How to remove chrome piping from exterior bodywork?

Question

I have a VW Bora with chrome piping around the body of the car. When getting out of the car in a tight space, the chrome piping in the middle of the rear door caught on the side pocket of my trousers and bent it outwards :-(

To straighten the piping I need to remove it from the bodywork but am unsure how it is removed. I don't want to pull it off and then find I have broken it completely.

Does anyone know how to remove the piping on the exterior of a door panel?

Many thanks in advance for any advice.

Answer 1

you will probably find it won't straighten satisfactorily, my advice would be to go to a wrecker who deals in this model and make and ask him how to fit it, at the same time you can source the new piece of chrome.

Answer 2

It depends on the design. It's not uncommon to find a half-dozen different fasteners out there for chrome trim... sometimes on the same car! Some of it is held in place by screws behind the bodywork, although you're only likely to see that if you can get access to the panel behind it. Other types slide off in one direction along the line of the trim. A lot of the chrome trim will simply pop off if you can get the plastic equivalent of a screwdriver (never use a metal tool for prying, as it will scratch the paint) behind it.