My panel under the doors is now very rough and hard to clean. Is there a product that protects the plastic. I am looking for something that would form a hard seal over the plastic. I oly have 11,000miles and fear what this plastic will look like in another 11,000. :(

Check out the posts on Wax On, Wax Off. Lots of good information. I had a problem similar to yours. Looks like 303 Aerospace Protectant is the answer (for me).

Please help me here. I am not only new at the internet I am new at this web site. How do I find wax on wax off? Thanks

[quote:853e6c6941=" "]Please help me here. I am not only new at the internet I am new at this web site. How do I find wax on wax off? Thanks[/quote:853e6c6941]

http://www.elementownersclub.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=18

With no real solutions from Element owners I decided to take matters into my own hands. I called the dealer and explained how awful my panels looked and told them they would not last another 11,000 miles. They told me to bring my Element into the service dept. The service dept never blinked and eye and said they would replace the rocker panels. He even said he wasn't sure how many times they could do this. I ask you did Honda sell us cars with plastic that was not road tested? I drive 22 miles a day and my cars plastic is a mess. I never put anything on it (as they suggested) and it looks terrible. It is very expensive to replace the plastic over the wheels, but the real question is why should we have to replace any thing? This may be the all time record for a car. 11,000 and time to buy a new car.

My panels are rough, especially just in front of the rear wheels. But my impression is the roughness reaches a certain level, and remains there. It's not as though the panels are going to rust through because a protective layer of paint has worn away. I recognize that some people (maybe most) want their car's finish to remain smooth and shiny. I am more interested in a basic durability, recognizing that all parts experience wear and tear.

paulj

I just went outside (in the dark rain :) ) and felt the plastic panels under the doors of both my Element (11,000 miles) and '97 RAV4 (60,000 miles). They felt similar, with a roughness like an uneven sprinkling of sand. The Element is a bit rougher at the bulge immediately in front of the rear wheel. This confirms my impression that plastic like this takes on a steady-state roughness.

While this plastic does show surface wear, it is also tough. Last summer a rock gouged the lower panel and the gas tank frame. The scratches can still be seen on the jacking point in front of the rear wheel. The impact did break a tab that joins the lower sill panel to the rear fender, but I was able to fix that with a couple of small holes and plastic zip ties. Metal panels would have required a visit to a body shop. So there are pros and cons to this kind of plastic.

It is of course possible that the kind of wear that I have experienced and found acceptable is different from what Jeanne has experienced. I haven't driven a lot of forest service roads with my Element yet, though I'm hoping that will change this summer. The RAV has a lot more gravel miles on it.

paulj

A couple of years ago when rock damage to lower panels was being discussed on a Ford Focus newsgroup, someone suggested applying thin plastic sheeting. They said motorcycle shops sell some material that dirt bike riders use to protect numbers and such on their bikes. I don't know, though, whether such material would stick to the rough surface of the Element's panels, or whether it just works on smooth painted metal surface.

The Honda mud flaps will deflect some grit, though only from the front half or 2/3 of the sill panel.

I don't know if the side steps provide much protection, or just hide the sills.

paulj

Paulj thanks for the input. I however, am into how beautiful my E is and wish to maintain that beauty.
The "blue beauty" is back from her "make over" and the new rocker panels look great! These parts ran the dealer about $400 and were not terrible difficult to install. They were happy about that and I was happy they picked up the tab :lol: . So far Lithia Honda in Ashland has been a joy to work with, and the service dept is tops!

One way to prevent future damage is generic mud flap behind the front wheels.
Set I have is larger than Honda's and keeps crap from flying off the front tires and keeps the sides clean too.