pman6

That plastic sticker at the lower door edge ( circled.)

Does that really protect against rock chips?
I mean why would rocks hit that area specifically and not the rest of the door?

FromFL

I took mine off because it looked like exactly like yours, terrible. I would love to hear the speculation as to why they put it there.

koreywill

Took mine off for the same reason - it looked terrible and there was no way to clean between the strip and the body. I used a hair dryer to soften up the adhesive and then some adhesive remover. Cleaned that with rubbing alcohol and then applied some wax. I just went out and looked at that area. Still looks great and no chips.
If you want to replace the part after removal (for whatever reason) you can order: Protector, Quarter panel, Rear LH 58748-33020 and RH 58747-33020 at amayama.com for $6.56 ea plus shipping. It'll take a while to get to you though.

Arsenii

Hello,

I am pretty sure it has more to do with the Rear Passengers getting in and out, though it is hard to tell without the car in person..
Long story short, unless you carry a lot of sloppy passengers, it's probably safe to remove.

Hope this helps and best of luck!