Just noticed on the front of the rear panels (i.e. just behind the rear doors) that there is a rectangular 'sticker' on each side.

Why ?
Is this a free accessory given out to 'special' customers ?
Left over from PDI ?

That is a factory applied paint protection laminate.
It protects that area (which receives a lot of spray from the front wheels) from paint chips.
It is of a similar composition to the aftermarket paint protection films that some here on the forum have had applied to the front of their vehicles for the same purpose.

Mine doesnt have them - thanks for pointing that out. I will be returning mine to the dealer tomorrow to have these fitted as my car obviously has a manufacturing defect, they have left them off completely.

Originally posted by Jon H
Mine doesnt have them - thanks for pointing that out. I will be returning mine to the dealer tomorrow to have these fitted as my car obviously has a manufacturing defect, they have left them off completely.

Interesting.
It is,of course, a possibility that European market vehicles do not receive this trim.
There are a few cosmetic differences between North American and European vehicles.

Hi,

At my first contacts and at testdriving I remarked immediately those stickers, so they are surrely on the european cars.

I'll check when mine arrives in two weeks.


Patrick
Belgium

Mine has the 'stickers' , its actualy armourfend, or something similar (3m material in US?).

Should be on all cars AFIK, and it'll be clear, not coloured - and hard to notice at a glance. I assume its factory fitted.

I have it on mine as well, there is quite a noticable patch just in front of the rear wheel just above the body moulding.

Mine has them too. My wifes' Yaris did not have when the model appeared in the UK, but they were fitted to the newer model. My dealer retro fitted these to her car but the paint damage on the rear arch was awful, eventhough there are front mudflaps for added protection.

Has anyone had front mudflaps fitted and found then effective?I'm considering these if they work (they don't on the Yaris).

AnilS.

My UK car has got them too.

Dunno about my car, as I haven't got it yet :(
However, my current car, VW passat, and my last car, Toyota Avensis, both had them on. I always wondered what they were for. Now I know!!

Thanks for the replies everyone. That's stopped me trying to peel them off to see what's underneath D

...nothing on my silver as far as I could tell...!

Mine has them.....

And mine.

how can we safely remove these stickers without damaging the paint

blow torch.

how can we safely remove these stickers without damaging the paint

Why would you want to? Its rock guard... if they thought to put it there versus on the hood, that tells you something ;)

They're under the side skirts as well, mine has them there.. from front to back.

Worth 50 times their weight in gold! Honest!! :)