Dorman 80545 Front Passenger Side Exterior Door Handle Compatible with Select Cadillac / Chevrolet / GMC Models, Chrome

I saw a number of reviews before ordering this, and I was pleased with the end result. First off Chevy Engineers should be castigated royally for making a design decision to make a critical element for the door opening to be made entirely out of plastic. Obviously if you have a piece that is jerked on everyday for an 8 year period and the key energy transfer component is made of plastic and supported by other pieces of plastic, failure isn't an IF, its a WHEN. Bad design Chevy. That being said, the Dorman Replacement is effectively a verbatim OEM placement. Skip all the "boo hoo" reviews by non-techs whining about the "gasket being plastic". The original part on the Silverado has a hard plastic gasket to interface between the handle and the door surface. The Dorman gasket that comes on this part is identical to the original GM part. So disregard the whiners that expected to have rubber or something...because that's just uniformed expectations. Installation was easy --(other than the fact that its a bloomin chore to get the door panels off), however once you have access, the handle bolts in easily and the actual handle pull is much firmer than the other original door handle still on my truck. Given its sloppiness, I am going to go ahead and order the Driver side version of this handle since its obvious that the original GM part is likely to fail soon as well. I am happy with this replacement

This Dorman handle fits better than the aftermarket handle it is replacing. The cheapo handle I used the last time broke after 3 years and never really fit very well to begin with. This Dorman handle cost about 2x more expensive but feels like better quality and fits the door better.The install is pretty straight forward with several good quality videos on YouTube (A-1 auto has a good one)I hope spending more on this handle results in it lasting longer.

As other reviews of this part noted, there is a bit more gap between the handle and base than the OEM part, that is due to a very slight difference in the design (the original part has a sliding hinge, this part does not). Other than that, it looks identical, similar weight and materials, and it installed without any issue. Performs smoothly. For the price, definitely a good deal. I marked this as four stars for sturdiness due to the fact it is nearly 100% plastic (as the OEM also is) which was the reason it failed in the first place, otherwise five stars. The seller performed well, I got the part a day before the last day of the promised delivery window. Tip: there are videos online showing step-by-step details on how to install this, it's a basic repair job. Save yourself money by doing it yourself if you have any mechanical aptitude whatsoever. Cost me $24 instead of the reported $250 some say a dealer charged them. If I yank any more handles off my truck when it's -15 degrees, I would order this part again from this seller.

Bottom line is, it works. I only just installed it but it fit perfectly. As someone said - the gasket is a soft plastic as opposed to rubber but if the latching mechanism works - I'm not as concerned about the gasket. Speaking of the mechanism, it seems more robust than the GM factory one. Of course, this is like saying Roseanne Barr is more athletic than Rosie O'donnel but I'm hoping it will last longer than the one from the factory. The root of the problem seems to be the plastic tabs through which the pin on the latch mechanism rotates. These should be metal. Far as I can tell, none of the aftermarket are metal but the plastic on this handle seems to be a bit thicker which will help.Oh - here's a comment for GM: this is only one of several mechanisms in this truck that are made of the cheapest undersized plastic on the planet. There's also the lower console latch, the upper console latch (for which Dorman makes a nice replacement), and the bead on the end of the door locking cable coming from the interior handle. Chevrolet saved a few dollars on a vehicle costing tens of thousands of dollars by cheaping out on mechanisms that take a ton of abuse and are used every day. This is bs. It's wrong. GM - if you ever see this - kiss my butt. You are driving me into the arms of Ford. Chrysler sucks harder than you do but Ford hasn't screwed me yet. I wonder if they make trashy interior parts that cause frustration and time and money to save a buck or two and make thousands of dollars on people that can't do this work themselves - like you people do. I recognize what you are doing and it may save you a few dollars but it's a crappy thing to do. Like a rock? Sure - a crumbly rock.

I read other reviews on these handles and people complained they didn't fit wrll. I bought this one because of the reviews. It was easy to install and fits well. Can't tell it's not the original. Great buy and perfect fit for my 2013 Avalanche

This handle replaced the OEM unit on my 2011 Suburban LTZ. It fit perfectly and is nice and tight. I feel like it is at least equal quality to an OEM handle at a much better price. If I have any issues with other door handles I will definitely purchase this brand again.

In the picture it is installed on door with OEM part in the bottom of picture. You get what you pay for, for a drivers door, spend the extra $60 and get the OEM part. It just feels and looks cheap. I have a feeling that I will pull it apart in the winter if the door sticks a little. Not too hard to install, just need to figure out the rod clips. Watch videos online.