1989 Buick Regal

"Mike Marlow" <mmarlowREMOVE.TakeThisOut@alltel.net> wrote in message
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>
> <beige39138.TakeThisOut@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:6b4026b9-bae8-4359-9803-bc7cd3c7a6b3@d27g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
>>I just bought a 1989 Buick Regal last week. The drivers side door
>> handle was broken when I purchased it and this morning the passenger
>> side door handle broke. Any suggestions as to how to get in my car now?
>
> Well, rather than taking the approach of fixing the door handles - as it
> appears you are not prone to do, then just continue the theme you've
> already set in place... Just leave the trunk open so you can climb in
> from the trunk.
>
> --
>
> -Mike-
> mmarlowREMOVE.TakeThisOut@alltel.net
>
...hey Mike, just remembered: it is a 4-door!!! Reckon this would make
a difference?.................s
 >> Stay informed about: 1989 Buick Regal 

"sdlomi2" <daniels_sam.DeleteThis@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
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>
> "Mike Marlow" <mmarlowREMOVE.DeleteThis@alltel.net> wrote in message
> news:b8467$47546aee$a2270005$20008@ALLTEL.NET...
>>
>> <beige39138.DeleteThis@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>> news:6b4026b9-bae8-4359-9803-bc7cd3c7a6b3@d27g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
>>>I just bought a 1989 Buick Regal last week. The drivers side door
>>> handle was broken when I purchased it and this morning the passenger
>>> side door handle broke. Any suggestions as to how to get in my car now?
>>
>> Well, rather than taking the approach of fixing the door handles - as it
>> appears you are not prone to do, then just continue the theme you've
>> already set in place... Just leave the trunk open so you can climb in
>> from the trunk.
>>
>> --
>>
>> -Mike-
>> mmarlowREMOVE.DeleteThis@alltel.net
>>
> ...hey Mike, just remembered: it is a 4-door!!! Reckon this would make
> a difference?.................s
>

Hell - he's got two more doors to go through before he has to worry about
crawling through the trunk. By the time he uses those up the car ought to
be junk.

--

-Mike-
mmarlowREMOVE.DeleteThis@alltel.net
 >> Stay informed about: 1989 Buick Regal 

beige39138.RemoveThis@yahoo.com wrote:

>I just bought a 1989 Buick Regal last week. The drivers side door
>handle was broken when I purchased it and this morning the passenger
>side door handle broke. Any suggestions as to how to get in my car now?

Question: are we talking about a rear wheel drive "G" body Regal or
are we talking about a front wheel drive "W" body Regal (what is the
4th character of the VIN Number - first one will be a 1 or 2, 2nd a G,
3rd a 4; 4th character is Body Series and will be either a "G" or a
"W").

Reason I ask is that door handle breakage on the 2-door "W" body
Regals is legendary. Bad design of placing door handles up on the
upper door too far from the lock assembly. You'll find everyone and
their grandmother selling aftermarket replacement door handles for
these cars (not just Buicks but for equiv. Chevy, Pontiac and
Oldsmobile models as well).

It will be damn near impossible to get into the car through the trunk
unless you are willing to destroy the upper portion of the rear seat.
Your best shot is to try what one of the other posters suggested and
"spring" the upper door section and snag the inside door handle with a
bent coat hanger. Done carefully you will not do permanent damage to
the door nor break the door glass..

If this is a 4-door Regal with the small fixed window in the back door
in addition to the regular window you could knock this window out,
reach in and unlock the back door and enter the car. However, even
though the glass is still available you'll play hell getting
replacement weatherstrip to install a new window, so I'd only do this
as a last resort.

Regards,
Bill Bowen
Sacramento, CA
 >> Stay informed about: 1989 Buick Regal 

"William H. Bowen" <wh_bowen DeleteThis @sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:8qicl3hune9rkvhh2m91s61f03hp0ubjpl@4ax.com...
> beige39138 DeleteThis @yahoo.com wrote:
>
>>I just bought a 1989 Buick Regal last week. The drivers side door
>>handle was broken when I purchased it and this morning the passenger
>>side door handle broke. Any suggestions as to how to get in my car now?
>
> Question: are we talking about a rear wheel drive "G" body Regal or
> are we talking about a front wheel drive "W" body Regal (what is the
> 4th character of the VIN Number - first one will be a 1 or 2, 2nd a G,
> 3rd a 4; 4th character is Body Series and will be either a "G" or a
> "W").

An '89 would definitely be a front wheel drive.

> Reason I ask is that door handle breakage on the 2-door "W" body
> Regals is legendary. Bad design of placing door handles up on the
> upper door too far from the lock assembly. You'll find everyone and
> their grandmother selling aftermarket replacement door handles for
> these cars (not just Buicks but for equiv. Chevy, Pontiac and
> Oldsmobile models as well).
>
> It will be damn near impossible to get into the car through the trunk
> unless you are willing to destroy the upper portion of the rear seat.
> Your best shot is to try what one of the other posters suggested and
> "spring" the upper door section and snag the inside door handle with a
> bent coat hanger. Done carefully you will not do permanent damage to
> the door nor break the door glass..
>
> If this is a 4-door Regal with the small fixed window in the back door
> in addition to the regular window you could knock this window out,
> reach in and unlock the back door and enter the car. However, even
> though the glass is still available you'll play hell getting
> replacement weatherstrip to install a new window, so I'd only do this
> as a last resort.
>
> Regards,
> Bill Bowen
> Sacramento, CA
 >> Stay informed about: 1989 Buick Regal 

I used to have one of these, and was able to work a clothes hanger wire down
from the top
of the door past the insulation and get the damned thing open.

At first, I jury rigged a fix on the handle/latch assembly, by riveting the
broken parts
back together. It held for a while, long enough to get a replacement part
ordered from
the dealer.

I loved many things about that car, but just about everything on it went to
hell, except the
engine...a 2.8 litre V6. It ate alternators, belts, water pumps, power
steering pumps,
brakes, and the 440T4 tranny.
 >> Stay informed about: 1989 Buick Regal