Need door panel!!

[mbtjc]

I thought my left rear door panel was a little too loose, and there was some black goo on the little indent on the chrome so I decided to take the door panel off so see what was up. Come to find out that all except one of the plastic tabs across the top had been broken off!! I counted 9 total plastic tabs on the whole panel, and 5 were broken, 1 or 2 more cracked. This apparently happened a few years ago when my dad had a dent removed on that door and the idiot that did it pulled on the dang thing instead of pulling up on it snapping off all my tabs! And then he "secured" it with that black goo. Needless to say I am not happy.

Question: Is the only place I can get a door panel is a dealer?? I tried pricing one at my dealer (told them to look one up for a 300SE since mine is a SWB) and they said they couldn't because my car has a velour insert and not a leather one. It looked like on the blow-up on their screen that that insert comes separate...making that irrelevant. I just need the bare plastic piece, no insert, no wood, no nothing. Somehow they didn't get this and kept telling that because mine is a euro car with velour they couldn't get me one. So who is not getting something here...me or them?? Finally I told them to pretend mine had leather and they finally gave me a price of $384...but still insisting that it wouldn't work for mine. Sounds steep for a piece of plastic, but is this my only recourse? I guess if I had to buy one with leather I could and then just switch it out...that piece is removable.

I'm just a bit frusterated and wasn't planning on spending a few hundred dollars at the least because of some moron a few years ago. Any help is appreciated.

[haasman]

If can still find the plastic pieces that broke off, use JBWeld to re-attach them. Spread liberally all over the panel and the area where they originally attached. Very strong.

If not go to a wrecking yard. They often have door panels at prices that will save you a lot of money.

Be sure to replace the inner door panel moisture barrier plastic if torn or missing. Makes the interior quieter and keeps moisture off the door panel, otherwise you will replace it again. Hardware stores sell this plastic by the yard, look for 2 mil or so.

Keep us posted,

Haasman

[csnow]

Expand your search to the entire US and Canada, and try: uneedapart.com

Used part sellers compete for your business. The web at its best!

[mbtjc]

The plastic tabs are gone...I guess they went with the idiot that did this in the first place. As far as that plastic sheet, there was one in there...I was thinking about in addition to that I would put some more sound deadening insulation in there. I know MBs are quiet...but there's no such thing as too quiet! Any recommendations for any such insulation? As far as the scrap yard...since mine is not an SEL (like most are in the US), finding a grey interior 300SE I think will be very very difficult, and unlikely. I suppose I can always try though.

Thanks guys for your help and I'll try that website to see what I find.

[csnow]

Are the front doors different on the SE vs. the SEL, or just the rear ones? I have no idea, but from a manufacturing cost perspective, making both doors wider would be silly.

[mbtjc]

Only the rear doors are longer...fronts are the same.