Modern Trend - Plastic Wheel Arch Molding

[modelercarl]

On 3/13/2022 at 4:22 PM, sfhess said:

Gives that butchy off-roader look??.

Aside from scratches or scrapes, has anyone had any luck getting polish or wax residue out of the textured black plastic?

I have good luck with McKee's 37 Wax Remover for plastic.  Works great when I get some wax residue on the black trim on my Terrain.

 

[Dave Ambrose]

Our XTerra had plastic pieces that went from the bumpers to the wheel wells. They had some good attributes. First, they were relatively unbothered by rocks we might encounter in the desert. They'd get scuffed, but wouldn't get dented like metal.

Secondly, they are cheap and quick to replace. One time, a young woman clipped me in a parking lot and tore the panel. She left a note, and I called her. Told her that we could just replace the panel and call it even. Found the part at our local dealer, she picked it up and brought it over to my house where I replaced it in 10 minutes. It was less than $200, and much less than what her insurance company would have dinged her for the accident. I saved a bunch of time by replacing it myself. Win-win outcome. 

As for looks, I always liked the looks of my XTerra. Then again, yellow and black go well together. 

[ZTony8]

On 3/16/2022 at 10:17 AM, iamsuperdan said:

It's just what's popular right now. People are into the whole off-road, outdoorsy-vibe, so the manufacturers are designing accordingly.

Personally, I don't mind the black trim. I like that look on most vehicles. 

 

As for maintenance, I started using a Wurth plastic dye on my wife's Volvo when it started fading, and it lasts quite a while. I have to reapply every now and then, but it's fine. Just part of the spring deep clean I do every year. 

 

And this black trim fad is no different than carts in the past having chrome on everything; wheel arch trim, fender vents, body contour lines, rear fins, bumpers, windshield wipers, rocker panels, interior parts, etc.

 

 

And I dislike chrome trim immensely. I usually end up de-chroming my own vehicles. Replacing grilles, bumpers, removing arch moldings and emblems, etc. 

A lot of the shiny bits were stainless or polished aluminum, not chrome.

[Erik Smith]

1 hour ago, Dave Ambrose said:

Our XTerra had plastic pieces that went from the bumpers to the wheel wells. They had some good attributes. First, they were relatively unbothered by rocks we might encounter in the desert. They'd get scuffed, but wouldn't get dented like metal.

Secondly, they are cheap and quick to replace. One time, a young woman clipped me in a parking lot and tore the panel. She left a note, and I called her. Told her that we could just replace the panel and call it even. Found the part at our local dealer, she picked it up and brought it over to my house where I replaced it in 10 minutes. It was less than $200, and much less than what her insurance company would have dinged her for the accident. I saved a bunch of time by replacing it myself. Win-win outcome. 

As for looks, I always liked the looks of my XTerra. Then again, yellow and black go well together. 

Yeah, not all bad. I think on my original photos, though, it would hard to damage the plastic without damaging the underlying sheet metal, or where it's attached, especially if the plastic is proud of the metal.

[Metalbeast]

What? You aren't a fan of the 90s base model look? ?

[Dave Ambrose]

On 3/18/2022 at 1:41 PM, Erik Smith said:

Yeah, not all bad. I think on my original photos, though, it would hard to damage the plastic without damaging the underlying sheet metal, or where it's attached, especially if the plastic is proud of the metal.

True that. Interesting how racing work-arounds become stylish in the civilian world,

[lordairgtar]

On 3/13/2022 at 8:24 AM, Erik Smith said:

Whoever designed this should have been fired, along with the people who agreed it looked good:

Am I the only one who thinks this is a Cylon from Battlestar Galactica?

 

[Smoke Wagon]

1 hour ago, lordairgtar said:

Whoever designed this should have been fired, along with the people who agreed it looked good

Yeah, it needs a bigger grille.

[Dave Ambrose]

On 3/13/2022 at 6:24 AM, Erik Smith said:

Whoever designed this should have been fired, along with the people who agreed it looked good:

One of many reasons that "Toyota Styling Department" is an oxymoron. 

[keyser]

Local Lexus dealer a friend. I sent him this when “spindle” grille came out. 
everything has huge grilles and squinty hl. 
like Bugs Bunny doing bad Chinese character. 

[sfhess]

Inspiration?

 

 

 

Edited April 2, 2022 by sfhess