Top mount dust cover washer

[Tractor Dave]

All it does is protect the paint when the car is jacked up or flying over a hump back bridge

[K Simmonds]

All it does is protect the paint when the car is jacked up or flying over a hump back bridge

Yeah, they're far from important, personaly I would't worry if they're not there.

[newsh]

Or glue those back on with superglue

[Lago Blue]

A warning:

For those who may not know, there exists a possible issue with simply using the VW alloy retainers (P/N 1J0 412 319 C) mentioned above; alone with unreinforced stock top-mounts. The issue arises literally because these VW alloy items are taller than the steel originals. Un-reinforced, any stock top-mount is always beaten flat from underneath by the Macpherson strut, which in turn raises the retainer such that this VW item may strike the underside of the hood (I defer to Mance who pointed this out years ago on Audiworld..."its not a matter of "if" its simply a matter of "when." Think pot-hole strike.

This can be prevented by reinforcing the top-mounts with Strut-Stops (which BTW also appear to prevent top-mount collapse altogether). Amongst other advantages, top-mounts kept from collapsing are more pleasant to drive on, quieter than stock, allow the safe use of these VW retainers; and the soft EPDM rubber surround on these VW alloy retainers doesn't fall away like the brittle black plastic trim rings of the steel originals.

If this might be of interest, one can read about top-mount reinforcement (Strut-Stops) here:

https://www.s2forum.com/forum/member...t-strut-mounts