Should I remove rubber trim strips?

[LHD_Kid]

As the title suggests....
Should I remove the rubber trims along the bottom of my coupe?
Just wondering if anybody else has tried this, as a permanent solution to the way in which they get tatty, rusting from the inside out....
I have colour coded the bottom of the car, and was going to buy some new strips and paint them to match the car, however, I saw DJ-Roys car being painted, and he ofcourse has the strips off at the moment...
Are there any obvious reasons as to why this would be a bad idea, some filling, or repainting can always be done to blend in if it looks strange....
Any thoughts?????
Cheers
Chris

[Acidburn]

IIRC the clips that hold these on would leave holes and with the trim removed there would be a recess there which would have been filled by them.

Not sure if you can get the trims still iirc they are either £40 or £80 ish quid from new but one side I think is now NLA.

Did any of the base model coupe's come with doors without these trims as might be an easier and lasting solution if possible?

HTH's

[LHD_Kid]

IIRC the clips that hold these on would leave holes and with the trim removed there would be a recess there which would have been filled by them.

Not sure if you can get the trims still iirc they are either £40 or £80 ish quid from new but one side I think is now NLA.

Did any of the base model coupe's come with doors without these trims as might be an easier and lasting solution if possible?

HTH's

Yes, I think its the front wing part which is NLA, but the other bits are £82+VAT
I was just considering my options... I realise I can't just take them off and leave it, but is it worth welding up the holes, and maybe even filling up the recess with metal too, prior to repainting.....
Just throwing ideas about..... I really would like it all to be body coloured, as I think it brings the looks right up to date....
Not sure about other doors, if things are to be painted anyway, I am guessing a bit of bodyworks modification to the existing ones would make as much sense as anything....

[Al Wyn]

Colour code them

[4WheelDrifter]

What about the extra noise?

[LHD_Kid]

Colour code them

This is what I want to do, but mine are in a bad way, and if a couple of them are NLA I might be struggling....

I hadn't thought about the noise..... you reckon it will make a ot of difference? they dont meet the body very well at the moment.......
not sure....

[panzerwagen]

Rubber strip solution here in the States....

2 guys I know are attempting to get around this problem.
1/ Trying to make the strips from either fiberglass or Kevlar.
2/ Trying to make them from Carbon fiber.
Another thinks if you can replace the metal strips inside which cause the rusting problem in the first place with a hard thermo-plastic. You could have a permanent piece.

[Nj]

I think you're bonkers chris but if anyone is going to make it work i reckon it will be you.
As a back up plan i'll send you the ones off my old car. they're not 100% flat (I don't know if you can take them off and keep them 100 flat. can you?) but otherwise I think they're in decent enough condition.

[terrybullwon]

What about the extra noise?

I had mine off when they were being colour coded, you get a wind whistle and alot of extra road noise. The door seals also collect alot more crap

HTH

[LHD_Kid]

Thanks fellas....... Noel, you have PM
James, yes, door seals.... hmmmmm, extra noise..... 4WD you are right....
Hmmmm, replace internal metal with something else...... now theres an idea.....Thanks
Wheres my drawing board.................

[shaun5]

I have got mine of at the moment because the car has been sprayed. I priced up the trims from a stealer. £28 each for the door trims £18 for the quarter trims. 24 showing at audi.Thats for a coupe.I didnt think that was to bad seeing as tho they make the car look so much better.

[s2driveruk]

I bought a complete coupe set from VAG parts a while back without any issues? Are the front pieces showing NLA for the coupe/avant or both? They definately managed to get hold of them though?