gap in passenger door

1. user_48023 Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Oct 2010 Bournemouth/Edmonton/Chelmsford Posts: 2650 Audi A3

   #1 5th February 2011, 09:54

   Top of my passenger door there's a slight gap, you can hear the wind getting through when driving, and sometimes in heavy water drips through.
   
   Went into a car wash the other day and realised how big the gap was, water really started to drip through onto the door car and seat, and when I was driving on the dual carrage way I could really feel the wind.
   The boy I bought the car off of in november said someone tried breaking in once by pulling back the door, hence the gap. Another mate had a look and sed the door has been pushed down a bit so just tighten the top bolt up and its level again, but everything else is level, the handle, line of the window ect looks all perfect, yet when I close the door you can feel its not level properly...its weird, but what can I do?
   
   Tried tightening the bolt for the door but couldn't really budge it any more...anyone got a clue?
   
   Cheers, D
2. user_20080 Saxperience Hardcore! Joined: Dec 2007 smurfland. Posts: 17346 Ex saxo owner.

   #2 5th February 2011, 12:08

   Sit in the drvers seat & get someone with a trolley jack & a block of wood to put the jack/wood under the door & raise it up carefully.
   
   Steve.
3. user_48023 Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Oct 2010 Bournemouth/Edmonton/Chelmsford Posts: 2650 Audi A3

   #3 5th February 2011, 14:29

   I basically did that the other day mate but used a few towels instead, it ended up lifting the whole car up!
   
   How wide open should I have the door?
   Do I need to touch the bolts at all?
   
   Cheers, D
4. user_48023 Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Oct 2010 Bournemouth/Edmonton/Chelmsford Posts: 2650 Audi A3

   #4 6th February 2011, 16:22

   If I take off the door and put it back on do you recon that would re-align it?
5. user_36198 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Aug 2009 ilkeston derbyshire Posts: 9823 C2 VTR stripped, 406hdi, clio 172

   #5 6th February 2011, 16:26

   no, theres no adjustment on the hinges, trolley jack idea is best, i've done it many times on different cars but you have to be brutal and brave lol
6. user_48023 Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Oct 2010 Bournemouth/Edmonton/Chelmsford Posts: 2650 Audi A3

   #6 6th February 2011, 18:11

   Lifting up the car door just lifts up the whole car, no matter how slow or fast I do it lol, what method do you use?
7. user_48023 Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Oct 2010 Bournemouth/Edmonton/Chelmsford Posts: 2650 Audi A3

   #7 7th February 2011, 11:33

   I tried this about an hour ago, done it really slow ect. Now I have a huge bend/dent in the bottom of my door from the jack, the door has moved outwards somehow so it now hits the arch majorly when opening and closing, door has a bigger gap at the side by the windscreen and super thin gap by the indicator hence it hitting the door and to top it off, the gap at the top is still there. VERY pissed off.
8. user_48250 Established Member Joined: Nov 2010 Ealing Posts: 1078 vts, celica, mr2 tubby, vtr

   #8 7th February 2011, 12:00

   I like how your license plate ends in GAP. It's very (un)fitting.
   
   ooooooooooooh...I'm here all week folks!
9. user_48023 Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Oct 2010 Bournemouth/Edmonton/Chelmsford Posts: 2650 Audi A3

   #9 7th February 2011, 12:02

   I don't at all, looking for a cheap personalised number plate eventually. Its very fitting? Not sure what that means.
10. user_48250 Established Member Joined: Nov 2010 Ealing Posts: 1078 vts, celica, mr2 tubby, vtr

    #10 7th February 2011, 12:22

    door doesnt fit...fitting...(un)fitting....gap....doors.....
    
    I'll get my coat.
11. user_48023 Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Oct 2010 Bournemouth/Edmonton/Chelmsford Posts: 2650 Audi A3

    #11 7th February 2011, 13:49

    Lol, i read it wrong, i thought you meant GAP as in Gay And Proud as its been mentioned before you see. but i get you lol, if i wasnt so tired i would of got it first time!
12. user_20080 Saxperience Hardcore! Joined: Dec 2007 smurfland. Posts: 17346 Ex saxo owner.

    #12 7th February 2011, 16:37

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Delboy I tried this about an hour ago, done it really slow ect. Now I have a huge bend/dent in the bottom of my door from the jack, the door has moved outwards somehow so it now hits the arch majorly when opening and closing, door has a bigger gap at the side by the windscreen and super thin gap by the indicator hence it hitting the door and to top it off, the gap at the top is still there. VERY pissed off.

    I take it you put a block of wood under the door 1st?
    
    
    Steve.
13. user_48023 Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Oct 2010 Bournemouth/Edmonton/Chelmsford Posts: 2650 Audi A3

    #13 7th February 2011, 19:00

    yes mate, and a 1 inch peice of sponge, and cloth.
    
    just really didnt go down well
14. Stevo123 Established Member Joined: Apr 2009 Redcar Posts: 1971 2000 Posi Blue vtr

    #14 7th February 2011, 20:49

    Sponge and cloth is no good mate FFS. By the way have you tried the obvious and adjusted the door catch on the body of the car. Might just need a bit of adjustment to 'pull' the door closed a bit tighter.
    Unlucky that you have killed your door, take it to a body shop to get it done properly - they might be able to save it.
15. seddon89 Frequent Poster Joined: Jul 2010 gateshead Posts: 807 vw golf GTI citroen saxo forte 02 plate vw polo

    #15 7th February 2011, 21:15

    are the door pins worn?
16. user_48023 Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Oct 2010 Bournemouth/Edmonton/Chelmsford Posts: 2650 Audi A3

    #16 7th February 2011, 22:03

    If you read what I posted you'll see I used wood, with sponge & cloth ontop. The pins in the inner door, as posted above again, don't adjust the door's height or anything. but just incase I did check if they tightened up properly, which they were..
    
    I don't have the money to go to a body shop to get it done properly, so I shall just leave it for now until I have time to attempt it again. Cheers, D