Hello all.

My month of woe just keeps getting worse it seems.

I've had a moron smash my front passenger side wing whilst parked at Lakeside Shopping Centre in Essex Monday night.

Does anyone know of a video, guide or have any advice on how to take the old one off and fit a new one? I've just ordered an identical one on fleabay so I was hoping to save a few quid and attempt this little job myself.

Thanks in advance.

Not sure about the X type not owning or have owned one David however, I am assuming it is a bolt on wing? If so the task is relatively simple. Obviously removal of the wheel making sure the car is supported well, the use of axle stands if you have some would be recommended along with a hydraulic trolley jack.

You will need to remove the inner wheel arch covering, sometimes they are 6mm bolts which will mean a 10mm spanner or socket or they may be poppets. Once this is removed then its just a matter of removing the bolts securing the wing to the body and hey presto. Repeat the process in reverse to refit the new wing. I'm assuming no spraying is involved if its as you say an identical replacement from flea bay.

Good luck, come back and let us know how you get on.

Hey Kenny,

Thanks for the advice. Just gone to do it and found that my wheel winder thingy seems to be missing. Also as I only have a space in a car park where I live there's not much room so getting my mechanic to do it instead. He's also going to sort the whirring out too which he believes is a wheel baring.

Hopefully that will be the end of it for this car for a while ☺

Update. Considered doing this myself but due to the lack of a proper drive or garage (I have to make do with a designated parking space in a car park) I decided to let my mechanic do it. 

 

Glad I did. He seemed to have some issues with the bolts. A couple had sheered and needed to be drilled out. All sorted now for the not so princely sum of £67 for a matching front wing and £40 to fit it; so a very happy bunny. New profile picture added with the wing facing. It was raining and a bit dark though.

 

I also had him give it a quick check over while it was there. Everything else is actually fine and the whining noise I was whining about is nothing to worry about apparently. It seems to be just my bat hearing and car noise paranoia deceiving me. His words were basically "I can't believe how good nick this car is in, considering the age and how much you paid chap!" I'm actually feeling a little bit smug now.

 

Now I can relax and finally enjoy this very pretty little car, and hopefully take it to some club events next year. :)