I was advised by my local Toyota dealer to avoid adding side guard rails to the Prius. Is this accurate, inaccurate, or up-in-the-air advice? Advantages? Disadvantages? Cost?
What are they? Are you refering to the side moldings some people put on to protect against parking lot dings?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tumbleweed @ Nov 27 2006, 06:07 PM) [snapback]354596[/snapback]</div> Precisely.
I assume you are referring to the painted side body mouldings sold here through the PC accessory page. I have them on both my 05 and 06 Prius and I like them very much. I park each day next to my teenage daughters Ford Taurus. Had it not been for that initial 120$ purchase and the installation, I would now have 10 times that in repairing dents on my aluminum side panels from my daughter being totally unaware of her actions. Typical self centered teenager. She also has never HAD to pay for a car or mantain it so, she gives it little thought but when gas goes up 10 cents (she pays for her own gas) thats all I hear about. I can't imagine the dealers caring one way or another unless of course they dont sell them. I have not found a down side to adding them and I think they look and work great. -Paul R. Haller-
I don't have them because I have been to lazy to buy them and put them on. But some of my friends in the Portland Prius meetup group have them and as far as I know they are happy with them, and they do look great.
<_< I installed Body Side Mouldings on my 2004 Prius and went two years without door dings. I can't imagine why a dealer would advise you to NOT install them. I traded my 2004 for a 2007 Touring Edition Prius November 11th, and November 22nd installed Body Side Mouldings. I hope my new Prius can also be thus protected from annoying door dings. I ordered mine from www.metrotoyotapartsnow.com [$121.90 including shipping] and received them in 4 business days. They are color matched to your Prius paint. Instructions were included for D.I.Y. (Do-It-Yourself) but I preferred my local Dealer's Body Shop [$40]. Here's a photo [Not MY Prius, but this is what they look like installed] [attachmentid=5772]
I'm with Charles, both in purchasing from Metro and in questioning why the dealer would advise against them. (I installed them myself. Unlike Charles, I was too cheap to pay someone else.) Like Charles, Paul, and many others who post here, I am totally pleased. I've seen no negative comments on this or any other Prius forum, so again I wonder why the advice against them. Did you ask?
I'm curious too! I've put them on 2 Prii and a hybrid camry. All from metro in Cleveland (my hometown)! Silver, black, and Mag grey, and all colors matched perfectly. easy install, too.
Have you noticed any changes in your MPG since you added the side moldings? Gene <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Paul R. Haller @ Nov 27 2006, 08:23 PM) [snapback]354601[/snapback]</div> Have you noticed any changes in your MPG since you added the side moldings? Gene <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tumbleweed @ Nov 27 2006, 08:39 PM) [snapback]354602[/snapback]</div>
<_< the Body Side Mouldings (that's what they are called} have no perceptable effect on MPG. Suggest you reduce your font size... you repeated in HUGE FONT... looks like YELLING.
Lots of people on here have installed them. I think they look good (see the pictures section) and they are functional, in that they protect the car.