First Panzer Plate for 2012 Passat Installed

phlfly

Banned
Joined
Dec 20, 2012
Location
N.VA
TDI
Passat SEL
Sorry for double post, but don't have ability to EDIT previous post.
So I used be installed those protective plates back in the USSR but because we had rock of ice on roads during the winter time.
 

Joe Fisher

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2002
Location
Kalispell, MT
TDI
NA
In the two cases that my plate saved my bacon on my '03 Jetta, knowing the damage from the dead deer was covered by insurance wouldn't have done much since it was late at night on a remote Montana highway in a blizzard with no cell service.:D

I think the debris on road is coverd by your car insurance.
 

Revpeach

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2012
Location
Monticello, IA
TDI
2012 Jetta
And by the time you paid your deductable, you could have paid for the plate and not have had the hassle of your car being laid up for repair and/or waiting for parts.
 

Salsaman06

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2012
Location
Texas
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL (sold back to VWoA Dec 21, 2016)
It would be worth it's weight in gold, if you could drive away AFTER hitting something. Regardless, if it's covered by insurance.
And by the time you paid your deductable, you could have paid for the plate and not have had the hassle of your car being laid up for repair and/or waiting for parts.

Completely agree. Bought and installed one less than a month after I bought the car. I live in San Antonio, and as one previous poster said, there's crap all over the highways here sometimes - I haven't a clue why. It's crazy. About 9 months ago, I ran over a 4x4 wooden beam about 10 ft long with my New Beetle. Couldn't avoid it as it just fell off the truck in front of me. Busted all 4 tires, bent 3 rims (non repairable), and destroyed the right front suspension. Thank God thats all it did. If it had made contact with the Engine or Tranny...... Won't ever be without a Panzer Plate. No sir.

As for installing one on the Passat. I did it all myself. I probably would not do it again without the car being on a lift. Installing using low-rise ramps was a bit of a challenge but doable. Instructions were crystal clear. And everything lined up PERFECTLY the first time. Didn't have to adjust the brackets at all like the instructions suggested.

Thanks Jim for such a quality product. I am very happy with it and it gives me great peace of mind driving around here.:)
 

phlfly

Banned
Joined
Dec 20, 2012
Location
N.VA
TDI
Passat SEL
It looks like we are living in the 3rd world country. We have a bunch crap all over the our hwy.
This case has been blown totally out of proportion. It's happened , I had on time, ran over a 2x4, but no damage and I was driving that time Acura 3.2 TL , that sits much , much lower then NMS Passat.
 

fricknbug99

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 12, 2007
Location
michigan
TDI
99 beetle tdi 5 speed,2013 passat se tdi dsg
Just installed one on my Passat. Not that bad to do using ramps,about 2 hrs.The Beetle install 6 years ago was easy as well. I checked ground clearance between the Beetle and Passat, Passat is a little more than 1 inch higher. Beetle has many scar showing saves, worth the time and money, IMO.
 

upsbroke

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2008
Location
Homosassa, Florida
TDI
98 NB and '13 JSW
insurance

I think the debris on road is coverd by your car insurance.
I believe my insurance deductible is $500 so that's a wash. The Passat sits pretty high but the potential for headache savings far outweighs the damage potential.
I had one put on my Florida '98 NB when I moved it to Kansas. The NB sits much lower than the Passat and I could feel smaller chunks of ice hitting the pan. The only thing I would miss is the cutout opening for the oil pan bolt that my pan has.
 

MikeS_18

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 18, 2005
Location
Bow, NH
TDI
'03 Jetta Wagon, '13 Passat SE, '64 Ford Econoline
I think because we're used to our A4's basically dragging on the ground we look at skidplates as "standard equipment" and think we should have them on all our diesel cars. I have the VW OEM variety on my '03 - weighs about 30lbs...ugh.

Saving my money for one of Jim's plates.
 

Salsaman06

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2012
Location
Texas
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL (sold back to VWoA Dec 21, 2016)
Not having a belly pan..............does have a negative effect on mpg.
i'll buy that. I once owned a 2003 Lexus LS430. Lexus designed the entire underbelly to control the airflow to give the best aerodynamics possible. It had a pan under the engine, among other things, for that very reason. That, coupled with the air suspension that automatically lowered the car about 3/4 inch at highway speed, made it possible for that big 4 door sedan to have a drag coefficient LESS than the Corvette made that same year.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 

hhead

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2012
Location
los angeles
TDI
2012 Passat Tdi SEL premium
Just took my car in for 10K service. When I'm checking out, the Service Adviser states, the mechanic liked my plate. Saw my car was lowered.
His dad has a Passat and wanted one for it. "Yeah, the website is right on it";)
 

hawkz

Active member
Joined
Apr 11, 2013
Location
San Diego
TDI
'13 Passat TDI
You guys convinced me to get one also. Installed it last weekend as well. Fits perfectly and looks sleek.
 

Nuttendiesel

Veteran Member
Joined
May 5, 2012
Location
Seal Beach, CA
TDI
2013 Passat SEL with Malone 1.5 tune, 2014 535d, 2008 F250 6.4
Just ordered mine today, first tdi so I never would have known about the potential problem if not for this forum
 
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