rraisley

I'm getting ready to order an E450 Wagon tomorrow, going over all possible options to see what I need and/or want. I don't see mud flaps offered as an option when specifying or selecting the wagon on the web site. A Google search will show various mud flaps, some of them by MB, a lot more after market. My questions are:

1) How necessary are the mud flaps? Is the design of the wagon such that they would really help keep chips & mud off the body? Does Sport or Luxury style make a difference?

2) How do you think mud flaps look on an E-Class, a wagon in particular? I certainly don't want to junk it up or mess up the lines. Would a clear protective film on lower panels be better?

3) What mud flaps have you used, if any, and how do they work out? Do they need to be installed by a dealer (screws, etc.), or do they clip on? How long are they? I REALLY don't want them catching on to anything; just long enough to keep body clean.

madtrader

I recall seeing this discussed a bit in the last year. IIRC, the factory options were only compatible with one appearance style (ie luxury/sport/AMG, I forget which). I don’t know what driving conditions you tend to be in, but mine won’t drive a need for them. I opted to get a combination of paint protection film and ceramic coating. We get real snow here, so I got ABC so I can raise the ride height for a bit more clearance if I need it.

rraisley

I scanned through the Official W213 Picture Thread, and couldn't find a single pic with mud flaps. Guess that tells me that if anyone has them, they're not really proud enough of them to show them here. Paint protection film might be best in these areas.

madtrader, can I ask what areas you elected to put protection film on?

Arvid

Do a search : Adaptor for "trolley" jack to fit W213 (2018)
Some picture of mud flap

Courthaven

My dealer told me that they don't make mud flaps for my E300 when I ordered last year, despite them showing on the website. I wanted them and still feel like it could help with some of the road grime that is all over the bottom of my door a lot. Ah well...

TugboatBill

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Car-Mud-F...-/372255217464

madtrader

Hood, front and rear bumpers, front fenders, rocker panels, headlights, and side mirrors.

kingscorpian27

rraisley

kingscorpian27, looks good with the mud flaps. Hope I can get some that work well with the wagon. (Ones suggested above are for AMG line or Sport, not Luxury, which I am getting).

kingscorpian27

My car is a Luxury model

rraisley

I see that, but don't know what flaps you used.

kingscorpian27

Your dealer can order the original MB ones. They are about $200 for both front and rear combined. I purchased on eBay for $44.99 December 2017. Didn’t feel like spending that much money for them

rraisley

NB?

rewillia

MB does not offer mud flaps/splash guards for the 2019 W213 E450 Estate Wagon with the AMG Exterior Trim Package. Assume that would be the case for other recent year models with the AMG ext. trim.

I too like others here, am opting for Xpel clear-bra and ceramic pro gold coating as my 1st line of defense against road debris.

So much so, I purchased the car yesterday and drove it straight to the shop that is now doing the bra and ceramic.

rraisley

I'm too old and feeble to wash my own car, so use a local auto car wash. I have my cars detailed and polished twice a year, and after 10 years, they've looked like new. While I'm tempted with Ceramic Pro, the fact that it can't be washed in a automatic car wash bothers me: If my "soft" polish/wax is not affected, and the car looks great, why can't a coating which is many times harder be washed like that? One auto car wash voids the Ceramic Pro warranty, or lowers it to the next lower one. So I don't think I can really consider it.

I know better than to challenge you to a gloss show-off, but my cars look new to me, I see no markings in the paint, and I think that will have to be good enough.

rewillia

I respect your view and was not advocating that anyone need or should go the ceramic route. If your method is "good enough" for you then great.

kingscorpian27

They do make them, they are approximately $200 for the set of 4. That’s the price I had received from my dealership’s parts department. I opted for eBay to save money

madtrader

I had not heard that about the Ceramic Pro warranty. I have heard there are some cleaning chemicals that do bad things to ceramic coatings, but it comes down to specifics. My detailer does Ceramic Pro and IGL coatings. I had IGL Kenzo done. My detailer told me which automatic car wash in town he’d use if doing that.