# Sliding doors . **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 16, 2004, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sliding-doors/260028 "2004-08-16T01:53:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nonpolar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3da27b/32.png) [@nonpolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nonpolar)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sliding-doors/260028/1 "2004-08-16T01:53:56Z")
Why car makers won’t istall sliding doors (mini- van type) in front and back on all cars ,it would be much more convienient to get in and out of the car? ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sliding-doors/260028/2 "2004-08-16T02:12:38Z")
It would also be more expensive. Since competition is fierce and driven moe by price than features, no one does this. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sliding-doors/260028/3 "2004-08-16T02:17:17Z")
The real problem with this is where do they go? Do the front doors slide forward and the rear doors slide to the back? Where do you run the rails to support the doors while they are doing this? If they all run to the back, then the front doors block access to the rear. Nope…kinda unfeasible. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sliding-doors/260028/4 "2004-08-16T03:42:04Z")
Not to mention loss of space inside the car. Hinges work. I sometimes think things like this, but then I picture human blobs in 20 years time who interact with the world without needing to move a muscle. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sliding-doors/260028/5 "2004-08-16T04:14:44Z")
Sliding doors suffer more friction and more wear, and usually have more complex moving parts, so they break more and require more maintenance. They are usually only used (a) where may not be enough space to open a swinging door, or (b) where doors are likel to be left open for long periods, and swinging doors would be in the way. The side door on a van or a people carrier tends to be quite wide, and so would require a lot of clearance if it were to swing; hence the use of sliding doors. But for a regular-size car door, the disadvantages of sliding doors tend to outweigh the advantages. ---
**Author:** ![nonpolar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3da27b/32.png) [@nonpolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nonpolar)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sliding-doors/260028/6 "2004-08-16T17:10:53Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > The real problem with this is where do they go? Do the front doors slide forward and the rear doors slide to the back? Where do you run the rails to support the doors while they are doing this? If they all run to the back, then the front doors block access to the rear. Nope…kinda unfeasible. Front door moves to the front back to the back.Rails can be installed in the floor.I’m telling you, people would love it. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sliding-doors/260028/7 "2004-08-16T17:19:13Z")
> [@nonpolar](#): > > Front door moves to the front back to the back.Rails can be installed in the floor.I’m telling you, people would love it. Rails along the rocker panels and the roofline don’t mess up the aesthetics of a van body, but they would be quite noticeable (and to most people, ugly) on a sedan. Furthermore, sedans don’t have the roofline for upper rails, and the space for the lower rails is where the wheel openings are. That’s why trick doors on sedans have been gullwing (hinged at the top) or pivot (rotate up from a point at the top front of the door) – which are cumbersome, expensive, and unreliable compared to standard hinged-at-the-front doors. Sliding doors, even if possible, wouldn’t be much better. While you may love the idea, I think it’s safe to say that not enough people would love it enough to pay the extra cost and put up with the additional design and repair disadvantages. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sliding-doors/260028/8 "2004-08-16T17:49:33Z")
Door could perhaps slide _up_ using the pillers as some type of support. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sliding-doors/260028/9 "2004-08-16T17:50:51Z")
That’s _pillars_. ---
**Author:** ![nonpolar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3da27b/32.png) [@nonpolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nonpolar)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sliding-doors/260028/10 "2004-08-16T17:57:13Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > Door could perhaps slide _up_ using the pillers as some type of support. Yeah, why not.But you know what will happen.European and Japanese car makers going to make sliding doors standart on all their models,and US car makers after loosing (yet again) market share due to the lack of innovation will scratch their heads and say, why we did’t thouhgt of that. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sliding-doors/260028/11 "2004-08-16T18:07:05Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > Door could perhaps slide _up_ using the pillars as some type of support. > [@nonpolar](#): > > Yeah, why not. Because in some situations (e.g., certain garages) there’s not enough space above the car for the doors to go up into. Not to mention, the mechanism would be complicated and cumbersome if it sturdy enough to support them in that position and sophisticated enough to blend into the car’s body. Then there’s the fun when such a door catches a strong gust of wind. Having a door slam shut from the wind is nothing like having it bend on its mount or even tip the car over. You guys have interesting dreams, and that’s great. Unfortunately, they don’t reconcile with the reality of designing, manufacturing, and using what you dream of. ---
**Author:** ![nonpolar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3da27b/32.png) [@nonpolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nonpolar)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sliding-doors/260028/12 "2004-08-16T18:30:29Z")
Dreams are what made this country Great :dubious: Even better idea - car without any doors whatsoever. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sliding-doors/260028/13 "2004-08-16T18:30:56Z")
The new Peugeot 1007 will have sliding doors Some spy photos: [http://bilder.autobild.de/bilder/1/51166.jpg](http://bilder.autobild.de/bilder/1/51166.jpg) [http://bilder.autobild.de/bilder/1/51165.jpg](http://bilder.autobild.de/bilder/1/51165.jpg) [http://bilder.autobild.de/bilder/1/51162.jpg](http://bilder.autobild.de/bilder/1/51162.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sliding-doors/260028/14 "2004-08-16T18:33:45Z")
**Dog80** : yeah, but he’s talking about having them slide _forward…_ ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sliding-doors/260028/15 "2004-08-16T18:49:16Z")
Am I the only one thinking of the Homer Simpson [prototype?](http://www.starstore.com/acatalog/Homer_Car_kit.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sliding-doors/260028/16 "2004-08-16T20:06:22Z")
> [@nonpolar](#): > > Even better idea - car without any doors whatsoever. 😃 Yes, everyone dreams of being a UPS driver. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sliding-doors/260028/17 "2004-08-16T20:19:19Z")
Doors that go up have already been done. They are called “gull wing” doors. They were one of the many un-popular features on the Delorean. Well, actually some folks liked them, but many people (including Johnny Carson) bitched about them quite vocally. I guess gull wings hinge up rather than slide up, so it’s probably not quite what you had in mind, but I can picture many of the same complaints being said about them. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sliding-doors/260028/18 "2004-08-16T20:33:24Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > Doors that go up have already been done. They are called “gull wing” doors. They were one of the many un-popular features on the Delorean. Well, actually some folks liked them, but many people (including Johnny Carson) bitched about them quite vocally. I guess gull wings hinge up rather than slide up, so it’s probably not quite what you had in mind, but I can picture many of the same complaints being said about them. Or the upswinging doors of the [Lambourghini Countach](http://autopassion77.free.fr/Lambourghini/Countach2.JPG) ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sliding-doors/260028/19 "2004-08-16T20:36:19Z")
Another reason might be that human arms are optimized for pushing and pulling. They’re not very good at moving things sideways. The Peugeot 1007 looks cool, by the way, thanks for the link. I can’t imagine this feature being popular in the US though. How many Americans park close enough to obstacles that there is limited room to open the doors? ---
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sliding-doors/260028/20 "2004-08-16T20:38:19Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > Doors that go up have already been done. They are called “gull wing” doors. They were one of the many un-popular features on the Delorean. Well, actually some folks liked them, but many people (including Johnny Carson) bitched about them quite vocally. I guess gull wings hinge up rather than slide up, so it’s probably not quite what you had in mind, but I can picture many of the same complaints being said about them. The DeLorean was a piece of crap. The doors never worked right. I believe the first car ever with gullwing doors was the Mercedes 300SL, also known as “Gullwing”. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sliding-doors/260028.md?page=2)