The Genesis of DoorShield

How many times have you parked your car and just wanted to cry because upon returning, you realize that someone has dinged your door?

The amount of money we spend on our cars today is extremely significant, and yet, there’s very little protection, if any, against such incidents.  Car manufacturers used to install rubber strips along the doors, which in some cases extended into the fenders.  But that protection piece gave way to the stylists as it didn’t have much of an aesthetic appeal.  In other words, the strips were ugly.

Design is important to most people, so in order to appeal to consumers who want some form of temporary protection when they park their vehicles, the item must respect the beautiful lines of the car, yet be effective to protect one’s investment.

From Creator/Inventor Tim Ashcroft:

“I went windsurfing one day in Marina del Rey – I owned a Mustang GT, Fire Engine Red, which was brand new, and I parked it in the lot by the beach.  When I came back, I saw it had taken a hit.  The ding was big; it had cracked the paint.  I realized that I was going to have to live with that ding for as long as I owned the car.  Certainly, I could have it repaired, but the cracked paint and the memory of the ding would remain.

I had to do something to avoid such pain.

Unfortunately not everyone respects other peoples’ property and that’s especially true of cars.  Carelessness happens, and while a door ding is rarely intentional, it however, is something that invokes anger, anguish and expense.  The pain and expense of this carelessness can be prevented – as they say – prevention is the best medicine and DoorShield can prevent and physically protect your car from damaging door dings.

People will notice DoorShield on the side of your car and it will cause them to give pause and take notice. It is this awareness that makes DoorShield the perfect bodyguard for your car.

We’re educating the consumer through DoorShield, perhaps one car at a time.  But that may be all it takes.  And if somebody swings a door open that bangs into your DoorShield, well, now, you’ve got your protection, and you’ve saved not only your door, but the money needed to repair and you’ve got peace of mind.  And that translates its way into the person who just banged his neighbor’s door, but hit DoorShield instead.  Maybe he’ll think harder next time about the ‘literal’ impact of what he just did, and he’ll act differently, be more considerate and respect the other car just a bit more.”

Philosophy

“If there had been something on the market that could protect car doors, I would have bought it.  I wish the dealership would have sold me something when I bought my car.  That ding from Marina del Rey meant to me that others would think I don’t look after my car when in fact, it was someone else’s carelessness.

Many people and companies are trying different ways to solve this problem.  Manufacturers are developing new types of strips; so is the aftermarket.  But they all suffer specific limitations.  The product is either ugly or heavy, or it’s not removable, or perhaps not secured, so it is easy to steal.  There are a variety of challenges to protecting one’s valued vehicle.

DoorShield is fundamentally a device that; protects your car and it gives you a sense of security.  DoorShield allows you to park your car with confidence – worry free.

DoorShield is removable, attractive, portable, quick and simple to install, works on any vehicle.  It incorporates inherent theft-resistant capabilities.  It has been designed to be strong enough to be left on the car while the vehicle is traveling, although this is not recommended.”

Inventor Ashcroft conquered the exhaustive list of objections that any owner would have to placing such a protective device on his own pride and joy.

This is based on:

• Stylishness – it is modern in design, yet embodies a classic appearance
• Functionality – it has a purpose
• Cost-effectiveness – one avoided ding and it has paid for itself

Installation Objections

Some customers would not install DoorShield because it takes time.  This is simply not true.

Ashcroft:  “You may have said the same thing when the sunshade was introduced.  ‘It takes too long to put up; it’s awkward and inconvenient.  It’s hard to put away.

Not true.  At the end of the day, it’s simple, easy to use and practical.  The sunshade is like DoorShield.  It is a deterrent; it protects and it beats the alternative, which is, in the case of the sunshade, seeing ugly cracks in your dash, or without DoorShield, annoying and semi-permanent dents and dings in your door.

With a sunscreen, in 10 seconds, you have additional protection for your vehicle.

With DoorShield, it will take 10-20 seconds, or roughly the same amount of time, per door, to give you confidence that your vehicle will survive everyday parking lot hazards such as shopping carts, and careless interaction with other traffic – both vehicular and pedestrian.”

DoorShield is sold singularly or in pairs – shield one side or both – the choice is yours! 

DoorShield is easy to install; it becomes an attractive and stylish restraint to the would-be “ding attacker.”

Components

DoorShield has a soft-touch vinyl that will not chafe or mark one’s vehicle.  DoorShield has been designed with a central air pocket that is capped at both ends, gives enough when hit, but not too much to cause a dent.  DoorShield’s pioneering structure is shock-absorbing and offers dent-dissipation action.

DoorShield stylishly augments your vehicle with a clean aerodynamic look as well as the mechanism for holding the theft-protection elastic straps.

The straps stretch around the doors and easily and firmly Velcro together on the inside of the vehicle in order to prevent the DoorShield device from being stolen.

The underside of DoorShield magnetically adheres to one’s vehicle with a thin high-strength plastic-coated magnet.  This magnet fits within a groove inherent in the design of the soft-touch vinyl, thus providing extra security for the magnet.  This fitting avoids any possible chafing or scratching of the vehicle’s paint.

Also suitable for aluminum or fiberglass vehicles. Due to the secure and snug fit afforded by the Velcro straps, DoorShield’s built-in magnet is an ancillary security function of the product, and not necessary to ensure a secure and snug fit to your non-metallic vehicle.

Inventor Tim Ashcroft says, “People are passionate and proud of their cars.  They lovingly care for their car to prolong the brand new shine and luster of their pride and joy.  Daily wear and tear do eventually take their toll, but nonetheless the dedicated and proud car owner will go to extraordinary lengths to care and protect his or her pride and joy. It’s exciting to own and be proud of your investment and DoorShield can help you maintain this excitement of ownership by protecting your vehicle form dings that not only mar the finish on your car, but mar your excitement in ownership too!

Growing up in England, I was fascinated by engines.  I played with go-karts; fiddled with lawnmower engines and after owning nine Triumphs, I had a really good understanding of how a car may, or may not, run.

I came to America – to the land of opportunity, which everyone believes is California – which is also home of the rust-free, sunshine every day of the week, place to own a ragtop, and I knew this was the place for this car-hungry guy.

DoorShield is the third invention – although the first to be patented – that I have created.  DoorShield came about as a solution to a problem, not to begin a career in the automotive business.

I have learned through the years never to mix my passion with my choice of career.  I’ve tried to make my choice of cars what they were intended to be:  exciting, fun, beautiful, and perhaps an expression of my personality.  Ownership should always be a source of pride, not a chore.

I’m just a guy who came up with an idea that solves a serious, fundamental problem that is unfortunately, an everyday occurrence.  It’s the same problem you will encounter wherever you go.  So, buy my product, protect your investment and enjoy your ride.”