I saw a silver TL today with silver body side moulding. I know that this topic was rehashed before I found this site, so please forgive me for asking.

What is your opinion. Is it functional where it is located ? The car looked pretty sharp with it on. What's your opinion ?

( it looks like I'll be ordering a 2005' this fall )

Thank You !
Cypwood

 

I'm only answering you because I am from Brooklyn now in N. Florida. Naw, I would have answered you anyway.

I have it on my white TL, along with door edge guard moldings. If you plan on getting the door edge moldings, you need to put them on before the body side moldings.

I have mixed emotions about the moldings. I agree with a lot of people that the lines of the TL look better without any moldings, but I also hate dings and worrying about dings and chips on the edge of the door, so I like the moldings.

I had stripes on mine when I got it and took them off last week and it looks so much better.

Don't get me wrong, I think it looks great with the moldings, but it is purely a matter of choice. A thread like this always generates a bunch of replies, pro and con, so get ready.

 

there is just something wrong with the side moldings i dont like the front or rear moldings either so i opted not getting the aspec and putting mine together. check it out at
http://cardomain.com/memberpage/550993

 

Got it, like it....here's a pic!

 

Looks great ! Good luck !
Cypwood

 

Thanks Ron. It's my NY mind thinking again. I only have one ding ( ever so slightly ) on my 10 year old Maxima, that I bought when I moved to S. Florida.
I'll probably get the BSM.
Cypwood

 

Gorgeous car ! ( the color I like )

Cypwood

 

Thanks! I still smile every time I climb in!!

 

i added it to my Silver TL which I bought last night. I like the way it looks, and I'm hoping it saves me a door ding or 5,000.

 

The new RL's got the side moldings as it's *only* horizontal design element. The TL has that long indent that is the trademark 'signature' of the vehicle; putting the Puffy Lumps From Hell on it just destroys the look of the car. As any first year design student will tell you, you can't mix a squared indent against a rounded protrusion. It's worse than putting a vinyl roof on the car. Avoid at all costs. Better to remove two dings in 42 months than live with Puffers 24.7.

 

If you like the way the TL looks with the BSMs then you should go ahead and get them. I try and avoid dings by parking away from other vehicles. Sometimes it can't be helped and dings will happen anyway. I have seen many cars of all sizes with body side moldings and they too have door dings. Personally I like the look of the TL without BSM so I chose not to get them. Whatever you decide the TL is still a great ride.

 

Thank you and good luck. I am interested in a silver 2005' ( order in fall )
also.

Cypwood

 

Thank you !----- --------I forgot about the new dent removal systems where the "professional dent remover" comes to the house. Honda had to have a 2-3 pings removed on my son's 2001 Civic EX.
( they did it at service )

Cypwood

 

Thanks Bel !
My mint 95' Maxima gets parked at the end of the mall parking lot. I only have a tiny dent on the wheel well. Very hard to see. Another saving grace is the parking lots in Florida are much wider then the ones in NY. My NY cars were PINGED TO DEATH !

Cypwood

 

Just ordered a silver '04 TL. It will arrive in a few weeks, and I'm trying to decide whether or not to add the BSM. This is keeping me up at nights :-). The lines don't look as good to me with BSM, but I also *hate* door dings. The BSM seems to be positioned low in the curve profile of the door. Does it really do any good there? I definitely don't want to order the BSM if it's going to function only as a placebo. Please let me know... I need to reach a decision here! Also, how readily do the Acura doors "ding" relative to other cars. Is the sheet metal relatively thin?

Thanks,
DJ

 

I have BSM on my white TL and like them but it is purely a personal decision. The center of the molding is 21 1'4" from the ground, which is about the same as my Olds 98 parked next to it and also the 96TL I traded in. The moldings look low on the TL but I checked carefully before installing them and they are of average height. The sheet metal doesn't appear thin, but you would still get paint scratches even if it didn't ding much.

I also like the looks without BSM, but I hate dings and I dont hate the way it looks with the BSM, so I am satisfied with my decision.

I had stripes on my car, and removed them and it looks so much better, so you might want to think about that before you let the dealer put them on without asking you.

 

Ron -- here's an ignorant question. What are the "stripes" that you are referring to? I originally though that stripes, like another poster's "Puffy Lumps From Hell", were another term for BSM.

Thanks,
DJ

 

I meant pinstripes, usually the plastic stick-on type that run from the front all around the car, just below the windows and across the top end of the trunk lid. Some people who really like stripes get them painted on, which costs more but is worth it. Dealers add them because they can do it for about $5 worth of material and charge lots of $ for them.

 

I find the most effective way to avoid dings is to take END SPOTS! Yeah, you walk a little longer but it sure cuts way down on your risk. It annoys my wife, but she now accepts it as 'me'.

 

Well said!

This is the bottom line - if someone puts on the BSM's to prevent dings, they are going to be disappointed. The moldings will prevent dings only when the attacking car door is at just the right height. Dings will still happen, although maybe fewer of them.

So if you think the BSM's compromise the looks of the TL - as I do - you shouldn't put them on just to avoid dings that will happen anyway.

On the other hand, if you actually like the look of the BSM's, then by all means go for it. We can respect that people have different tastes in this matter.

 

I have 2001' Civic EX and a 95' Maxima parked in my garage. I just went out to see if BSM meets BSM when you open one of the drivers doors. Or, does the BSM hit the unprotected door. I checked both cars for this. From what I can see, it depends on your car and the other car, the location of the BSM for both cars, and the hight of each car and where the BSM is installed. What I want to
say, it all depends on what car is giving you a ding or hitting your BSM.
I will have to make the same decision in the fall.

Maybe one of our more Tech minded members, could do a better job then me.

Cypwood

 

Well explained !
Cypwood

 

I have BSM on my 04 SS/AT/NAV/ebony and I have the Acura Rear Wing on it also, it just gives it that european look than a regular TL would look without BSM and rear wing. I'll post pictures soon.

My advise is get them they look great and they serve a great purpose when parking your car in a lot where you have to park so close to another car. Or you can park far away like I do.

 

I don't think it looks good on the car, unless the car is silver.

And when I see it what popps into my head is "It looks like they just cut it out of the groove on top then put it on the doors..."

 

LMAO, this thread is 2 years old!!

 

haha wow.. i didnt notice that...

 

It's odd this two year old thread came up again at this time. I got a ding last week on the back passengers door of my two month old 06TL. It chipped the paint down to the primer. I tried the factory touchup paint but it doesn't match well. I have been considering adding the body side mouldings because I think they will cover the chipped spot. I'm going to the dealer and check if they have a mounting template to check the exact position of the BSM. Anyway, I'm checking ebay and my dealer for prices. I'm not to excited about putting them on but I can't stand looking at the touched up door. My other option is the guy that touched up my RL bumper. It turned out great but it was low and not as obvious as a door.

Weird, I think this thread is telling me something, GET SOME BODY SIDE MOULDINGS

 

The moldings come with templates that you can tape on the door and it makes it very easy to get them on correctly.

You can also get them from HondaAcuraWorld Telephone # 1-888-729-5257.

Click here for the installation instructions.