How To: Shaving Side Moldings.

[Equinox]

Hey guys, here is an easy way to make your car look a lot cleaner.

On the sides of your P4s and P5s (I think MP3s don't have moldings) there is side molding along the doors and a little on your fenders. Unlike most cars, our side moldings are not mounted with screw holes... they just glued them on. Because all of us have relativley new cars, there is an easy way to shave these moldings.

1. You need a sponge, and somethign that will be a little harder to get.. '3m General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner'. ONLY this stuff will work, everything else like 'goo off' or other adhesive removers cannot be used on car paint and if they can, they are too weak to do anything. The 3m adhesive remover I bought at a local ACE hardware, but any hardware store can get it for you. I had to have them order it because ace only sells 'ace' brand adhesive thinners. the 3m I.D. no. is 62-4787-6509-2, or try the UPC code: 51135 08984. This is what it looks like: 3m General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner (http://multimedia.mmm.com/mws/mediawebserver.dyn?OOOOOOxV2&bOhr5OAr5OOOXz0&RnnnnM-)

2. Pour a little bit of 3m adhesive remove on the top of the side molding along your car that you wish to remove. Give it about half a minute to a whole minute to soak in the adhesive, the waiting makes a whole lot difference. Then slowly pry the molding off with your fingers(your paint wont peel because the adhesive will stay on your car, also your paint is too new.)or what I used was a 'shoe horn'. Anything that is softer than the metal of your car and not sharp (plastic wedge).

3. Now that you have no moldings on your car you will probably have two lines of adhesive for each strips. To get the adhesive off it is somewhat time consuming but comparitivley easy. Just pour some 3m on your sponge, soaking it to the point of dripping. And run the sponge over the adhesive strips, soaking the lines, you may need to soak the adhesive a few times to start off.

4. The most repetative step... peel off the the adhesive in a recently soaked area with your thumbnail - anything else will leave marks in your clearcoat. Now the first time is not going to get it all off, so when the adhesive stops coming off with your thumbnail, soak it again with your sponge, and scrape it some more with your nail. The process is slow, it took me about 15 minutes for just one door, but the end is great.

5. If you happen to be one of the rare people that is able to see some difference in the color of the paint under your car's sidemoldings now that they are shaved (you bright color cars) just wax the area and it will BE seamless.

A picture of finished car...
http://www.mazdamp3.com/members/Equinox/wwff08.jpg
and yes believe it or not, I wasted tons of money on the wingswest bumper to get rid of the ugly orange sidemarker on it (that and to have bigger foglights than my friend's subaru! :D )

[HurricaneP5]

Good tips! Thanks for the message....looks good!

[Humvee]

The side mouldings saved my door from a nasty door ding. The moulding took a beating (a gouge out of the plastic) but I'd much prefer that than a dent+scratch.

Mine are sticking around.

[YellowBaggedP5]

I guess on Saturday ill be the bagged P5 with no moldings. Thanks a lot for the tips, i love it.

[Syzygy]

Originally posted by Humvee
The side mouldings saved my door from a nasty door ding. The moulding took a beating (a gouge out of the plastic) but I'd much prefer that than a dent+scratch.

Mine are sticking around. My exact thoughts, Humvee. My moldings are the only thing I can count on when I park my car. I only park next to smaller cars whose doors will hit the molding first, prior to raking the metal. I never park next to big trucks or older "detroit tanks".

[eazilyamuzed]

YellowBaggedP5


Do you have a link to some pictures of your ride? also what bag setup do you use, could you please provide me with some more info on that!

Thanks

[YellowBaggedP5]

Just e-mail me at baggedyellowp5@aol.com and ill send you some pictures and let you know whatever you need to know.

[311Mazda]

Just incase anybody was woundering, when i took off my side moldings I weighed them before I threw them away. Now keep in mind this was on my dad's bathroom scale, and it's not the most accurate scale around, but it read about 5lbs. Every pound counts!

[BondoBob]

Rather than going to ACE Hardware for the 3M Remover, check the Yellow Pages for a auto body supply house in your area. That stuff is always on the shelf.

Nice how-to post, BTW.

[1sty]

can this also be done for the rear badges or are they screwed on?

[BondoBob]

I remember someone saying that while the logo badges are on with adhesive, there are metal posts on the trunk that act as a guide for the factory worker to get it on straight. They would have to removed and the holes filled.

[Equinox]

AS bondo said, yes the rear emblems have adhesive, but they also ALL have 2 guide holes each. I removed all of them, painted them body color of the car, and put them back on. Hey atleast it's BETTER. ALso, even if you have a silver car, the difference of silver and chrome is huge.

[dmitrik4]

Equinox -

black (body color) is a good idea. what did you use to reattach the emblems?

[Equinox]

behind the emblems o n the little pins are clear plastic covers. When you take the emblems out chances are they will stay on the car, if not, they are on the emblem, take them off the emblem and put it back in the hole - just click the emblem back in to place when you are done - no adhesive is needed - mine have stayed on so far even with spirited autocross driving - been about 5 months now.

[rmedoc]

Just some help for you guys...

I shaved my moldings this weekend, and it looks great. To make the job a little easier though, I found some of that same 3M adhesive remover, but in a spray can. It made the application a lot easier, and saved about 10 minutes per door(I tried 2 doors with the bottled stuff, 2 doors with the spray adhesive_. Just some food for thought.
Oh yeah, got the spray at WAL-MART

[L8R]

dawm, sounds good!!! - chris

[falkofire]

I have owned my car since aug 2002...do u think there will be a difference in the paint colour if I remove my moldings now?

[Equinox]

I'm gonna venture to a no, on that one, wont be any difference, if anything, you may just need to wax it.

[03_mP5]

I like the look, will definitly take mine off...It looks cleaner.

[mspeedpro]

hey equinox, i know this is a bit off topic but can we see ur car with the 18s on it?? post a pic bro, nice thread too.

[Equinox]

Originally posted by mspeedpro
hey equinox, i know this is a bit off topic but can we see ur car with the 18s on it?? post a pic bro, nice thread too.

check photo/video section about half an hour after this post =)

[no1stunna]

well i just got the stuff from ol' wally world, ill post some pics when im done.

[mspeedpro]

equinox, what kinda grill is that u got? is it custom?

[no1stunna]

going to do it right now, see what comes of it. thanks again equinox

[no1stunna]

well after taking them off, it is hard to see why mazda put them on in the first place. i mean in my opinion, they look way out of place now that i have seen one in person with them off. oh well, looks REALLY clean and smooth.im very happy

[Dubes]

while on the topic of removing things, i just bought a 5 and it has wind deflectors on it, which i am not a big fan of, any one know how to get them off without ruining or messing anything up. and also do they do anything really good, my old car didnt have them and i was fine with it i dont see a difference really with them

[Equinox]

Originally posted by no1stunna
well after taking them off, it is hard to see why mazda put them on in the first place. i mean in my opinion, they look way out of place now that i have seen one in person with them off. oh well, looks REALLY clean and smooth.im very happy (yippy)

[AndrewSilverMP5]

I just removed my side moldings ... Mmm Mmm Good. Thanks for the tip Equinox :D

[Familia323]

I can't decide on what to do. I want it to look clean, but I have a 2003 and Somone already scratched the side molding.. if it wasnt for the molding my door would have been scratched.. So could someone post a close-up pic of the spot where the side molding used to be so that I can see if there are any differences in the paint? Id appreciate it.. I need a little more convincing.

[falkofire]

let me assure u there is NO difference in the paint colour

[Familia323]

yeah I took them off about 3 months ago. Actually the next day after I posted that to be exact.....

[HoustonP5]

Originally posted by falkofire
let me assure u there is NO difference in the paint colour
I did mine this weekend. 02 Silver purchased in August, but had been at the dealer since April. There are faint lines where the glue tape was applied. You have to get on your knees to see it but it is there. Wax did not take it off.

That said I still think it looks great. No one will ever notice the marks but me. No regrets. :)

[azeli73]

Who here has done this on a black MP5? Can you see a difference in paint color?

[hawkwind101]

Originally posted by Dubes
while on the topic of removing things, i just bought a 5 and it has wind deflectors on it, which i am not a big fan of, any one know how to get them off without ruining or messing anything up. and also do they do anything really good, my old car didnt have them and i was fine with it i dont see a difference really with them

I hate the deflectors as well, but having said that, I am picking one up today. I have had my car for 8 months now and because of the crappy thin paint Mazda uses I have about 25 chips on the hood alone. My bumber is pitted all over the place. So just a word of warning to you if you do take it off expect to get alot of chips.

[chuyler1]

I agree the car looks nice with out the moldings...but I would rather have a little chip in the molding than a dent in my door panel...and thats why those moldings are there, to protect against idiots who aren't smart enough to open their own car door.

[no1stunna]

as far as color differences go, there shouldnt be any. i have had my protege since january of 02, and when i took them off (which was only a couple months ago) you couldnt tell at all. it really does make the car look alot cleaner, i think it helps the body lines roll alot smoother. anyways, if any of you are thinking about doing it but want to see some pics, look at the thread, pics as promised in the photo/video section.

[Familia323]

Originally posted by chuyler1
I agree the car looks nice with out the moldings...but I would rather have a little chip in the molding than a dent in my door panel...and thats why those moldings are there, to protect against idiots who aren't smart enough to open their own car door.

so dont park next to idiots... :D

[Pmpkinhead]

I was thinkin' bout havin em put on mine!!! :cool:

1244 (mspo)

[chuyler1]

Originally posted by Familia323


so dont park next to idiots... :D

am i the only person that herds bad parkers??? I'll park 3 or 4 spaces away from the last car in a row and even though there are plenty of spaces...there is always a car next to me when i go to leave!

[low_psi]

Originally posted by chuyler1


am i the only person that herds bad parkers??? I'll park 3 or 4 spaces away from the last car in a row and even though there are plenty of spaces...there is always a car next to me when i go to leave!

always!

[Fin]

I'm right there with you, I don't mind walking so sometimes I'll park way out in the empty back section of a lot, no cars within 200 feet, and I ALWAYS return to find some sheep parked beside me.

[Kamikaze Kracka]

I take it the ugly-arse orange reflector on the front bumper can't be shaved off? Would be nice if so.

[Equinox]

Originally posted by Kamikaze Kracka
I take it the ugly-arse orange reflector on the front bumper can't be shaved off? Would be nice if so.

no, the front bumper is plastic and the hole behind the reflector is about a one inch square. Only way to shave it involves plastic welding, body filler, and re painting.

[Snacks McGee]

I went to Home Depot and Wal-Mart today to look for that 3M stuff and neither of the stores carried it. All Wal-Mart had was Goo Off and Oops. Will Oops work or should I not use it?

[Equinox]

Originally posted by Snacks McGee
I went to Home Depot and Wal-Mart today to look for that 3M stuff and neither of the stores carried it. All Wal-Mart had was Goo Off and Oops. Will Oops work or should I not use it?

I would suggets against it, if they sell other 3m products just give them the part number and they can get it for you,

[KYMP5]

i used welding wire and an "Eraser" and had my molding and the glue off in about 20 minutes love it now.
to equinox and kracka, you can shave the side markers. i did it and it looks so much smoother now. ill post a pic if you all want

[ahb11m]

i think i'm the most game of you all!!!

i just used a paint scraper to do mine, 99 model in boring white... absolultley no paint differences there, so i'm stoked...

just got it down to nearly nothing, and then just used kitten cut and polish to remove the rest of the goop... trick is to let the polish harden up a bit before buffing it back...

after that i waxed it nicely with my favourite meguirs gold class, looks a million bucks now!!

IMHO the bump strips needed to be higher to protect properly, but anyway, if i get damage in that area, i'll just put the bump strip back on to cover the damage...

if your higly fearful of your self opening your door on someone else, these strips won't help much... get a strip placed on the back edge of your door if you often end up being designated driver!!

[Shorebroke]

Just showing everyone what i did. A mod not too noticeable to everyone else, but looks good to me. Thanks for the info.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid91/p4128f006b390eb5347de26047b64eb03/fa6e34bb.jpg

[PR5Matt]

Anybody ever use a heat gun for this?

[azeli73]

Heat gun will help you get the job started but not finish. I used a smart eraser pad design to be used at any rpm with a common drill.
/members/azeli73/No Trim/notrim001.gif

/members/azeli73/No Trim/notrim002.gif

Here is a picture to give you an idea of what they are.
http://www.arizonatools.com/catalog/browse/3586-3028-2442-3791/detail/11670/

[PR5Matt]

Where did you get the smart eraser pad?

[KYMP5]

auto body supply shop

[ahb11m]

where did you get those indicators from??? and do they work?

[toucci]

Originally posted by ahb11m
where did you get those indicators from??? and do they work?

looks like he used that indicator light smoker stuff on it.. kind of like a spray-on tint

[natedizzle]

he just used niteshades on them and yes they do work

[ahb11m]

v. tight, ahh if only there was something for white!

[ards]

Finally shaved my side moldings today using some of the tips I could find on this thread. I ended up using a spray can of 3M adhesive & wax remover and a plastic card. It didn't took me long to remove all the moldings and the results were great. It looks clean without the moldings.(2thumbs)

[Familia323]

congrats!

[Togan]

talkin about shaving my shoaver blades need to be replaced...

[Equinox]

Finally shaved my side moldings today using some of the tips I could find on this thread. I ended up using a spray can of 3M adhesive & wax remover and a plastic card. It didn't took me long to remove all the moldings and the results were great. It looks clean without the moldings.(2thumbs)

Congrats, I feel like I helped, and I didn't, awesome! hah

[ards]

congrats!
Thanks.

[ards]

Congrats, I feel like I helped, and I didn't, awesome! hah
Thanks. Your first post is my basis of this project which turned out to be good.

[sabrelli]

is there any alternatives to using some form of adhesive remover??
i cant seem to find any in the shops over here?
spent the past hour removing 1/2 of the glue of one friggin door

[ahb11m]

i used a 3mm paint scraper.... and rounded the sharp corners before working... took everything nice and slow.... just enough to lift that gooey crap up, but fast enought that i didn't fall asleep

[Reffoxel]

You got any shops there that sell Vinyl Sticker material. That's where you's find the best adhesive remover. 3M has a really good adhesive remover. Or just get it off the web.

is there any alternatives to using some form of adhesive remover??
i cant seem to find any in the shops over here?
spent the past hour removing 1/2 of the glue of one friggin door

[silverturbozoom]

hey does Goo-Gone work?

[Equinox]

hey does Goo-Gone work?
not at all. I think I mentioned it in the original post.

[ahb11m]

i just remembered!!!

i used eucalyptus oil on mine, didn't take any paint out... is quite heavy duty really, and you can buy it from coles, or woolworths... i suppose that terry white has it as well... just a thought

[Familia323]

i just remembered!!!

i used eucalyptus oil on mine, didn't take any paint out... is quite heavy duty really, and you can buy it from coles, or woolworths... i suppose that terry white has it as well... just a thought
I dont think we have coles, woolworths or terry white's over here in the US.?

[Equinox]

yeah we don't have eucalyptus trees either, so we don't have its oil, lol.

[FlannelBoy711]

I went to Ace Hardware, saw two products JASCIO sealer & adhesive remover and a ace hardware adhesive remover. ibought the JASCO and I get home and see " Do not use on rubber, asphalt, plastic, fiberglass, other synthetics, or any painted or finished materials." So it won't work right? Jus saw it is harmless to wood, concrete, glass, ceramic tile, grout or metal. Did I get the wrong one?

[FlannelBoy711]

bump i kinda wanna do it before the sun goes downI went to Ace Hardware, saw two products JASCIO sealer & adhesive remover and a ace hardware adhesive remover. ibought the JASCO and I get home and see " Do not use on rubber, asphalt, plastic, fiberglass, other synthetics, or any painted or finished materials." So it won't work right? Jus saw it is harmless to wood, concrete, glass, ceramic tile, grout or metal. Did I get the wrong one?

[ahb11m]

hmmm ok... sorry i was posting for the benefit of sabrelli!!!

no eucalyptus oil?? damn that stuff is hella good for colds too!!! widely regarded as an alternative to acetone, coz its not so mad on things (like paint!!) and removes stickiness well..... you guys could try chemists in the states.. otherwise you might be able to pick it up in a supermarket?

if not, i have a new market to conquer!!!

[FlannelBoy711]

I Have No Fucking Clue What You Just Said.

[Equinox]

I Have No Fucking Clue What You Just Said.

it will eat your clearcoat, don't use it.

[sam1]

i shaved mine last night. i couldnt find any 3M anywhere, so i bought some off brand at home depot. that adhesive is no joke. the remover i bought wasnt near strong enough, so i ended up spending about 2 1/2 hours getting all that shit off. pita, but well worth the effort. it looks so much cleaner and smoother. thanks for the tips guys.

[idrivemazda]

i did this mod likethe first week i got my car but a little different. my car was hit at the parking lot so the ensurance paid for the dent and at the same time i got the moldings remover.

[MP5onBOOST]

The trick is use a pinstriping eraser and this stuff called UR900 you can find that at ur nearest car paint shop..

[BaD_HeX]

I got the 3m stuff in spray form from the store and spent an hour and a half on each side using my fingers. If you're not carefull you can scratch/fog your clear coat. Go easy on it :)

[bazooka joe]

my car was in the body shop and i had the guys remove the side moldings for me. came out nice...i like the smooth look!(thumb)

[RobMP5]

I got the 3m stuff in spray form from the store and spent an hour and a half on each side using my fingers. If you're not carefull you can scratch/fog your clear coat. Go easy on it :)
I know how ya feel, I did the same thing with mine, but I was worried more about my hands, my fingertips were pretty blistered from constantly rubbing them against the car for so long.

[99toppro4u]

I just did this yesterday....... MAN THAT WAS A BITCH...... that sucked ASS
it took me about 3 or 4 hours.... no joke... even after doing the first side the second takes just as long, I couldn't find the trick of geting that shit off easy other than just rumbing your thumbs up and down... The only good thing I can say is that the end result was well worth it!!!... I wouldn't do it again tho

[ahb11m]

paint stripper... thats all, and i mean the metal blade, not the liquid stuff

[Green01LX]

I just removed them on my car today. Looks good. Though took awhile, I was very happy with end result. My thumb hurts from rubbing/scraping. Well worth the small amount of money paid and time.

[Shades]

Unable to find any 3M adhesive remover, I tried several things. The best mehtod I found is when I sprayed on bug tar remover on the sun-heated side, and would then tear off what I could, resprayed, then retore... I tried it on the shaded side, it didn't work nearly as well, so I turned my car around, waited a few, and then went back out and finished the job. Probably would take 45 min. to an hour per side using this technique.

[jophus14]

i want to do this soon, but i just don't want to start and not finish because of it becoming a pain in the ass. i heard a thousand suggestions as to what to use. 3M, bug and tar remover, pin-stripe remover, etc........ anyone ever use the pin stripe eraser that you attach to the drill and it rotates and peels off pinstripping? i used on my last car and the pinstripping was on there for 5 years and it took it off no problem. i want to accomplish pulling the mouding off this week so someone help me out with suggestions. thanks.

[Green01LX]

I personally used the 3m stuff. It works good, but alot of elbow grease is needed. Just make sure whatever you use, to allow about 4 or 5 solid hours of time just in case. It took me about 3.5. Also, what I did was pulled them off and then went and powerwashed them to maybe break the sticky stuff loose and get any excess dirt off.

[sandman]

I used Goof Off and my safeway club card - worked like a charm. Took about 4 hours total.

I did about a 10cm segment at a time. Squirt goofoff into the adhesive, give it a couple minutes to soak in, and then scrape away. Need a new safeway card now, but the results were well worth it! :) Some of the thicker adhesive areas you may need to go over twice with the remover/scraper.

Whatever adhesive remover you use, make sure you wax that area really good after you pull the mouldings off.

[drew72ca]

I went on the search for the 3M product this weekend and wasn't having any luck. I found this stuff at Auto Zone called "Sticker Shock". It is supposed to be for removing bumper stickers and seemed like it would be potent stuff. It came in a spray can with a little straw (like WD-40). I just sprayed it in the crack between the moulding and the body a few times, letting it sit for a couple minutes in between. The mouldings pulled off fairly easy, with a little effort, but pulled most of the double sided foam tape with it, so I only had about 9" worth of the stuff to get off the body. Then I just peeled that up with my fingernail and let it kinda roll up as I peeled it. Finally I sprayed the "Sticker Shock" on a rag and wiped the whole area real good. I followed with a quick coat of polish and wax and it looks great. Took me about 1 1/2 - 2 hours. This stuff seemed to work pretty good.


Andy

[jophus14]

my friend mike and i accomplished shaving the moulding yesterday. thanks for all of your help mike. (thumb)

http://www.msprotege.com/members/jophus14/trim.jpg
http://www.msprotege.com/members/jophus14/decal.jpg

[drew72ca]

Looks cool huh? I really like it without my mouldings!

Andy



my friend mike and i accomplished shaving the moulding yesterday. thanks for all of your help mike. (thumb)

http://www.msprotege.com/members/jophus14/trim.jpg
http://www.msprotege.com/members/jophus14/decal.jpg

[LapisBlueProteg]

gloves and hair dryer works well! constant heat is the best thing that i found out last yr when i did it!
still looks great to this day and no door dings yet!

[FoxPro5]

This is a great mod - it really cleans up the look of the car and has helped give my car a sports car look vs a wagon look. It took me about 1.5 hours using "3M Automix 8215 Adhesive Cleaner". I bought it at Bumper to Bumper auto parts store for $15. I works like a champ!

I used a plastic puddy knife to peel the moldings off first and then soaked the remaining glue with the cleaner and sponge. I would recommend NOT soaking the moldings before removing them because you may get lucky you may take some of the adhesive stripping with it when you pry it off. After the moldings are off then soak the remaining adhesive and wait for it to dry a second or until it becomes tacky enough for you to use the end of your thumb to peel it off. This is the most time consuming part but it is well worth the effort.

I have had my car for 9 months and the end result after washing and waxing is that you can't even tell that they were on the car. In fact, I had to get down on my hands and knees in the right light to figure out where they were!!(cheers)

[FoxPro5]

(pics)

[enigM@]

i just removed the moldings under the side markers. i didn't continue with the doors because i noticed a white outline of the moldings:

http://www.msprotege.com/members/enigM@/DSC01032.JPG

i continued to use the adhesive remover, but it kept appearing after 10 sec. did any of you have this problem? any suggestions?

[ahb11m]

that stuff will polish out i'd think

[FoxPro5]

i just removed the moldings under the side markers. i didn't continue with the doors because i noticed a white outline of the moldings:

http://www.msprotege.com/members/enigM@/DSC01032.JPG

i continued to use the adhesive remover, but it kept appearing after 10 sec. did any of you have this problem? any suggestions?
Those look to be small scratches probably from normal wear and tear, washing your car, etc. I had the same thing but they mostly polished out. I do have a yellow car however and it's more difficult to see them than on your black car. So it's up to you if you want to continue, but try polishing and waxing that spot and see how it goes...at least then you will know if it will work for the remainder of your car.

[bazooka joe]

that will come off with a little elbow grease and compound!!

[Cellerator]

looks good, once i head over to college, ill do that in my spare time

[clownphish]

I'd really like to do this but I'm kinda nervous w/my black car. Can anybody who's done this on their black P5 post pics and/or experience? Thanks! :D

[enigM@]

I just did it last week, and it came out fine. I suggest getting the spray can version because it saves time. When i removed all the glue i was left with an outline of the side moldings. All of that came off with Bug n Tar remover. Goodluck!!

[DiS]

I just did it last week, and it came out fine. I suggest getting the spray can version because it saves time. When i removed all the glue i was left with an outline of the side moldings. All of that came off with Bug n Tar remover. Goodluck!!
Shit Enigma! Now I definetly need to see your car at the next meet! YOU BETTER SHOW UP!

sorry for thread jack.

[Hedges]

I've done this, peeled it off and than the remaining glue i used WD40 since it was only thing in my trunk! :p , worked fine soaked it used my fingernails or a cloth and just wiped it like a maniac until it came off!

[DiS]

I've done this, peeled it off and than the remaining glue i used WD40 since it was only thing in my trunk! :p , worked fine soaked it used my fingernails or a cloth and just wiped it like a maniac until it came off!

lmao WD-40 ahahahaha! Priceless!

[bootsie]

I did this last weekend and I used a 3m Eraser Wheel and a drill and had the tape removed in probably 15 minutes! Worked AWESOME!!

[reemer99]

I would suggest doing it on a hot day, use a little 3M adhesive remover, start it off with some dental floss and then pull slowly. I barely had any extra adhesive to get of because it all came off when I pulled on them slowly. Clean and wax her up and BAM! sexyness

[crazybassmp5]

I just did this yesterday and it came out looking great!! (wink) took awhile though
Used the 3M adhesive remover with a plastic scraper and worked at it. After claying the residue off, just waxed it and it looks great!
Will get a pic up soon! (wow)

[xxgosumastaxx]

You guys ever try gasoline, dosent hurt the paint

[xxgosumastaxx]

Dude, i dont get how you guys took 4 hours or 2 hours. I just cant get it. I took a heat gun and heated up the edge, and once i got that part to peel, i started to pull out semi slowly and it pulled right off, after that i took some goof-off and rubbed lightly against the residue left by the double stick tape. then washed it off. I waxed lightly with carnuba wax, and was done in no more than 10 minutes, and it looks great...

and goof off dont do jack to the paint. Works great just dont apply to much, dont rub too hard, and make sure you wash it off with some kind of cleaner or water (in my case quick and bright).

[airzoomgp]

i'm about to do this sometime this week...fuckin' nervous though cuz i don't wanna fuck it up...i'm thinking about using a heat gun and using some bumper sticker remover to get rid of any adhesive...any thoughts?!?

[Shane5425]

ok, my car is a lil over 4 years old, will the paint be faded if i remove them now??

[cazish]

the sun may have faded the paint a little bit, but if you wax the spots where you have removed the strips, it should look fine.

[AODfan]

well i was shaving my molding today got syked about it and then i got the lx sticker and first molding off, that would be right under the sticker, then i noticed that some adhesive just wasnt coming off, and i kept trying to get it off with my thumb, then i finally came off with some paint come to find out it was overspray that i was struggling with, when i had my wreck i guess the body shop was flinging the spray gun everywhere. hmmm so i stopped on that, when i get my front lip, side skirts, rear lipp, antenna shaved and possibly wing, ill get it all done at that time at a diff body shop, mmm fresh paint. anyways thats my story

[Shane5425]

use some clay magic, it removes the overspray without ripping your paint to pieces..

[AODfan]

eh lol i already put everything up, anyways, at this point id rather have some one do it when its getting its kit on, besides the place under the lx sticker is warped fuck if i know how, but it is, and im the kind of person it will bug the hell out of me til its perfect

[FL_PR5]

if i did this to my car would it take off paint since it's a 2002? i would like to do this but not if it makes me go to a paint shop.

[Shane5425]

if i did this to my car would it take off paint since it's a 2002? i would like to do this but not if it makes me go to a paint shop.

nope, it would look slightly discollored at first, but buff it out and its cool,
mine is a 2000 model, did it in 2005, u cant even tell that thwy were there...

[ahb11m]

i did my 99 last year.....


you do the math

[FL_PR5]

alright thanks. i'll do this tomorrow and host some pics to make sure i did it right.

[WetsuitxNinja]

DId my 03 yesterday, no fading at all (white) =)

[capnsavem]

DId my 03 yesterday, no fading at all (white) =)
finally! (poke)

[WetsuitxNinja]

oh shut it. My fingers still hurt from scraping that sticky foamy crap off....lol

[Hobbit998]

Here's my before and After...
I used Goo Gone... just had to let it soak for a little while and then remove, easy as pie!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/hobbit998/sidemoldings.jpg

[RicesP5]

I did mine a couple weekends ago.. i used 3m adheasive remover from a spray can from carquest or napa , a plastic putty knife from ace hardware, and my old school id i had laying around ..worked out really nice came off nice and easy .. took me about a hour and half to do both sides.. and no fade.. i was suprised.. but how ever there is a line that you can feelwhen you run your fingers up and down the door .. any one know how to eliminate this?!

[Diehonda]

I did mine a couple weekends ago.. i used 3m adheasive remover from a spray can from carquest or napa , a plastic putty knife from ace hardware, and my old school id i had laying around ..worked out really nice came off nice and easy .. took me about a hour and half to do both sides.. and no fade.. i was suprised.. but how ever there is a line that you can feelwhen you run your fingers up and down the door .. any one know how to eliminate this?!



Clay Bar may get er done for ya. Or some 3M compound and a buffer, but only if you know what you are doing as you can burn the paint.

[RaiderMP5]

I did mine tonight, used Blaster sticker and decal remover (the guys who do PB Blaster). 3 layers, then final one, sprayers, removed clean off. used Simple green to clean up, very happy.

[rx7mazda]

I'm gonna have to try this soon

[RaiderMP5]

you oughta, so easy.

[rx7mazda]

Alrighty, did this today and it took several hours. I didn't use the 3m remover, I got some off-brand one, and it didn't seem to work too well. I also used goo-gone and that didn't work well either. I ended up using my fingernail to pry the adhesive off. My fingertips feel numb as hell, but it looks allot cleaner. Not bad for a free mod :)

[RaiderMP5]

again, use PB DSR (Decal and Sticker Remover) from Advanced, it is $4. In where the glues and stuff is. Took 3 sprays, 3 passes with a plastic paint scraper, and all gone.

[rx7mazda]

again, use PB DSR (Decal and Sticker Remover) from Advanced, it is $4. In where the glues and stuff is. Took 3 sprays, 3 passes with a plastic paint scraper, and all gone.

That's the stuff I used and didn't seem to have much luck with it.

[RaiderMP5]

Hmm, odd. I also did it in 85+ degree weather after letting the car sit in the sun. Not sure if that helped at all.

Either way, it is done, and doesn't it look great?

[rx7mazda]

Yeah, looks awesome and much cleaner. What did you use to clean the 4 year old dirt stuck to the car underneath it?

[RaiderMP5]

I used full strength Simple Green and a plastic scrub brush, then washed and waxed the area.

[Laser03pro]

Mine is off ohh so sexy lol.

[InFlames]

Another step closer to a speed look-a-like.

[samm5149]

this is deffinatly an awsome mod.....did it the other day with oven cleaner....works great!!! took about an hour for all of them

[mzdalvr]

Just did this with the suggestion to use the 3M adhesive and wax remover spray, and MAN ITS AWESOME.

I took my mouldings off a few weeks ago and was getting tired of riding around with the strips of glue left - also i gave up due to cold weather and loosing hope that I would never get it off. I used that spray today and used a plastic squeegie and it came right off - PURE AWESOMEness. The only thing that remains is a bit of residue that will only come off after a few washes or clay bar or cleaner wax or polish...:D

You guyz rock.

[Laser03pro]

Funny you reply to this I was just looking at pictures of when I did mine. I used dsr and the little bit left buffed right off.

[D-rock240]

I was definitely happy with the clean look of them removed, plus the fact that mine were black :(

[Drake13]

Ya i'm thinking about removing mine as well as my vinyel. I've had the vinyel on for about a year coming this Jan. Do you guys think the paint is going to be noticable due to the clear coat being protected from the sun that long?

[Shane5425]

might see a small differance, just give it a good buffing and wax.. look good as new..

[Drake13]

Just shaved my moldings and took my decals off...

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/11/web/719000-719999/719941_70_full.jpg

[Tengo]

Just shaved my moldings and took my decals off...

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/11/web/719000-719999/719941_70_full.jpg
you have an evo wing? looks cool. post some more pics of it in the photo/vid section meng

[Tengo]

Just shaved my moldings and took my decals off...

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/11/web/719000-719999/719941_70_full.jpg
you have an evo wing? looks cool. post some more pics of it in the photo/vid section meng

[99 Pro]

Back from the dead. Started removing the side mouldings on my 1999 Protege tonight, and I already like the looks already. Only did half of one side cause had other things to do, but already looks way better IMO. On a side note if anyone hasn't done this yet......get that 3M adhesive remover. It is a life saver. Will post up pics when I am done.

[musiclikscreams]

walmart sucks. they only carry like goo gone and crap like that. any safe and effective alternatives? i need something to at least get some badges off for now. i'll do the moldings later.

[ProtoType5]

As stated multiple times in the thread 3M ADHESIVE REMOVER

[musiclikscreams]

As stated multiple times in the thread 3M ADHESIVE REMOVER
i was asking for an alternative to 3M ADHESIVE REMOVER because my walmart obviously doesn't have any. "they only carry like goo gone and crap like that"

[Laser03pro]

i was asking for an alternative to 3M ADHESIVE REMOVER because my walmart obviously doesn't have any. "they only carry like goo gone and crap like that"

DSR its sold at advance auto parts I might have seen it at auto zone also.

[Drake13]

look up napa autoparts for paint stores. Just call any napa place and ask them if they carry it.

[Drake13]

look up napa autoparts for paint stores. Just call any napa place and ask them if they carry it. Napa has a part store.. and a paint store for commersial mostly.

[99 Pro]

Goo Gone is garbage. I tried that first, and I got better results just using my finger nails. Get the 3M stuff.......just trust everyone on here that said it works. It does.

[jeg0024]

A decal applicator, used as a scraper, helps a ton to get the sticky goo off, I used goo gone and it woked ok, just dont use goof off, that shit ate my clear coat:(

[musiclikscreams]

i jsut finished on side and it looks like there is one less layer of clear coat under the moldings. there also like a dark/dirty outline of the moldings that doesn't wanna come off. will a really good buff get em off and take care of the layer difference?

[mikeski]

PB DSR is the best IMO.

[amsgator]

under my moldings there are streaks of black...dirt maybe that has been lodged under it? it is also under the badges...i tried gettin off when i washed it but it wouldn't come off (under the badges, havent dont the moldings yet). Will the 3M stuff get that off too? If not I don't want to expose it by pulling the moldings off....

[musiclikscreams]

under my moldings there are streaks of black...dirt maybe that has been lodged under it? it is also under the badges...i tried gettin off when i washed it but it wouldn't come off (under the badges, havent dont the moldings yet). Will the 3M stuff get that off too? If not I don't want to expose it by pulling the moldings off....
i've got that same crap too. haven't figured out how to get rid of it

[amsgator]

i've got that same crap too. haven't figured out how to get rid of it

if i dont have a way to get rid of it i'm leavin mine on :(

[javanc]

Clay bar, clay bar. That should get it off, and if it doesnt the detailer will be able to.

[amsgator]

Clay bar, clay bar. That should get it off, and if it doesnt the detailer will be able to.

detailer...the detailer that comes w/ the clay bar...or detailer as in a person b/c i'm not gonna pay neone to take it off.... :cool:

[musiclikscreams]

Clay bar, clay bar. That should get it off, and if it doesnt the detailer will be able to.
where do u get one?

[LordWorm]

where do u get one?
any place that sells meguires products i'd imagine :)

[amsgator]

where do u get one?

i got one a few months ago from pep boys but i think all the auto parts places sell it

[IAMHOLLYWOOD]

just did this to my LX it looks soo clean!!

[justanothermp5]

i just did the small molding on the fender today to see what it would look like underneath and it has like an outline of the molding and i guess i have to wax it alot to get it even?? idk but im painting it soon anyways

[D-rock240]

By now, your car has 5+ years of being in the sun, so it's possible the paint behind the molding will appear brighter than the rest. I took mine off 3 years after I bought the car. Fortunately for me, it's not as noticeable as the front bumper.

If the outline isn't the paint but some of the glue, try some 3m resin remover. You should be able to get it off with that.

[justanothermp5]

yea i have the 3m adhesive remover, if i just sponge some of that on there and let it soak for a while do u think it would help? i already waxed it and it seemed to help but i can still see the line so ill be tryin that resin remover stuff soon

[Diehonda]

Yes, use the 3M and let it soak. Then hit it up with a towel and it should all come off.

[justanothermp5]

Yes, use the 3M and let it soak. Then hit it up with a towel and it should all come off.

alright thanks ill try that today beforei wash it

[bradf_420]

i have a 2002 p5 silver it has been winter driven and shit should i even bother trying this mod or will there be noticable lines

[FL_PR5]

also curious.

[kpipalldaway2]

those look nice

[BinoMP5]

just finished! will post pix tonight! thank god for fingernails...

[justanothermp5]

i have a 2002 p5 silver it has been winter driven and shit should i even bother trying this mod or will there be noticable lines

no u shouldnt, unless u want to risk having glue lines/darker paint underneath the moulding because some of the glue just seriously doesnt come off
i soaked the adhesive strip on the pass. side fender and that thing is still on there, theres also a big outline of glue around where it used to be, i guess they like super super glued that side, or something

but if u want to risk it, i would do it, it makes it look alot better

[Diehonda]

no u shouldn't, unless u want to risk having glue lines/darker paint underneath the molding because some of the glue just seriously doesn't come off
i soaked the adhesive strip on the pass. side fender and that thing is still on there, theres also a big outline of glue around where it used to be, i guess they like super super glued that side, or something

but if u want to risk it, i would do it, it makes it look a lot better


Did you use the 3M adhesive remover? I sprayed it liberally, then poured some Goo Gone into a cup and used a detail brush to brush it on to get the area good and wet. Waited about five minutes or so and took a shop towel to it. It rubbed right off, for the most part. Some spots are a bear but all in all it was pretty simple.

Afterwards I washed the car and hit up the doors with some cleaner wax, polished, and then carnuba. You could not tell that the moldings were ever on there.

May be wise to have a warm car first. Cold weather isn't good for the adhesive as the pores will not be open to take the adhesive remover.


If you are worried about the finish under it compared to the area around it take a good look at the finish on your car. If you have fading and polishing hasn't been able to fix it than don't try this project.

Worse case scenario, you take it off and it looks awful, get some two sided auto tape and put them back on.

[justanothermp5]

yea i poured the 3m stuff on it and its still stuck on there, i only did the little part on the fender on both sides tho, so i dont really care because im gonna be getting new fenders anyways, both of mine have huge dents in them
the drivers side came off no problem and yea it looks like the moldings were never there after some real wax, idk why the pass. side is being such a PITA

[BinoMP5]

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r150/L1m1t/P3080026.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r150/L1m1t/P3080028.jpg

some picks in good ol florida...

[RABID_MP5]

It is a clean look. Are the removed moldings mangled or still decent? I was wondering if you could re-apply them to strips of refrigerator-magnet stuff and have removable moldings (kinda like a magnetic sign) for heavy mall visits around x-mas, etc. ?

[justanothermp5]

^wow that is genius, im sure u could do that but u would have to be careful taking them off
and i dont imagine the magnets would hold very well, but thats a really smart idea

[BinoMP5]

you just have to get the right strips and stuff... but idk about how it will hold on high speeds... my moldings are still pretty good... except the driver side rear door... it snapped... there's like a pre made snap u guys have to be careful for...... but its nothing u cant glue back on...

[Equinox]

RICE lol

Hey guys, here is an easy way to make your car look a lot cleaner.

On the sides of your P4s and P5s (I think MP3s don't have moldings) there is side molding along the doors and a little on your fenders. Unlike most cars, our side moldings are not mounted with screw holes... they just glued them on. Because all of us have relativley new cars, there is an easy way to shave these moldings.

1. You need a sponge, and somethign that will be a little harder to get.. '3m General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner'. ONLY this stuff will work, everything else like 'goo off' or other adhesive removers cannot be used on car paint and if they can, they are too weak to do anything. The 3m adhesive remover I bought at a local ACE hardware, but any hardware store can get it for you. I had to have them order it because ace only sells 'ace' brand adhesive thinners. the 3m I.D. no. is 62-4787-6509-2, or try the UPC code: 51135 08984. This is what it looks like: 3m General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner (http://multimedia.mmm.com/mws/mediawebserver.dyn?OOOOOOxV2&bOhr5OAr5OOOXz0&RnnnnM-)

2. Pour a little bit of 3m adhesive remove on the top of the side molding along your car that you wish to remove. Give it about half a minute to a whole minute to soak in the adhesive, the waiting makes a whole lot difference. Then slowly pry the molding off with your fingers(your paint wont peel because the adhesive will stay on your car, also your paint is too new.)or what I used was a 'shoe horn'. Anything that is softer than the metal of your car and not sharp (plastic wedge).

3. Now that you have no moldings on your car you will probably have two lines of adhesive for each strips. To get the adhesive off it is somewhat time consuming but comparitivley easy. Just pour some 3m on your sponge, soaking it to the point of dripping. And run the sponge over the adhesive strips, soaking the lines, you may need to soak the adhesive a few times to start off.

4. The most repetative step... peel off the the adhesive in a recently soaked area with your thumbnail - anything else will leave marks in your clearcoat. Now the first time is not going to get it all off, so when the adhesive stops coming off with your thumbnail, soak it again with your sponge, and scrape it some more with your nail. The process is slow, it took me about 15 minutes for just one door, but the end is great.

5. If you happen to be one of the rare people that is able to see some difference in the color of the paint under your car's sidemoldings now that they are shaved (you bright color cars) just wax the area and it will BE seamless.

A picture of finished car...
http://www.mazdamp3.com/members/Equinox/wwff08.jpg
and yes believe it or not, I wasted tons of money on the wingswest bumper to get rid of the ugly orange sidemarker on it (that and to have bigger foglights than my friend's subaru! :D )

[ivyfoxy5]

So I did mine the other night and it looks great! I'm very happy with how well it came out. But it took so damn long for me that I think the next time I do something like that I will pay one of the kids to do it.

But one thing I have noticed is when your start rubbing or picking you will figure out a rhythm and after a while it gets easier. Mine was with my thumb I pretty much peeled from the left to the right, right after I applied the 3M.
I also took a old credit card and on the parts where it was still on really thick, I pushed down from the top and up from the bottom to loosen up the edges then put the 3M on it.

[bazooka joe]

no side moldings FTW!

[D-rock240]

+1, so much cleaner looking without them :)

[KZL_99ES]

so i just finished one side:
http://www.msprotege.com/members/KZL_99ES/101_1041.JPG
(yeah... i got a boo-boo there, the tape's there so it won't rust, and so far it's working...i have some touch-up paint i'm getting here so that'll be fixed soon!)

this is my other side...
http://www.msprotege.com/members/KZL_99ES/101_1047.JPG

still need to do that side... what i found out what works really well is a 3M rubber sanding block (no sand paper obviously...) and just use is like you would your thumb and it saves you on blisters!
http://www.msprotege.com/members/KZL_99ES/101_1013.JPG

I just use the corner of it and she works out pretty well IMO...
it does take a little bit longer, but i don't mind sitting there with some good music and beer peeling away, good times!!!

[ivyfoxy5]

what i found out what works really well is a 3M rubber sanding block (no sand paper obviously...) and just use is like you would your thumb and it saves you on blisters!


Great Idea! I wish I would have known that when I did mine.

[dxaveP5]

sum of my paint is peeling around the moldings when i tried to remove the moldings T_T
not good i need touch up paint but cant find it anywhere (Laser Blue Mica)
i did did get the front fender's molding and wow it looks nice.

[99ProtegeKV]

AS bondo said, yes the rear emblems have adhesive, but they also ALL have 2 guide holes each. I removed all of them, painted them body color of the car, and put them back on. Hey atleast it's BETTER. ALso, even if you have a silver car, the difference of silver and chrome is huge.


anyone kno a tutorial of how to paint the emblems, or some suggestions of what to use for this (kind of paint, etc.)? and do they look ok with white? i was thinking about doing this

[dxaveP5]

white? iono never seen whiteout emblems,
but get urself the Krylon White Primer, then do a couple coats like 2 or 3 is fine, and wait 5 mins between each coat, then go do couple coats of the color u want it to be. and then couple coats of clear coat if u want it glossy. all these sprays are Kyrlon brand.
walmart or autozone ne where with spraypaint

[azmp5]

I really want to do this but im afraid it will be faded . car is an '03 I live in Az and it came from Indiana earlier this year. The guy moved here and traded it in.

[dxaveP5]

mine is in texas and its at 100K bought brand new and im the second owner, and i shaved it, no fades, but what i do need is quick detailer cause sum paint attached itself to the molding. so i have little paint chip spots.
but u cant see, unless ur lookin at it up really close.

[Not Jo3L]

I cant find 3M adhesive remover anywhere..I can only find the opposite (3M adhesive spray)

found out why...its restricted in CA

http://www.shop3m.com/62466749306.html

[RGN .5 AASN]

ok removed the side moulding and for the most part it turned out great...my problem is the glue outline(edging) that is a bitch to take off...any suggestions? Washed it, waxed it with no positive results.

[Matt V]

Here's mine:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2558/3891573632_203aa61044_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2621/3891573708_b2a7734dbd_o.jpg

[KZL_99ES]

Looks good!

...one thong that I did notice about my car after I did this is that the doors are much louder when you close them, even the lightest touch sounds like a door slam... but you can yell and make your friends feel guilty about it, lol

[Matt V]

I noticed some people had this issue, but my doors weren't any louder after I did mine.

[RGN .5 AASN]

that ride looks good man

[Equinox]

man this is one old thread of mine XD

[blueamcat]

Shaving mine soon! Super excited about it.

[JDMazdaFamilia]

anyone done a laser blue color protege? Color difference?

[JDMazdaFamilia]

okay went right ahead nd just did it on my laser blue protege. Worked just fine no color difference and looks much cleaner

[ajkulish]

did this and loved it. same color and side skirts as equinox too haha.

[Equinox]

did this and loved it. Same color and side skirts as equinox too haha.

<3

[ajkulish]

^ haha

[newsboy86]

If you plan on doing this mod do yourself a HUGE favor and go buy a 3M Stripe Off Wheel for your cordless drill. It makes the job an easy 2-hour job instead of a painful 5-hour job. I removed the door moldings on the driver side today- it was hellish until I went and bought a 3M Stripe Off Wheel for my cordless drill.

It took me 45 minutes to remove the first 8 inches of glue (and chipped the paint way too many times) while using a credit card, fingernails, 3M adhesive remover and a heat gun. But it only took me an hour to remove the entire rest of that side of the car using the 3M wheel. This thing is the shiz. Will do the other side tomorrow.

Looks so much better without the moldings!