Imagine, if you will, you’re in your 2004 Toyota Matrix heading back home from getting a pack of smokes or whatever at the Gas’N’Sip and as you run the red light just a little bit someone doesn’t pay attention and runs into the side of your car. No biggie, there are still three other doors that work just fine but now the rain’s coming in the damaged one. What to do? Back in the day we’d of course bust out the jumbo roll of duct tape but that’s too hard for the kids these days, the expanding foam can has that neat nozzle straw to direct the spray into the tiniest of gaps. Perfect!
Sadly there’s not even the tiniest bit of pride in workmanship evident in this repair but I do think that perhaps the makers of the foam could consider marketing their product in an assortment of exciting colors, or at least shades of gray, in order to gain greater market acceptance in a heretofore untapped niche.
Normally the engine’s the first thing to go from a junked Toyota especially when it’s fairly evident that it’s there due to some other cause. Perhaps potential buyers figured that in this case with this “repair” the regular maintenance regimen may be a little more suspect than usual as well…
Fun Fact: We’ve had at least four Cars Of A Lifetime reports regarding this generation of Matrix and two of the Pontiac Vibe sister car, making this generation Matrix/Vibe perhaps the most popular COAL cart to date with most opting for the 2003 models…
Related Reading:
COAL: Jim Grey’s second 2003 Matrix
COAL: MDLaughlin also had a 2003 Matrix
COAL: Marc got himself a 2007 Matrix
COAL: Wolfgang went for the 2005 Pontiac Vibe
COAL: Adam Dixon decided a 2003 Vibe is the one
Good Vibes: DougD Finds A Driveway Filled With Vibes
Visual proof that “acceptable quality of a repair” is a concept that varies depending on whether it is being paid by an insurance company’s money or the owner’s own money.
With even just a little trimming of the foam, and maybe some rattle can black paint would have made it look 100% better! I wonder if the side curtain airbags deployed?; if so, apparently that was not a concern for this driver! 🙂
I’ve used a combination of duct tape and a plastic tarp from Home Depot, cut as needed, to cover the door or window opening. At least it’s effective in keeping the water out, if not the noise. Last car this was done to was a non-Matrix Corolla actually.
Was this repair done on “The Red Green Show”?
NAH! DUCT TAPE is the handyman’s secret weapon and this obviously isn’t the work of anyone remotely handy!
All that’s missing is a tie-down strap wrapped around the vehicle.
I still want another Matrix. Such a useful automobile.
Back when I was in college (in the early 2000s) I used to frequently see a Daihatsu Charade with a similar spray foam repair around the passenger door. Although I would guess finding a replacement door for a Daihatsu even back then would have been more difficult than finding one for a Matrix.
This is hard for me to look at, since I love my Matrix and don’t want to lose it. The car works for me as well as any other car I’ve owned, and probably better.
Duct tape comes in colors, so why not foam?
Sure it’s ugly, but it works! I probably would trim the foam and paint it if only to keep the UV damage to the foam down to a minimum. Wonder how long this car drove around with this repair and what finally killed it?
Wouldn’t this deserve a pull by the police out on the roads?. Would do in the UK because of the jutting out damaged metal work.
It depends on the state, but it’s not very likely.
This owner went to too much work. I’d have just removed the door and called it a day. 🙂
I’ve seen cars worse than this in Oregon, the cops don’t care.
This almost looks like some type of fungal growth at first glance.
Well the tailgate at least looks like it is still usable and unblemished.
Too bad this isn’t a Pontiac. Then one could say “That car gives me a baaaaaad Vibe!”
(Ducks and runs!)
The polie man would stop you here doors must open and close securely from inside and out it part of the warrant of fitness test sealing a door shut kinda points out theres something wrong, I once had an old Mk2 Ford Zephyr with a big hole cut in the roof for spotlight shooting it came like that hey $80 that ran and drove it was good the front door lock failed so the doors were tied shut and the roof hole became the entry and exit for the remainder of the cars life which after it dropped no2 piston crown in the sump was mercifully short, I bought a Simca Aronde you could see thru for $40 and fitted the relevant no plates and stickers from the Zephyr and drove that.