Home Repair of Driver's Door After Break-in?

[Sybarite]

My car was recently broken into. Access was gained by forcing a metal bar between the window seal and door skin on the driver's side to uncatch the lock.

This has left me with a 5mm gap between the seal and the window - the middle of the door skin at the top is 'bowed' out slightly - which obviously isn't water-tight.

I have been able to bend the door panel back into place slightly and as there is no cosmetic damage and the locking mechanism works ok - I want to know if it should be possible to repair the door, or as a garage advised me, I'll have to have a whole new one fitted.

Does anyone know if this is a simple repair, as I assume it must be quite a common problem?

Thanks

 

[2scoops0406]

I think pretty much all car doors are now double skinned, in other words, you can't repair the outer door skin, it needs to be completely replaced, sorry

 

[Sybarite]

Would this be the case with my 1988 3 door ford Escort?

If so, can anyone recommend where I can find a matching door as a second-hand spare part?

thanks

 

[david and julie]

As you can still drive your car around it is not that urgent.

I would phone local car breakers and salvage yards. Try yellow pages or better still buy a copy of auto-trader, many advertise in there. Because your not in a rush you can wait and look for the same colour. This will be much cheaper and probably match better too.

Any water going in will not do any harm and shouldn't enter the car.