Speaking off, I actually have some updates.
First thing was that the cable which allows one to open the door from the inside snapped. This was a few weeks back during all the previous weeks of cape wind and rain. It was determined that the cable was the likely culprit and so I went to a local scrap yard to get another. They didn't have, but they directed me to a workshop where they make cables. Sadly I didn't have the old cable out the door yet so I couldn't get a new one made.
So one day after work I pulled the door card off to get the old cable out and as with BMW plastic clips, half of them came off the door card and stayed fitted to the door :shakehead:
Unfortunately the cable snapped right at the hook inside the door and I couldn't figure how to get it out and gave up for the time being as it was getting dark.
Forward to the weekend...
Since half the clips came off already, pulling the door card again was easy. The first pick is my view to get to the hook that was still in there and because it's the drivers door, you can't actually push the lock down to get a better view.
But then I took a screw driver and pushed the lock in as if the door was closed and that allowed me to push the lock down.
Now with the lock down I could see the target, market in red.
After fiddling for about 10min maybe it fell to the bottom of the door and I got it out.
Old Cable:
By now the weather had turned:
None the less, I got in the car and drove to the workshop to get a new cable made. Got there and it was closed. Noticed there was a piece of paper in the window and figured it would be working hours or something. I got out in the pouring rain and it said that they had moved. So back in the car and I went looking for the new address. Found it, but they were busy moving and sorting. The guy who does the cables said he'll make me one quick. Charged me R57 and considering that it's R85 new from the agents I think could have just gone for one from the agents, but the local dealer didn't have any in stock. So 30min and R57 later I had a new cable.
Got home and the rain let up again for a bit. Now the big mission started to get the new cable fitted. There was just no way as there was some piece of plastic in the way and I got my brother to come and help. By now I was so into what I was doing and trying to get it done before the rain started again that I completely forgot about taking any further picks. We took a piece of wire and bent the point in a small hook. Then hooked and pulled the arm into which the cable needed to go. Finally we got the hook in, but it already started to rain again. Took the door card and loose clips inside to glue it all back with superglue. First had to clean off the old glue which took about 2 hours. Decided to call it a day as I was soaked and absolutely freezing. Was raining to much to work anyway.
Then the Sunday the sun was edging through the clouds and I went out to put everything back together. First I cleaned off some of that black goo crap around the lock mechanism. Hooked up the cable to the handle, put the door card on, and then when I wanted to fit the screw that goes behind the mirror switch it just pushed right through. Had to pull the door card again and one clip came loose. The piece of plastic where the screw needs to go into was missing. Looked around in the car as it must have fell off. Found it and decided not to bother with the one loose clip. Was just totally fed up with it. Got my brother to help again as it's easier to fit the door card with extra hands especially when the ground is wet and you can't sit on it.
The door can now finally be opened from the inside again. You know, if BMW made that hole slightly bigger it would have been 10 times easier. :banghead:
