I replaced my drivers door handle a couple months back, bought at auto zone which is also plastic. In fact that's probably the only kind available and similar if not same as original. I haven't had any problems with mine although I did more than just swap it out. After I replaced it it was still tough to pull up, tougher than normal. Compare to other doors. I had my door lock rod that's supposed to be riveted to the inside door shell. You can see this without taking the panel off (if I remember right). It should have a rivet in the area of lower left of inside of door. Like I said mine was missing so the rod had no leverage. I used a bolt and nut instead of riveting it again. I can't remember but I don't think this fixed my problem. I also sprayed everything I could inside the door frame and threw the door striker, the latching piece. I think it was so gummed up causing it to not fully unlatch when pulling on handle. Once it was cleaned out, wd40, lube it up and with the door open lift up on the door handle 30-50 times to work lube in and get it to feel smooth on the pull. I believe that fixed it for me.
Your door handle shouldn't be breaking like that and even being a plastic handle isn't the problem. You seen to have something else cause excess pressure to be put on the handle causing it to break. I suspect it is also gummed up but check to see if you have that rod attached to the door and peak your head inside the shell to make sure nothing looks funny. You can't actually get your head in there but if you look inside as much as possible with light and pull the handle you can see how in motion it works.
There wasn't just 1 thread that answer my problem I looked a couple pulling ideas from each to try and figure it out and it was my 1st time also. I had it opened up multiple time just trying to figure out how it's supposed to work in motion before it clicked and made it easier to see what was causing excess pressure. I don't like to just do something cause someone said spray here, I like to figure how it works soi know why it worked.
There is a sticky I think that is about the door handle which helped lead me into to directing of fixing it, I seriously read every post even how long it was.
Grammar is al must up using my phone and auto correct, my apologies
