GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

Okay - I've got to ask this. I've been a member for about a year and a half now, and while I don't post a lot, I do spend a fair bit of time reading the forums. This has probably been brought up in numerous threads in the past, but I personally have yet to see one.At what point did Pontiac start putting the rounded protruding cladding along the sides beneath the doors (the rocker panel area)? My '06 two-tone has it, and while I don't mind it, pictures of some other Vibes (mostly older ones) show them without the rounded bit - just a flush look rocker panel, and they just look cleaner. I guess Pontiac did it to achieve a sort of "ground effect" look, and I guess it gives the doors a bit more protection. But I've never been able to figure out just when they started doing it. Did they start with the two-tones and then carry it over to the monotones? If so, when? Mid-year? New model year? This is a somewhat pointless question that's been bugging me for awhile, and I have yet to ever see it brought up in a thread (though I'm sure it has).

I believe they changed it in 06 to the flared rocker panels. Originally the rocker panels were rounded under the car. I know the 03 two-tones (cause I had one) had a huge issue with the cladding getting shredded by debris coming off the tires. That was all replaced under a TSB. I know that my 05 monotone have the rocker panels that wrap under... although I would love to have the flared rocker panels! I'm guessing that it started with the 03 two tones and then migrated over from that point... fully moving over to both types of Vibes in 2006.Maybe that helps, maybe it just confuses you more... but that is my guess. If you happen to know where I can get my hands on a pair of the newer rocker panels... please let me know.

I still have my original set off of my 03 if you really wanted that flush smooth look.