Metal door strip on '08 C350
#1
09-30-2007, 08:47 AM
Metal door strip on '08 C350
Are there any new C350 owners who have removed the metal door moldings on the lower sides of the front and rear doors? One of the only cosmetic things I don't like about the car. Interested to know if they can be easily removed without damaging the paint.
#2
09-30-2007, 01:34 PM
RE: Metal door strip on '08 C350
Interesting comment......I kind of agree with you, although I know a lot of people will like that strip,
I think it would look just as good (cleaner) without it, but.......personal preference,you know. My thoughts
on getting it off are this: As with most moldings, they are either held on one of three ways. Glue, a 3M double
sided sticky tape made for this and this only, or by some sort of clips. Without looking closely and playing
around with it for a few minutes, I'm not sure which one Mercedes used on these. If it's that really sticky tape,
a hair dryer or heat gun is usually used. CAUTION: YOU KNOW WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY>>>unless you have
experience with this procedure, DONT just get something and heat the heck out of it. You will do more damage
than good. I've done it dozens of times, but you have to take it REAL easy and know the parameters to work within.
Like buffing out a car, it's GREAT if you know how to do it, and can be perilous if you don't. If it's some kind of clip,
as I'm guessing it might be, then it's only a matter of seeing how it unclips. A "glass stick" made of hard delrin or plastic
is very useful here. Everybody that works on cars should have one anyway. Good for gently prying without damaging
the paint. If it's some kind of emblem/strip holding glue, again, heat can be used, but.....see disclaimer. Best left to
the pros. But not a big deal at all. Hope this helps. I'm looking at the '08's myself, and kinda like the 350 best.
I think it would look just as good (cleaner) without it, but.......personal preference,you know. My thoughts
on getting it off are this: As with most moldings, they are either held on one of three ways. Glue, a 3M double
sided sticky tape made for this and this only, or by some sort of clips. Without looking closely and playing
around with it for a few minutes, I'm not sure which one Mercedes used on these. If it's that really sticky tape,
a hair dryer or heat gun is usually used. CAUTION: YOU KNOW WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY>>>unless you have
experience with this procedure, DONT just get something and heat the heck out of it. You will do more damage
than good. I've done it dozens of times, but you have to take it REAL easy and know the parameters to work within.
Like buffing out a car, it's GREAT if you know how to do it, and can be perilous if you don't. If it's some kind of clip,
as I'm guessing it might be, then it's only a matter of seeing how it unclips. A "glass stick" made of hard delrin or plastic
is very useful here. Everybody that works on cars should have one anyway. Good for gently prying without damaging
the paint. If it's some kind of emblem/strip holding glue, again, heat can be used, but.....see disclaimer. Best left to
the pros. But not a big deal at all. Hope this helps. I'm looking at the '08's myself, and kinda like the 350 best.
#3
10-01-2007, 05:41 PM
RE: Metal door strip on '08 C350
OK, I found a simple way to do this. First the strips are stuck on using double sided tape, a surprise to a local body shop who felt more than 50% confident they would be held on with clips. After they found out they were taped they suggested denatured alcohol, just pour it over the strips wait a few minutes and gently pry them off. You can't imagine how much better this car looks without them, my bet is MB will not include them next year.
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