i just did something really stupid about 5 minutes ago. I just leaned down on my side molding on my car and it popped out. the bad part is the red retaining clips wont go back in and they are brittle. While this isn't going to cost me much to repair, it will make me make me look stupid driving down the road with missing molding. I have a question though what is the proper name of these red retaining clips that hold the exterior molding on called?

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http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s...titled-1-3.jpg
1981 300d

http://dieselgiant.com/mercedes_paint_preparation.htm
more work than I wanna tackle any time soon, but he calls them inserts... try trim inserts.
I think they have a nickname that is used on this site often, but I do not know what it is... sorry

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

did you take the clips off the trim and put them in by themselves, then put the trim on?

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1982 300CD Turbo (Otis, "ups & downs") parts for sale
2003 TJ with Hemi (to go anywhere, quickly) sold
2001 Excursion Powerstroke (to go dependably)
1970 Mustang 428SCJ (to go fast)
1962 Corvette LS1 (to go in style)
2001 Schwinn Grape Krate 10spd (if all else fails)

yah i tried that but they are to brittle and they break.

I think the name of them are red button clips but can someone please verify that for me.

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http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s...titled-1-3.jpg
1981 300d

I think the ******** site in arizona has those clips....I needed the white ones for the lower trim, but I got those....
Search for clips in body trim.

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Current Mercedes
1979 maple yellow 240D 4-speed

Gone and fondly remembered:
1980 orient red 240D 4-speed

Gone and NOT fondly remembered:
1982 Chna Blue 300TD

Other car in the stable:
2013 VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI / 6-speed MT

I believe they are called trim/molding clip red berries. They usually don't do well as being reused.

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1983 123.133 California
- GreaseCar Veg System

I got some off ebay for 0.10 ea.

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

I wouldn't call that stupid, it's just part of the fun of owning an older car. An accepted risk you take.
You'd never survive in my DD ride. The rust got to the LF fender so bad that when I tried to change the bumper end rubber it tore a 4" hole in the fender where that bolt goes thru. It now has a dark maroon fender from the wrecking yard on a beige car, spent 6 hours wrestling off the fender since they don't let you use a heat gun or the like out there for that seam glue, caused the paint to chip in a few spots, so to top it off the fender has white primer spots on it.
Some gal in a newer convertible MB pulled up on that side the other day at a 4 way stop, she smirked and tipped her tennis visor hat at me as she drove off....lol. I'm not wearing out my nice Benz commuting, getting twice the mileage my truck did, and got the car for a good price, so ask me if it really bothers me...lol.

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Chris
64 190D R.I.P.
80 240D W/617 engine -for sale
82 240D -for sale

I found some on Ebay I believe, and they were called red berries, or something similar. I think the company was called Florida Auto Fasteners, or something. Very cheap and you get plenty to do several sections. My problem is the hole in the body has deteriorated and is bigger than the insert now in some places.

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

98 BMW 323is

I bought from these folks several years ago and it is good to have spares laying around.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/240-250-280-300-420-450-Mercedes-side-trim-clips-85pc_W0QQitemZ190208516112QQihZ009QQcategoryZ33654QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

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Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John