I have ordered 1.2 lounge, black, air con, interscope, fogs, brown leather and side rubbing strips. I am having huge trauma about whether doing the right thing to order side rubbing strips. Forget about practicality, does the car look better with or without these? I change my mind all the time about this. On some views, the car looks a bit cheap on the sides without them, and looks more substantial and expensive with. On other views, they ruin the line of car and just look like stick ons on a perfect design. Am I doing the right thing to order them? WHAT LOOKS BEST??? Help me....

I have already had to polish paint from other cars doors from my rubbing strips, without then, that would have been a car door dent.

Thanks - I guess they are practical but I need help on what looks better - with or without? What is the right thing aesthetically? I am the world's most careful parker - no supermarkets for me. I just want it to look right and not to regret getting these things stuck on.

i though the cars lines looked better without them but actually the car looks great with them as well Linda went for them and they look great, don't forget no matter how careful you are there will be an idiot who doesn't care and you will get a dent, put them on

Thanks Andy - my instinct is to get them and I think that it looks more expensive and substantial with them. Car can look a bit tall and narrow in black and so in black, strips look good???

Anyone else out there with any thoughts/preferences. I can still change my order but need to do it in next few day so any views very gratefully received.
Not the most technical or deep thread but just don't want to get it wrong...
Thank you!:worship:

I prefer the car with them...

dougl65 said:

I prefer the car with them...

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for the sake of 20 quid and ur paint work, get them!

drunfola said:

for the sake of 20 quid and ur paint work, get them!

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£20, WHERE DO YOU GET THEM AT THAT PRICE????

isabelines said:

Anyone else out there with any thoughts/preferences. I can still change my order but need to do it in next few day so any views very gratefully received.
Not the most technical or deep thread but just don't want to get it wrong...
Thank you!:worship:

Click to expand...

Hello. If your car is black they will blend in and look quite subtle anyway. The car does look a tall without them as you say, and a little plain. I don't have them cos I think they look a bit 'Clio' and modern, but I have side stripes instead.

As for parking dents - like you, I don't park anywhere near others in car parks - there is always some idiot that doesn't care and I don't think rubbing strips will cater for everyone elses door sizes.

Whatever you decide - you will love your 500! Good luck.

Isabel, they actually do not spoil the line of the car. I was definite about ordering mine; besides being very practical they also very much compliment the lines of the body kit if you so wish to have one fitted at some point in the future.

I also feel that they themselves are more than just utilitarian side strips as they are able to house a variety of different 500 badges which in turn improve the cosmetic appeal of them.

It is very difficult to avoid changing one's mind about these options as there are so many on this car. However I would be cautious about interfering with you're order once it's been made because it is possible that it will result in delays...like mine!

I understand you've already added side rubbing strips in you're order. Stick with it, I can assure you that you won't regret it!

My 500 Sport (about to be delivered) is black with rubbing strips. Black is a very dark colour so the stripes doesn't stand out.

Style or anti-style, I'd recommend you get them. There are idiots out there who doesn't care a f*** about 'dinging' other car's doors. I had my MK2 Punto Sporting for five years and I never had any dings in it. My current S'ka has no strips and already it has fallen victim to 'dinging'.

£70 for the strips, or £50 every time you want the dent sorted out? No contest.

I personally went without, purely because on the azure blue I felt they looked wrong. On darker cars, they do look OK though. Each to there own

P.S. Black with the brown leather sounds gorgeous!!

Does anyone know how much Fiat charge for these (inc fitting & colour coding)?

I think we were quoted £84 plus vat but as they were added after doing the order they forgot to chage for them

Our Sport is in Pasadoble red With the side rubbing strips, and they do blend in nicely and in no way IMHO do they spoil the lines. In fact, from a distance, if you squint, you don't see them, and even up close they make the car look more substantial. At the end of the day though, it's down to personal preference.

Tango my calypso orange lounge is in for repair after the hit and run. I bought side rubbing strips and will have these fitted. They wont stop the kind of damage done but may prevent some minor dings in the future. The big decision with rubbing strips is which badge insert. I just went for the silver 500 one, but it may be possible to change these later if I change my mind.

what I dont like is the fact they dont appear to have had any thought gone into them, the 500 is all curvey and the strips are all angular and random. Its like they are from a different car. When I saw them I immediately disliked them, and when we placed the order my wife asked "do we have to have those bits, they look ugly"... dealer replied that a lot of people said the same.
They do look OK on the darker colours though... sort of... IMO of course

I love my side rubbing strips, they look fab. The only thing I don't like about them is how grubby the bodywork directly under them gets, presumably cos no rain ever reaches there. Along with the boot, that's the worst place for gathering muck and spoiling my gorgeous shiny paintwork.