HOW-TO: Shave Side-Moldings/MS3 Emblem

Just finished. Took me two hours and nearly a whole bottle of Goo-gone! The first side was a breeze, but the second side was impossible! My dad backed into me last year AND a lady I babysit backed into me.. So I guess when they fixed my car they glued those moldings back on with something FIERCE.
 
MAZDARacing2007 said:
okay soo this is really off subject but i have a ?......can you spray paint the plastic covers over the engine, and the battery and it be okay?....i dont want it too peel under heat...if anyone has tried it, or knows that it would be okay...please reply thanks?
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Spray paint + Plastic + Under hood Temps = bad idea

Might work, but I sure wouldn't bother.
 
MAZDARacing2007 said:
okay soo this is really off subject but i have a ?......can you spray paint the plastic covers over the engine, and the battery and it be okay?....i dont want it too peel under heat...if anyone has tried it, or knows that it would be okay...please reply thanks?
Click to expand...
high temp paint would work if you prepped the plastic correctly, but I just suggest getting rid of the plastic instead.
 
Or...you could just get a hairdryer or something similar, warm up the glue underneath the strips and yank 'em off. I did this back in summer when it was about 80 degrees out. Came right off, zero sticky crap left on the car.
 
hey to you know if the regular 3 hatch has wholes on the back Mazda3 emblem?? i see that the Speed didnt i know the Mazda3 07 model does have wholes but idk if the hatch 08 does...
 
BLACKMS3 said:
I removed the side moldings the other day in about 48 seconds.

i grabbed a zip tie, made a loop, slipped it under the edge and pulled. then I grabbed it with my hand and ripped it off.... no glue, nothing.

Easy.
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Used this method myself. Worked like a champ and had my moldings off in about 1m. Was about 60degs outside and they came off. Couple spots stuck but you just roll it off really easy.

Thanks for the tip.
 
Does any one kno if this would work for the p5 too? or did they secure it using something else? cuz i hate havin those dam side moldings there for no reason cept to catch dirt in the cracks
 
justanothermp5 said:
Does any one kno if this would work for the p5 too? or did they secure it using something else? cuz i hate havin those dam side moldings there for no reason cept to catch dirt in the cracks
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i did it the same way on my LX.. it just wasnt quite as easy, and it scratched the paint in some spots cuz my cars an 01 so hte double sided tape has been sittign there for a long time
 
justanothermp5 said:
ahhh yea my cars an 02 so ill prob do it later on close to when i paint it
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def a good idea to wait till ur gonna paint her. i gotta find a decent place to get that s*** fixed up and get all the little nicks on my front end touched up.

ne one know a place in miami that'll do it well w/out raping me on the price??
 
Looks nice but so naked without the side accents. I'm keeping mine on just in case some ass decides to ram my door with his door. But this is why I park in the back of parking lots...far far away from losers like that! :)
 
Asthetics asided, why are you guys so keen on removing the side accents? any slam in the doors willl leave a mark. You know how stupid and careless people in parking lots is.
 
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Pondo said:
Stetics asided, why are you guys so keen on removing the side accents? any slam in the doors willl leave a mark. You know how stupid and careless people in parking lots is.
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Well, "stetically", people are right. The chances that someone's door is going to hit your door in the tiny area the mouldings cover are infinitessimally small. In other words, you're getting dinged regardless of the presence of the side mouldings. My girlfriend opened the passenger front door into a gas station island barrier. It was a tiny bump and no damage, apparently, until I removed my side mouldings, where I discovered the door edge had been slightly tweaked. Parking far away is your best bet.

I removed mine, not for asthetic reasons, but for practicality. It is harder to clean and wax with them in place, and I figure a good collecting place for corrosive elements. Does it look better? I don't know, or care.
 
Yah the truth is that that little strip will not save you a ding. The person who hits you would have to have a door that matched up perfectly to your lip and the odds of that are slim.

The car just looks better without it.....less wagon like and sporty. To me anyway :)
 
So I went at this task with a hair dryer today and after removing the driver's side strip I started taking off the little spots that had not come off. When I got to where the strip was under the 2.3 emblem I noticed a few little flakes of clear coat had come off with the adhesive. So best get that adhesive remover!

As for my door now, will I need to apply a new coat to the entire thing?! I somewhat regret my hasty decision(blowup)
 
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