10 replies to this topic

[mike.]

Getting my car resprayed soon so i'm doing abit of rust treatment etc. My bootlid has some rust bubbles coming through so i'd rather get a new one before the respray.

Anyway looks like genuine ones from minispares are about £175

Double skin fibreglass ones are about £95

So i've looked around and found Beevers auto panels - Not that far from me either. They've got loads of panels including Open frame mk3> bootlids (which i need) for £48! Sounds like a bargain to me: Link

I know people say 'you get what you pay for' regarding non genuine panels but how can i go wrong with a bootlid? Its all getting properly painted, any holes i drill i'll make sure are rust protected so i'm not too bothered if the metal isn't as good quality.

But what about fit - To be honest i can't see how i can go far wrong with a bootlid but what do people reckon?

[GreaseMonkey]

You could get a mint second hand bootlid for cheaper ?

[mini_lad_1990]

you aint going to go for a flushed bootlid then mate??

i have a patterned front wing it does the job just more flimsy than the original on the other side

cheers

[mike.]

You could get a mint second hand bootlid for cheaper ?

yeah but for all i know it could be rusty under the paint

[mike.]

you aint going to go for a flushed bootlid then mate??

i have a patterned front wing it does the job just more flimsy than the original on the other side

cheers

Nah i think the smooth bootlid look is abit chavvy unless done right - which is hard to do imo.

Thats what i mean though - People are always moaning about non genuine panel fit and say the metals cheap and the fit is bad - But how can i go wrong with a bootlid really?

I mean its not as though its something like a wing where i'll be relying on the panel to line up perfectly so i can weld it.

I'm just wondering if i'm right about it. But its cheaper than a single skin FB one which would need £20 of fasteners and would never be as sturdy and secure.

[panelbeaterpeter]

Try and find a mint second hand genuine one, easy to tell if it's got any corrosion on it if you see it in person. Mini boot lids can be a pain at the best of times, definitely wouldn't want to fit a non gen one.

[blue redtop]

dsn is cheaper
BTT4550 £40.00 ( Excl. VAT )
Bootlid (without holes for seal clips)

[mike.]

DSN classic is the other end of the country from me so postage would make it more.

I wouldn't mind fitting a decent second hand one but they're harder to find. Basically the cars getting resprayed in 3 weeks. So i've got about 1-2 weeks to find a decent bootlid before i take my car off the road to strip it, fit new panels and repair any bits of rot i find - So basically i'm on a very tight schedule and have very little time to find and buy a 2nd hand lid, wait for postage only to find its not as good as it looks in the pics... Thats why i'm so tempted by a cheap new one.


When/if fitting one of these non genuine bootlids what sort of problems could i encounter?

[panelbeaterpeter]

They tend to stick out too far around the sides and the top, and the pressing won't be as good. It wouldn't be a major problem, just don't expect it to be as good as genuine.

[mike.]

I'm not too fussed about that and wouldn't expect it to be as good as a genuine one at that price. As long as it closes enough to lock and enough to seal out water that'll do me.

[Deathrow]

I'm not too fussed about that and wouldn't expect it to be as good as a genuine one at that price. As long as it closes enough to lock and enough to seal out water that'll do me.

Well isn't that more the job of the bootlid frame? You could mate a non gen skin up to that and maintain the shape, surely.