Automatic car wash removed LX door panel (1 Viewer)

[cbpeck]

My dad drove his '96 LX through an automatic car wash and the dryer blew the driver's door panel clean off. The white clips that pop into the metal door skin seem fine, but what's difficult to tell is whether the plastic those clips engage are a second set of clips or if those black plastic rectangles were a molded part of the trip panel that broke relatively cleanly.
I'm sure some will say it's time to take it all off, but he'd like to put the panel back on for the time being. Do we need new clips or a replacement panel? Thanks, guys.

 

[shocktower]

It looks like you need to replace some of the clips on the lower part of the door, and your dad needs to not drive it through another car wash

 

[cbpeck]

The hiccup is that the black rectangles don't engage the panel where they would've popped off. I think they may have been part of the panel, but not sure. In person it's less intuitive than it looks.

It would be helpful to hear from someone who has removed and reinstalled one of these before.

 

[NateMob]

Those black rectangles are supposed to be attached to the cladding, like you said, they ripped clean off!

 

[Cass007]

The car wash should have insurance to cover your father's repairs. I had my pass side mirror glass busted out by one and they covered it with no problems.

 

[Tools R Us]

Those black rectangles are supposed to be attached to the cladding, like you said, they ripped clean off!

^^^ This. Some have had luck reattaching with adhesive, likely better off getting another one.

 

[cbpeck]

Thanks for the confirmation, guys.

The car wash has a sign claiming no liability to cars more than 7 years old. I'll pass the info along and let him decide how to proceed.

 

[Cass007]

Check with their insurance company anyhow. Sign may be put up as a way to discourage people from attempting to file. You can always pay your deductible and use your own coverage and ask your company to subbrogate the loss.

Just because I have a sign in front of my house saying that "Trespassers Will Be Shot" doesn't mean I can't get in trouble if I actually shoot someone. (*)

*Disclaimer ... statement may not be true for Florida, Texas, parts of Maine or Alaska

 

[gnarlytoes]

I'm going to suggest that something happened before he went to the car wash that broke some of the clips. That cladding is not that easy to remove and the drier should not have been able to blow it off. Has he owned it since it was new? Has it been repainted or in an accident that required body repair? I would suggest someone took that panel off at sometime in the past and broke some or most of those clips.

 

[cbpeck]

I'm going to suggest that something happened before he went to the car wash that broke some of the clips. That cladding is not that easy to remove and the drier should not have been able to blow it off. Has he owned it since it was new? Has it been repainted or in an accident that required body repair? I would suggest someone took that panel off at sometime in the past and broke some or most of those clips.

Original paint, no accident history to our knowledge. It certainly doesn't look like it has been molested before, but I can't say for certain.

 

[slow95z]

if you glue it and it doesnt hold just buy another door imo, they are cheap. i just hauled some white LX doors to the scrapper. or i would hook you up. you can find a white LX being parted and get a door for cheap. no painting needed. ask around in the part out section or post a wanted thread.