Toyota Body Side Moldings

Just installed the Toyota Body Side Moldings. Got them for $141, discounted from $179 (had to spend $24K to save $38 bucks). Installation instructions are not included - you have to download them from Toyota. I downloaded them, read them and threw them away (they were in metric measurements which differed from panel to panel).

Just find the apex point of the door panel (the point on the panel which sticks out the most, magnetically drawing shopping carts and other peoples' doors). Use a long straight stick and stand it up vertical/plumb to the door. Where the stick meets the door is the likely point of impact. In my case I measured 13.5 inches from the bottom edges of both the front and rear doors.

Mark the measurements towards the front and rear of each door panel and run one long continuous strip of masking tape connecting all the points of measurement on both doors.

Dry fit the moldings - tape the moldings level along the long strip of masking tape, step back and sight it out. Too low, too high, too crooked... make the adjustments.

When everything looks good - wipe down the areas by your tape line with alcohol (3M Prep Solvent-70 per instruction - yeah Wth).

Peel the short backing off the rear section of the molding and lightly tap it into place on the door. Keep checking the molding's position with your tape guide and start peeling the long lower section of the backing from the molding, lightly pressing it into place and working towards the front of the molding. Repeat for the long top section of the backing then the short front backing.

I took the wife's rolling pin to press everything down firmly.

Repeat the steps for the other panels.

It took me less than an hour and I kept using an electric leaf blower to keep dust and cat hair off the panels. Make sure your door panels, the environment and your hands are clean. Measure, dry-fit, measure again and proceed cautiously before you press them on permanently.

Here's some photos:

 

These were OEM Toyota moldings specifically for the Prius C. I ordered them from the dealership where I bought the C4 and a whole bunch of OEM stuff while my $24K worth of goodwill & parts discount was still available.

I first saw them on the dealer's demo C4 in Silver and thought it gave the car a kind of RAV 4 look to it. (I like to think it makes the little car look a little beefier). I've read where others used the thinner moldings from a Corolla, but I like these wide ones with the French cut ends.

- Toyota Alloy Wheel Locks
- Toyota All-Weather Floor Mats
- Toyota Ash Tray Cup
- Toyota Body Side Moldings
- Toyota Cargo Mat
- Toyota Cargo Net
- Toyota Cargo Tote
- Toyota Cargo Tray (yep, 3 layers back there)
- Toyota Carpet Floor Mats (came already installed on C4)
- Toyota Rear Bumper Protector (came already installed on C4)

- Aftermarket Hood Deflector
- Aftermarket Shark Fin Antenna

- Aftermarket Tiniting (forthcomming)
- Toyota Mudflaps (hoping)