Doors - TDCI vs welded vs series style (splandrover)

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julianf

julianf

Well-Known Member
Posts
2,274
Location
Devon, UK
Due to a failed transaction, im still looking at doors -

Has anyone fitted the splandrover series 'style' doors to a defender? What did you think?

The other options are to either fit new welded doors (ie td5 etc. style) which has the pro of being able to use most of my existing components, or go for puma pressed steel units, and have to replace all the other bits at the same time (expensive)

Im tempted by the series style ones, but know how poorly the door tops seal in my 101, and, if theyre anywhere even close to as bad, i would not want them on a daily driver.

What are your experiences?
 
In my experience of series doors, even new ones don't seal as well as a decent defender door, and the upper/lower join is a rot fest. They do look cool though.
 
My series doors on my 109 are completely water tight. No leaks at all. The door tops just needed bending in a bit which I was once told also had to be done at the factory.
Mine have been on 3 years and were britpart ones. I'm using defender doors seals. But a good seal is achievable with some messing about
 
I've got Puma Doors on my Defender, You can use most of your old door furniture, but need new cards which are quite expensive
 
Foxyred said:
I've got Puma Doors on my Defender, You can use most of your old door furniture, but need new cards which are quite expensive
Click to expand...

Thats interesting -

If im buying frames / skins then the puma ones are not really much more expensive than galv td5 style ones.
I assumed all the workings would be different too, which i thought would put the price right up - but you say otherwise.

Could you give me more detail please?
 
The Door card is Different, the Door card Backing is different, and I think the glass channel needs a different filler.
Handles are interchangeable, window mech the same, locks the same .
 
Thank you.

Do you reckon there's much advantage to the pressed steel, now that (i assume) youve lived with them a while?
 
Id bookmarked them only a month or so ago, at £235ex

Then the price jumped to £350ex. - which i think is more than you can get the puma frames / skins for.

...which is why im wondering if its better to go for the puma ones (as in what advantage there is) as, if the only additional expense is a door card etc. its worth considering - but only if they offer some real advantage.
 
Still says £235 when I look at the advert. Pricey, but then new doors seem to be a major investment whatever choices you make.
 
steel doors whether puma or the sp galv skinned ones have to be the way to go all the other ali replacements bubble the paint after a year or 2
 
Brown said:
Still says £235 when I look at the advert. Pricey, but then new doors seem to be a major investment whatever choices you make.
Click to expand...

Yep, if you follow the link, the page is still 'live' but if you try and order, they're 'out of stock' - but the page with the same item at £350 is 'in stock'

I dont know why the cheaper page is still on the system. Ive tried calling them before, but never got through to anyone.
 
Had a bad experience with SP, Ordered a bonnet that came badly damaged beyond repair. I did not accept it from the courier But when I asked for a replacement they said they had no stock, And then to add insult to the mix would not give me my money back until they had the bonnet back (claimed it was industry standard practice ) I said in distance selling the courier is classed as the seller so in effect it had not left his possession and I should have my money the next working day, But it took a week !!
I bought a replacement Bonnet from a main dealer the next day for the same price as SP sell them for. And yes it can take a few tries to finally get someone to answer the phone
 
hi there!
im william from sp 4x4.
would just like to put a reply in to foxyreds comments above as i feel it is quite unfair.
As most of our customer know we will do as much to help where we can.
In this case the chap had ordered a Puma bonnet from us on the 14th march. We had sent the bonnet on the 15th march and was delivered on 16th march at 11.52 on APC consignment number 4983735

We got the below email on the 16th march from the customer at 20.46 :

Hi had a puma bonnet delivered today to ---------------------------------------------------.
Upon inspection the left hand rear corner was slightly bent inwards, causing buckling and separation of bonnet skin from frame.
We refused to accept delivery, could you please let me know when a replacement can be sent or wether I can collect in person on Saturday.
As car is booked in for a respray on Tuesday and I will need it for then.

I replied back with at 20.58 (yes within 12 minutes on an evening!)

hi dean
ever sorry to hear that,
Unfortunately that was the last one we had in stock,
we will just refund your order when we get it back,

kind regards
william

The reply back from customer was:
I cant understand the reason why I've got to wait for a refund as I've not actually taken delivery of the bonnet. I now need to find another one before Tuesday, and am now held to ransom due to your courier.
Kind regards Dean.

We replied back with (still the evening of the 16th)

hi Dean
Unfortunately at the moment we just cant issue any refund until we get the item back. I am sorry that you have to find another one at such short notice we did try our best to ensure its safe arrival to you. I understand were you are coming from but, as you would expect of any other shop/internet retailer we need to get the item back from the courier, it is standard industry practice that we need to follow
As soon as it is received back i assure you we will offer a full refund immediately

Customer replied back with:

Disappointed in your customer service, as a retailer myself I would ensure that my customer was my first priority as repeat orders are as important as customer satisfaction.
Kind regards Dean.

We replied back with the following as was our last communication with each other:

hi dean
I couldnt provide any better customer service, we sent the bonnet on next day delivery for you, you have emailed at night regarding an issue, we have responded within minutes, out of working hours and assured that you would receive a refund when we get it back.
No professional company can issue a refund before getting an item back.
I think you are being very unreasonable. I have done everything and can and more from my end, i am sorry that i have not been able to resolve the issue to your satisfaction.



The best part of this story is that within the next week no bonnet had come back, i had then checked the tracking number (i hadn't done so to start with as no real need) and noticed that contrary to what the customer has stated, no refusal was ever made and the delivery had took place and had been signed for!
APC consignment number 4983735

Thankfully i had not just issued a refund before getting the item back and this is why we have to wait to get items back. Though I would never have thought someone would actually try to take a whole bonnet!
We would have been £450 down and find it incredible even after us trying our best to help him right from the start that he has also went to the bother of saying how bad our customer service is on a public forum!

Luckily we find the majority of the land rover community great honest people! But as a retailer this is some of the stuff we have to put up with sadly!
 
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