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Plastic undercarriage and insulation (?) ripped off

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by hilltopper, Jul 6, 2023.

  1. hilltopper

    hilltopper Junior Member

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    On my 2011 Prius the plastic undercarriage and the insulation material under it was damaged and I pulled off the whole thing. Do I really need it? I'm really not wanting to repair but dont want to have a problem and get stranded somewhere. One person on an older thread said you don't need it. Any comments?
     
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Depends on your OCD level. The car will be fine without all that plastic. Myself, I'm very OCD.

    I think there's some info, at least on the main engine bay underpanel, in the "oil change info" link in my signature. (on a phone turn it landscape to see signature)
     
  3. ForestBeekeeper

    ForestBeekeeper Active Member

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    Along with the wheel well liners, mine broke loose within the first year.

    Both of our Prius' [a 2011 and a 2017] are missing their skid plates and wheel well liners.
     
  4. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Obviously you can get away without them I wouldn't worry about it mine's missing all of that also doesn't seem to affect gas mileage or anything If you get it muddy it goes all up into the wheel wells but you just hose it out No big deal real well fender liners are easy to deal with and then you just trim them off down at the bottom rather than trying to get them to go forward to the front bumper cover and all that nonsense I just let him go down to the bottom or the forward edge of the fender and let them end there like they used to on hall cars You just have to trim off the piece You can get them in PVC now too which is more flexible and bendable so it's mud and stuff gets thrown up in there rather than cracking break they just move.
     
  5. bettergolf

    bettergolf Active Member

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    My 2015 doesn't have any of it....no problems at all and the oil changes are far far easier!
     
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  6. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Amiyama You can probably buy all of it and if you can find it in the aftermarket usually it will be made out of a more flexible material then the very styrofoamy like material that it is now You bend it and it breaks or it makes a permanent crease that will break at some point the more PVC like fender liners that I have are much more durable than what came on the car.
     
  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Yes. I bent that “hinged” portion once, didn’t like how it acted, resolved to just take it off for each oil change. Maybe 24 oil changes later, still like new. More info in oil change link in my signature.
     
  8. BrianStranded

    BrianStranded Member

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    I replaced all my under car splash guards. Over the years I’ve found more problems pop up when a car’s under guard is gone and without it the car looks ragged.
     
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  9. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    It's all relatively inexpensive to buy You can pop it on and it can pop off again and you can spend as much time as you like on it It won't be costly it's just your time putting the clips in making it hang resorting to Panduit straps when you don't want to get the right fasteners and it just goes on and on and on and you really stand around and stare at your Prius how you must have one of those nice 24,000 jobbies. My car with the plastic on or off you can't tell it generation 2 what are you going to do lay down on the ground look up under the front end to see if they're under guard is there? The only thing you can noticeably tell right away walking up on one of these cars as the fender liners being out seeing the jugs and the coolant tank and whatever else one sees but then you're a car person regular people don't see that later could care less all that plastic could be flapping in the breeze and they're driving down The road talking on the internet and streaming music they don't care. For the most part
     
  10. bettergolf

    bettergolf Active Member

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    OP didn't mention wheelwell splash guards....he was referring to the "skid pan" stuff under the car. You can't see it anyway unless you get on the ground and look under the car.
     
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  11. jzchen

    jzchen Newbie!

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    It does provide a layer of protection to the vehicle bottom, but any sort of threat that would cause the car to stop would likely break through it and strand you anyways. May have a decrease in MPG as without it it is less aerodynamic.

    You may want to check just how much replacement pieces cost and see if it makes sense for you to replace them or not…
     
  12. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    I made the comment somewhere along the line that that one of the easiest things you can see on these cars is when the front fender liners are missing and you can see washer filler jug extensions and coolant tanks and that sort of thing Yes the undercarriage protection you can't see mine is often both of my Gen 3's and partially off of my generation too No you can't see them unless you slide a mirror under the car like they do when you enter a prison or something along those lines you park on a mirror like it a car show. You can't see the plastics missing except when you're missing wheel well liners You can notice that very quickly although non-car people they don't really notice these things.
     
  13. bettergolf

    bettergolf Active Member

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    I average 51 winter and 56 summer without the skid pans. I think the only negative is a bigger risk of road trash causing damage if you run over something large like a piece of a big rig tire or something like that. 6 years though for me with no problems....
     
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  14. black_jmyntrn

    black_jmyntrn Senior Member

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  15. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    I go off-road on trails in my generation to all the time The only thing you got to be worried about well I have to be worried about his stumps sticking up out of the ground above 2 in or so could be problematic even with this metal shield I wouldn't want to be hitting two and a half or 3 in small stumps larger than large bamboo shoots coming out of the ground other than that car does very well along the fence lines on the property and things like that with no problems My next question is I looked at the site where this shield and subwoofer boxes and all kinds of stuff is talked about how much is the metal aluminum plate pictured here Gage and cost? To make it real easy I don't want to have to go searching all over the net to look for a splash shield reasonable idea I'm guessing cost is probably prohibitive from what I've looked at in aluminum plate diamond plate and all of that stuff and like $136 cost for a 4x8 sheet just sitting there I wanted to have a shower pan bent out of some of this stuff about 2 in deep with a lip on it they want it over $500 to bend it yeah no kidding.
     
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  16. Tundra Runner

    Tundra Runner New Member

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    I have replaced mine correctly a couple times and they just get ripped off again (from snow). I haven't found cheap panels or fasteners. Where are you finding cheap parts?
     
  17. black_jmyntrn

    black_jmyntrn Senior Member

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    just know this... I was able to negotiate costs well and now that I have 3 manufacturers and a couple fulfillment companies supporting me who will be handling the kickstart shipments as well... I am in a way thankful for all of the negative pub.. it allowed me to clearly see flaws and work to resolve them. If you all thought I was solely on the Prius you would be wrong...before the end of the year, additional vehicle-specific sites will be online with all shipping the same day order is placed if before 11am PST. dark clouds don't last forever, the sunshine is always going to come out eventually! plus word is... ill be able to offer free shipping on all items even oversized items!!! That's where I've been working to save yall some money at is on the shipping cost and offering higher quality product builds!

    but here is the price and direct link never the less.
    2010-2015 Toyota Prius Aluminum Engine Splash Shield

    upload_2023-7-24_14-30-29.png
     
  18. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Oh ok no gen 2 units .!
     
  19. black_jmyntrn

    black_jmyntrn Senior Member

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    have Gen 2, Gen 3, V and Gen 4 Prime right now. literally in the process of finishing the new backend code for all of the sites then will be loading the latest products, images and all then will start to show in stock counts between the various fulfillment companies. a round of testing and all will really appreciate the new parts, quality, and shipping times along with clear deliver-by dates provided on checkout!

    I will have no more of these complaints because people expected X shipping terms and hate me because they didn't get it delivered like Amazon or because I didn't send them updates or answer the phone.