How easy is it to change a wing?

[Androo]

Hi all,

Last night my Passat received a prange to the front wing, as the two lanes merge on the A23 the car next to me decided to try to merge into me resulting in a badly dented front wing. Since the driver of the other car somehow thinks that it wasn't her fault :zx11: I'm expecting the insurance companies would see it as a 50:50 fault split. We've agreed to get quotes for our damage and decide what to do but I think if I'm paying I'd rather do most of the work myself. The door looks okay though and I'd rather not pay my £400 excess and lose my five years NCB if I can avoid it, since the Golf that merged into me was driven by a woman with 30 years NCB I'm hoping she'll also not want to go through the insurance companies (and the damage to hers was very light - looked like just paintwork).

I'm having the tracking checked this afternoon to make sure that's all alright and am considering changing the wing myself, hopefully I'll find one the right colour in a breakers yard.

Does anyone know how easy the front wings are to change on the 97-00 Passat? Do I have to remove the front bumper? I changed a wing on an MX5 before, that was dead easy. Mine's a W-reg 2000 saloon, for whatever difference that makes.

Thanks in advance!

Androo

[Androo]

So..... Nobody knows.

I suppose I should put some info on here myself then, once I've had a go!

[akeep]

Hi Androo
I realise that your post was a couple of months ago, but I am in a similar position - crunched my V reg Passat wing on a garden wall in the recent ice, and do not want to lose insurance no claims either. Did you end up replacing your wing yourself? and if so, was it easy enough??
Best - - Andy

[GTW]

I took the offside one off a Passat I was scrapping last year and found it quite straight forward. Although the bumper was already off, so I don't know if it has to be off or not - I'd presume that it does. IIRC the only bolt that caught me out was the one on the inside of the arch halfway between the door hinges; I'd seen the one you accessed with the door open, just hadn't realised there was one adjacent to it on the inside too.

Easy job really.

Gaz

[Ben]

i would think its pretty simple, bumper off, headlight out, wheel off, wheelarch liner off, door open.

I'd think the hardest part would be not scratching the new one.

In the past i wouldn't of considered the job, but with all the work i've done on my golf 5 now, i'd dive straight in, its all about confidence.

Besides, the wing you are removing is already damaged so it doesn't matter if you knock it somemore.

[akeep]

Thanks for the info and confidence boost gents, I have now decided to do it myself. Plan on finding driver side wing on ebay or at regional breaker for 1999 model (now that xmas/new year is out the way), then getting local sprayshop to get it to right colour before swapping over.

Your right, the existing wing is already damaged, so I can learn from taking it off! I have spotted the bolt that is exposed when you open the front door, but thanks for the info about the one tucked behind in the arch.

Andy

[GTW]

You'd be better off swapping it first IMO. Firstly, the sprayshop can then blend it in with the door, A Pillar, bonnet and bumper, and secondly because if your luck's anything like mine I'd end up taking a chunk out of the paint just as I tightened up the last nut:aargh4:

And yes, I've probably jinxed you by even mentioning it:(

Gaz