I need to replace the driver's door check strap on my Octavia MkII. Have taken the door card off, but instead of getting to the door's innards am now greeted by a rivetted-on panel. One possible way in without a drill is taking off the window lift/lowering mechanism (three screws). But is there enough room that way to get an arm in to wiggle the old check strap out and get the new one in?

By "check strap" I mean "door arrester". I see now that taking the window lifting motor off does not solve anything (it sits on the panel, not in it). So maybe drill out the rivets attaching the speaker, and get access through there? 

Its the way it has to be, get amongst it :-)

I did this today by making a small access hole in the door just right of where the door strap anchors to the door, theres a convenient little spot to use, used a step drill and tin snips then used some wire to make sure I didn't drop the old or new strap while fitting it and a magnet on a copper tube to collect the swarf from the bottom of the door, too 30 mins all in all and used some reinforced tape to seal the hole back up. card popped on, good as new. 

you could even fit a gromit in the hole you make and it looks oem