You can lean into it with your body rather than pushing with hands and avoid dents.  Been doing that since 1986  and no dents.  A properly aligned latch doesn’t take much force to latch.

 

From: Miguel Pacheco <mundopacheco@gmail.com> 
Sent: Friday, July 31, 2020 2:45 PM
To: Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@gmail.com>
Cc: vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com
Subject: Re: closing slider quietly

 

 

 

‘ From the outside you can push in the rear edge of the door to

latch it.’ I disagree with this, because this is why so many vans have an indent at that spot. I have a rule with my vehicles that my grandchildren follow. It’s a golden rule. The only place you touch a vehicle is the handles.

Stuart

-- 

Miguel

 

The free soul is rare, but you know it when you see it- basically because you feel good, very good, when you are near or with them. 

- Charles Bukowski, Tales of Ordinary