My TCH has a chip off its paint on the side mirror where it touched the side of the house and a scratch on the rear passenger door where someone parked next to me and opened their door into mine.

So help me.....my older Toyotas didn't scratch so easily.

And..........why is there no bumper strip along the side like there was in the past on the Camrys?! What year did they stop putting those on?!

I'm going to get a touch up paint stick soon.

When they realised that they could offer them as a dealer installed option and charge you more for them.

I paid the extra for mine.

Zippers from my jacket chipped off the paint.: Never seen paint getting chipped off so easily.

I must have bought a lemon! I was just admiring the paint on my almost year-old TCH today, thinking about how durable it's been.

"When you get to the fork in the road, take it." --Yogi Berra

My 2007 Kentucky TCH came with body side moldings as a $195 factory installed option listed on the Toyota window sticker (factory option code BM).

I recommend it highly -- especially if you park next to other cars in a parking lot or have children.

It has saved me from countless dings, and makes give the car a slightly different, longer look.

Body Side Mouldings

Thanks all!

I just noticed that they are an accessory which can be got.

Guess I'm getting them!

2007... cause apparently it's the new trend to have the biggest unobstructed door panel. Honestly, most new cars have the flatest door panel in the world while others actually tried to put some curves and design into it to make up for the lack of bodyside mouldings.


The new paints are all water-based so they're more environmentally friendly. As a result, they're softer and more prone to chips and scratches. Our interior house paint is water-based and quite soft. A light fingernail will leave a mark (hence the fingernail marks near the fridge when we lay one hand on the wall and one hand to open the fridge door lol).

Mods: EV mod, VVT-i emblem, sport pedals, OEM cargo mat, JDM Prius interior footwell lighting, Sylvania Silverstars 9003ST, DICE iPod kit, OEM all-weather mats, TomTom ONE v2, LED licence plate lights.

I made some inquiries on getting them today............

one of the service managers told me they are not available for parts order right now due to "quality control issues". He said that means that there are some complaints about how they are adhering (two sided tape like adhesive).

I'm going to call some other Toyota service shops to see if they say the same thing.

I have no problems with my body side mouldings.. The only issue I have is that it appears the dings I get are above the BSM.

I have to say that the majority of body side mouldings look terrible. I don't know what is worse, the ding or the bsm.