Opinions and tips, please - Body Side Molding

[Aarons12]

hi all. My Y is the first car i've bought rather than leased in a loooong time. years ago when i owned, i always put body side molding on to prevent the parking lot door opening dings. I have seen a few pics of tesla's with added molding. Can't decide if it looks ok or not. if i do go for some, do i go with painted pearl white to match the vehicle, or black to match the trim?

and does anybody have experience with that kind of parking lot damage? anybody wish they HAD put molding on?

 

[Kuro Houou]

I certainly know the fear, I leased my last car and it was so much easier on the nerves not worrying too much about a little ding here or there.. but on a car you own, especially one this expensive its so much more nerve racking!! For me I will be parking further away from people in parking lots now... hope the wife is ok with that, I am sure she will complain though But in my own garage I would worry more as the walls are pretty close to one side. In that case I put some foam tape on the walls, about 1/8" thick right where the door first hits. This makes it much easier to open and close the doors without worrying about it swinging and hitting drywall. Plus I have kids in car seats so I can open the door as much as possible and feel comfortable I am not damaging it.

Last thing i'd say is, if your really OCD and worried... PPF the entire car, I am probably going to go down that route. I want to keep this car at least 4-5 years, which would be the longest I have ever kept a car and I have had a lot of cars! I feel like its the only way to put my mind at ease.. at least a little more at ease anyways.

 

[Aarons12]

I certainly know the fear, I leased my last car and it was so much easier on the nerves not worrying too much about a little ding here or there.. but on a car you own, especially one this expensive its so much more nerve racking!! For me I will be parking further away from people in parking lots now... hope the wife is ok with that, I am sure she will complain though But in my own garage I would worry more as the walls are pretty close to one side. In that case I put some foam tape on the walls, about 1/8" thick right where the door first hits. This makes it much easier to open and close the doors without worrying about it swinging and hitting drywall. Plus I have kids in car seats so I can open the door as much as possible and feel comfortable I am not damaging it.

Last thing i'd say is, if your really OCD and worried... PPF the entire car, I am probably going to go down that route. I want to keep this car at least 4-5 years, which would be the longest I have ever kept a car and I have had a lot of cars! I feel like its the only way to put my mind at ease.. at least a little more at ease anyways.

thanks, my car is not garaged unfortunately, my collectible BMW is in there. but i also park at our firehouse daily where folks are more careful. my fear is in parking lots where strangers could care less.

i did order the film for the door edges but honestly if i wanted to spend the kind of money for full ppf i would probably go the next step and wrap it a color i like more.

as for child seats, we are empty nest. i told our daughter that i was not buying a 3 row vehicle, that i wanted THEM to buy one and cart her mom and i around for a change LOL.

 

[03DSG]

thanks, my car is not garaged unfortunately, my collectible BMW is in there. but i also park at our firehouse daily where folks are more careful. my fear is in parking lots where strangers could care less.

i did order the film for the door edges but honestly if i wanted to spend the kind of money for full ppf i would probably go the next step and wrap it a color i like more.

as for child seats, we are empty nest. i told our daughter that i was not buying a 3 row vehicle, that i wanted THEM to buy one and cart her mom and i around for a change LOL.

Be aware that the thinner color change wrap doesn't offer the same level of protection of clear PPF.