Help...Fender Vents/Strakes Removal
 

Ok guys...dont make fun of me...but i was tryin to take off my fender vents and strakes....and now the vent is loose. i tried to take off the wheel well plastic to access the back of the vent...but i dont know how to get the plastic screws out without stripping them. i stripped one and stopped.

basically i need to take the vent out asap. its loose. the point of the strakes already dug into the paint a little. im dying here guys!!! this car is my mistress and i love her!!!!

i want to take the strakes and vents off so i can sell them and get the aluminum vents.

Whoa.............they don't fully unscrew, they just turn about 1/2 turn then pop up, then the whole plastic piece comes out. You will see...........once the screw(as you call it) is pops out a little, get a flatblade screwdriver underneath the plastic tab that the screw goes into and pry gently. Actually after you pop the screw up, you can usually just pull it out without the screwdriver though.

They're not screws, they're pop rivets. Screw them a quarter turn, making sure the outside edge of the rivet doesn't turn, and the center should pop out. You can then gently pull it out. Sometimes turning them doesn't work, in which case you need to gently stick a SMALL flathead screwdriver (like the kind you repair sunglasses with) in the joint between the inner and outer parts and lift until the center pops.

AND............once you have access to the back of the vents, you will find that they need to be squeezed from the sides in three places along their length. Approx. at the top middle and bottom. You won't be able to see them.....you'll have to go by feel. Get you hand/arm in there, take your time and using middle finger on one side and thunmb on the other and kinda sqeeze a little bit. Once you see how they are held in, it's easy..........just be aware there are three places to do that squeeze(one at a time), DON'T just try and pry them out or you will dork them up.

Rivet is a much better term.....thanks....was having a brain fart and couldn't think of it.

oh ok. no wonder the POP RIVET (not a screw lol) wouldnt come out. thanks so much guys. im so mad that i scratched my car! but ohwell. im going to work on it in the morning. i i had gotten the top part of the vent out fine...like you said. but i couldnt get the rest. i will pull off the wheel well in the morning and get this vent out.

ok guys!!! with your help i got them out without a problem!!!!!!!! now im going to driving around without them in. im going to sell them on here and craigslist. i saw people selling the metal strakes on ebay for over $200! i think thats kind of high. but what do you guys think. what would be a fair price for the full set of strakes? i also saw the oem vents for about $50. lemme know what you guys think is a good price for them. i want to get a set of the aluminum vents.

This thread is not a DIY BTW IMO

imo?

Nemesis8 is right............it's not a DIY, that's reserved for Do It Yourself and is where you actually explain(hopefully with pics) all parts of a particular installation.

IMO = In My Opinion

Anyway.......I never saw that you called it a DIY, I just saw you needed help. That should have been the title "Help with Vendor Vents". No harm, no foul.

oh my mistake. i edited it. but i dont think it changed the main title.

i washed my car today thinking it would get rid of the marks left by the strakes. but there is still tape residue. got any suggestions on removing that?

Assuming what you're seeing is residue from the double sticky tape, get a bottle of Goo Gone, spray it on, let it set a few minutes then wipe it off. If what you're seeing is scratches, or etching from the glue, on the clear coat, try a little polishing compound and a buffer.

Post a pic without vents. I'm curious.

ok ill get some pix up. it looks bad. i been drivin around without them in for days. discracing* the rx8!

I'll bet..........it must look kinda nasty without them!

here is how bad it looks without vents. i have to clean my vents and the residue off today. i got some goo gone!!!

yeah its pretty ugly

hey does anyone know what this vent looking sticker is on the back? can we take it off and put vents in like the front fenders or what?

It's a vinyl stone guard. It can be removed, but there's nothing behind it but metal. You will also find more vinyl along the bottom of the rear door openings.

oooooooo i see....i was hoping that i could put a vent there.

Always wondered what that was, and if it could come off. Not that I ever wanted to take it off. :rock:

Yeah, I was thinking it looked a bit ghetto as well!

Man your rotors are rusty :o:

I have the same situation, I removed my strakes, and the residue left is a biatch to remove. I even tried WD40 - nothing gets it off. I think it is in the clear coat, so next is clay bar maybe.

my friend does a killer wax job. the dealership said they couldnt warranty it until i waxed it. so im gettin waxed here soon. i tried goo gone and it didnt even touch it. i agree i think the clear coat has been rubbed away.

FYI

The pop rivet is also called a scrivet. I think I busted one of mine.