So after receiving the Toyota genuine door edge guards for the Prius C, I quickly realized how difficult a task it was to get them on. They are hard metal and you have to tap them on with a mallet at precise spots on the door edge using paper templates. After trying it and the door edge guard slipping, I came under fear that continuing to attempt this would ultimately end up in a lot of little scratches on my doors, so I looked for other alternatives. I definitely didn't want to pay the dealership some ridiculous charge for labor, so I went to Auto Zone to see what I could find. What I found were some universal rubber ones that are pretty inexpensive. Both Auto Zone and Advance Auto Parts had these for $3.99 for 2. So for all 4 doors, $7.98 (plus tax). They had them in black and clear. I wouldn't recommend the clear though because dirt might get under them and then you will end up removing them. My C is the metallic gray and the black guards look pretty nice on them. I should have done this to begin with. By the way, if anyone is interested in the genuine Toyota edge guards for a metallic gray C, send me message. I will sell them for $30 which is half of what I paid for them. iPhone ?
I ordered my 2012 PiP with these Toyota metal edge guards as an option. Obviously, Toyota installed them before I saw the car. Two years later, I am very impressed with their unobtrusiveness, their quality design and (of course) their color match.
I've used the inexpensive plastic ones for quite a while now. The only drawback is that the heat and sun cause them to "wear" and they need to be replaced every few years. I only have experience with the clear and chrome ones; maybe the black will hold up better.
