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BEFORE you take delivery: a small tip...

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by RobertO, Jan 15, 2004.

  1. RobertO

    RobertO New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2003
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    When we took delivery of our AM-7, the New Car Get-Ready guys forgot to remove some of the clear protective film from:

    - front windshield posts
    - bottom of driver and front passenger doors (which explained the muddy
    speaker sound)
    - bottom door sills (where you step into the car)

    I removed the film from the the bottom door panels and the windshield posts but could quite do the spikey little "Space Shuttle" windows, so took it into the dealer, who finished up and washed and cleaned the car thoroughly this time.

    The old, experienced shop guy later gave me a tip which I wish I had thought of beforehand:

    Leave the protective film on your door sills, and maybe on the bottom door panels as well. If you have a steady hand (Dr. Evan, are you reading this?), you can VERY CAREFULLY scribe around the speaker section and pull off that piece leaving the rest intact. Trick is not to let the knife carve into the plastic of the door panel - almost impossible to cover up that mistake!

    This gives you many months (years?) of protection to your door sills and door panel, which invariable get kicked, scuffed or splatterd with muddy water, shoe polish, etc.

    I've toyed with the idea of using the same stuff on the rear bumper sill.

    You can also get the heavier 3M peel off/stick on film from body shops who have it in rolls. Make a paper pattern and use it to cut out your "applique".

    Me? I just have the original flim on the two front door sills; it's already saved them from some nasty scrapes and stains. I'm going to get a price per foot from the body shop, or hit on the Get Ready shop to see if their stuff can be re-applied and try that as well.

    Yeah, I know this ain't "Cool and Sano"-looking, and smacks of clear plastic seat covers on Your Father's Oldsmobile. My concern is that I'd rather not suffer the grief of a difficult or impossible to correct scuff or smudge.

    Any other owners mess around with this stuff, too?


    Bob
     
    #1 RobertO, Jan 15, 2004
  2. cybele

    cybele New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2003
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    Los Angeles
    My car also had the plastic on the posts when I got it. I didn't even notice it there until I had the car for a day or two.

    I just took it off over the weekend ... mostly because I know that the sun would eventually fade the plastic and it would look uneven with the spots where the plastic had been.

    As for scuffs on the plastic parts of the door, I find a good dense gum eraser will take off a lot of those marks a lot better than cleaner and it won't harm the plastic.

    I am going to try to get the rear bumper applique done at the dealer when I take it in for the first oil change. My hubby has a Saab hatchback and it has several deep scratches through the paint on his tailgate.
     
    #2 cybele, Jan 15, 2004
  3. Danny

    Danny Admin/Founder
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2003
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    Charlotte, NC
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Dianne, please correct me if I'm wrong since I obviously don't know the prices of certain car parts off the top of my head, but...

    These pieces that you mention - door sills and such, aren't they very cheap, easily replacable pieces? You might want to look into the price of just replacing those pieces once every year or two versus what, in my experience, is the high of something like a 3M protectant.

    Danny
     
    #3 Danny, Jan 15, 2004
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