren't just cosmetic, but still probably wouldn't be enough for sustained high speed touring with a trailer on gravel roads - but then I won't be using my DS like that!