Replacing a car door??

k6chris

How easy is it to replace a car door?? The (2006 Honda FRV) car has suffered a scrape / large un-poppable dent from a parking bollard. Is it overly simple to get better one from a scrap yard and fit it??

neilmcl

I'd imagine it's a pretty straightforward process. You'll need to remove the door card, disconnect all the electrical cables then undo the main bolts holding the door on. Have a search on youtube to see if there's any vids as well as searching owners forums.

AdrianC

Not hard at all. They're designed to be easily removed.

Disconnect the wiring (probably a multiplug in the door jamb), and the hinges. Old one lifts off, new one lifts on, hinges and wiring reconnected, then adjust the hinges and latch until the shut is right.

If it's a front, then you'll probably also want to change the lock barrel.

If you can only find one the wrong colour, you can get it painted off the car, but the match might not be perfect - ideally they'd paint part of the adjacent wing and other door to "blend" the colour in and make any mismatch less noticable. But you'd probably still want the inner shell painting before fitting.

If the trim is missing or doesn't match, it's not hard to transfer over.


If you can't find a replacement door, then you might be able to buy a new door skin and get that replaced instead of having to replace the entire door shell - there's a lot of work in transferring all the window/latch/wiring etc from shell to shell.

mollycat

As Neil says, the process isn't difficult, (have done it previously), but what might be a bigger problem is finding a door that is "good enough" cosmetically.

There aren't tons of them on Ebay, and that's also without knowing the colour/which door it is.

Wouldn't think it's that a common car to find in a scrappys either.

Also bear in mind if you are buying one from say ebay, it's likely it is being sold "bare", ie no mirror, window glass removed etc.

Whilst that isn't a deal breaker it does complicate the procedure a bit rather than just a straight swap with a "whole" door.

Apologies if you have already sourced a door that suits and you are only asking about the process.

Good luck.

System

Don't assume dents are unpoppable. You'd be amazed what an experienced dent remover with the right tools can pull out and not need any paint.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cY4TZkNfKLk

stator

The electrics can be a pain, but swapping the door itself shouldn't be hard. I've done it before. Easier if you have a spare pair of hands.
Remember swapping the lock barrel can be a pain too.

Carrot007

Tarambor wrote: »

Don't assume dents are unpoppable. You'd be amazed what an experienced dent remover with the right tools can pull out and not need any paint.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cY4TZkNfKLk

Also the outer layer (skin) can be repalced by the right garage (some sort of repair specialist). That's what I did when I bollarded the OH's car (and yes they had the insurance price and the private price which was a lot cheaper)! Of course depending on car age a door might be cheaper if you can find one, did that on a bonnet that rusted though as I found one on ebay (scrappers selling on ebay are one on the decent things about it, bought things like a replacement rear light cluster after I dropped scaffoding into it! Much cheaper than new and came with all bulbs in!).