click on my sig and look at my car. i removed mine and i love it. i think it makes the car a lot smoother.

 

i have a white 85.i was also wondering if i should leave the trim on my car.i'm stuck, ive seen some that look good with it and some that don't.also keep in mind my car has white rims too.

 

I know this is an old post but I am considering doing this in the next few weeks. I sure hope the trim comes off easy.

 

Before removing it, if you don't plan to paint the car. Be sure and check to see if your car/ or parts of your car have been repainted before. And if so, sometimes, lazy body shops or cheap fixes will tape off the molding instead of removing it to paint/fix panels. If that is the case you will have a tape line when you remove the trim.

Later
Randy

 

im still debateing on whether or not to remove it because it looks good on some and it protects but mine is sagging so im leaning more towards getting rid of it.

 

I voted to keep them, but the vote shouldn't make up your mind. I have seen scuffs on the rub strips on my SE, so I left them on when it was repainted - they are functional, and if it saves just one door ding...

Also, I think without, it creates too much of a 'slab-sided' appearance. The dark beltline on lighter colored cars seems to help create a sleek appearance, but hey, that's just me.

Depending on what color your car is and where you drive and park it, this might make a difference. When painted in a non-gloss black, they come out looking very good and match perfectly with the stock bumpers, windows and rear-view mirrors, IMO.

 

Obviously it's a personal choice. Mazda went with contrasting side strips to make the car appear lower. I like them. The car was available without them, but maybe not in the U.S. IMO, painting them body color is the worst look of all.

 

I think the strip gives our cars more character. heh So I say keep it.

 

I am definitely leaning towards the removing them.

 

by my gas cap the trim started to fall off so i took all mine off. i am currently preping the car for some new paint.

 

My car is red, and it looks real good with the trim.

And unreality, your avatar is god. What the hell is it.

 

I say take it off

 

This may be a rare occurrance, but the side moulding saved me a ton of paint and body work a few months ago. I was in the far right lane of 5-lane road, on top of an overpass, slowing down and approaching a stop light. A woman (in a taurus?) tried to squeeze past me on the right between my car and the concrete wall of the bridge. There was no room or time for me to move left. She shoehorned herself up against my car sideswiping it, and making a god-awful noise of bending metal. I was sure my whole right side would be destroyed but when I got out there was absolutely not a dent or scratch anywhere on my car. The trim happened to be at the correct height so that it was the only thing that contacted the other car. (The mirror was ok too.) It felt like an absolute miracle. Her car was pretty well roached. The door would not open and her front and rear fenders were bent in pretty badly. I had not previously considered taking the trim off, but it was another reason not to.

 

Am i the only one getting routed to a pornsite and a virus attack when I click on the compare picture?

 

I just see the pic he posted.

 

don't take it off... Mazda put them on the car to serve a purpose, not only for visual aesthetics

i'm not taking mines off in fears that some jackass at the mall parking lot might open the door and hit my sides and produce some nasty dents

again.. they're there to serve a purpose

 

If you guys decide you don't want your side striping try not to tear it up andt let us know, someone might want to buy it from you. That stuff is expensive to replace!

 

well as you can tell from jammers pictures, it is quite an involved process to remove them so good luck


isaac
(lol)