I asked my dealer for a quote for installing runningboards, and he told me that GM only sends them primed stuff, and that the dealership sends everything out to paint to a 3rd party. So with parts ($400+) and a 3rd party painter ($400) and installation ($100)..the quote was around $900. The dealer guy told me that I shouldnt have to pay that much, its just that they dont have a painter in the Service Dept. He recommended buying the parts and doing it myself... which is an option, but I suck at painting.

Sooo that leaves me to searching for prepainted runningboards... I found a website and they have a listing for a runningboards in imperial blue, but have two choices;

1)Part 19159313 Assist Steps, Molded 37U Imperial Blue Metallic (Design 1)

2)Part 19166276 Assist Steps, Molded 37U Imperial Blue Metallic (Design 2)

Is there a difference between design 1 and 2?

 

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the only difference is the way the black pad on top attaches to the running boards. I think one type is glued and one has tabs of some kind. Courthousedeb had hers replaced and knows a bit more about this than I do. Perhaps she can chime in with some help.

 

And ....what color are you looking for??

Ebay 320168178100

 

Imperial blue

 

You are right about glue and tabs. That is only difference I know of with the running boards. Unless design #2 is for SS. IMO i think tabs would be better if you can get it because glue can seperate more and will result in a rippled black pad.

 

brain fart thanks

 

Is there no other dealer in your area that can do it? When I put mine on (also Imperial Blue), the dealership had a paint/body shop on premises, and charged me $100 to do the painting of both boards. It's still more than the basic cost of them, of course, but far better than the quote you mentioned above. If you have another dealership within range, see if they have an on-premises shop for that, perhaps? Me personally, I'd be more comfortable with that than shelling out hundreds of extra dollars for a third party to paint them or to get "who knows where they're coming from and what they've been through and how they were painted" boards from elsewhere. That's just me.

 

Good idea, I should have thought of that on my own, but Im in an inexplicable rush to get it all done asap... The HHR is current in the shop because the OnStar red light was on, and we couldnt get the Onstar service iniatated... I wanted to have it all done while it was in the shop.

Ill call around the bay area and check out their quotes...

 

Ya do what needs to be done! Good luck in the hunt!

 

Well, I contacted a gm parts website, and they had one left (painted), but I unfortunately won an ebay auction for a primed one... Oh well, its paintin time.