Rogue door design and road dirt

[Superdave54]

You can read the original text below to understand the problem. I believe I have found a good resolution to the issue. I purchased some EPDM rubber weather stripping with pressure-sensitive adhesive that I have installed in the gap between the door bottom gasket and the body (door sill).

I have driven in the rain on my dirt road, and it has stopped all the dirt and grit from getting up between the upper gasket and the body.

If anybody is interested I can give the name of the weather stripping and post pictures on where I installed it. It is hardly visible, and does not change the clean looks of the Rogue.

Original Text:I live on a dirt road and the local roads are sanded when it gets slick.

I started noticing that after I wash the car, I would open the doors and find a line of dirt on the sill and the bottom door moulding was packed with dirt. Now the paint is starting to deteriorate along where the dirt gets trapped between the body and the moulding. This is all despite the splash guards I bought at the dealer and added later. The problem is not quite as bad in the first foot behind the front wheel well, but the splash guards didn't help much.

On most cars, and especially SUVs and Crossovers, the doors do not come all the way down to the bottom of the body. As a matter of fact, on most higher end vehicles, the body puposely extends out further than the door to create a full length "splash guard". The Murano has this, and so does the Honda CRV. Volvos as well.

The problem is even worse in the rear where the rear door is actually part of the rear "fender". I wish I had realized this before I bought the Rogue, but I still like practically everything else about the car.

I am still looking for an aftermarket fix for this. I really do not want to try and install running boards or some other thing that will change the looks. Plus, I haven't even found anything like this at Bancroft or any other big aftermarket parts site.

A plastic moulding attached under the body that extends out to flush with the bottom of the door would block the spray off the wheels from getting up between the molding and the body.

Has anybody noticed this problem, or pondered a fix for it?
Modified by Superdave54 at 2:31 PM 12/19/2007

[philipa_240sx]

I pondered the same thing when I saw the Rogue for the first time... the lack of side sills and a rear fender lip where the door meets. I still do not own one, but I would be curious if others are having the same issue.

I wish I could offer solutions, but I can't think of any...

[silverice24]

I know there was a more recent posting on this topic, but I can't find it right now. I was looking at the accessories brochure and noticed that Nissan sells aluminum kick plates that can be attached to the allegedly affected area. Has anyone had any experience with these kick plates? If so, do they seem to help with preventing scratches under the door as previously described?Thanks!BTW: Just bought a Rogue today! (Silver Ice, S AWD)

[mistergib]

I know there was a more recent posting on this topic, but I can't find it right now. I was looking at the accessories brochure and noticed that Nissan sells aluminum kick plates that can be attached to the allegedly affected area. Has anyone had any experience with these kick plates? If so, do they seem to help with preventing scratches under the door as previously described?Thanks!BTW: Just bought a Rogue today! (Silver Ice, S AWD)

...sorry to bust your bubble, but the aluminum kick plates will NOT coverthe affected area, they don't reach that far....(I have them on mine).The only fix right now is either the added weather seal, or, add the clear-bra strips of which I have done....