Hi folks, just wanted to chime in with some initial impressions of the bestop element doors. i've just spent the last few hours installing them. here is some feedback/obsevations.

-the factory mirrors bolt right up to the element doors but the bottom threaded screw is too long. you need to add a few washers and it will work fine.

-my passenger side element door did not fit in the hinges. i put a nice ding in the body panel when they slipped, what a hassle. a bit of filing of the insert posts on the door and problem solved. the bottom post does not seat flush to the hinge. these are not manufactured to very precise tolerances.

-the driver side door fit better but again the lower post does not seat flush to the hinge. the door latch mechanism is too high and requires me to push down on the door in order for it to latch. there is no way to modify this given the design and i considered all options. it seems the tubing itself would need to be flexed inward slightly so that the latch catch on the door would meet the cleat better on the frame. not such a big deal, i can live with it. but still, is this just how it is? im going to guess alot of you will say yes. i'm new to jeeps in general but i also know manufacturing tolerances have come along way since the 80's.

impressions-
so after several hours and some bloody knuckles i felt a bit perturbed with bestop. i already wrote how i found the flex-a-trunk dissapointing (and missing pieces) and it's not in my nature to be pessimistic. this just seemed to be another product with unacceptable QC in 2007. im not too impressed with bestop. again, this may be a jeep thing and alot of you hardcore guys might call me a wuss, but imprecise product does not impress me, sorry. i am a product guy.

all that said, i jumped in and went for a spin, its kinda cold here in sf at night, the wind and noise was exhilarating- came back with huge !@#$!% grin.
i get it now. this is what it's all about !

thanks, j

pics to follow.

 

For what they cost you would expect a better fit than that. If I am .005 off at work the part is crap, a hair is about .003. Well that settles it... i'm makin my own. I'm sure they are cool tho, cann't wait to see some pics.

 

I don't think you are out of line with your complaints, for the amount the doors cost you would think that they would fit better. Now if they were $50-$100 bucks I would say live with it, but almost $400 for a couple of tubes, some pins, and a latch it should be perfect. I am glad you wrote this, I think I will hold off on buying them until they improve their quality.

 

sorry to make you cut and paste, the image files would be too small/grainy if i had to adhere to the size limit for attachments. let me know what you guys think!
thanks, james

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...iang13/fb1.jpg

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http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...iang13/fb9.jpg

 

Gonna have to take some pictures in the daylight. Black on black with a flash is a tough picture to take. They were hard to see. Thanks for the effort though!

 

turn up your monitors a bit!

i am using a mac rgb colorspace. those of you on pc, it will look darker. the details are there enough to discern.
i will take some pics in the daytime too but i like the effect of the flourescents, it actually looks pretty mean at night like that.

 

Are those seat covers????
If they are they look good.
I like the look with the element doors too. now if they would only make the rears!!

 

Funny, I was about to ask the same question. Are those seat covers or have you install leather seats?

Doors look nice. Personally, I'd like to have both front and rear the same doors though... For that reason, I still go with Warrior half tube doors. Hope Warrior doors fit better and no hussle like Bestop Element. Will see...

 

Quite understandably so. I was thinking of getting these, but I'm not inclined to pay that kind of money for four doors that don't fit. On top of that, you had problems with the trunk, and there's another thread running about the safari top not fitting correctly (too tight to completely install). Bestop has just been scratched off my supplier's list.

 

Please call them up and tell them about it.. I talked to them last week about when their making the rear element doors (late May) and they were very receptive.. (So maybe they will have solved your problems, and fixed their Quality control before I buy mine!!)