A Guide To Your Car's Door Trim
What Is Auto Door Trim?
The appearance of the car from the outside
determines a lot and sometimes the little details are what make the differences
between a shabby and frowzy appearance of the car to a pristine new look that
can extend the life of any car drastically and even value. One such element
could be a Car Door Trim, also called Door Pillars, and not the interior kind: the
trims that go on the exterior of the car on the door panel across the
B-pillars. They are made to give a distinguishing look to every car that sports
them and can also be practical for those who tend to scratch or ding up their
door quite often and will save you hundreds in body repair bills.
Where Is Auto Door Trim Located?
The
door trims can be found on many parts of the door including the B-pillars or
between two windows, the side edges, etc. They are easy to install and require
very little effort as they usually come with backing tape.
Types of Auto Door Trim
The door trims are mouldings and protective parts that
enhance the appearance of the door and the vehicle and also safeguard the
underlying panel. The different types of door trims are:
- Door Pillar Post - These are
situated on the B-pillars and C-pillars of the vehicle and can add a
distinctive look to the window frame.
- Door Mouldings - These are usually
located on the most protruding section of the door panels to protect it against
dents and scratches.
- Vehicle Window
Trim - These are pieces that go around the window
structure and help protect the exposed areas while also adding a distinctive
look.
Important Features Of Auto Door Trim
Door
trims come in a variety of styles to match the look of your car and finish.
Chrome-plated is probably the most preferred type as they help highlight and
accent but body color-matched can look fresh out the factory door. Door trims
can visually increase the appeal of any car and also act as protection for the
doors.
Frequent Problems With Auto Door Trim
These
are usually made of plastic or rubber as they are an expandable trim piece on
the car and with sustained usage can get deteriorated and weathered due to the
elements and daily abuse. Some have chrome plating for added styling that will
scrape off after long and can decrease the overall look of the car while reducing
protection.
Symptoms Of A Bad Auto Door Trim
After
long the door trims on the car will show signs of deterioration and lose its
strength and can fall off the door due to the glue being dried up. They also
crack on impacts. These are mainly used for protection purposes and hence
replacing them would not only increase protection but also enhance the overall
styling of the vehicle.
Tools Needed For Auto Door Trim
To avoid scratching or grooving the tailgate and its
paint while removing these trim prices and to refit it, make sure to use the
following tools:
Top Brand Of Auto Door Trim
If you know which car parts brand suits the best for your Door Trim, then it would save a lot of your decision-making time. What we believe is that picking a particular brand would always be helpful in reducing the clutter, and at the same time would make it easier for the customers to find what they are actually looking for. That’s why we have listed out some top brands for Door Trim below as follows: -
Related Parts Of Auto Door Trim
To
customize the look of your truck by adding a decorative yet protective layer to
the body parts that are vulnerable to damage and enhance their appearance
consider other such Chrome Trim parts:
Total Cost And Repair Time For Auto Door Trim
These
are protective moldings on every part of the vehicle and are sacrificial
elements that serve to protect the bodywork and paint of the vehicle from
scratches, dings and dents and hence require no maintenance but replacement
after prolonged use. The Door Trims can be found in many different materials
like ABS plastic, polished stainless steel, rubber or chrome-plated and the
price may vary accordingly. Smaller trim pieces can be about 10$ and go up to
200$ for bigger, more decorative and protective trims.
How To Change The Auto Door Trim?
Follow along these steps for an easy removal process of
the door trim pieces on the vehicle:
- Use a plastic scraper and insert it between the trim
piece and the door and gently scrape off the moulding from the tape underneath.
This will require a little persistence but should come right off.
Alternatively, you can use a heat gun or
a hairdryer to heat the surface of the moulding which will warm up the glue and
help reduce the effort required to remove the it
- Once the trim is off, and if the tape is still adhered to
the surface of the vehicle, use a plastic scraper to remove all the gunk before
installing the new door trim.
- To apply the new trim, use 3M double-sided tape and stick
the moulding in line with the tape. Apply a little pressure to make sure the
adhesion is strong.