yvan_es350

I'll receive my new ES350 Royal Ruby Metallic w/Ultra Premium on 26 Apr. Wondering if I should have the Bodyside Moulding installed.

Does the bodyside moulding really protects the car?

I can not have a clear picture of how the moulding would looks like on the car. Is there any owners out there whom could post pictures with the bodyside mouding installed?

Tks for the help.

MDames2

iTrader: (1)

In my opinion, this moulding is mostly aesthetic. Since vehicles that park next to you are of varying heights and lengths the likelihood that the moulding strip on your car will be at the precise location to stop the other vehicle's door from damaging your door is slim. I've had body side moulding on other vehicles, and it didn't protect me from door dings. So I think it's a matter of what you think looks better, and that's totally subjective.

MD350

I did not get the molding, but opted for an optional unlimited paintless door ding removal warranty that the dealer offered. For about $100 a year, I get all the dents pulled that I want. I have already used it once. If you are only adding the molding for protection, you could take the money for the molding and save it for ding removal. If you want the molding so the car has a different look, that is subjective.

dreyfus

Like MDames2 said, no molding will protect you from every ding. But having the side strip does help some, and both my wife's car and mine have minor marks on the molding that would otherwise be major marks on the door.

You can see examples of the side molding here:

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...t=side+molding

Posts 21 & 30 show the Lexus molding. Post 17 (mine) shows a dealer install of an aftermarket version done before the Lexus moldings were available.

djr

We have them on our Royal Ruby and are very happy with the looks. It breaks up the size of the door panel (for whatever that's worth).
We had them installed on our 98 Accord coupe and when the car was sold 4 years later, the strips were loaded with small dings (not very noticeable, as the material is a soft plastic) that would have otherwise been in the doors.
I guess it's all a matter of personal taste, as paintless dent removal is pretty common these days & can take out the dings the moldings might have prevented.

amf1932

Auto manufacturers been using door trim strips for many years, so I opted for the "new" slab look......without these strips. As said before, it's a matter of personal taste since in reality they don't afford that much more protection.

onefiend

BSM's should come stock in ALL vehicles, like what car manufacturers used to do a few years ago. I think designers can always find away to incorporate them without looking cheesy (look at older Mercedes/BMW cars). Just my 2 cents.


I have also noticed that BSM's aren't offered for the IS/GS/LS. Why is that?

dreyfus

It's a cosmetic design decision. This is what Lexus believes is in style right now.

jerfitz

4/16/07
I called my Lexus dealer to get the body side moldings installed and they told me that Lexus car company (not my dealer) has put a stop sale on them. Lexus must be having a problem with them.

JerFitz

jaron5438

I had BSM installed on my tungsten pearl (silver) ES350 mainly because I felt the side looked too barren without anything - a matter of taste. I also have since have noticed a few marks on it which probably would have been dings on a bare door - so it probably will afford some protection. If you want, I could send pictures but it might not give the same perspective on what it may look like on a dark car such as ruby red.

Jaron 5438

toneman

Call me naive or whatever but...notwithstanding the fact that BSMs may save you from spending lots of money in possible multiple door ding repair costs, but--unless you replace the BSM every time it gets cosmetically damaged, I can't quite understand what difference does it make from an aesthetic standpoint between a dinged door vs. a dinged BSM? Nothing like driving around in an otherwise unblemished luxury car like the ES, whose BSM is marked up w/ lots of dings, eh?

djr

The BSMs are a soft plastic, so when they get bumped, the dents hardly show up in them.

dunnojack

park at the farthest end of the parking lot.... problems solved and calories burned.

VroomVroom

Sorry to drudge up an old thread....I'm still mulling these over for my wife's car. Sewell has them online for $133 which doesn't seem too unreasonable.

Looking at the pics (thanks for the link to the thread...in tungsten no less)...I'm not sure whether I like the look. I think I'll let my wife decide that one. However, I love the centered XM antenna. I've wanted to relocate hers since day one - I still don't understand how Lexus engineers sleep at night with such a cheesy OEM solution.

If anyone else has the molding and is willing to post pics I'd be grateful.

TWQ83

It's a question of money ......... No BSM's and it's $75.00 a Ding! With BSM's you run the vehicle for 3 or 4 years and then Replace the BSM's for $155.00 one time. Your trade in value for your Lexus just when up $1,000.00.++++

Talk about peace of Mind!!!