I've got a 98 323 convertible and just got a wind deflector last week. The reduction in interior wind is tremendous and it was definitely a great purchase. As I look closely at the trim where the spring loaded pins insert - on the front seat belt mounts - I see several small cracks. Does this piece of trim have a name and any idea where I can get a replacement? The wind deflector mounting appears secure as it is.

Peter

Yeah, You can replace them. Mine were cracked when I bought the car, and the replacements cracked too, before I bought the deflector. I think it is more from chassis flex than anything else.

You can go to realoem.com and look up the part number by interior color. Look up your model and year. Then look under main group: "interior", then under sub group: "door trim pannels/latteral trim"

not worth doing unless you have huge chunks missing.... Be prepared to change them out every other year. (bad design) Mine has has a hairline crack at each one since I first bought the car 5 years ago, they havent gotten any bigger.

I replaced mine over a year ago and put them in more solid than the lousy snap mounts. Even with bilstein they have not developed a single crack yet, deflector is always in.

...put them in more solid than the lousy snap mounts.....
Please elaborate...:)

Please elaborate...:)

I didn't like how loose they were in the panels (the actual plastic inserts) so I found some semi permanent gasket material (used it in other applications so I knew it's properties) and effectively glued it on, while at the same time applying force to it to strengthen the bond. The stuff isn't so permanent I can't replace the piece by prying it up, but it keeps them more secure than the previous ones that basically just cracked, then fell apart after a couple years. It's been just over a year and so far no issues at all.

The part is called the "belt outlet cover" - $15.74 from the realoem web site. I'll hold off to see if the damage spreads - I think I'm the only person who'd notice it who gets in my car.

Peter

exactly. mine got so bad one of the inset receivers was completely broken off so the screen was moving around a bit. easy to put on, just have to take one end of the belt off.

I didn't like how loose they were in the panels (the actual plastic inserts) so I found some semi permanent gasket material (used it in other applications so I knew it's properties) and effectively glued it on, while at the same time applying force to it to strengthen the bond. The stuff isn't so permanent I can't replace the piece by prying it up, but it keeps them more secure than the previous ones that basically just cracked, then fell apart after a couple years. It's been just over a year and so far no issues at all.

I wonder if yours were really broken to begin with, Mine aren't loose at all and don't budge.

Mine were cracking when I bought the car with 63k miles, and the replacements lasted about 20k. I haven't actually replaced them yet, but I have the parts. I'm thinking that the 'padding' provided by a flexible gasket material such as what wsmc831 used allows for buffered movement and flexibility that factory mounting does not.

Replacement requires the seat belt be detached from the floorboard, as well as the entire rear side panel.