Alside Excalibur or Soft-lite Imperial?

That's the bottom line. But first, I have to tell my sorry story, whether to inform or amuse (jump to the bottom if you just want to help me with my problem). I'm a female homeowner, with no experience in construction. I have 2 sets of 22-year-old Peachtree sliding patio doors, wood inside and out. The frame around the glass has dried and rotted, they're hard to slide, the seals appear to have failed as there is vapor between the panes, and the wind blows through the gap between the doors. I figured I needed new doors. I'm not rich. The house is rustic contemporary, and window and door trim is ~3" clear pine. I thought I'd go with a pine interior for the one that is the focal point of our 28' living room, and aluminum or vinyl exterior (the other is in finished basement; appearance not as important). I decided on Andersen doors through Home Depot, using their subcontractor for installation. The installer came out and measured (I never did). Then I sat down with millwork guys and selected the doors over the course of several visits. The doors were special ordered, and were delivered about 6 weeks later. When the installer came (a real nice guy; not the owner, who took the measurements), he tore out the basement door and then came and told me that we had a problem. The r.o. is 75" and the new doors were 70-1/2". He said they could build in the opening by 4-1/2" but they didn't bring the materials (because absolutely no one had picked up on this discrepancy) and could return in 2 days with them if that's what I chose to do. Long story short: I returned them for full refund (hear me roar) and am back to square one. My Peachtrees are 74" with 32-1/2" of light in each panel. I really don't want to give up light if I don't have to (and I certainly didn't want the Home Depot subcontractor renovating my home), even though I saw that it was going to be very hard to get a comparable door in my price range. The Narroline wood interior Andersen door (not including promotional discounts I used) was about $1,000. I've searched extensively online and consulted with my local lumberyard. Bonneville makes a nice door for $2,500 (I can't afford). Andersen, Pella, Marvin, Crestline, Peachtree, etc. don't make a 74" door (I haven't priced custom yet -- I'm afraid). What do I do? Can my doors be repaired to the point of being usable? Could there be salvage available, and if so, how do I find? Is there some way of getting an affordable, decent door close to 74" that I'm not thinking of? Help!

I need to shorten a door by 5/8 of an inch. In the past, I have seen people splinter their wood when doing this with a power saw. What is the trick to getting a straight, smoothe cut without splintering up the wood? Thanks in advance!