dealer accessories: pinstripe and door edge protectors

[cronikles]

Maybe it's just me and I haven't noticed (even though I've been looking).

Did anyone else get their Solara straight from the dealer with a pinstripe and door protectors (or some other minute feature)? I am mainly wondering about the stripe, since the protectors (or whatever they are called) can be purchased from the dealer. Hopefully, this is a "one-of-a-kind" thing.



I actually like the stripe being there. It follows the body nicely and breaks the paint.

[online]

I haven't seen the edge guards on any Solaras in dealer lots in the NE but I have seen pin stripes. I've also discovered. according to my dealer, that the dealers down South have access to different and more accessories than they do in the North East. I tried to order the mud guards through my dealer and they could not get them even after I provided toyota's p/n. This also holds true for the front end mask (which isn't available yet).

[slingshot]

I didn't get either option nor did my car come with them. I think the crease in the metal down the whole side of the car breaks up the side making a pinstripe unnecessary visually. Pinstripes here cost several hundred dollars by the way. What I notice is dealers around here put pinstripes mostly on cars in the showroom itself. The door edge guards aren't too necessary since the heavy door is easy to control when opening to not hit another car. So far, I've not seen it swing open farther then I wanted it to even under windy conditions.

[michaels artic frost]

The local dealership here had it on the majority of their cars. I took the car home that night and removed everything.

Toyota dealerships normally have contracts with 3rd party companies to do their accessories. Some places have in-house accessory guys

Black pinstripes - blow drier...it seems like I'm using the blow drier for other purposes other than blow drying my hair, which I never do...lol.

The black pinstripes made my car look so WHITE and it was not very complimentary to the Artic Frost Pearl Project...lol. On the other hand, pinstripes on other colors really do make a difference.

The door guards came right off along with the local dealership sticker on the trunk lid.

[mtodde]

The local dealership here had it on the majority of their cars. I took the car home that night and removed everything.

Toyota dealerships normally have contracts with 3rd party companies to do their accessories. Some places have in-house accessory guys

Black pinstripes - blow drier...it seems like I'm using the blow drier for other purposes other than blow drying my hair, which I never do...lol.

The black pinstripes made my car look so WHITE and it was not very complimentary to the Artic Frost Pearl Project...lol. On the other hand, pinstripes on other colors really do make a difference.

The door guards came right off along with the local dealership sticker on the trunk lid.

Do you still have the door guards Michael? I've been looking for something along those lines...

[mtodde]

I haven't seen any around the Atl, other than mtodd, w/ a stripe. I don't like the idea of the door guards that much. On a side note I really like the rims you have cronikles.

I haven't really seen pinstripes either. Personally I like the way the pinstripes change the lines of the car. In the Southeast, I know Southeastern Toyota Distributors adds a lot of stuff like that to the cars...mine was delivered from another dealer so it was a nice surprise to me to see them on there...the only bad thing is that some of the polishing I've done has been rough on them. My car was made in August of 2003 (even though I didn't buy it until May) so that may have something to do with it too. I'm sure everyone in the process looks at what options are the most popular and puts them on a lot of the cars.

I tried getting some kind of a door guard from the dealer I bought the car from and they only had these cheesy clear rubber ones...after seeing yours I may check with my "new" dealer. Parking at work is pretty full and these doors are so heavy that I'm going to hit someone elses door one day.

[michaels artic frost]

mtodde,

You want some like the black ones? They have clear ones too. I tossed mine...lol. You can get it at Walmart. If that's what you're talking about.

[mtodde]

mtodde,

You want some like the black ones? They have clear ones too. I tossed mine...lol. You can get it at Walmart. If that's what you're talking about.

So its just that tubing like stuff that you cut to size? I had forgotten about it. It is pretty cheap. I am interested in something nicer.

Thanks Michael!

[JadedEMOlush]

Check to see if your solara has a separate sticker of "dealer added accessories" which added to the final price of the car. Some dealerships(that I will no longer use) do this to all of their cars to add about $500.00 to the sticker for extra bargaining power. Very unethical... considering all they do is add pinstriping, and cheap plastic door molding.

Galaxy Toyota, in Monmouth County New Jersey adds $480.00 to every car on the lot for this. I laughed at them when I saw this... we started negotiating at sticker... I got the car for 26,500 last September(first month of release) the sticker was around $29,500. I walked in there not willing to play games... and Monmouth toyota wanted nothing to do with it... so I drove 3 hours west, and purchased it in Lancaster PA.

Awesome dealership, excellent deal, and beautiful car.

[technole]

Its like in the Southeast, where Toyoguard is practically included in 80% of vehicles that come from Jacksonville.

[mtodde]

Its like in the Southeast, where Toyoguard is practically included in 80% of vehicles that come from Jacksonville.

Yeah...Southeastern Toyota Distributors loves Toyoguard...It's worth about $100 not the $600 they want. I got my car for $100 over invoice through Capital One; I paid about $500 less than Edmunds said I should. The Toyoguard Deluxe is better deal because it gets you a free loaner if you're getting warranty work and gives you roadside assistance...it's $650 rather than $600, but a better value - especially if you bargain them down.

They charged a lot more for the cargo net and sunroof wind deflector than you can buy them for in the dealer. The best thing to do is buy that stuff afterwards or on eBay from another dealer.

[slingshot]

Monmouth toyota wanted nothing to do with it... so I drove 3 hours west, and purchased it in Lancaster PA.

Awesome dealership, excellent deal, and beautiful car.

Good for you that you drove much further and bought from a much better dealer. That's dedication to really wanting to buy this car!

[mmcdonald]

There is a black Sport V6 in Washington, D.C. with a 4" wide plastic "chrome" side moulding down the mid-line of the car between the front and rear wheel arches. I think he did this himself since it is way lame. I will have to get a pic of it for everyone. You don't want to be THAT guy.

I have seen SLE's mostly with the pinstripes. Any dealer can apply these if you ask for them. It is not a Toyo option per se. I used to apply pin and body stripes at the local MG/BL/Fiat/Lancia/Alfa/Jag dealer I worked at when I was a pup. It's pretty easy. Just remember to use a wax remover before, and wax after.

[Jewls]

I have not seen the door edge guards, but the first thing I had the dealer do before taking delivery is remove the hideous pinstripes(gold on a black with silver emblems yuk) and the dealer badge on the trunk. Most of the dealers here use the same trim company for pinstriping.