Noted!

Same setup here, love it

yo, saw this earlier but just getting a chance to reply now. honestly, i feel u on the price shock... the dealer markups for accessories are literally insane. but looking at the market research i did before buying mine, there's actually a massive difference in quality between the tiers of guards out there.

Here's what I recommend based on the research and my own (kinda disappointing) trial and error:

1. **High-End Aftermarket**: I actually tried WeatherTech MudFlaps for Audi Q5 first. They're usually great, but tbh I had issues with the rear fitment. They felt a bit stiff and the gap was annoying... not as good as expected for the price.

2. **Budget/Universal**: Don't even bother with the cheap Rally Armor Universal Mud Flaps for a Q5 unless ur going for a specific rally look. They're just flat sheets of plastic and you have to drill into ur wheel liner which is a total nightmare. Plus they look super out of place on a luxury SUV imo.

3. **The OEM Route**: Even though people mentioned them, I gotta say that the Audi Q5 Genuine Splash Guards are the only ones that actually flow with the body lines. I tried to save money with some knockoffs from Amazon first, but they faded to a weird gray color after one winter.

It sucks that the official ones are pricey, but ur basically paying for the UV-resistant plastic and the exact contour of the fender. If ur gonna keep the car for a few years, just bite the bullet so u dont have to look at gaps every time u walk up to ur car lol. gl with whatever u decide!! 👍

Seconding the recommendation above! In my experience over the years, the Audi Q5 Genuine OEM Splash Guards are totally worth it for the fit alone. Universal ones look kinda cheap, right? But skip the dealer labor—it's basically a 30-min DIY job if you have a short screwdriver. Seriously, you'll save like $100+ in fees and they keep the rocker panels sooo much cleaner from salt. gl!

I’m going to go against the grain here. Honestly, after owning several Audis over the years, I’ve found that even the best OEM guards can be a bit of a trap. Literally. They often collect fine grit and road salt behind the mounting points, which can actually cause more corrosion on the rocker panels long-term if you don’t pull them off to clean regularly. If you’re worried about paint chips, I’d skip the plastic and go with a high-quality Paint Protection Film (PPF) instead, like Xpel Ultimate Plus. You can get a small DIY strip for the wheel arches for a fraction of the dealer price. It doesn't affect your Cd (drag coefficient)—which is a big deal if you're trying to maximize efficiency on an EV or PHEV—and it provides way better impact resistance without changing the car's lines. It's basically invisible but does the heavy lifting against gravel, you know? TL;DR: Flaps trap salt and ruin aero. Get some 8mil PPF for the high-impact areas instead. It’s cheaper and saves the paint better over the long haul.

sooo i actually just went through this exact same dilemma with my Q5 a few months back. Honestly, I was pretty shocked when the dealer told me the price for the parts plus labor... it felt kinda like a ripoff at first lol. But honestly?? I ended up biting the bullet on the official OEM ones and I'm super happy I did.

I looked at those universal ones online too, but they basically look like flat pieces of plastic and I was worried they'd ruin the lines of the car. The official Audi ones actually contour to the body perfectly—they look like they're part of the bumper. For a beginner like me, the install was a bit intimidating but it's basically just a few screws and some clips. I saved a ton of money by just buying the parts from an online wholesale dealer and doing it in my driveway on a Saturday morning. They highkey keep the side of the car way cleaner from all that slush and gravel.

Before you decide though, I gotta ask: Are you planning on doing the install yourself or are you strictly looking at the dealer doing it? Also, what kind of total budget are you trying to stay under for the whole thing??

TL;DR: Go with the official ones for the fit and look, but definitely skip the dealer labor if you can—it's way cheaper to DIY and they really do protect your paint better than the cheap ones.