I’m thinking I’d like to add doors to my GEM in order to extend the season a few weeks in Spring and again in Fall and give me more protection in the rain. Currently I don’t drive it if it’s below 50 degrees in OH or “heavy rain” is forecast. If I decide to go ahead, I’d probably get the R4F vinyl doors and plan to install them myself.
I’m curious about the experience others have had with soft doors. Ease of installation, durability, practicality, do they “flap” when driving down the road, recommendations, etc.
There used to be a 3rd party company (GEM CAR DOORS - Stylish Soft Doors for the GEM Car) making and selling these (or something very similar) but somewhere along the line GEM/Polaris signed an exclusive contract with the company as a supplier and short of buying them through Polaris, you can’t get them direct any longer.
[I]From their website:
[B]2-2-06[/B] - Champion Sailmakers Inc., the parent company of GemCarDoors.com has recently formed a partnership with Global Electric Motorcars to design and jointly produce the highest quality and most versatile soft door options available for the GEM car. All of our soft door options as well as our extreemly popular convertible Framed Canvas Doors are now available exclusively through GEM or a GEM dealer near you.[/I]
I guess I could try getting them through Polaris but working with the local GEM dealer is a real PITA and I avoid it whenever possible.
Thanks. These doors are about what I wanted. Guess I’ll have to contact the local GEM dealer after all if I decide to go that route.
Anyone care to comment on the “all vinyl” doors available from several suppliers including R4F? That’s another option and I’m wondering what your experience with those might be regarding ease of installation, effectiveness and durability.
just got off the phone with Scott at gemcardoors.com he says they are ready and able to fill your needs on doors… call him…
Business hours are from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm Eastern on Tuesday thru Saturday
We are closed Sunday and Monday
Telephone 516-378-1818
I’ve had the full doors that open on the hinge and love them on my car for 2+ years… my door is like the one shown in the photo on the eS (truckette)… I chose black… I can open the windows a little for a little ventilation in rain or snow to help keep the windshield defrosted or all the way on nice days… they are easy to remove as well… I thought that during the summers I’d remove them but after having them on… I have found I like the extra security that I get by not leaving the car totally open… I chose these doors over the clear ones from R-4-F because they weren’t clear which again I thought I didn’t need the world seeing inside my car all the time
[quote=eS GEM Colo;19424]just got off the phone with Scott at gemcardoors.com he says they are ready and able to fill your needs on doors… call him…
Business hours are from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm Eastern on Tuesday thru Saturday
We are closed Sunday and Monday
Telephone 516-378-1818
I’ve had the full doors that open on the hinge and love them on my car for 2+ years… my door is like the one shown in the photo on the eS (truckette)… I chose black… I can open the windows a little for a little ventilation in rain or snow to help keep the windshield defrosted or all the way on nice days… they are easy to remove as well… I thought that during the summers I’d remove them but after having them on… I have found I like the extra security that I get by not leaving the car totally open… I chose these doors over the clear ones from R-4-F because they weren’t clear which again I thought I didn’t need the world seeing inside my car all the time
Bob[/quote]
any idea what size snaps are installed on factory soft doors from GEM… I have 2001 with full zipper doors, and some of the snaps are off.
hi je… I replaced a few of my snaps… I found them at Jo-Ann Fabrics… would think you can find them at any craft or fabric store… an upholstery shop too
I’m on my second set of Ride4Fun vinyl doors on my e2. I drive it all year around here in northeast Ohio, too. The only problem is the vinyl cracks around the zipper in the cold weather, and the cracks make it more and more difficult to zip up and down with time. Eventually the zipper comes loose from the vinyl in places. The first set lasted four years, though.
We should get together sometime to swap GEM stories. I’m on the east side of Cleveland just a bit over an hour from where you are in NE Ohio.
I’m especially interested in your comments about the vinyl doors. I don’t have them and have been thinking about getting them. I’d love to add another 6 weeks to the front and the back of the GEM season.
In Ohio, I would want hard doors, myself! But I am sure the cost skyrockets a bit. For that matter, I have never personally seen a GEM with hard doors on it.
Is there any reason that GEM owners don’t buy those? Maybe just because they are more popular in the warmer parts of the US. Guys like me and ARandall are suffering through temperatures 16 below zero this week. UGH.
Yea anything below mid 50 and I whine like a little girl! Unfortunately here in NE Ohio we get a lot of those early spring and late fall and doors would be useful to extend the driving season.
I have two friends in the Denver area with hard doors… one has an '03 eL says the doors are poorly designed the tracks that hold the windows need constant adjustment… he’s a maintenance man in his community and I believe he’s probably good at fixing them… the other has an 05 eS… he gripes about everything on the car but has said nothing about the doors… the hard doors are expensive and don’t show up on Craigslist or eBay often… not sure about the fit if the car didn’t come with them… I’m happy with my soft framed GEMcardoors… have added Velcro in between the snaps for a tighter fit… drive my car when it’s 34-36 degrees** out… just all a jacket and gloves… turn on the heated seat… I’ll watch for doors for sale in my hunts
** in Colorado we have ‘dry cold’… 34 is 34… unlike Ohio… been there
yes they are heated seats… yes they are aftermarket… Scott at GEMcardoors told me what they were… I don’t remember… I went to the upholstery guy because my original seats were sunburned and cracked and was having the seats recovered. he got the heaters and put them in when he redid the seats… there’s one set for each seat the switches are by the e-brake… have put in a separate fuse block and I’m cozy… read my mods for other things I’ve done
