My rear driver side door has just been christened, cannot understand why people do it - or are they just clumsy?

Anyhow deed is done so I need to get over it

Solution, have just ordered door protectors from Duckworths - should be here tomorrow! Cost £119 inclusive of vat and hopefully delivery. Main dealer wanted £149 and would take longer to deliver than Duckworths.

Just been to my main Volkswagen dealer paintshop they will paint all 4 for a reasonable £132 + vat and will fit for another £30 vat.

Could have painted them myself but only paint using cellulose - besides the VW dealer did my Tiguan 2 years ago and last year did my wife's new Golf. They did a brill job and have also done about three other cars for me.

Getting them to fit means they heat them onto car. Should they fall off I will have some comeback, but if what they have done in the past is anything to go by, do not see that happening (oh, am I tempting fate)?

Anyway, all in fitted and painted Fuji White is about £300 give or take £15

For peace of mind I shall be content

Just been to stealers....... Quoted me £800 for sidesteps fitted....

Going to have to think about that, but am desperate to get sidesteps to perhaps prevent further damage. Still love the Freely has some serious pace for a 4x4, the equipment level is awesome,

Pablo 'There is thunder' then 'There is the warble of a V8'

SD4 HSE Fuji White (my car): sidesteps, door protection
Golf 2.0 tdi White (wife's car)
Triumph Stag (my 1975 V8 toy - 37,600 miles... Just started its 2nd restoration... had it since 1986)

Tiguan Summit (gone, but nice car)
Porsche Boxster (gone, it was too fast)
SLK (gone, did not like it - lost loads £s)
Discovery Cairngorm (gone,very tractor like)
+ loads of other cars

Try direct 4x4 in derby for side steps.

www.direct4x4.co.uk

No affiliation just used em a couple of times. My11 freelander 2, xs, Manual, 18" hse sparkles, sidesteps, privacy, zermatt silver metallic, almond nutmeg alacantra, twin electric towbar

Gone my09 xs D3

£999.99 for OEM style sidesteps.  Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.

Mmmm typo me thinks?

Either way they ain't gunna sell many at that price. My11 freelander 2, xs, Manual, 18" hse sparkles, sidesteps, privacy, zermatt silver metallic, almond nutmeg alacantra, twin electric towbar

Gone my09 xs D3

Fitting Side steps won't help prevent Car Park dings, they are to low down to prevent it, the car next door will when opening its doors will strike where the door Protectors are fitted long before they will hit the Side Steps, the door protectors will help.

Hi Bambi,

Had a look at that site, looks like they are out of stock hence price shown as £999.

Thanks AD, we have to use psychology to beat the idiots who do the damage. The door protectors will do the job for sure, had then on my last eight cars with great success. Car manufacturers have stopped fitting them due to the success of these items, they want damage to occur to keep the trade in business hence most cars no longer supplied with them.

The sidesteps, nine out of ten people will see them and will try and park elsewhere as they will not wish to damage their car against side steps despite not knowing that their doors may not make contact. Even though they probably damage their own car when bashing into other doors etc, they will still avoid cars with sidesteps. Have seen people park next to cars with sidesteps, only to see them move on seconds later.

Thanks for your help, most appreciated.

Pablo 'There is thunder' then 'There is the warble of a V8'

SD4 HSE Fuji White (my car): sidesteps, door protection
Golf 2.0 tdi White (wife's car)
Triumph Stag (my 1975 V8 toy - 37,600 miles... Just started its 2nd restoration... had it since 1986)

Tiguan Summit (gone, but nice car)
Porsche Boxster (gone, it was too fast)
SLK (gone, did not like it - lost loads £s)
Discovery Cairngorm (gone,very tractor like)
+ loads of other cars

got my side steps from Ebay and fitted them myself, look just like LR ones. they have been fitted for one year and still look good. saved about £600. and put that towards my new lights  2013 hse auto, black, almond leather, exnon lights, factory privacy glass, exhaust finisher, rear boot spoiler, mud flaps. Body door side moulding and steps.

Gone and fondly remembered
2012 XS (2013 up-grade LED lights front & rear)
2007 hse (2011 facelift)

Of course, you could just fit both? I park in Supermarket car parks all over the East End of London.....most of our "international" overstayers, sorry, RESIDENTS from that part of the world tend to avoid me like the plague in their battered up Nissans/Hondas...and given that the majority don't even have a legitimate licence, let alone know how to drive, I have come to the conclusion that seeing a protruding lump of aluminium either side at height makes them think twice!

No dinks/dents to date... (touchwood)  Foraging near Gaydon....
——————————————
MY13 HSE Lux SD4, Baltic Blue - current, 30,000> miles without fault
MY12 HSE 2.2 SD4, Sumatra Black - gone after 10 months/43,000 fault-free miles

I figured for £200 against £800 they may be worth a go, I am looking at the side strips myself and the sill plates. My11 freelander 2, xs, Manual, 18" hse sparkles, sidesteps, privacy, zermatt silver metallic, almond nutmeg alacantra, twin electric towbar

Gone my09 xs D3

I'm tempted to get some body side mouldings. Do they actually do anything?

I have the side steps, already fitted when I got it, the side mouldings should in theory prevent a door hitting the paintwork. Some folks on here reckon the do the job. My11 freelander 2, xs, Manual, 18" hse sparkles, sidesteps, privacy, zermatt silver metallic, almond nutmeg alacantra, twin electric towbar

Gone my09 xs D3

A set of tree sliders may do the trick, but they'd look a bit odd on a Freelander..

There aren't many Defenders get dinged when they have a set fitted though..

Let's face it, nothing is going to stop doors from getting a ding!
The door protectors are strategically placed in the crease of the door half way up, get a ding in this area - and your door has usually had it!
The door protectors being rubber absorb the impact/strength of a door opening hence little if any damage is done. If they do not absorb the strength of a door opening, it has been impacted with a significant force. Like I said earlier, have had them on at least eight cars and they have done the job admirably
I have had some very expensive cars... I just like to keep them looking nice all of the time.... Hence the imminent fitting of the door strips, getting them painted only because I think they will look odd not painted on a Fuji White car. Wife's Golf is white and I had them done.
I will also be getting the sidesteps fitted as I suggested earlier it seems to keep cars away, reinforced by a couple of posts above. However, it will not stop the cretins who jump out of taxis and just do not give a fig  'There is thunder' then 'There is the warble of a V8'

SD4 HSE Fuji White (my car): sidesteps, door protection
Golf 2.0 tdi White (wife's car)
Triumph Stag (my 1975 V8 toy - 37,600 miles... Just started its 2nd restoration... had it since 1986)

Tiguan Summit (gone, but nice car)
Porsche Boxster (gone, it was too fast)
SLK (gone, did not like it - lost loads £s)
Discovery Cairngorm (gone,very tractor like)
+ loads of other cars

Duckworths parts have still not arrived!
Ordered sidesteps from 4 x 4 yesterday, they have just arrived impressed with 4 x 4 delivery. Cost £310 delivered. Just need to fit them later on today, if weather holds out!
Feel let down by Duckworths as I have a paint shop on standby. 'There is thunder' then 'There is the warble of a V8'

SD4 HSE Fuji White (my car): sidesteps, door protection
Golf 2.0 tdi White (wife's car)
Triumph Stag (my 1975 V8 toy - 37,600 miles... Just started its 2nd restoration... had it since 1986)

Tiguan Summit (gone, but nice car)
Porsche Boxster (gone, it was too fast)
SLK (gone, did not like it - lost loads £s)
Discovery Cairngorm (gone,very tractor like)
+ loads of other cars

On the contrary, I have had nothing but prompt efficient service from Duckworths with every order that I have given them, and I know of many other satisfied forum members who will happily testify to the same. The issue may well lie with Royal Mail, who have a habit of losing things (including my mat badge!)

Have you considered speaking to Duckworths directly about this matter? Foraging near Gaydon....
——————————————
MY13 HSE Lux SD4, Baltic Blue - current, 30,000> miles without fault
MY12 HSE 2.2 SD4, Sumatra Black - gone after 10 months/43,000 fault-free miles