New Highlander owner

[cu52]

Picked up a 2008 Sport this week. Been lurking on the site for a while, getting some good info. Made the dealer fix the armrests as part of the deal. Drivers and both back were splil really bad.


What are everyone's thoughts on the side moldings. I like the clean door, but hate door dings...

[sweeneyp]

congrats on the purchase
I personally don't like them. I'm kinda with what you said about clean doors. I just think it looks better that way (without them).
now as for function, those seem like they are only good at preventing you from dinging things, not for others dinging your doors (considering all vehicles doors are different heights and shapes). I personally wouldn't use them and just make sure I don't ding things with the door.


also, those armrest are annoying. 3/4 are broken on mine (only driver is still intact, because I know to watch out for it). Did they replace the whole door panel? the actual armrest didn't seem removable when I had the panel off.

[cke]

congrats to your new ride. I had the same question as you when I was making decision on my 2012 HL. 3 factors that made me decided to get the one without the side molding:

1. Looks clean without it as you already mentioned.
2. No more water dripping spots car wash. I don't want to spend more time cleaning up those water drips from the side molding after car washing. I have a G35 with side moldings and I ended up drying those drips several times after car wash.
3. More often than not those side moldings don't work as designed. My G35 has more than a handful of door dents from other cars, so the side moldings only work as designed depending on the types of cars you parked next to....

Hopefully this helps your decision making....

[TrailDust]

Originally Posted by cu52

Picked up a 2008 Sport this week. Been lurking on the site for a while, getting some good info. Made the dealer fix the armrests as part of the deal. Drivers and both back were splil really bad.


What are everyone's thoughts on the side moldings. I like the clean door, but hate door dings...

Congratulations on the new purchase, and welcome to Toyota Nation too!

As for the side moldings, I've never liked them myself. I get around the dings by parking in B.F. Egypt away from other cars in a lot, or park anywhere guaranteed not to get a ding. I'll walk a little bit to save my doors.

[cu52]

Originally Posted by sweeneyp

congrats on the purchase
I personally don't like them. I'm kinda with what you said about clean doors. I just think it looks better that way (without them).
now as for function, those seem like they are only good at preventing you from dinging things, not for others dinging your doors (considering all vehicles doors are different heights and shapes). I personally wouldn't use them and just make sure I don't ding things with the door.


also, those armrest are annoying. 3/4 are broken on mine (only driver is still intact, because I know to watch out for it). Did they replace the whole door panel? the actual armrest didn't seem removable when I had the panel off.

My old 2000 S4 had the door moldings and seamed to take a beating where my door was only actually hit once. But that was at a lower height so maybe that worked better, plus they were factory installed. I normally park in the north-40 with my Tacoma, but this is my wifes vehicle so need to get her to do the same. Tough though with a 4 month old when it is snowy.

For the arm rests they actually repaired them rather than replacing the entire panel. Panels are $600 +/- each and the panels are perfect only the armrests the problem. Did a good job on the Drivers but the WE OWE form still has the two rear ones as the repair is good, they used a screw to reinforce and you can still feel it in the armrest. Only a matter of time that it wears a hole in the leather. They are supposed to let me know the plan to remedy that this coming week.

[dtown40]

Welcome aboard. Congrats on your new purchase.

[kingnba6]

Welcome to the forum.

[PhotonDreams]

I have an '08 I picked up new. Sure enough driver's side and rear passenger armrest eventually developed that crack under them. Dealer replaced total panels for free. The new ones that had a different redesigned part number. The cost of them inspired me to buy the extended warranty for $800. I have to say when I upgraded my door speakers I could see that the pads were held down by just melted plastic rivets. Made a note that sometime in the future I could snip the head of the rivet, slip in a piece of metal for strength under the pad and then just silicone those suckers back on. I put the side molding on and a bull bar for a place to mount some driving lights. In reality the moldings and bar are just for minor dings in a parking lot. For the moldings I just took a bunch of measurements off a few doors and averaged where they tend to hit. Hope you enjoy the Highlander, I sure have.

[sweeneyp]

Originally Posted by cu52

They are supposed to let me know the plan to remedy that this coming week.

Think you can keep us updated on this? if they try a repair, I might try to replicate it myself. Thanks

[9volt]

Originally Posted by TrailDust

As for the side moldings, I've never liked them myself. I get around the dings by parking in B.F. Egypt away from other cars in a lot, or park anywhere guaranteed not to get a ding. I'll walk a little bit to save my doors.

+1 The moldings won't stop people from setting stuff on your car or rubbing up against it as they walk by. Plus walking is good.

[wasabi21]

I've got the door moldings and they've worked as designed preventing a nice ding to the center of the driver's side door. I don't know that I would have opted for them as they were already installed but, asthetically, I like them as I feel they give visual interest to what is, imo, a huge expanse of nothingness that is the HL's doors.

[jdw67]

Congrats and welcome to the forum