MK4 Panzer Plate Aluminum Skid Plate Kit

Save 13%
$399.00
$349.00

  Many MK4 engines have been destroyed by debris putting a hole or a crack in the aluminum oil pan causing the subsequent loss of oil and oil pressure. Our heavy duty aluminum Panzer Plate kits protect all of the parts in the bottom of the engine bay, including the cast aluminum oil pan, a/c compressor, radiator, condenser, transmission, and rear subframe. These items, and especially the very thin cast aluminum oil pan, can be easily damaged by road debris, ice chunks, and minor off-road excursions. You can see pictures to the left of the damage our skid plate protects against. Also, as you know, Golf, Jetta and New Beetles are very low to the ground and the front suspension is relatively soft which causes the cars to bottom out frequently. Damage often occurs when bottoming out. In addition, the plastic belly pan/splash shield that comes with these cars is often damaged. A replacement factory plastic belly pan currently costs up to $329.78 for the New Beetle TDI. Why replace it when you can buy a highly protective aluminum skid plate? Installing our hefty .190" inch thick aluminum skid plate will help you avoid costly repairs and give you peace of mind that your engine is protected!  

  Free Fedex Ground shipping to lower 48 state domestic USA addresses. Shipping to Canada is around $30. HI and AK are excluded from Flat Rate / free shipping. For a quote, please email your complete address to sales@dieselgeek.com.

What it fits

  The MK4 Panzer skid plate fits all 1998-2006 MK4 Jetta, Golf, GTI, GLI, R32 and all 1998 through 2010 New Beetles, regardless of engine or transmission. This kit also fits all 2007-2010 City Golf and City Jetta in Canada and Jetta Clasico in Mexico up through 2014.

What about oil changes? 

TDI: Panzer Skid plates are punched with an easily removed "keystone" shaped oil drain plug access window. If removed, this hole will allow you or an oil change technician to easily drain the engine oil from the oil pan without removing the plate. We offer a snap-in aluminum cover for the removed oil drain window for a small additional cost. Alternatively, if you buy a "Pela 6000" or "Hydro-Turf oil extractor" for around $55 you can change your oil without getting under the car. The extractors may be purchased online to allow you to suck all of the used oil out of the dipstick tube. They really work.

Gasoline engines: Since the oil filters on these engines are mounted low on the engine and face the ground it is necessary to remove the skid plate to change the oil filter. This means there is no good reason to order the plate with the oil drain knockout removed if you have a gas powered car. Removal of the plate is only a five minute affair and the plate itself only weighs 17.25 pounds. You may order the plate with the knockout removed but the knockout only works for a four cylinder engine. The drain hole was designed for a 4 Cylinder TDI and is in the wrong place for a 5 or 6 cylinder.   

All about engine bay splash shields: The side plastic splash shields keep water and dirt out of the engine bay and also reduce engine noise. The Panzer Plate has it's own steel structure and will work without them but side panels are nice to keep water and dirt out of the engine bay. Also, you do not need to buy new engine bay side panels if your stock plastic engine bay side panels still have the two middle screw holes in the bottom flange nearest to the ground. You can modify your existing plastic splash shields in as little as 15 minutes by simply cutting them with a hack saw as shown in this pdf guide. If you are missing your side panels or if they are too damaged to be used then you can order the Deluxe Panzer skid plate with metal Full Metal Jacket side panels.

Instructions links for the installing the Panzer Skid Plate kit are here. The video below shows the rivnut install procedure. This is the most technical part of the install.

Made in USA!


 

Customer Reviews

Based on 75 reviews
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David Farmer
This is a MUST HAVE for any MK4 owner.

Bought my panzer plate years ago. It's been installed on 4 different MK4's over the years.

The latest car was a track-oriented one (~ 350-370wHP depending on time of year and ~ 320-350lb-ft tq.) Not earth shattering figures I know. But plenty to enjoy on the track and on the streets. Of course it saved my ass multiple times from road debris, sharp driveway to street angles, etc.

But on this track-oriented Mk4, it REALLY saved my ass. Not all tracks are created equal. Some are better maintained than others. At my last track day, there was a massive bump going into an off-camber left hand turn. This one rises out of the track as you come up the hill, quietly mocking you. "You're making good lap time? Ha! I'll fix that!".

This panzer plate allowed me to attack that corner without fear of damage. It took an absolute BEATING that day. Going over the bump each lap felt like someone was taking a sledgehammer to the underside of the car - and the Panzer plate took it all like a freaking champ. I was hitting the bump @ about 60mph, so no small feat. My poor PowerFlex bushings took more abuse than my Panzer Plate (just to give you an idea of how rough that corner entry is)

It's now going onto another Mk4, battle scars, gouges, and all. But just as good as the day I bought it. If this doesn't convince to buy this, then I don't know what will. All other plates for MK4's are just pathetic compared to this. The DG team is absolute top notch. Get it and never look back.

Awesome story David, thanks!

C
Connor Patrick McFarland
works great even on a lifted jetta

I offroad my Mk4 jetta on the regular and this thing takes a beating. rocks, unergrowth, and hard earth have all failed to penetrate the skid plate, let alone the oil pan. adds a whole new level of confidence knowing it wont leave me high and dry!

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Chris Oshana
Thicker than I imagined (That's what she said)!

My box arrived with a small hole in the side, I questioned if I would be missing some hardware. I was relieved to find the hardware safely packaged in a secondary box. I didn't have any instructions, I don't know if they are included, or maybe fell out the hole from the UPS/Fedex driver, but if they are included in color-in the hardware box, I think that would be a great addition. So I ended up trying to find them on Youtube. They don't really have "instructions" per say on Youtube, just how to use the rivnuts. I wanted the torque specs, and w/o instructions I ended up watching a competitor's video (They had a great installation video) about torque specs for the rivnuts. DieselGeek does have GREAT instructions (I found them after I did the install, on his website), but I like to watch how something is done, verse just read about it. My personal preference, nothing against D.G.

The pan is so heavy duty, yet light enough that you can remove it for maintenance w/o dreading car repairs. I'l so glad I got this BEFORE hitting something and ruining my oil pan or motor. Great price and product!

Thanks for your candid review, Chris! I understand that you had trouble finding our online instructions. I will try to make the link more prominent on the website. Of course, most of the install is in setting the seven rivnuts into the body of the car. I am loathe to put a torque spec on the website due to lack of regular calibration of torque wrenches.

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Dave
Outstanding craftsmanship and protection

I bought my skidplate 9/2007 and it's still protecting my Jetta. I can't count the number of times I've ran over things in the road that would have trashed my oil pan. Ran over a dead dear laying in the road a few weeks ago. As I lost one of the bolts that support the front of the skid plate, it did bend the plate in that corner but I was able to flatten it back out. I really love this skidplate and recommend it!!!!

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Matthew McIsaac
Great product, that's works

Really well designed and thought out. Also pretty bomb proof, tanked a 5inch rock about an hour after installing and hardly a mark on the plate.

Customer Reviews

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