Body Side Molding

[Tango19]

I hate side moldings on the new ES. Clean lines are in, and glued on side moldings make the car look like a cheap Buick. It's like putting clear vinyl slip-covers on nice furniture. It looks worse now so it can look better when somebody sells it later. Go figure.

[mhawkin1]

Amen on the Buick front Tango! :)

[stuart8181]

Too bad the ES isn't engineered as well as the Buicks

[amf1932]

Too bad the ES isn't engineered as well as the Buicks

Are you serious!! <_<

[JGTNewLexusOwner]

Not sure if Stuart is serious but I did see in "one article" that Buick passed Lexus in quality.....not sure I totally believe that yet...still would have bought my ES!

[amf1932]

Not sure if Stuart is serious but I did see in "one article" that Buick passed Lexus in quality.....not sure I totally believe that yet...still would have bought my ES!

Ohh, I don't think so!

Check out these links: http://www.jdpower.com/autos/Buick/Lucerne/2008/Sedan/

http://www.jdpower.com/autos/Lexus/ES/2008/Sedan/

[SW03ES]

I showed Stuart the door.

He's a troll, we've suspended him for BS flamebait like that before.

[JGTNewLexusOwner]

Thanks AMF...I didn't think so, but I did read the article.... I used Consumer Reports though and it also had the Lexus ES better than the Buick!!!!

SW, thanks for the info and your monitoring of stuff like this. Don't know why people do that but hey, it takes all kinds huh!!!!

Thanks to both of you for this website....I really have enjoyed it (and continue to)!

[SW03ES]

In all honestly buick is making some really great cars. The Enclave is very well built for instance.

[amf1932]

In all honestly buick is making some really great cars. The Enclave is very well built for instance.

I was also impressed by the ad for the still unreleased, 2009 Lincoln MKS. It has some really cool features. I'm gonna look at it when it hits the market. :) http://www.lincoln.com/reachhigher/?intcmp...Higher_20080604

[SW03ES]

Yeah, the MKS looks very promising.

[Tango19]

In all honestly buick is making some really great cars. The Enclave is very well built for instance.

I was also impressed by the ad for the still unreleased, 2009 Lincoln MKS. It has some really cool features. I'm gonna look at it when it hits the market. :) http://www.lincoln.com/reachhigher/?intcmp...Higher_20080604

I don't think Ford could have made it look any more like a cross between an ES350 and an Infinity M series. :-)

I don't know why they are sticking with the keypad entry. Typing in a code every time you get in the car would be a real inconvenience, and would be a safety issue when your car is parked in a dark, questionable parking lot. The Lexus fob seems like the best solution so far for keyless entry.

[SW03ES]

Can't blame em. The copycat styling route worked really well for Lexus.

The keypad is just an additional entry option. The car still has keyless entry just like any other car, and I'm sure it has a smart entry system just like Lexus.

I REALLY miss the keypad on my Explorer. They're great because if you're just running down to the car to get something you don't have to remember your keys. If you're at the beach, at a pool, playing golf, whatever you can leave the keys in the car and still lock and unlock the car. I LOVE the keypad, and still walk up to the Lexus and have to realize its not there.

[LonnieC]

Hello to all. I am new here.

I bought my 2008 ES 350 back in October, 2007 (Royal Ruby, UL, Chrome Wheels, XM, Clear Bra). I ordered the body side molding but at the time it was on hold by Lexus. Well, it has now been released my salesman tells me. Now I don't know if I really want the molding now. I like the way the car looks without them. I also notice that some other manufacturers are not including them as standard equipment.

So, getting straight to the point:

How many here have the body side molding? And, if you don't have them, do you want them? In general, I'd like to hear what people think of body side molding on their ES 350.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

AtomicDog

:) :)

[LonnieC]

Hello to all. I am new here.

I bought my 2008 ES 350 back in October, 2007 (Royal Ruby, UL, Chrome Wheels, XM, Clear Bra). I ordered the body side molding but at the time it was on hold by Lexus. Well, it has now been released my salesman tells me. Now I don't know if I really want the molding now. I like the way the car looks without them. I also notice that some other manufacturers are not including them as standard equipment.

So, getting straight to the point:

How many here have the body side molding? And, if you don't have them, do you want them? In general, I'd like to hear what people think of body side molding on their ES 350.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

AtomicDog

:) :)

[LonnieC]

Hello to all. I am new here.

I bought my 2008 ES 350 back in October, 2007 (Royal Ruby, UL, Chrome Wheels, XM, Clear Bra). I ordered the body side molding but at the time it was on hold by Lexus. Well, it has now been released my salesman tells me. Now I don't know if I really want the molding now. I like the way the car looks without them. I also notice that some other manufacturers are not including them as standard equipment.

So, getting straight to the point:

How many here have the body side molding? And, if you don't have them, do you want them? In general, I'd like to hear what people think of body side molding on their ES 350.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

AtomicDog

I had the moldings installed as soon after I got my ES as I could. So far they've saved me from two dents (one on each side), even though I park as far away from others as I can. And I think that the horizontal line breaks up the slab side, and makes the car look a little lower and longer. I'd recommend them.

LonnieC

[ClayShooter]

I've had my 07 350, Starfire, UL for about 2 months now and was wondering what the side molding would look like on a white one. Thanks to Ronp's post last July, along with the great pic, I'll be on the phone to the dealer tomorrow ordering the moldings. I think they look great, esp. on the white, but different strokes, as they say...I shouldn't mention this, (knock on wood), but my car has 30k on it with no door dings whatsoever (I'll probably get one now). I want to keep it that way and am just waiting to come out of a store to see some nutbag has bashed a dark colored door into mine.

Ronp, if you see this, how hard was the do-it-yourself install? Do they give you a template or something? I'm not the handiest tool in the box, but I figure I can hold my own on peel-and-stick.

Anyone else done a DIY on side moldings?

Thanks in advance for any info...

Ben

[rjt65]

I got em all see my gallery (Black on Black 08 es UL)

Sw informed me earlier in thread that only side moldings (dunno if that includes my wheel wells) and not the front/back bumper were OEM.

I like the look adds some more curves and angles to the body imho.

good luck and post before and after pix!

I've had my 07 350, Starfire, UL for about 2 months now and was wondering what the side molding would look like on a white one. Thanks to Ronp's post last July, along with the great pic, I'll be on the phone to the dealer tomorrow ordering the moldings. I think they look great, esp. on the white, but different strokes, as they say...I shouldn't mention this, (knock on wood), but my car has 30k on it with no door dings whatsoever (I'll probably get one now). I want to keep it that way and am just waiting to come out of a store to see some nutbag has bashed a dark colored door into mine.

Ronp, if you see this, how hard was the do-it-yourself install? Do they give you a template or something? I'm not the handiest tool in the box, but I figure I can hold my own on peel-and-stick.

Anyone else done a DIY on side moldings?

Thanks in advance for any info...

Ben

[SW03ES]

And your particular door molding is not OEM, the OEM molding has a slightly different look.

Some dealers use the trim off the Camry, yours looks like it may be that trim but I'd have to see it in person.

There is no OEM bumper or wheel well trim.

[ClayShooter]

Got Lexus moldings done the other day. $260 installed. They were $160 and Flow Lexus in Greensboro NC did them. When I called and ordered them, I asked how hard the self-install was. He said it just a stick-on type thing and that it comes with templates to get the position correct. Not being a big DIY'er, I asked what the install charge was. When he said 100 bucks, I said SOLD! The service guy even taped them on before he did the permanent install so I could see how they looked and then decide. Obviously, I liked them. Just got done washing and waxing and decided to pull it out front and snap some pics, so hot off the camera, here they are...enjoy. Check my gallery for more.

[mhawkin1]

The starfire is beautiful!

I had my dealer tint the windows very slightly on my starfire and it really sets the car off...

[rjt65]

Looks gr8. Enjoy

Got Lexus moldings done the other day. $260 installed. They were $160 and Flow Lexus in Greensboro NC did them. When I called and ordered them, I asked how hard the self-install was. He said it just a stick-on type thing and that it comes with templates to get the position correct. Not being a big DIY'er, I asked what the install charge was. When he said 100 bucks, I said SOLD! The service guy even taped them on before he did the permanent install so I could see how they looked and then decide. Obviously, I liked them. Just got done washing and waxing and decided to pull it out front and snap some pics, so hot off the camera, here they are...enjoy. Check my gallery for more.

[Calliegirl]

Hello to all. I am new here.

I bought my 2008 ES 350 back in October, 2007 (Royal Ruby, UL, Chrome Wheels, XM, Clear Bra). I ordered the body side molding but at the time it was on hold by Lexus. Well, it has now been released my salesman tells me. Now I don't know if I really want the molding now. I like the way the car looks without them. I also notice that some other manufacturers are not including them as standard equipment.

So, getting straight to the point:

How many here have the body side molding? And, if you don't have them, do you want them? In general, I'd like to hear what people think of body side molding on their ES 350.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

AtomicDog

No moldings for me. I debated having them installed but - they change the appearance so much. And not in a good way. Sure, there's more chance for door dings, but even then if the right door smacks your side you'll get dinged even with moldings.

I park a mile from the door, away from everyone