Ran over something hard on the freeway the other. It appears the only damage was to this underbody shield part, pax side. It just has a rip in the shield, but otherwise seems ok. Looks like the part is about $125?? The questions are - do I NEED to replace it, and if so, is it a simple DIY? Thx,

Billy

 

Whether you need to replace it or not is completely up to you.

As for how simple of a DIY it is. It's very easy. Just remove the dozen or so T25 torque screws along with the two plastic push rivets and the whole panel falls right down.

 

Problem is, it takes longer to R&R the belly pan than it takes to do the rest of the oil change. Cons of leaving it off other than aero?

 

Yes aero, and exposing the underside to more debris and corrosion.

 

Not the Macan, but this came up recently on the 911 service.
Took the 911 out within 100 miles of delivery. In a massive downpour on hwy 1.
Ran over a football size rock. Choice was get rear ended by an SUV, run into another SUV, or over the edge with 1K foot drop.
Damage got worse and showed up 18 years later, so having dealer replace.

 

Agreed. Its your choice, @wbferran, but $125 is a relatively minor price to pay versus having rocks and metal objects banging directly into your differentials, PDK, and transfer case. When the splash shield is present, most debris is routed to the rear as we drive. But when it is missing, all those items bounce upward and can easily get lodged into the transmission tunnel and other cavities. Plus, mud/salt/sludge pile up everywhere, which can lead to several corroded/siezed drain plugs. That's a long-term maintenance nighmare.