Wheel Arch Liner Fell Out. Wtf?

The missus was driving the XM today (as she has been all year - more of that soon), and as she accelerated up the M271, there was an alarming rattle from the front left wheel, a loud bang, and as she put it "A large piece of I don't know what fell off the car". She wisely pulled over and called the RAC, who had a banter with the Highways Agency guys who had pulled up to get the piece out of the road over whether it was an engine cover or an inner wheelarch before telling her she had a split CV gaiter too, shouldn't drive it til it was fixed, and sent her home.

I got back at 9, had a quick butchers, and the entire inner wheel arch does indeed seem to be missing. This does not please me. We have to park on grass outside our house, and it's been very muddy - I wonder if this is to blame. I don't have the offending part - the Highways boys threw it in the hedge. How easy and/or cheap is this to fix? The car is going to my favourite local garage to have the gaiter replaced (and for them to take a peek at the CV itself) tomorrow - will I be on a hiding to nothing asking them to sort it out for me? I don't have any time to work on it until the weekend after next, and precious few skills when that time comes. The car is now parked several minutes walk from my house (the nearest place where there's space on the road), to save it from more mud, which is a giant hassle for my missus carrying our 11 month old and all the shopping. Bloody parking situation.

Hi Sam

The plastic cover just clips in place. My guess is that it became unclipped. The more normal problem is that the lower arm piviot bushes are so shot that the wheel can move so far that tyre actually catches and wears holes in the plastic cover. Might be able to find you a spare cover and they are a fairly easy job to fit just need all the plastic poppers. It should not be a problem to run without it for a while.

John

This post has been edited by xmexclusive on January 28, 2009 01:22 am

That could well be what's happened. If you do have a spare one, that would be great, and it sounds like the sort of job even I can do!

Hi Sam.

Hard luck with the hassle. From your description of a muddy parking area, I'd suggest it will be worth your while to pull the other side liner and check behind it, at the base of the door post. A number of mine have had serious accumulations of muck sitting there, permanently wet -- so it only needs a chink in the proofing and you've got rot waiting to go.
If John hasn't got a spare cover for you, I should be able to retrieve one from my spare machine.

Mike.

Hi Sam

Going to Bath today. Will see what I can find when I get back.

John

Well, the car went to my local bodging shop for a reasonably priced CV joint (turned out the gaiter had gone - no wonder it was making such a racket, what with the mud!). Only the wheel arch liner to do, and that corner of the car will be tip-top!

Hi Sam

Spotted the neat pile of liners last night on the work bench behind some spare engines. Just the couple of front seats and a bonnet loaded with half a cars worth of recovered small items that are stacked on top the engines to negotiate. Should get to them by the weekend and expect I will drop it round.

John

That's very much appreciated John. My XM hasn't had the attention I'd like it to have over the last year. I hope I can change that!