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What are these rubber flaps underneath the car?

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Old Jan 20, 2020 | 07:03 PM
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2016 C300 w/ sport package
What are these rubber flaps underneath the car?

There's two rubber flap type things underneath the front of the car just in front of both front tires, anyone know what they are called? It looks like they were painted the exterior car color but the paint is chipping off and it looks like complete **** now. Not sure what the best route of fixing would be, just buying silver touch up paint and paint over it?


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Old Jan 21, 2020 | 12:42 AM
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Actually I'm looking at pictures of other c300's and from what I can tell the flaps mostly look black and unpainted. Can anyone confirm if theirs are actually painted like mine?
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Old Jan 21, 2020 | 07:25 AM
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They are aerodynamic devices directing airflow around the tires.
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Old Jan 21, 2020 | 07:38 AM
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Originally Posted by Pope_RW
They are aerodynamic devices directing airflow around the tires.
Do you know if they normally come painted from the factory?
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Old Jan 21, 2020 | 07:45 AM
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Originally Posted by Bmarcinczyk14
Do you know if they normally come painted from the factory?
No clue, I haven't been out to my car today, and I'm trying to remember last time I was under it, but I think mine are black and not painted, but not 100% on that.
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Old Jan 21, 2020 | 07:49 AM
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Originally Posted by Bmarcinczyk14
Do you know if they normally come painted from the factory?
No clue, I haven't been out to my car today, and I'm trying to remember last time I was under it, but I think mine are black and not painted, but not 100% on that.
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Old Jan 21, 2020 | 08:38 AM
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Originally Posted by Pope_RW
No clue, I haven't been out to my car today, and I'm trying to remember last time I was under it, but I think mine are black and not painted, but not 100% on that.
Can you look and let me know once u have a chance? Do you have the sport package? Wonder if that makes a difference whether its painted or not. And if not wonder why on earth mine were lol.
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Old Jan 21, 2020 | 10:08 AM
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If the "flaps" are normally unpainted, that they're painted is an indication that the adjacent areas were repainted. I suspect that's the case because that paint appears to be peeling because the areas weren't prepped.. It I think the parts are intended deflect tire spray outward and away from the underbody.
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Old Jan 21, 2020 | 10:11 AM
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Originally Posted by dwpc
If the "flaps" are normally unpainted, that they're painted is an indication that the adjacent areas were repainted. I suspect that's the case because that paint appears to be peeling because the areas weren't prepped.. It I think the parts are intended deflect tire spray outward and away from the underbody.
These flaps are positioned in front of the tire, tire spray would occur behind the tire. These are areo devices intended to direct airflow away from the rotating mass of the tire.

I just checked mine and they are NOT painted.

https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/70600281.pdf

Last edited by Pope_RW; Jan 21, 2020 at 10:14 AM.
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Old Jan 21, 2020 | 10:26 AM
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Originally Posted by dwpc
If the "flaps" are normally unpainted, that they're painted is an indication that the adjacent areas were repainted. I suspect that's the case because that paint appears to be peeling because the areas weren't prepped.. It I think the parts are intended deflect tire spray outward and away from the underbody.
That's just strange because what other adjacent area in the underbody would be painted? It looks to be the same silver as the exterior of the car. Maybe the previous owner decided it would look better if it matched the exterior color? I think a lot of the reason it's peeling maybe has to do with paint not being able to last on rubber?
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Old Jan 21, 2020 | 10:36 AM
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Originally Posted by Bmarcinczyk14
That's just strange because what other adjacent area in the underbody would be painted? It looks to be the same silver as the exterior of the car. Maybe the previous owner decided it would look better if it matched the exterior color? I think a lot of the reason it's peeling maybe has to do with paint not being able to last on rubber?
Mine are not painted, I think this painting was done by a previous owner.
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Old Jan 21, 2020 | 11:52 AM
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more likely it was in an accident and they resprayed that while in the area.
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Old Jan 21, 2020 | 12:50 PM
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Originally Posted by alexasa
more likely it was in an accident and they resprayed that while in the area.
What would they be "re-spraying"? It wasn't sprayed in the first place lol. And again, what is painted underneath the car where they would be going in there with paint in the first place? I don't see any signs of the vehicle being in any accidents and neither carfax or autocheck show any accidents what so ever. I guess I can see maybe the bottom of the bumper was re-sprayed at some point due to scuffs while it was still attached to the vehicle and they just went further back and sprayed the rubber pieces? That wouldn't be from an accident though, you would think the parts would be off the car when they paint panels due to an accident.

Last edited by Bmarcinczyk14; Jan 21, 2020 at 01:05 PM.
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Old Jan 21, 2020 | 12:51 PM
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Mine are not painted either.
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Old Jan 21, 2020 | 01:10 PM
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They are black stock, those have clearly been over-sprayed from a repaint in the front. Any competent body shop would have masked them off, at a minimum.
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Old Jan 21, 2020 | 01:41 PM
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Originally Posted by Ron P Baker
They are black stock, those have clearly been over-sprayed from a repaint in the front. Any competent body shop would have masked them off, at a minimum.
Thankfully I'm able to scrape most of the paint off. So this would hint more towards a front re-spray rather than the vehicle being in an accident correct? You would think if the car was in an accident and damaged enough the panels would be replaced and painted while off the vehicle.
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Old Jan 21, 2020 | 02:02 PM
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Originally Posted by Bmarcinczyk14
Thankfully I'm able to scrape most of the paint off. So this would hint more towards a front re-spray rather than the vehicle being in an accident correct? You would think if the car was in an accident and damaged enough the panels would be replaced and painted while off the vehicle.
Yea, my guess is that at some point a respray was done to correct some cosmetic blemish or perhaps the bumper clip had some rock chipping. I wouldn't be concerned as the Carfax is clean but it would bug me also even though those flaps aren't easily seen. Scrape off the overspray and they will look like stock.
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Old Jan 21, 2020 | 02:07 PM
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Originally Posted by Bmarcinczyk14
What would they be "re-spraying"? It wasn't sprayed in the first place lol. And again, what is painted underneath the car where they would be going in there with paint in the first place? I don't see any signs of the vehicle being in any accidents and neither carfax or autocheck show any accidents what so ever. I guess I can see maybe the bottom of the bumper was re-sprayed at some point due to scuffs while it was still attached to the vehicle and they just went further back and sprayed the rubber pieces? That wouldn't be from an accident though, you would think the parts would be off the car when they paint panels due to an accident.
Not saying there was damage, but it's a possibility. Maybe the original owner simply did a DIY touch-up of the lower bumper skin with a spray can. I recommend looking more closely at the underside for signs of over-spray. from a spray gun. Some body shops don't bother masking the underside while spraying the lower body sections.
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Old Jan 22, 2020 | 06:33 PM
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This is what they look like on my '16 C300. They are unpainted black plastic. I'm guessing they help divert highway dirt (think: sandblasting) away from the engine and undercarriage of the car.

[img]blob:https://mbworld.org/8cf4b9aa-f1ae-4b3f-8ba1-bfa2f705bb38[/img]
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Old Jan 22, 2020 | 06:35 PM
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2016 Mercedes C300 RWD Gas, 4cyl Turbo, Lunar Blue

This is the photo that didn't appear to load to my previous post.
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Old Jan 22, 2020 | 06:43 PM
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Originally Posted by jvfante

This is the photo that didn't appear to load to my previous post.
Thanks I was about to peel most the paint off. U sure they're plastic? Coulda sworn its rubber
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Old Jan 22, 2020 | 06:50 PM
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Indeed, Bmarcinczyk14 they are as you mentioned not rigid plastic but flexible "rubber". I doubt paint will stick to them so if you want to remove the existing paint, you might very carefully apply some paint stripper or remove them and do that.
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Old Jan 24, 2020 | 04:19 PM
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Those give you 15% more horsepower. 20% if painted white.
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Old Jan 24, 2020 | 04:23 PM
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Originally Posted by benzdude
Those give you 15% more horsepower. 20% if painted white.
No wonder my car felt slower after I removed the paint. I just lost 5% of my hp!
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