Door dings? @#^%$#@

[grrtrainman]

Questions: since the new Ex does not have the factory option of “side protection moldings”, how susceptible is it to inconsiderate SOBs whacking it when they open their doors next to you? Yes, I know those moldings can be added after market but I’m afraid that it might ruin the beautiful aesthetics of the new Explorer. Does the chrome trim at the bottom of the rocker panels offer any protection? For those of you that have added “running boards”, am I correct in assuming that those boards do fend off dings? I always attempt to park “out in the north 40” to protect my vehicles, but that’s not always possible when carrying passengers!

[new to ford]

Originally Posted by grrtrainman

Questions: since the new Ex does not have the factory option of “side protection moldings”, how susceptible is it to inconsiderate SOBs whacking it when they open their doors next to you? Yes, I know those moldings can be added after market but I’m afraid that it might ruin the beautiful aesthetics of the new Explorer. Does the chrome trim at the bottom of the rocker panels offer any protection? For those of you that have added “running boards”, am I correct in assuming that those boards do fend off dings? I always attempt to park “out in the north 40” to protect my vehicles, but that’s not always possible when carrying passengers!

VERY susceptible, plus the sheet metal seems to be of very thin sheet metal (compared to my vw passat), so any little whack makes a door ding!

[cnsheets]

I have two on my passenger side. One on the rear door, one on the front door. Both from someone opening their car door into me. Granted they are not too bad, very faint and only noticeable at certain angles, but it pisses me off. Nothing on the factory doors prevent this from happening as its right in the upper portion of the door field well above the chrome strip.

I actually removed my door panels to see if I could message it out from the inside. The sheet metal actaully feels pretty thick and I could not see or feel the ding from the inside, thus I could not message it out. I actually think mine are in the paint, not the sheet metal. Its like the paint was compressed in those two spots leaving what appears to be a ding. No way to message it out from the inside when its not visible and you can't feel it. I even tried the dry ice method, no luck......

[peterk9]

Originally Posted by grrtrainman

Questions: since the new Ex does not have the factory option of “side protection moldings”, how susceptible is it to inconsiderate SOBs whacking it when they open their doors next to you? Yes, I know those moldings can be added after market but I’m afraid that it might ruin the beautiful aesthetics of the new Explorer. Does the chrome trim at the bottom of the rocker panels offer any protection? For those of you that have added “running boards”, am I correct in assuming that those boards do fend off dings? I always attempt to park “out in the north 40” to protect my vehicles, but that’s not always possible when carrying passengers!

I had the the dealer add the body side mouldings to my Highlanders when I was with Toyota. With the Explorer I don't think it would look quite right due to the way the doors are designed. The only place I think you would likely get hit is the area between the top and bottom raised panels and trying to imagine a moulding strip there just doesn't do it for me. But that is just my opinion.
I also try to park away from the general parking areas at stores. Besides, I can use the excercise.

Peter

[jrmexplorer]

Originally Posted by peterk9

I had the the dealer add the body side mouldings to my Highlanders when I was with Toyota. With the Explorer I don't think it would look quite right due to the way the doors are designed. The only place I think you would likely get hit is the area between the top and bottom raised panels and trying to imagine a moulding strip there just doesn't do it for me. But that is just my opinion.
I also try to park away from the general parking areas at stores. Besides, I can use the excercise.

Peter

I just park very carefully. Usually far away from other cars. A good spot is next to a curb or an end spot where you can take more space.

Too many inconsiderate jerks. It's been almost a year and so far (fingers-crossed) I have zero door dings.

My wife thought I was crazy until she totalled the CRV and we got her a new Jeep Grand Cherokee which she parks WAY away as well!

[cnsheets]

It never fails when I park far away from anyone else there is always someone that decides to come and park out next to me.......ding

[harlenm]

I had one repaired with PDR a few weeks ago. $140 and good as new.

[LeFurg]

Originally Posted by jrmexplorer

I just park very carefully. Usually far away from other cars. A good spot is next to a curb or an end spot where you can take more space.

Too many inconsiderate jerks. It's been almost a year and so far (fingers-crossed) I have zero door dings.

My wife thought I was crazy until she totalled the CRV and we got her a new Jeep Grand Cherokee which she parks WAY away as well!

I've tried doing that with the Fusion I own.. I had parked in the very end spot far on the left (where someone could only park on my right with 4 feet between us).. Oh, and someone did park next to me...In an old crappy civic-doors dented, windshield heavily cracked - there wasn't a place where that car didn't have a dent or ding. The driver purposely parked over the line and left a massive welt in my front passenger door.

I kid you NOT! If I had a knife I would have left and come back a few minutes later after parking my car off property and slit all of her sidewalls. I was (and to an extent, still am) THAT pissed. My fusion now has about 12-14 dings and is not yet 3 years old.

My thought is that Ford should possibly start making the exterior door panels out of carbon fiber. It doesn't ding as easy and from what I understand is just as strong and weighs less. This could easily translate into better gas mileage - something Ford could point out in commercials.

Only problems: It's kind of expensive and can't (as of yet) be recycled.

[jay_there84]

Not only do I have to worry about other cars where I live we have a concrete company called jobe and they are always driving around with tons of landscaping rocks. I actually got hit by a bunch of them and it not only dented my car they cracked my windshield. Then I called them to tell them what happened and they said I was s.o.l because I didn't get the truck number that hit me and even if I did they can't guarantee they will fix it. I was so pissed off.

[Akmechanic]

It never fails when I park far away from anyone else there is always someone that decides to come and park out next to me.......ding

Meeee tooo. I guess the new Ex is just too irresistable. Lol.

[Brenpatsa]

11 months, with my Explorer and I had 4 dings, even with incredibly careful (ie. neurotic!) parking. Thank goodness we purchased the PDR coverage. Just had the company come to my home to repair the dings, and they are totally gone...back to looking brand new!

[jrmexplorer]

Originally Posted by LeFurg

I've tried doing that with the Fusion I own.. I had parked in the very end spot far on the left (where someone could only park on my right with 4 feet between us).. Oh, and someone did park next to me...In an old crappy civic-doors dented, windshield heavily cracked - there wasn't a place where that car didn't have a dent or ding. The driver purposely parked over the line and left a massive welt in my front passenger door.

I kid you NOT! If I had a knife I would have left and come back a few minutes later after parking my car off property and slit all of her sidewalls. I was (and to an extent, still am) THAT pissed. My fusion now has about 12-14 dings and is not yet 3 years old.

My thought is that Ford should possibly start making the exterior door panels out of carbon fiber. It doesn't ding as easy and from what I understand is just as strong and weighs less. This could easily translate into better gas mileage - something Ford could point out in commercials.

Only problems: It's kind of expensive and can't (as of yet) be recycled.

That sucks. I'd have been tempted to call the cops or to wait for the driver and to get their insurance information and submit a claim. Normally I wouldn't bother, but since you parked far out and this guy went out of his way to ding you, i'd go out of my way to ding HIM.

[Jwhcars]

A lot of dings are caused by the rear doors. The curve in the door is
different between vehicles and that makes it impossible to have
a moulding that will work.
People are inconsiderate - what goes around comes around.

[MWazu39]

Who do you guy have your PDR coverage through?

[LeFurg]

Originally Posted by MWazu39

Who do you guy have your PDR coverage through?

Who would you recommend and how much extra per month would it cost? Plus, what is the deductible if one should have, say, 12 dings fixed at once?