[QUOTE]Originally posted by gregstevens:
[B]Good question, Sparky. I often wonder why on God's green earh people feel like they need to slam the passenger door like Nolan Ryan's fast ball!

 

Count my vote for the back in and swing feet method. My kid with the size 13 feet had major difficulty entering the car till I showed him this method. Egress is just the opposite, using the textured part of the sill to oneself to vertical.

 

Look at it this way - the mat is a wear item and consider it disposable. The seat bolster is a much more expensive item, as is the OEM door to door carpeting. Buy an extra mat set.

 

I have the Silver/Red combo. Several months ago, I bought the German 3 piece set...black with red piping and a red "S" on the cross member. First of all, the mat is of much higher quality than the carpet, The full coverage black with red piping really changed the look of the interior for the better. Breaks up all that faded looking red carpet. I stored the original factory mats for the future and agree with previous posts...buy the 3 piece, it will wear a long time and save you replacing the interior carpet. Cost of mats, about $100, the resulting improvement in looks, priceless.

LL

 

In addition to passengers stepping on the crossmember, why do people insist on closing the door by pushing on the raised glass?

I guess I need to lower the windows before letting people out of the car.

Zoinks

 

I remember Luis from Portugal resolved this problem by mounting a nicely chromed miniature fire extinguisher over the cross member. He claims it has completly solved the problem. Plus is looks good !!

 

My wife did three things to the S2000 only once - and in this order

-Slammed the door (like Nolan Ryan's fastball)
-stepped all over the crossmember and had a ***** of a time getting in that way
- Used the window to close the door with the roof down

We talked about #'s 1&3, problem solved. I never had to tell her about #2 because it's inconvienent as hell to get in that way. She has to use the swivel method, especially with a skirt or dress on. When she has a skirt on I ALWAYS open her door for her and then close it as well, that way - sometimes I get a peek

Now the biggest problem is when I give people rides with the top down and they close the door with the window I always make sure it's down when they get in and have resorted to locking them out of using it - they have to ask for me to unlock it and then I get to remind them not to use the damn window to close the door!!

I also use the swivel method of getting in the car - and do often kick the speaker area of the door, but I think that area is more resiliant than the carpet. Besides, if I used the step in method I'm afraid I'd fall on my head - DOH!

Forgot one other benefit of the swivel method, it give me a chance to knock my shoes together to get off of the parking lot grunt so it doesn't end up inside the car. Try that using the step in method and I'd for sure be on my head!

 

That was a very annoying trait about my 99 Vette... not that it wouldnt close, but people were used to closing big heavy doors. Well, the Vette had big, LIGHT doors (due to its composite materials), and you'd frequently get people slamming the door so hard, it sounded painful.

Actually, the Vette was the most air-tight car I'd ever owned. You literally had to open a door before closing the hatch, otherwise you had to slam the hatch shut.

slamming panels shut doesnt do anyone any good...

 

Now I know you guys are nuts! LOL

 

I thought that's what the three-piece mats were for (protecting the crossmember carpet). I hate the door slamming as well, and have heatedly discussed this pnenomenon with my wife on more than one occasion. I've even had to fuss at her for slamming the trunk.