abirvalg

howdy!
(haven't got my TL yet ... looking into it ... may be later this month or next)

went parking lot shopping today to acura and lexus dealerships
lexus because i'm in love with ES's built quality as much as i'm in love with TL's performance and handling

i literally crawler on all fours around every TL the dealer had out looking for paint an body defects ... found none

however besides the obvious quality difference (which still bothers me even after i test drove ESs and TLs at all local dealerships and already decided that i can't take the snore fest of a drive lexus delivers) i found one more thing i haven't noticed previously

wheel well trim
or absence of such on TL
my old 92 accord has it (it's a self clipping rubber strip covering the welded edge)
ES has some really solid looking plastic trim around the wells
RL has something similar to what i have on my accord only a notch more elegant
but TL has nothing
nothing but a bare metal covered with notoriously bad paint
IMHO it's just asking for rust to happen

do you guys know of any aftermarket kits to protect the edge of the wheel wells
or would you recommend some kind of rust proofing done on those

also what's the deal with some weird hairy stuff all around the wells themselves?
how's that helping to protect the car?
wouldn't it take longer to dry and be a pain to wash when heavily soiled?

sorry if i come across as a
but i want a car i can enjoy for many years to come
and i believe knowing all the weaknesses is just as important as enjoying all the strengths of a make/model

Ron A

I've never seen wheel opening moldings for the TL.

The fabric looking stuff in the rear fender wells is designed for noise reduction. It is very sturdy and looks like it will last a long time. The 2004TL has been out over 1 1/2 years now and I haven't read any complaints about it.

kosh2258

The last, and I do mean LAST, time I put that sort of trim on an Acura I owned was on our 87 Integra. The result WAS rust from having the trim installed. It trapped dirt and debris between the trim and body and promoted rust in the very place you're talking about. After that I vowed never again.

From my experience so far there is no need for any wheel well trim on the TL. The way the tires are situated they don't throw anything against the wheel well lip and I have no evidence of any chipping or sand blasting occuring. And that's living in a snow belt area where both salt and sand are liberally spread on the roads.

DMZ

https://acurazine.com/forums/showpos...01&postcount=4

Not available in stores.
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abirvalg

thank you all for input
IMO if done properly it'll help prevent rust rather than promote it

2DMZ: can you please give me some clues on how, where and how much?

MugenR

i got them from the dealer thrown in with the "protection package" this included the door edge (looks like they put some rockblocker type thing on the door edge), trunk tray, mudgaurds (althought i told them not to install causei was getting Aspec kit anyway), and the fender well trim

kosh2258

Well, mine were the Acura accessory pieces and rusting was the result even though they were installed according to the instructions.

Rust is the result of trapped moisture and or corrosive materials. The trim provided a perfect sandwich for the moisture to be trapped between the trim and body right at the top of the wheel arch. Unless the trim is perfectly sealed to the body, so no moisture can seep in, that risk exists. And by the time the evidence of problems shows itself, as bubbling paint, the damage is already done.

I've never done put this sort of trim on a vehicle since and have had zero problems with any sort of rust or chipping in these areas. I just make the effort to keep the fenders clean of accumlated debris and gravel at the tops of the arch.

Obviously it's your vehicle and you can do whatever you like with it. I'm relating my personal experience. My thinking was same as yours when I installed it only to find out the opposite was the result.

abirvalg

thanks MugenR! i'll try that
do you have any pics of those by chance?

2kosh2258: don't get me wrong i agree with you!
i've seen the condition you're talking about
however you said it yourself - sealing is the key
having a sandwich of rubber-air-metal is bad no doubt about it
while rubber-sealant-metal has a better chance than just metal

that's why i can't trust anybody with installing it
it's a do-it-yourself type of job

DMZ

This was installed by a guy who does all sorts of protection work on cars, clearmask/bra, mouldings, etc. I got those as part of a package. Where RU located?

abirvalg

i'm in chicago suburbs