Door Moldings

[goldwing2000]

I hate to rehash an old argument but I'm in a quandary.

I had decided not to remove my door moldings but when my car got damaged, they had to remove the left side moldings to repaint the side.

The moldings couldn't be re-used, so they ordered some new ones but the new ones were on back-order. I picked up the car on Tuesday and they told me to come back to get the moldings.

Problem is... I kind of like it without the moldings.

Should I go the sensible course and have them put back on or should I go crazy and take the other side off?

(confused)

 

[Don Lockwood]

Hey! one side with... and one side without... Just like MiniWheats ;-)

I would have a hard time deciding myself. I find it nice without, but i don't know if i would remove the moldings on my red GS 4 door.... maybe if i was already half way done, like you with a side missing the molding.

Personnally, i think the Mazda3 looks sportier without the molding ... more on the luxury side with the molding.

.... see! MiniWheats! One side is luxurious, the other is sporty! ;-)

 

[Loose]

descisions, descisions...

If you ask me the first big ding (and you know you'll get one) you'll be kicking yourself, but to each is his own. I to have contemplated removing the moldings but living in the city and parking the way it is I opted not too. Good Luck GW!

 

[splitvizion]

I think that it would look better without both moldings. That is what I plan on doing here soon. Now, having one on and one off, in my opinion is as an unatractive decision. I can feel creativitiy when it is within boundries but that is a little extreme. Kinda like wearing two diiferant shoes or going to Gabes and buying a fottball tee-shirt with one team on the front and another team on the back.

GOOOOOOOOOOO Detroit Steelers. LOL

 

[Rush24]

Check out my car without the moldings under the post Sprint Lowering Springs... (cheers2)

 

[Absinthe]

The moldings couldn't be re-used, so they ordered some new ones but the new ones were on back-order. I picked up the car on Tuesday and they told me to come back to get the moldings.

Sorry off-topic... how much do you have to pay for the moldings? I removed mine and I don't really like it (Pics here). I could re-use the moldings, but peeling the double tape off is PITA.

 

[Armyguy1104]

looks better

I agree that it looks better w/o the moldings and that there is a noticeable difference. But with it being a brand new car I think I will wait to remove them just because I would hate for it to get its first ding because I did something like that.

 

[dulog]

I remember a thread or poll about this before to and at that point I was thinking you gotta leave 'em on for the protection. Now I wonder about that. If someone opened a door into you and it hit the painted molding couldn't it just as easily chip the molding? Is the idea of it to help protect against dents to the panel then? Also, how likely is it that something would hit the molding and not above or below it? I figure there's a good chance if something hit it would be a few inches higher. With these things in mind I really wonder how much protection it offers. I don't mind the look of them to much, but I do think of them as one more annoyance to wash, polish, or wax around so I've been kicking around the idea of getting rid of them to. Anyone with have an experience where these moldings really helped protect the car?

 

[Howdy]

Personally, the HB looks really nice w/o the moldings but on the sedan I think the moldings are better left on.

 

[goldwing2000]

Sorry off-topic... how much do you have to pay for the moldings? I removed mine and I don't really like it (Pics here). I could re-use the moldings, but peeling the double tape off is PITA.

Can't help you with the price. Insurance company is paying for it. I think it's about a hundred bucks for the two of them.

Anyway... *sigh* yeah.

It looks good without them but I like the protection factor with them. In the end, I'll probably just flip a coin.

Dam.

 

[BigBallin]

Can't help you with the price. Insurance company is paying for it. I think it's about a hundred bucks for the two of them.

Anyway... *sigh* yeah.

It looks good without them but I like the protection factor with them. In the end, I'll probably just flip a coin.

Dam.

whats the difference with them on or off...either way some one hits your car...you have to replace something...i think you should extend the moldings all the way around your car for full protection against dents (dark)

 

[goldwing2000]

lmao... better yet, just cover the whole car with styrofoam!

 

[BigBallin]

lmao... better yet, just cover the whole car with styrofoam!

lol...yes...custom styrofoam....anyways heres a pic of my car no moldings,oh ya and no handles..

(dance)

 

[goldwing2000]

lol...yes...custom styrofoam....anyways heres a pic of my car no moldings,oh ya and no handles..

Yeah... and flames... you bastard. (sad2)

 

[splitvizion]

I got a dent in the first week of having my car. The moldings did nothing to protect. The dent is right above the molding on the drivers side. Now everywhere I go I either double park or park at the end of the lot where there aren't any other cars.

Yeah I am the asshole that double parks. But everybody else is the asshole that doesn't watch what they are doing when they open there car doors. Anybody with a new car has to feel me on that.

 

[Absinthe]

Tru dat. The moldings are too low to protect the door. They're not on the widest part. They're purely cosmetics IMO.

 

[hyck]

hey -bigballin- whats up with the handles, how do you open the doors ..... ??? It looks carzy I love it!

 

[BigBallin]

hey -bigballin- whats up with the handles, how do you open the doors ..... ??? It looks carzy I love it!

push button remote...worse thing in the world...never do it again on an every day driver..i got so pissed at the car i sold it for 20,000 and bought a wrx

 

[hyck]

whats bad about it ??

 

[sndsgood]

ditch them and just park away from everyone else. i ditched the mouldings the first week i had the car, would have ditched the badges if it wasn for mazda's brilliant hole mounting system those will have to wait.

just park further away, not that big an issue to walk an extra 50' to go to a store. or work, i took the moulding on our sunfire off the day we got the car and its now 4 years old without a single door dent. i mean even with them on its still a crap shoot of wether the idiot opens his door is going to hit you exactly where that little 1/2" of stripping . and if you lower the car your chances will probalby be even less of that thin little strip protecting you.