With this FAQ, I hope to help answer a few questions that are asked regularly about the Mark3 exterior trim.

Bumpers

Model Differences

All Mark3 front bumpers are compatible with each variant of the Mark3 (Hatchback, Coupe and Saloon). Rear bumpers are model specific, and will not fit other variants without some kind of work being done to them.

GT/G40 bumpers for the hatchback and coupe variants are the same as those of other models, except for the inclusion of red trim tape (6mm wide). This is still available from VAGparts, or you can use an equivalent found on the likes of ebay or any car accessory shop.

New bumpers are still available from VAG (but they aren't cheap!). You can get hold of standard, half-primed (ready for colour-coding), also note half primed bumpers are not available with fog light cutouts from the factory and standard bumper with the fog light cutouts. For GT/G40 replacements you will have to order a standard bumper and trim tape.

Removal

Front (All Models)

If you remove the grille, there will be 3 bolts/allen bolts (depending on year) along the front panel/front cross member. These will need to come out.

There are then another 2 10mm bolts on the underside of the lower radiator vent, in the top corners, nearest to the fog light blanks.

Finally you will need to remove 4 black plastic 'rivets' holding the bumper to the arch liners.

When re-fitting it might be advisable to grab a 2nd pair of hands to help you line the sliders and mounting points up correctly, though its not impossible single-handedly.

Rear (Hatchback/Coupe)

Open the tailgate to reveal a plastic lip on the top of the bumper, with 4 removable sections. Underneath these plastic covers are 10mm bolts. These will need to come out.

Looking underneath the car, there are approximately 6/7 10mm bolts on the underside of the bumper, towards the outer edge. With these removed, the bumper will slide off.

Refitting this is straight forward enough.

Rub Strips

All Mark3 rub strips are held in place using a backing plate that is then held onto the bodywork with adhesive. This is easily removable, and will not require you to use filler, however please be aware that there may be some issues with colour match or lacquer peel or even silhouettes (if the car has been resprayed at all).

Removal (All Models EXCEPT GT Coupe/G40 Coupe/Saloon)

Firstly, if you remove the rub strip from the backing plate by gently pulling it away from the car, this will reveal the part that needs to be removed from the bodywork.

Gently pulling at the backing plate, you will find some adhesive is left on the bodywork (tip, the slower you go, the less thick the adhesive that’s left behind). This can be removed using bug and tar remover, or petrol, and something like an old credit card is an ideal flexible scraping tool that will not damage your paintwork. Take your time for best results. The arch spat in front of the rear wheel arches on both Coupe and Hatchback can be removed, but will leave 2 vacant holes that will either need welding/filling, or a 'Fox' arch spat sourcing that gives a smoother finish than those found on CL/GT Hatchback models.

Removal (GT Coupe /G40 Coupe/Saloon Including Wheel Arch and Sill Trims)

The guide above can still be applied to these models on the doors, and rear quarter rub strips, however, due to the wheel arch trims, you need an additional tool for these models- a drill and suitable drill bit for removing rivets.

The front arches have the rub strip attached to them (which like the other rub strips is held to the car using a clip that is attached to the car with adhesive), so these will need to come off completely if you are going for the smooth look, however if you’re handy with plastic welding, you can cut the rub strip off the arch trim and fill in the gap.

The rear wheel arch trims are held in place with rivets, while the sill trims are held using rivets and some adhesive (easily shifted using petrol, bug and tar remover, etc).

On these models, when you remove the rear arch trim, a ‘gap’ between the rear of the rear arch and edge of the bumper will be left. This can be left as is, or the arch trim used on CL/Fox/Genesis Coupe models can be used (note this may not be compatible with Saloon models). Like other models, there will be two holes left vacant in front of the rear arch, but you will also have holes in the sill.

Fitting Arch and Sill Trims to a Car that was not Equipped with them.

The front wheel arch trims are compatible with any model, as the front end on the Mark3 is shared amongst the Mark3 family, however the rear arches will obviously not go on a Hatchback.

With the exception of the Hatchback/Squareback, all models have provision for the wheel arch and sill trims to be fitted, as there are already holes located in the relevant places, either left exposed, or they will be covered up with painted paper circles (in the case of the sill trims).

With the wheels off the car, you can see clearly the holes on the lip of the wheel arches. By offering up the arches to the car, you will be able to see which pieces of trim will need to be removed. These are:

The front wing rub strips

The wheel arch spat in front of the rear arch

The wheel arch trim to the rear of the rear arch, in front of the bumper.

The front wing rub strips can be removed using the guide for removing the rub strips on the rest of the car (above), while the rear arch trims will need to have 2 rivets on each side drilled out. The spats in front of the rear arch will simply pull out if you are gentle and lift the rub strip up to allow clearance (assuming you haven’t removed it).

Before you put the arch and sill trims on, it is advisable to treat any rust that is present on the wheel arches or sills, as this will be covered up for some time (if you’re planning on leaving the trim on). This is because the trim does not allow water to leave easily from the areas it covers, and with trapped moisture, any present corrosion will only get worse.

Even on sound bodywork, it may be advisable to get hold of some spray on Waxoil, and cover the areas to be covered with the trims in a good layer of the stuff.

To secure the trims, there are approximately 36 rivets required (these are still available new from VAGparts or your dealer, however any rivets will do, as long as the head is large enough, and they are of the correct length).

Boot Spoiler Removal (Coupe Models)

The rear tailgate boot spoiler is held onto the car with several clips, and some adhesive (similar to that holding the sill trim covers on). By gently pulling the spoiler up from the bottom, you can lift it away from the tailgate, and then unclip the clips at the top of the tailgate.

Refitting is the reverse of removal. For this I would recommend the use of Tigerseal or a similar product to glue the spoiler back in place.

Rear Number Plate Recess Vinyl (GT/G40 Models) and Door Trim Vinyl

The black vinyl trim that covers up the number plate recess, or the B pillars can be removed by applying heat ton the trim to loosen the adhesive, then gently peeling back the vinyl to reveal the paintwork underneath. As with the rub strips, a bug and tar remover, or petrol is useful for removing the ‘residue’ left behind, and as with the rub strips bear in mind there might be a difference in colour, lacquer peel, or signs of a respray.

I hope that this FAQ is useful and answers a lot of the common questions.

Thanks.

Karl.

Sweet work dude.

Alot of time and effort there. Much appreciated.

:-D

THIS SHOULD BE PINNED!!!!

now you tell me .

excellent work goign to be doing all of that very soon.

shite i must have been blind to miss that, looks like this weeks tast is sorted going to remove the bump strip things, and then get colour co-ordinated bumpers and colour co-ordinated wing mirrors.

cheers!

I'm planning to add a CL badge on the front grill (like the GT and G40) in red, do you know if the front badge is the same size as the back ones on GTs and G40s? I'm thinking of gettin hold of a back CL badge to put on front, but how would i go about attaching it to the front?

For my 'loPolo' front badge I just used araldite. Due to the spacing of the slats in the grille and thickness of the badges you cant really screw through into the badges for securing them.

Karl.

hi I'm going to be removing my side strips but i been putting it off cus theres a bit of rust under one of them on the front wing now i have the money for them to be resprayed, so what i was after is do you know where i can get good pattern panells that will Not have the cut outs for aerial and side reapeaters?

Theres a bit of a grey area when it comes to pattern parts. Most people find them to be poor fitting, or inferior quality, while others report no problems. Ultimately the life of the panels will depend on how well they're painted, etc more than anything else.

Euro Car Parts stock many of the body panels. Generally speaking the replacement items come without the side repeator and possibly aerial holes, whereas the genuine items have both. It is best to check first, as there are quite a few manufacturers producing the pattern wings, some producing an exact copy of the OE wings, some producing them without side repeator holes as mentioned.

Karl.

you would happen to know if the same aplies for the door srips on a mark 4?

I'm sorry I can't help you with that one

Maybe a post in the Bodywork and Interior Styling section will throw up some answers from the relevant people if you haven't already? :-)

nice work. Looks like i don't have any excuses now to get some stuff done!

Found this guy on ebay... these are exactly the same as the ones VW still sell (just not 30p + VAT each)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...31273%26fvi%3D1

i have a genesis so if i take off the rear arch spats am i going to have a hole or are mine like the fox??

absolutly perfect. just thought i'd have a go at removing the rear bumper for the hell of it... and it was exactly as described. a perfect thread