Have anybody tried to remove rubber from door handle if it is damaged or if it looks fried (stayed plastic handle) and then paint them with same colour as car is? I saw something similar on Marea.

-Hello,
-the doors of the Marea are different than the ones on Brava... I have the same problem as you with the door handles...
-but either you change them with some new ones for Bravo/a or...
leave them as they are!!!
-That's what I did!

The marea ones will fit and can be painted. The Bravo rubber ones are a little naff and will deteriorate if you get a little de-icer on them (like mine)

-The Marea door handles fit without problems... without modifying, cutting, etc...?
The dealership of Fiat here in Greece told me they need some modifying...
-If they fit without modifying I'll go and pick some up...

everyone has this problem with those bloomin handles just dont do wat i did. mine was so messed up the scrappy didnt have any marea or brava or bravo handles so i went to the fiat dealer and to get um fitted it cost me a wopping 340 pounds. 340 Pounds i could have bought half a bodykit for that. :bang:

What I did is that I removed the rubber over handle and now it's naked. I think that I will paint them over with body colour and report you the result. I think that it is to much to spend so many pounds or euros for four piece of plastic with rubber cover. I will picture it to you how now they look like but I have to wait for a day light.

Sorry for the quality of pic - weather+phone camera. So this is how it looks like without rubber.

That actually looks OK! I am tempted to do that with mine as it's gone really badly and I can't find any Marea handles at the moment to paint and fit. Anyone know how much new ones from Fiat are these days?

Here handles with installation in workshop cost about 100 euros. I think that I'll only paint them these days and post you a picture.

See here for further details on how to fit the marea ones http://www.bravo-guide.co.uk/mod-a-bravo.htm#handle

helz,
i think a set of 2 from fiat is £52 if i remember correctly!?!
hope this helps you
nick

krca said:

I think that I will paint them over with body colour and report you the result.

Click to expand...

The dealership of Fiat in Athens told me that there are two types of handles.The ones that can be painted and the others that don't. So watch out...for colour peeling under carwash pressure.

I know what you mean, my handles are bad too but that does look cool in silver. anyone know how they weather? IE rusting or not?

C4EFC said:

anyone know how they weather?

Click to expand...

First, the bad rubber quality.
Second, the water (rain/wash) and sun combination
Third, frosty weather with sunlight
Fourth, a touch on the wall while opening and the help of high carwash pressure
Fifth,......
.......
(lots of reasons)

I think you're getting confused (or I am!):
The standard Bravo handles are rubber. You can't paint these, it all just flakes off again (I stupidly actually tried this before getting the new ones !)
What you need to get if you want to paint them (like the ones I painted in the pic above) are Marea handles. These are hard plastic, not rubber, and are made to be painted, as they are on Mareas. So they wont weather at all, if properly painted.

You also get the option of delocking your Bravo (as long as you've got a remote locking kit) by getting the rear door marea handles.

actualy i would like to argue that statement. if u look at your nearest motorworld / halfords / what eva.. u can get an elastic primer this will stick to most surfaces and when the door is used alot it will still stay on. but be worned dont do a half job make sure u give alot of coats and make sure u put on the last finish or it will flake. my theory anyway.

aNemOS said:

First, the bad rubber quality.
Second, the water (rain/wash) and sun combination
Third, frosty weather with sunlight
Fourth, a touch on the wall while opening and the help of high carwash pressure
Fifth,......
.......
(lots of reasons)

Click to expand...

Sorry I should of been a bit clearer. I meant to what extent would the door handles with the rubber removed wear, ie from rust and such. seeing as it is just bare metal.

Although i like the idea of marea rear handles to de lock it as suggested above.

Cool, that makes sense now, about rusting etc! Doh!

Sorry, that was me jumping in without reading the thread properly!

Marea door handles fit bravo, ive got some on mine so go get some...