Professor

When I picked up my 2011 TSX, I opted out of side body molding. The main reason is that most doors on most cars are widest near the window... so that the first part to hit your car while the side body molding is another 2 feet down.


I think side body molding and pin striping can make a car look cool, but how much does the molding treatment prevent door dings?

KillerG

its for looks, your body side molding wont protect you from anything unless someone with evil intentions specifically sets out to ruin your body side moldings.

"body side moldings eh?"
"im gonna fuck those things up."

Craig-D

I think most cars look better without body side molding, especially the TSX. If you look at cars that have it, you'll see that plenty of them still have dings. I avoid dings by not parking near other cars in parking lots or taking end spots. That avoids the need for molding.

09ACURATSX

Lol!!!

Chim_Chim

I saw a 2nd gen TSX with the body side molding for the first time yesterday while driving down the highway. The molding of the car I saw looked to be about 2” tall. In my opinion, it looked great and added to the appearance of the car rather than detract from it. I'm now thinking seriously about adding it to my TSX.

Question for the group: is the molding only available at the dealership or are there good aftermarket alternatives?

Professor

$150 from Delray Acura online. I wonder about the installation... is it double sided tape? And according to the pics on Acura.com, it looks like the trim runs near the bottom where the metal creases.

Professor

Found an answer to my own question at http://acura.bernardiparts.com/Image...s_BII44976.pdf

07wdptl-s

just got mines today will install maybe saturday if it doesnt rain up here in the northeast.

Hammer97e

I got them on my CBP Wagon. I think they really add to the overall look of the TSX, especially the Wagon. They break up the big sheet metal that are the doors and add some more aggression to the look. I think it also depends on the color.

07wdptl-s

i agree.

Ken1997TL

Some cars look better with it, others don't. I think the TSX looks good as is.

james_and7

Just thought I would throw up a pic for those of you thinking of installing the side mouldings.

Professor

Got some in from Delray Acura today for $150. I got them for looks (I know pics required) and not for protection as I think the door design would hit at the top first.

Only 20 minutes to install... probably they'll be swishing around in the wipers the first time I go through a car wash. The instructions at http://acura.bernardiparts.com/Image...s_BII44976.pdf
said install at 60 degrees and above. It's 63 as of now.


Overall I like them. It give an extra dimension to the side of the car.


Word of warning: if you DIY be sure to use masking tape on all four edges. On one of mine, the part tape broke and I would have been screwed without have the opportunity to pull from the opposite side.

scout27

I just purchased a new TSX Sport Wagon and the dealer wanted over $200 to install the side moldings, so I decided to not do that yet. They are designed to go right over the lower crease on the doors and I feel that's way too low to be effective as far as preventing most door dings, so installing them would be mostly just for looks. I'll go without them for now and maybe install them myself if I feel the vehicle would look better with them.

K100Fran

I like the look, but wouldn't do it. They look like another area that you have to wax around and end up leaving little bits of dried wax in the cracks. Maybe I too lazy, but I prefer the smoother look like w/out body side moldings...just my

MartinHTN

FYI – The official Acura term for this part is “body side molding.”

I also don't like how low the factory molding is, but it looks like it's designed to prevent the front door edge from being dinged when opened. If you open the driver's door, you'll notice that the bottom part of the door would come into contact first. You can’t totally prevent dings no matter what type of molding because of all the different heights of vehicles out there. I do what the other poster does and park at the end spots or away from other cars, so that helps a lot.

Anyway, I was thinking of getting aftermarket ones that sit up higher but they might look weird. I then found a factory style chrome one and I think I’ll get that. I usually laugh when I see cars all chromed out but this chrome molding should look really classy and compliment the TSX’s chrome door handle. The 2011/2012 Lexus ES350 has some chrome (I don't think it's molding) at the bottom of the doors and looks very classy. That’s the look I want.

Sportwing sells both the higher, body colored molding and the lower chrome molding. Both are made by Dawn Enterprises (Dawn’s site is really lame - see http://www.dawn-ent.com/vehicles/acura/tsx.htm).
http://www.sportwing.com/acura-tsx-b...e-molding.aspx

BodySideMoldings.com also sells the same lower chrome molding from Dawn (model LCM-TSX-156).
http://www.bodysidemoldings.com/Acur...cm-tsx-156.htm

Both places offer free shipping and are close in price. I’ll probably go with Sportwing and get the bumper cover protector too. If I end up getting this, I'll post some pics.

gonzo08452

I like the TXS w/out it. I do what others have said which is to park on an end spot and preferably to the right of another car if I have to park next to someone.

09TSXer

Here is mine with the body side molding. I love it. To me it seems more for looks.

bagwell

iTrader: (1)

anyone interested in brand new BSM? I have a set I'm considering selling....its the light blue color but would be cheap to paint I bet.


I think its looks better on darker cars....and mine is silver.

justingerard

Just wanna say your car looks awesome.

EricInMaryland

Do you have a side shot? I picked up a set on ebay for $77 but before I install, I'd like to see a shot of your car (color match to mine).

bagwell

iTrader: (1)

got my set for $53 shipped....from this guy.... http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=400708598181

painted them myself, turned out great.

Simba91102

I'm not a fan, but they do look much better painted. There's a guy at the gym with a white TSX with black side mouldings (probably just unpainted?) and they don't do anything for the car in the looks department.