Oil change mishap

I am leery of jack stands so when I saw these easily built ramps I thought great. http://www.rennsource.com/Ramps_for_easy_oil_change.pdf I drove the car up and back down to test them and things seemed fine at first. As I was heading in the house I noticed the interior light, and saw the driver door ajar. I opened it and closed it. It closed as though something were between the door and sill i.e. it latched but remained ajar. I checked and saw nothing ran my hand felt nothing tried again same result. Gave the ajar door a slight shove and it latched fully. Opened the door and it seemed to spring open with a thud. After which it closed and opened as it did before except... see photo. I do not know for certain this damage was caused by the ramps, but it would seem I did something. The car seems fine now except the nick in photo. When I did the oil change I jacked the car onto the ramps and off again. At least my first oil change (ever) went fine otherwise. Would you put a bit of touch up paint on the ding or have someone straighten it or both? Is there anything I should look for? Everyone is always amazingly helpful thank you all for your input.

I'm sorry I should add I backed the car up on the ramps?

I can't tell what I'm seeing in the photo... is that part of the door?

It is. It is the driver side door latch. This one may be better. Thank you.

Could it have been the seatbelt buckle caught in the door when you closed it?

It felt like that, but I don't believe so because on the second closing the door behaved the same and the buckle was not caught.

I don't see how the ramps could have twisted your car's uni-body. Is your 996 a cab? I have seen guys at the track jack up their 996 coupes every conceivable way possible, some of them I was certain were going to tweak something. Did you open the doors while the car was on the ramps? I would clean up the burs with a small file or sanding stick, clean with rubbing alcohol, prime and then paint.

Even a Porsche, and even a coupe, will have some chassis flex, particularly when the frame is stressed in that unusual manner and extreme angle. It doesn't take much chassis flex to keep the doors from latching properly. Seems to me that when my local mech lifts the car to work underneath, he always opens the drivers side door just a little before raising the car. And he is raising it level. Way too long a story for here, but I had a very similar regular experience with a very rusty 1965 356 SC cabriolet when I parked even just on loose sand. The corollary is that when raising just the rear like that, extreme pressure is put on the chassis to compensate, usually in the middle somewhere. Even on a coupe.

Battle wounds are cool, unless she is a garage queen.

Thank you all. It's a Targa, and I did open the door while it was up got out and got back in. The fix sounds easy enough. Perhaps a set of jack stands in addition next time to reduce stress on me and the car. Between my wife and my dog I cannot handle another prima donna thus she drives until the salt hits the road here in New England M

I have a similar homemade ramp...probably about 6 inches high. I back on to it for oil changes, sway bar/link adj. etc etc probably over 50 times now...I get in and out driver side multiple time to turn radio on, get something from inside the car. I've never had any problems...

I would think the chassis is way too stiff to have some flex like that but other than the seat belt buckle i can't explain it otherwise. Pete

Hi, I have a Targa as well and have put it up on stands and lifted it at different points and never had anything like this happen, these cars are stiff, when I pull into my driveway at an angle one wheel lifts off the ground as I pull in, almost no flex. In order to the damage that is shown in your pic you would really have to slam the door and should have some damage there as well, try a test put the car back on the ramps and open the door and close it "very" gently to see if that is really the cause, I'd be interested in hearing the result.

Sounds like something else happened. I often jack up my car using just one jack so the body is completely contorted and I open and close the door at will without issues. And mind you this is on a cabrio so a Targa or coupe would probably be even more stiff.

Not from the ramp. As others have wisely suggested the door was closed and the seat belt latch was in the way. Check the seat belt latch for any signs of roughness and I think you'll find it. My Boxster is so rigid that jacking up a corner can lift the entire side. I've backed my Boxster, and other cars, upon ramps many times to change the oil, and I open and close both driver and passenger doors, the front and rear trunks, engine cover in the case of the Turbo, and have never found any misaligment. Sincerely, Macster.

We all got carried away with the cause of this and forgot about the original question, get some good touch up paint, Dr Colorchip is a good one, I have used it and the match was spot on and easy to use, once you have some colour on there you probably will be the only one who will notice the damage.

The ding may have been in the door from some previous event. My '78 Targa's body distorts somewhat in that same situation, door strikers do not fully align. But you should check for body stress cracks around the rear torsion bar mounts just forward of each rear wheel.

Just to be complete show a pic of the mating part of the door.

Thanks everyone for your input. I checked the seat belt clip for any sign of wear. There was not even a scratch and no roughness. A photo of the latches mate is included I can't see any damage or even an indication of where the door came in contact with it. Thanks for the Dr Colorchip recommendation will go online shopping tonight. It's true the ding may have already been there I had not ever looked that closely at that spot. There is nothing on the passenger side. I don't think I'll drive it back up on those ramps just lift it when necessary. I'll report if there is any damage, but it may just remain a mystery.

mmmmmmm door catch ****.

You don't need a jack to change your oil. I back over a two staggered patio stones for each rear wheel and this gives me enough clearance - say 4" or so and this is enough height to slide a pan under the car and to access the filter and oil drain bolt.

That is just strange. I usually jack my 2003 cab, by one of the rear jack points, until the tire just clears the floor to get enough clearance for my hand, tools and the drain pan. After I pull the plug I let it down again to drain. Up again to put the plug in and swap the filter. I have opened/closed the door with no problems. I don't see how backing yours up evenly on two ramps could cause that scuff by the latch. If you figure it out please let us know???