Belt strip (door trim) fix or repair?
 

Ran a search and never came across a decent answer for this problem.

Have a 2000 Bonneville SE. I'm talking about the black strips that runs horizontally, just below the windows and above the paint on the door, and they just snap into place with clips between the glass and door. GM calls then exterior Belt strips. Can find them new here:

http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/catalog/frameset.cfm

These things are ridiculously overpriced new, like $50-$60 apiece. The problem is for that with all 4 of mine, the sun ruined them from a previous owner. The plastic or whatever coating the metal strip is peeling off and they look terrible.

Has anyone had any success sanding down the metal and repainting them so they look decent? A flat or gloss black would seem ok, but wonder how that would look. Is there any sort of rubberized/plasticizer spray paint available? Just wondering if anyone has had any luck trying to fix these things.

Here are a couple I've seen.


Here is a fix for it not involving paint:
http://www.bonnevilleclub.com/forum/...22&highlight=A

Here someone painted it:
http://www.bonnevilleclub.com/forum/...ic.php?t=54088

my fix pics http://www.bonnevilleclub.com/forum/...highlight=trim
still holding up real well through the winter ;)

Thanks for the posts. The vinyl trick looks like the route I'm going, getting some off ebay. And man, nice ride Gumball!