[dvl]

New owner of a 2011 EX-L. Very nice vehicle, however, did not notice until first trip to store - no body side molding (as on our 2005 EX-L). Dealer will install the kit, but claims I'm the first to request one. Anyone worried about parking lot dings have this done?

 

[BigBoat]

A couple of recent discussions if interested:

http://www.odyclub.com/forums/54-2011-odyssey/147790-body-colored-side-molding-worth.html

http://www.odyclub.com/forums/54-20...-has-picture-white-odyssey-side-moldings.html

 

[dvl]

Thanks. Looks pretty good if it works. Probably go for it.

 

[GS Z16]

I have them on mine and I think it adds to the side of the van. Doesn't make it look so long!

 

[ShockerX]

Problem is, they are not installed high enough to actually do anything. If you're adding for styling, then knock yourself out. But if the goal is to prevent door dings, they won't help.

 

[richysh]

Problem is, they are not installed high enough to actually do anything. If you're adding for styling, then knock yourself out. But if the goal is to prevent door dings, they won't help.

but if the factory spot that honda installs at is the spot where it sticks out

the most, then most likely it can provide more than 50% protection. But

i guess it can depends on the shape of the doors of the other cars.

 

[tom34diy]

But they do not put them where they are most effective. Honda has done this for years, i.e., placing them for looks. I took a chance on our 2011 and stuck them on about 3 inches higher than Honda's template showed, and they are now at the point where the door sticks out most. Ours is now protected, but I am not sure it looks as good higher up. Here is a link to another thread, with a picture or two.

 

[bkreitman]

I had them installed on our, new EX-L. I won't prevent dings, but it does make a difference in styling. The dealer had our car, plus another, in the parking lot. Identical color, model, etc., except for the side molding. It did make a difference.

 

[turrismaldon]

TOMDIY34
By any chance sir, you can post a picture of your ODY with BMS 3 inches higher for comparison . IT be highly appreciated.... Thanks in advance

 

[destroyer]

I second that higher photo please !

 

[JDMRL5]

i third that, i wanted to put mine higher up but just wasn't sure how it would look...i think it looks great as is, but still worried that they are too low for any real protection. so i still park far away from other cars, or next to walls. lol

 

[tom34diy]

Here are a couple of pictures. The problem for me with where I put the BSM is that all of the angles on the side are downward toward the front, but this molding is level, and with it being higher up, it looks a little awkward. With it lower, it does not conflict with the downward angles as much. I doubt anyone who sees it looks at it as hard as I do, so I try not to worry about it. And, I think mine is actually 3.5 inches higher that normal.

 

[tom34diy]

For comparison, here are two more pics, the gray is a dealer install where it is meant to be, and the other one is ours with it higher up.

 

[BigBoat]

I doubt anyone who sees it looks at it as hard as I do, so I try not to worry about it. And, I think mine is actually 3.5 inches higher that normal.

It looks good, given that is body colored and OEM, it is not noticeable until somebody actually points it out

 

[vqdriver]

yeah, i don't think i'd pay attention to it unless i was looking for it.

as for effectiveness, i've seen enough different shaped doors that it depends more on the attentiveness of other people than the placement of the molding.

 

[Shazzam]

I actually prefer the look of the van without the body mouldings so I won't be putting them on. I think when they are placed higher, they interfere with the flow of the "bolt" as the angles are different, so if I was to add them, it would be where Honda specifies.

Until my cars are several years old, I tend to park a bit away from the crowd and never try to fit into a tight spot, just to be closer to the mall entrance (walking is good exercise for me). I also try to park in an end spot with a car only on one side (cuts the chance of a door ding by 50%).

Sounds like I'm a bit odd, I guess, but our 2008 Sienna had no side damage Nor did my car before that. I don't rely on the mouldings for protection because there is always some car design that misses the moulding when their door is opened. A good example of this are cars that have rear doors that form part of the circle of the rear wheel well. No moulding can protect you from those nasty, pointy edged doors hence my self imposed parking rules.

 

[Gstom1]

Until my cars are several years old, I tend to park a bit away from the crowd and never try to fit into a tight spot, just to be closer to the mall entrance (walking is good exercise for me). I also try to park in an end spot with a car only on one side (cuts the chance of a door ding by 50%).

I do the same thing. I've even trained my wife to do it since she is the primary driver of the Odyssey. Doing this also provides more room to unload our baby car seat onto the stroller frame.

With shrinking parking spaces and larger car doors, dings are bound to happen. Once at Home Depot, I parked my old Lexus far away and the side still got dinged by a runaway metal cart! Damn lazy people! :nothappy:

I always dread having to go somewhere where I know the parking lot will be full and I have to park next to others cars. I used to live in New york City where most parking is parallel street parking. Watching people parking their cars is like watching a pinball machine. No one cares if they hit another car. The majority of all cars have bumper scrapes and dings and dents.

 

[scociny]

I actually prefer the look of the van without the body mouldings so I won't be putting them on. I think when they are placed higher, they interfere with the flow of the "bolt" as the angles are different, so if I was to add them, it would be where Honda specifies.

Until my cars are several years old, I tend to park a bit away from the crowd and never try to fit into a tight spot, just to be closer to the mall entrance (walking is good exercise for me). I also try to park in an end spot with a car only on one side (cuts the chance of a door ding by 50%).

Sounds like I'm a bit odd, I guess, but our 2008 Sienna had no side damage Nor did my car before that. I don't rely on the mouldings for protection because there is always some car design that misses the moulding when their door is opened. A good example of this are cars that have rear doors that form part of the circle of the rear wheel well. No moulding can protect you from those nasty, pointy edged doors hence my self imposed parking rules.

I actually like the molding but try to park away from people too. I can't tell you how many times I park far away with nobody around me to come out and have people parked on both sides of me! It's like they do it on purpose. So, I started to park in spaces where someone can only park on one side of me. I have the molding on my Accord and it has helped, but if you have an SUV which is higher and the person opens their car door carelessly, you will get a ding. But parking far away from people is a good way to keep my vehicle as ding free as possible as well as give me a little bit of exercise here and there.

 

[BigBoat]

Guys, just keep on mind that not all the Odyssey owners never leave the suburbs, some of us live or need to head to the real city from time to time where decent size parking spots are not necessarily widely available, even if you walk for miles

As per the looks, I couldn't care, but my wife says the huge doors look like a fridge, so I'm thinking about it now

 

[JDMRL5]

^^^That was also a big factor for me in getting them, those huge doors just need something to break up the sheer size of those damn things!