Plastic undercarriage cover?? Replace?

blove

Active member
Joined
Sep 10, 2010
Location
Waynesboro, GA
TDI
2003 golf tdi gls
The plastic undercarriage cover of my 2003 golf tdi was broken in an unfortunate incident with a coyote. Any idea where can I buy a replacement for a reasonable price?
 

daedalus

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2005
Location
Pittstown NJ
TDI
05 Variant TDI Black w/Gray
The consensus is the plastic should be replaced with a 'real' plate. Do a search for Dieselgeek and Evolution Imports here on TDICLUB. You cannot go wrong with either one and they will really protect your car, unlike the plastic doohickey.
 

chandler583

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Location
Brenham, TX
TDI
2000 Jetta TDI 5-speed
^ditto^

I learned my lesson with an unfortunate incident with a washed out road. I'm going to look into making my own out of some thinner steel plate. First things first, going to replace the oil pan today.
 

TheTDIWagonGuy

Registered Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Jun 3, 2005
Location
Angus, Ontario
TDI
Black 2003 Bora Wagon TDI
Don't replace it with plastic! I have an invoice from a customer that paid over $800 when he cracked his oil pan. Funny thing was that he didn't recall hitting anything!
 

a32e5s7

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2010
Location
Saint Louis, Missouri
TDI
None
The consensus is the plastic should be replaced with a 'real' plate. Do a search for Dieselgeek and Evolution Imports here on TDICLUB. You cannot go wrong with either one and they will really protect your car, unlike the plastic doohickey.

Which plate do you think is better, the evo or dieselgeek's plate?
 

daedalus

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2005
Location
Pittstown NJ
TDI
05 Variant TDI Black w/Gray
Which plate do you think is better, the evo or dieselgeek's plate?
Oh Boy, that's akin to asking a New Yorker if you think the Giants or Jets are better! You will get a lot of opinions, I'm sure, but doubt there is a 'right' answer. My car has the Evo, but only because it was available for the model before DG produced theirs.

Sorry I can't be more help.
 

a32e5s7

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2010
Location
Saint Louis, Missouri
TDI
None
Well, I do understand that everybody has an opinion on this...just want to hear them...I still don't have a skidplate, so I just want to hear about them here, and buy one soon.

Are there any other skidplates that work?
 

MRIBOB

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2003
Location
TIJUANA MEXICO
TDI
None- Jetta-0 - Mexico 1
Research all the skidplate sites.
There are several types of front brackets that hold the skid plate.
One vender has one that used 2 bolts. Another has 1 bolt.

That seems to be the diffrence from the sites.
I know of no complaints from either one.

The real problem is not having the plate.

Read up carefully and you will see the need for a skid plate.

If you read the rules for the venders, they are not supposed to get involved in this type post.

Bottom line, There are a few people selling them and they all seem to work fine.
Its a risk to the oil pan and engine w/o a skid plate

I did not buy the metal side covers although in Mexico it may have been better protection. I feel the metal plate hit things all the time. So mine has done the job .
 

jamest

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2004
Location
Arizona
TDI
05 Jetta Wagon, 02 Golf
Can't go wrong with either DG or Evo, both my cars have evo skid plates.
 

MayorDJQ

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 4, 2001
Location
Williamstown, Mass
TDI
'10 Golf 2dr 6m, sold.
I've managed to drive ~200,000 TDI miles with a plastic belly pan with no issues.

Just don't run over big chunks of stuff.
 

a32e5s7

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2010
Location
Saint Louis, Missouri
TDI
None
The real problem is not having the plate.
it only takes on hit to do the damage
Thats true...I do feel the need for the plate..Sometimes I drive in the areas where there is a potential of something hitting my oil pan...don't want that to happen, so I drive so slow and careful, puts a bit of stress on me...So I definitely want to buy one and get rid of those stressful situations.

I'll research all the dif. sites...if you say that they all do the job, i will probably end up buying the best bang for the buck...unless you have some other reasons to advice me to go otherwise.
 

Nutsnbolts

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Nov 1, 2001
Location
Weare, NH
TDI
2000 Jetta, Silver Arrow
I have to play devil's advocate on this one...

I still have my original plastic belly pan and oil pan in place, even with frost heaves, dirt roads, lots of night driving, and NE winters.
Have I just been lucky for 437,000 miles?

Let the flames begin!

(PS- I'm knocking on the wood table.)

-Rich
 

JB05

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 20, 2005
Location
Il.USA
TDI
Golf,2005,anthracite blue
I too have my OEM plastic plate that I had to patch up using Aluminum sheet metal and a whole lot of 1/4 in. sheet metal screws. This will only keep the engine clean and hopefully prevent my turbo actuator from rusting out. FWIW, my Golf has been lifted about and inch and a half.
 

TomKitt

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 18, 2006
Location
Duvall, WA
TDI
2004 Jetta PD
Yes, there are some lucky people who still have their plastic belly pan, but you have to ask yourself what it's worth to you not to be stranded late at night with a hole in your oil pan? $200 seems like a fair price to me.
I'd go with an aluminum plate over the steel if only for the reason of rust. Yes, the steel plates are galvanized, but one good scrape of that plate and the rust protection is gone for good. Yes steel is stronger, but you'd have to hit something pretty hard to cause a 1/4"-3/8" aluminum plate to deflect enough to damage your oil pan.
I went with the Evolution because the shipping was cheaper for where I live.
 

K5ING

Mega-Miler
Joined
Apr 18, 2001
Location
Krum, TX
TDI
Silver 2001 Golf GL TDI 5-speed
I have to play devil's advocate on this one...

I still have my original plastic belly pan and oil pan in place, even with frost heaves, dirt roads, lots of night driving, and NE winters.
Have I just been lucky for 437,000 miles?

Let the flames begin!

(PS- I'm knocking on the wood table.)

-Rich
No flames, but yes, you've been lucky. You never know when there will be something laying in the road that you can't avoid. I busted my pan on a busy 50mph boulivard once. There was traffic on either side of me and to the rear. Ahead of me were a couple of pickup trucks and a Suburban. All cleared the object below, but by the time I saw it after the Suburban passed over it, it was too late and got me. I guess I could have swerved or slammed on the brakes, but that would have caused a big wreck.

 

coalminer16

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 11, 2008
Location
Central Wisconsin
TDI
Golf 2004
I am not even going to get into the flaming as after seeing and adding to other arguments it seems pointless. To the actual OP of this thread I have the dieselgeek plate. I like the full metal jacket option. If you don't need the side skirts then the plates are close enough to the same where you will just have to flip a coin and choose. OEM has one for like $400 and it is steel (think-rust). and is just like the aluminum ones. I too am raised but still wouldn't go ANY where without the metal plate. I am one of the few without an actual truck around here (don't count my vw truck) so I can't afford to be stranded where they really don't plow the roads. I see the scares on my metal plate and that is after being raised and am thankful. The plate is cheaper then a truck and insurance for another vehicle.
 

a32e5s7

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2010
Location
Saint Louis, Missouri
TDI
None
I just ordered evo skid plate... really liked their oil drain plug opening....not like the dieselgeeks one, didn't really liked theirs...So $301 with shipping.
 

turbocharged798

Veteran Member
Joined
May 21, 2009
Location
Ellenville, NY
TDI
99.5 black ALH Jetta;09 Gasser Jetta
I run the OEM belly pan on both TDIs and NEVER had an single issue with the oil pan. I do not think the skid plate is necessary if the suspension is properly maintained. Problem is that people have crapped out struts and squished mounts which causes the car to bottom out. Then they make it worse by strapping a big heavy hunk of metal to the front of the car.


Glad to see I am not the only one who thinks like that.
 

daedalus

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2005
Location
Pittstown NJ
TDI
05 Variant TDI Black w/Gray
I just ordered evo skid plate... really liked their oil drain plug opening....not like the dieselgeeks one, didn't really liked theirs...So $301 with shipping.

Well done. I'm sure you will be pleased. Make 100% sure the rivnuts are put in tightly the first time (ask how I know!).
 

Shenandoah

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2008
Location
Shenandoah Valley, VA
TDI
2005 Jetta Wagon; 2005 Beetle; 2004 Jetta; 2002 Golf (three of them); 2002 Jetta Wagon; 2000 Audi TT->TDI; 1999 Beetle
Coyotes

Blove,

Congratulations on getting the coyote. Sorry about your skid plate. We've got a lot of coyotes out here. If I could run one (or ten) over, I would. I've got an aluminum skid plate, so I'm not worried about the oil pan.

Eric
 

coalminer16

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 11, 2008
Location
Central Wisconsin
TDI
Golf 2004
You are telling me that HUGE piece of metal is causing your suspension to bottom out. It is like 15 pounds. Loose some weight yourself if that little bit is that big of deal. I have a raise suspension and still scrap things. Our pans stick out more then other cars. Also it is cheaper for the plate then it is to replace shocks, struts, springs, bushings. Again, seems like there is always no believers. I couldn't take it when the mention of its weight was an issue again. Maybe with the OEM steel one but not the two aluminum ones.
 

Farfromovin

Torque Addict
Joined
Apr 9, 2005
Location
Ventura, CA
TDI
03 Golf 2dr- PD150 6m
Heres the heavy duty OE plate at ECS. Might be able to get a better price at 1stvwparts or even impex as I didn't check...
 

TheTDIWagonGuy

Registered Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Jun 3, 2005
Location
Angus, Ontario
TDI
Black 2003 Bora Wagon TDI
I'd go with an aluminum plate over the steel if only for the reason of rust. Yes, the steel plates are galvanized, but one good scrape of that plate and the rust protection is gone for good.
Just a note that the statement above is incorrect. My original plate has survived 3 salty winters with only minimal surface rust where the zinc has been scraped off. I can show pictures if anybody is interested. ;)
 

MRIBOB

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2003
Location
TIJUANA MEXICO
TDI
None- Jetta-0 - Mexico 1
was broken in an unfortunate incident with a coyote.
I was not sure if I hit the Coyote or the Minute Man chasing him when my pan got hit crossing the Mexican boarder.

Whatever the case. Now with the plate I just go over the top with no damage to my car.
 
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