Ok title says it all really, my car has genuine side steps fitted. I'm not sure about them. The Mrs likes them and says she uses them, i've watched her get in and out and she doesn't use them at all! The only use I have for them is standing on them to clean the roof. General concensus, does the car look better with or without I personally lean towards the without category!!! I'd like to say they stop the off road capability but to be fair I haven't really taken it close to any off roading.

Does anyone know how easy they are to remove, i haven't looked yet?

I had factory fitted side steps on a previous FL1 ( 50th Anniversary model ) and although they looked good, they were very impractical.

We never used them to get in or out of the car, they put mud on your trousers/legs, and made it very difficult for my mother to get in and out of the car.

so although they can look good, I would never have them again.

ps as far as I know they are very easy to remove and put back on if needed.

I found the side step got in the way of me (6'3") getting in and out

I had to step in from too far away, or crouch down if i steped on them

If you have kids (or a wife as short as Mrs CG) who need a boost to climb in then, keep them, if not swap them for black/chrome side tubes to fill the gap inbetween the wheels

I presume they will be easy to take off, as the tubes just unbolt from the brackets and the brackets unbolt from the car.

You could alway check how they are installed by following the ownersinfo fitting instructions Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

your not 6'3 5'1 more like (and a bit over round in the belly dept) At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

I definatly taller than 5'1" and i admit the beer gut doesn't help my youthfull looks  Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

in the bin!

All they done was make my trousers dirty, then the wife drove into a post and ripped them off anyways ...so bin em I recon.

I'm thinking about doing the same. I'm not sure if they're any use to me and I think the car might look better without?
Also, the offside one came back from the dealers with some scrapes down it.
Next dry day we get I might get the spanner out.

Ditch them, car looks much better without them.
Landrover spent millions designing the car and I am sure they would have included them if they looked good. 09 FL2 HSE auto Lago Grey
71 Triumph Stag 3L
68 NGTCV8 3.5L

Ok, ok I reckon they might be coming off and i'll use them to fund a dog guard. Function over fashion and all that!!!!

Am I the only one that actually prefers them? I added them when I ordered to help get in the car (5'6") and I'm the tallest in the family! I think they look great and help stop the dirt going up the doors... Phil

I had a choice between the side steps or the tubes and I decided to install the chrome tubes instead. I am really happy with my choice. They look better and do the same job.

If you take looks into account, here's my opinion good to bad:
1. chrome tubes
2. nothing
3. side steps

If practicality is of importance, take them off as you will keep banging your leg against it.

So my conclusion, rip them off, replace with tubes if you can.

phil_wkl wrote:

Am I the only one that actually prefers them? I added them when I ordered to help get in the car (5'6") and I'm the tallest in the family! I think they look great and help stop the dirt going up the doors...

50/50 on this, yes they do get in way getting out of car, but do protect doors. Rember if you are removing that plastic sill protectors have been cut at 2 points on each side, this will allow dirt to enter between protector and sill.
Other point made by dealer when I complained about seat going down was that if seat was in higher position for shorty!! like me then stretching out to miss side step meant I was lowering seat every time I got out of car. He had a valid point.
Off for a 60 mile run through forrests this weekend.