joeld Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 I need to replace the L/S exterior door handle on my 1995 Grand Prix coupe. There are none at the local junk yards around me. Looks like Advance has a Dorman brand #77170 for about $62.00. Anybody ever tried these? Thanks Joel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94 olds vert Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 The OEM handles are usually the best. They are good for X amount of pulls then they break. The after market ones are usually pretty cheap feeling. I know you can get after market door handles on ebay for around 30 dollars. I have one I bought off of ebay and its been fine for over a year now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White93z34 Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 I have a doorman on my z34. it fits pretty good, but the finish is far more delicate then the OEM stuff... and if you have the lighted keyring you will be spending a good bit of time with a dremel tool opening it up to fit the ring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhildebrand Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 The one i got from advance clear coat wwas non exhistant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeld Posted April 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2011 Thanks for the replies. I agree 100% with OE type parts being much better most of the time. But the cost of $225.00 is more than I'm going to spend for a door handle from the local dealer even with my discount. I noticed the Cutlass having a different part number from the Grand Prix. Is this because of the different finish? Mine is a high gloss, I'm thinking Cutlass is more of a satin look? Thanks Joel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schurkey Posted April 7, 2011 Report Share Posted April 7, 2011 All my experience is on the four-door '92--'93 Luminas. But I expect the concept is the same: The OEM part is a piece of under-engineered JUNK. It has a known failure point, they ALL break at EXACTLY the same place. The aftermarket parts are just as bad, but cost 1/2 or less than the Genuine GM piece. So if I'm forced to buy a crappy part, at least I can get it cheaper. I keep a left and a right side "in the box" on a shelf in my garage. That way, WHEN (not "if") it breaks, I don't have to go to the parts store on Sunday and order the thing--I just pull it off the shelf. One of these times. I'm going to braze a reinforcement to the handle before I install it. Can't hurt, might help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeld Posted April 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2011 Just a quick update: I installed the Dorman handle today from Autozone. Cost was less than 60 bucks. I'm pretty much satisfied with the over all fit and finish, looks as good as the OE does. Time will tell on how long the finish lasts. The funtion is good, not perfect but good. Takes a little more pull than before but I can live with that. Joel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfewtrail Posted April 10, 2011 Report Share Posted April 10, 2011 I need to replace the L/S exterior door handle on my 1995 Grand Prix coupe. There are none at the local junk yards around me. Looks like Advance has a Dorman brand #77170 for about $62.00. Anybody ever tried these? Thanks Joel I know you've already got the handle sorted out...but I was wondering if you checked for a handle at the Pull-A-Part yard in Norcross since it's a short distance from Lawrenceville. Besides that location, there's one in Conley, and one in Conyers. I visit them occasionally and there's always several Grand Prix's or other w-bodies in each of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
virtuetovice Posted April 10, 2011 Report Share Posted April 10, 2011 Am I the only one who doesn't yank the piss out of my door handles? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AL Posted April 11, 2011 Report Share Posted April 11, 2011 I open any door extremely softly, thats how you know I have owned a first gen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeld Posted April 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2011 Am I the only one who doesn't yank the piss out of my door handles? I don't know? Are you? Joel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeld Posted April 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2011 I know you've already got the handle sorted out...but I was wondering if you checked for a handle at the Pull-A-Part yard in Norcross since it's a short distance from Lawrenceville. Besides that location, there's one in Conley, and one in Conyers. I visit them occasionally and there's always several Grand Prix's or other w-bodies in each of them. Yea, I checked Pull-A-Part in Norcross, found on that had already been removed. And it was a stamped steel after market, bent bad from the removal process! Actually there were no GP's there at all. Saw one Cutlass coupe and it was gutted. Joel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soccrplayrgtp Posted April 21, 2011 Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 yeah the way to go is OEM but that means $$... pop the door open with the handle and pull it open the rest of the way from the top of the door Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iroc2 Posted April 24, 2011 Report Share Posted April 24, 2011 hello fellow joel d for a min i thought it was an old post of mine by a username ive never used? i had to replacve my lh handle too. got mine from a jy for $20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott205 Posted May 17, 2011 Report Share Posted May 17, 2011 I think certain ones (like my 92) are slightly off somewhere in the design and break them much easier. If anyone has had any experience adjusting them to where they work well I would love to know. I go through atleast one (mostly driver side) a year. The one I have on now was a cheap $22 I bought on ebay.. worked about 2 months.. isn't broke, but is wearing weird and won't open the door. I have the panel off my door (I was going to put a new speaker in but never got around to it, but hope to really take it apart and adjust a few things in 3 weeks when school is out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EviLette Posted May 17, 2011 Report Share Posted May 17, 2011 (edited) I think certain ones (like my 92) are slightly off somewhere in the design and break them much easier. If anyone has had any experience adjusting them to where they work well I would love to know. I go through atleast one (mostly driver side) a year. The one I have on now was a cheap $22 I bought on ebay.. worked about 2 months.. isn't broke, but is wearing weird and won't open the door. I have the panel off my door (I was going to put a new speaker in but never got around to it, but hope to really take it apart and adjust a few things in 3 weeks when school is out. Just adjust them. You don't want ANY tension on the handle itself when it is sitting at idle, but you want tension as soon as you pull it. Use the handle only to unlatch the door, and gently (I place my thumb on the solid part of the handle and use my fingertips to GENTLY unlatch) actuate the handle. If the handle is adjusted properly you shouldn't have to move the handle all the way out to open the door. This has made handles last a LONG time for me... and I have a 92 SE Coupe. If the piece that attaches to the handle (threads onto the latch actuator rod inside the door - sort of inside... under the plastic cover) is all the way at the top and you still can't open the door, then the handle itself has stretched. At this point, you are best to invest in a door handle. You can fix this problem TEMPORARILY and I am NOT recommending it, but it will do in a pinch to get you through a FEW days because it SEVERELY weakens the already craptastic metal these things are assemebled with... by holding the handle closed at the top and gently squeezing the piece that attaches to the rods inside the door toward the OUTSIDE of the car. Be extremely careful doing this, as it CAN snap if the weather is at all cold.. and again will weaken it severely. This is only for an emergency when you can't get any more play out of the adjustment pieces on the rods themselves. DO NOT BEND THE RODS. Some jackass bent the rods on mine rather than adjusting properly, and because of this, I can't keep the door lock actuator rod attached to the lock assembly on the handle itself. Maybe I"m not clever enough to bend them back better, but honestly I don't want to screw it up any more than it is. If I am lucky, I get a year out of a handle, and I'm gentle with them. The last driver's side that finally snapped off had been on the car for over two years, and it was an Auto Zone part. In regards to the finish on the handles... when I actually have TIME to do so, when I get a new handle, I scuff it down a bit and hit it with a coat or two of rattle-can clear. Again, does in a pinch. Beggars can't be choosers, and we are driving 1st Gen W's. Edited May 17, 2011 by EviLette more info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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