That's the way I've always done it. However, my wife opened hers (the first and only time), using the old 'grab and yank' method, after which I insisted on ALWAYS opening all four doors myself. Can't trust anyone else....

As a related fact, so far, after 33 years of marriage, I've had to replace the inside driver's door handles in every one of her "personal" vehicles (though none on my "favorites"),

• 1) '85 Chrysler LeBaron Turbo,
• 2) '88 Pontiac Fiero SE,
• 3) '92 Oldsmobile Achieva SC,
• 4) '08 Chevy Cobalt Coupe,and
• 5) '98 GMC Sierra 1500 ext-cab pickup

from over-yanking. Fortunately, the handles on the '86 Chevy S10 ext-cab pickup, and '09 Chevy HHR Panel survived (because they were mainly my vehicles that she seldomly drove). Coincidentally, she has also blown out master cylinders on cars #1-4, from stomping on the brakes.

Now that her favorite car is the '14 Lexus ES350 (which I've only driven ONCE since purchased), I fully expect to replace a handle or two, and the MC, as well, sometime in the future. She doesn't drive my '04 Chevy 2500HD pickup (too tall, rides rough, she says), or the '01 X5 (steering too stiff, rides rough, seats too hard...though all are perfect for me), so the aforementioned door handles and master cylinders should be safe.

__________________
01 BMW X5 E53,3.0i-5L40E, 7/13/01
topas-blau,Leder-grau,"resto-project car"

Here:
14 Lexus ES350,3.5L-U660E
09 HHR Panel,2.2L-4T45E
04 Chevy 2500HD,6.0L-4L80E
98 GMC Sierra 1500,5.7L-4L60E

Gone:
66 Chevelle Malibu 2dr ht.,327>441c.i.-TH350>PGlide/transbrake
08 Cobalt Coupe,2.2L-4T45E
69 & 75 C10s,350c.i.-TH350
86 S10,2.8L-700R4
73 Volvo 142,2.0L-MT4
72 & 73 VW SuperBeetles,1.6l-MT4
64 VW,1.2l-MT4
67 Dodge Monaco 500 2dr ht.,383c.i.-A727
56 Chevy 210 4dr,265c.i.-PGlide