View Poll Results: What body panels would you like on your 5th gen?
Plastic...I don't want to deal with dings
16
38.10%
Sheet Metal...Panel gaps get me steamed
7
16.67%
Both, like on 4th gen cars
6
14.29%
I don't care....just give me an awesome 5th gen
13
30.95%
Voters: 42. You may not vote on this poll
Plastic/sheet metal Poll
Registered User
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 2,368
From: OR
You know, the last car show I was at last year, I noticed that ALL cars around the $20-30k range, by ALL makes have relatively big body panel gaps.. yes even Toyota... using my pinky as a metric..
Heh, I probably got some wierd looks, cause I was going by each car and running my pinky down and poking various body panel gaps.. I really didn't find one that was significally tighter all around than the rest..
yea, I was bored..
Heh, I probably got some wierd looks, cause I was going by each car and running my pinky down and poking various body panel gaps.. I really didn't find one that was significally tighter all around than the rest..
yea, I was bored..
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 12
Plastic! No dents and no visible rusting!
In fact I wish chevy would come out with a pickup that at least had plastic lower panels! Splash gards just don't cut it! And where do you see rust first forming! But right behind the wheels!
Most cars no have a bumper strip located approximately where doors should hit (plastic strips.... go figure!)
Yes I know the Avalance has poly-carb panels, but that's not really a truck but a SUV with a box. Thou I have seen a lot of contractors up here with them.
Bill
p.s. Don't some Californian's have Salt water to worry about? That's got to be worse that winter salt!
In fact I wish chevy would come out with a pickup that at least had plastic lower panels! Splash gards just don't cut it! And where do you see rust first forming! But right behind the wheels!
Most cars no have a bumper strip located approximately where doors should hit (plastic strips.... go figure!)
Yes I know the Avalance has poly-carb panels, but that's not really a truck but a SUV with a box. Thou I have seen a lot of contractors up here with them.
Bill
p.s. Don't some Californian's have Salt water to worry about? That's got to be worse that winter salt!
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 9
From: Houston, Baby !!!!!!
I've never noticed any more of a gap in plastic but then again I don't get down and measure to microns of an inch either. About the rust problem, if my memory is correct, I've heard of Galvanized Steel being used for sheet metal but paint and Galvanized don't work well together. Although I think it's a bit more expensive I've seen some awsome powdercoat jobs that looked better than paint, which could be an option for the galvanized steel and paint issue.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 1,531
Was at the dealership this weekend. Comparing the gaps from a Saturn and a current sheet metal on an Impala or Monte Carlo I couldn't tell much of a difference....
That said, when I saw the new Malibu I was impressed. There was sure enough a difference. That kind of work may just not be possible with current polymer panels. It does make a difference in build quality image and that's certainly where GM needs help.
That said, when I saw the new Malibu I was impressed. There was sure enough a difference. That kind of work may just not be possible with current polymer panels. It does make a difference in build quality image and that's certainly where GM needs help.
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