About a week ago my driver door molding broke off. I've never put these on or taken them off before, so I have no idea what I need. I've attached pictures of the molding.

The piece is a little bent but can be reused. What types of clips will I need? What is the install like?

Thanks!

Attached Thumbnails

       

I just did this on my coupe. Should be the close to the same

Put the white plastic retangular brackets in the door metal holes first. (like your picture is showing) They snap in with a small white plastic round stem pushed in the center hole which opens the back of the fastener (like other MB fasterners)

the far left oval hole in the door was the first connection I made. I just insterted the left (facing the car.) end of the trim with the attatched metal fastener into the oval at like a 45 degree angle, Then lined up the rest of the white brackets with the channel on the back of the trim and took a rubber mallet (didn't take much blow) and last the far right door hole had a opening that you can access from the inside of the door by removing the door weatherstriping... it has a plastic/hard rubber nut in there that fits on the threaded bolt on the door trim...I used a socket set to tighten...

Let me know if you need more info. I just did this .

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85 300CD Turbo "Das Polluter" 230K sold for $3,000

98 BMW 323is

Now that I look closer at your pictures... the trim looks a little different, although I think all of the white rectangular fasteners you have already on the car is all you need for that area. Not sure about the ends. Mine had a flat metal piece attached to the trim on the left side and a bolt on the right attached to my trim permanently...

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85 300CD Turbo "Das Polluter" 230K sold for $3,000

98 BMW 323is

Shoot, I was hoping it was just clips that went into the car, not pieces broken off the ends. I bet we do have the same trim...just mine is broken.

An entire new piece is $62.50, if I bought that it sounds like it would match up to the other trim. However, I'm going to try and get this piece to work first.

Here's a link to a new lower front door molding piece. Why is the driver's side more expensive?

http://www.performanceproducts4benz.com/productpage.aspx?pid=103872

Usually because thats the side that breaks
the most.
Just look at other parts where there is a left
and right side, there to the one that is more
likely to break costs more.

Louis.

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Not always the smartest but certainly not dumb?

For a low/no cost approach ... rig it.. I have done this on other trim areas on my car.

I would rig something permanent on the trim piece ends that will fit in the channel.. If yours is like mine, the side with the bolt, and the nut should be fairly easy. I bolt with a perfect sized head could slide into the channel, fit through the door metal and you could get a nut on it on the other side. The front area will be a little tricky. I would put on my thinking cap for that side....use your imagination....

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85 300CD Turbo "Das Polluter" 230K sold for $3,000

98 BMW 323is

Thanks a lot for your help! Before I had no idea it bolted on and I would have to remove the door panel. I think I found this Saturday's project, rehabilitating this trim!

You don't have to remove the door panel to access the opening for the threaded bolt side of the door trim. The rubber weather stripping that can be easily pulled out at the door bottom, and will expose the opening so you can get a nut on that side.

As far as the other side you'll have to figure something out (without the opportunity to fasten with a nut and bolt). Like I said, if you can get something permanently attached to that side and jam it in the oval opening on the door so it does not come out that should hold it in place.

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85 300CD Turbo "Das Polluter" 230K sold for $3,000

98 BMW 323is

Ok great, even better! Thanks for the clarification!

I think this maybe a job for Gorilla glue on the other side

Maybe. You don't need much there, just something that will stay permanently on the trim piece and that will fit fairly snug in the opening.

Let us know how you make out...

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85 300CD Turbo "Das Polluter" 230K sold for $3,000

98 BMW 323is

One end- the forward end has a metal piece that slides into the hole in the door exterior. There is a "U" hook type on this metal piece. This is what holds that end to the door. The plastic pieces snap onto the trim which is what holds the majority of the trim to the door. On the end is a threaded stud that goes thru the door and is held on by a 5mm plastic nut. ( I think it's 5mm- it may be 8 mm, or something in between). These are common at the junkyards- and easy to find a perfect one.