# Does my 2010 Subaru Impreza need the protective undercovering?

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-my-2010-subaru-impreza-need-the-protective-undercovering/116269>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** impreza, subaru\
**Created:** [April 25, 2018, 7:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-my-2010-subaru-impreza-need-the-protective-undercovering/116269 "2018-04-25T19:56:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![JanetSteins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@JanetSteins](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JanetSteins)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2018, 7:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-my-2010-subaru-impreza-need-the-protective-undercovering/116269/1 "2018-04-25T19:56:00Z")

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Driving over a rock caused a rip in the protective covering under my car. Because it was dragging on the ground I tore it away. Subaru tells me the replacement parts alone will be about $400, plus labor. I have been driving the car “unprotected” in this way for almost a year. How important is it to replace this cover?

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**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2018, 8:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-my-2010-subaru-impreza-need-the-protective-undercovering/116269/2 "2018-04-25T20:25:12Z")

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Just drive on , it was mostly for air flow to help fuel mileage .

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**Author:** ![JanetSteins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@JanetSteins](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JanetSteins)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2018, 4:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-my-2010-subaru-impreza-need-the-protective-undercovering/116269/3 "2018-04-26T16:02:07Z")

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Thanks! I didn’t know that.

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**Author:** ![Yosemite](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/yosemite/32/643_2.png) [@Yosemite](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Yosemite)\
**Post date:** [April 29, 2018, 4:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-my-2010-subaru-impreza-need-the-protective-undercovering/116269/4 "2018-04-29T16:42:53Z")

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@VOLVO_V70  
And here I thought that the cover was there to catch all the wrenches and sockets that you drop???

Yosemite

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**Author:** ![MG-McAnick](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mg-mcanick/32/188_2.png) [@MG-McAnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MG-McAnick)\
**Post date:** [April 30, 2018, 1:20am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-my-2010-subaru-impreza-need-the-protective-undercovering/116269/5 "2018-04-30T01:20:03Z")

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Of course the cover may well have protected the bottom of your engine from being punctured by the rock that that tore it off. Now THAT would be an expensive fix once all the oil ran out, Consider buying the cover from a salvage yard and paying in independent shop to install it. It may also improve cooling airflow and MPG a little.

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**Author:** ![lion9car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/59ef9b/32.png) [@lion9car](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lion9car)\
**Post date:** [April 30, 2018, 1:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-my-2010-subaru-impreza-need-the-protective-undercovering/116269/6 "2018-04-30T13:38:43Z")

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I too wonder about the airflow through the engine for proper cooling, as MG\_McAnick1 points out. If this were my car, I’d price the junkyard solution here.