TFP fender trim. Don't do it unless you like getting mad!

[cleverklutz]

Well I'm VERY angry right now. I just tried installing TFP fender trim. It is supposed to attach to the car with clips so you don't have to drill holes. The reason I want this is because I drive gravel daily and have paint chips everywhere in my wheelwell and didn't want rust to start there.

I tried installing the front left trim piece first. I went to use the clips that they provide, and found out they are too short. They obviously didn't check which clips are needed for the PT.

No problem I though, I'll just drill holes and put it on. They have predrilled holes in the trim and supply screws, it's the first suggested method of installation. I tried drilling a hole, and it went a bit easier then I thought it should. I checked and found out that I had missed the fender and had made a 1" long scrape up the side of my fender! I assumed I screwed up and started looking at the trim piece. The way it is designed it is flared out past the car, the fender makes a 90* bend on the lip, the trim has a more acute angle to flare it out. However no matter how hard you press the hole will never be far enough in that you'll actually drill into the fender. I thought I'd mess with it later since it was making me frustrated and try the rear.

When I grabbed the rear piece I found that it didn't line up. The problem is that I have mudflaps on my car. They come with those from the factory, I'm 99% sure. It's the same ugly gray as my bumper. I either have to lose the mudflaps or I have to cut the trim to fit. It would have been nice to know that in advance! For something that looks like it's high quality it would sure have been nice if they did a bit more R&D!

On the up side everything was packaged very nicely and labeled well too. If they would have taken half the effort into design as they did in the packaging it would probably work. Instead I'm left with $80 worth of stainless steel that won't fit my car, and an inch long gash down to bare metal, meaning I need body work and respray on that fender if I want it done right. That's only like what, $700? I don't know why I'm mad. Must have a poor temperament! I sure hope that they take that junk back. It's made in Taiwan, if I could get there by roads I'd take a couple days off just to feed those things to someone for breakfast!

Ben

[Hooligan]

Ben:
Sorry to hear of your problem, wish there was some way to take the pain away that I know you have.

[cowboysteve]

Sorry to hear it went so poorly. I also bought this TFP set, and thankfully realized the holes were going to clip the edge of the fender before drilling (just lucky, not skill). Anyways, I put the set away until later this Fall when I have time to apply double-sided body tape all the way around them and just stick them on. I'll let you know how it turns out.

[bobs turbo pt]

wow that stinks !!

[2sb]

Sorry for your poor luck. I like the TFPs. I think the tabs were just to hold it in place until the holes were drilled. I started at the top center of the wheelwell and worked down each side, fitting as I went. The back part of the rear ones were a challenge. I also trimmed them to stop at the top of the mudflaps. Hope this helps!

[cleverklutz]

Well I messed around with it a bit more and finally got it to work. I found if I hooked the clips in first I could get them to just reach. If it had longer clips it would solve some of the problems. The fronts however have a gap by the lower part of the grill. I'll have to fix that with double sided tape. The rears I found I could squeak into place if I loosened the rear mudflaps and then forced them into that gap. The rear uses two tabs with double sided tape for the mounts on the top. I used adhesive promoter and those still didn't hold. I'll need to tape that as well. In the end I guess it's not too bad of a product. There are cutouts everywhere for any of the bolts in the fender liner. As well the trim sits on the paint with only rubber, so it shouldn't damage anything if you decide to remove it. My biggest complaint is the clips aren't right, and they could tell you that the holes won't line up for drilling, and that the rears can fit into the mudflaps. Once I have everything fixed up, it shouldn't be too bad.

Ben