Mudflaps - protect your paint from rocks
Score: 29/50
Easy Score: 5
Daily Usage Score: 5
Form Score: 10
Function Score: 7
Reversibility Score: 2
Product Link: BASENOR Mud Flaps
Long Story Short
Why this product?
Apparently the front wheels of the Model Y kick up a bunch of rocks that chip the rear doors. Mudflaps block those rocks from making pock (marks).
Why this brand?
No reason - almost no difference between vendors on this product.
Any regrets?
I like the style of this mudflap, but there’s an alternative at the bottom of the page that functionally works better.
Long Story Long
If you’re planning on taking your car up to the mountains, off road, or anywhere else that you may be driving over rocks at a moderate speed, you run the risk of your front wheels hurling rocks at the nicely flared out rear doors and creating a bunch of chips.
One solution in more “wintery” states is that Tesla installs PPF (paint protection film) on the vulnerable corners, but IMO, this looks kind of funny and you’ll always see the seam of the film.
Mudflaps add to the aesthetic of your car (subjective, I know), and actually prevent rocks from hitting the rear door. Unfortunately, the car is not high enough to put on full Yosemite Sam trucker mudflaps, but these will do for now.
Product Details
What I like:
Clean look, seems like it came from the factory this way and they provide some protection.
What I don’t like:
The way I can tell they provide protection is because they’re “hollow” and when it rains, they collect leaves on the forward facing side of the flap. Also, due to the narrow aesthetic, they don’t provide maximum protection, so I have noticed where water and rocks have sprayed from my front wheels to the rear door.
Installation Tips
Just to prepare you, this is totally doable at home, but not easy for a novice. You will be crawling around on the ground, applying pressure in awkward angles, and while the kit provides you some tools, it’s helpful to have more at home to assist.
Alternatives
Jawjut Mud Flaps (Jawjut Mud Flaps)
These are bit flatter and more square and will likely provide a bit more coverage, but personally I’m not a fan of the style. However, if I had to drive on rougher roads more often, I may put up with the look.
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