MOT Failed - Sills rusty

Author
Discussion

Merlot

Original Poster:

4,121 posts

215 months

Friday 17th April 2009
quotequote all
Positive, I thought the car would fail on a few things that it didn't. Bonus.

However, I knew the sills were a bit rusty, but didnt think that they were structurally unsound. Seems that I need to get them either replaced or repaired.

So, two questions.

1. Can anyone recommend a good garage in the South East (I'm in Brighton) to carry out the work?

2. Before I ring around, can anyone give me a guideline price to expect to stop me having to pick myself up from the floor when the garage quotes me for the work to be carried out!



princeperch

8,030 posts

254 months

Saturday 18th April 2009
quotequote all
Depends on what exactly it is you need doing. I had a small bit of rust in a sill about a year ago and got Glean Clean in Worthing to sort it out for me for 70 quid...

bluetone

2,047 posts

226 months

Saturday 18th April 2009
quotequote all
£200-£400 for this mate.

A2Z

1,080 posts

233 months

Saturday 18th April 2009
quotequote all
bluetone said:
£200-£400 for this mate.
Had mine done last weak at Paul Sheards' place. £200 a side but it is a very good job. Looks like they have never been done.

Red Firecracker

5,299 posts

234 months

Saturday 18th April 2009
quotequote all
You've got 3 options (well, 4 if yu include the DIY option) an it all depends on how well you want it done.

Option 1 (cheap): Take it to back street monkies and get it fixed but with the knowledge that it'll probably fail again.

Option 2 (this'll be the 2 - 400 quid area): Good garage. (I solely use Mile Oak Services at Small Dole for all my cars/work) who will do a quality repair that looks good and performs excellently. MX-Si of this parish also uses them and had this very work done there.

Option 3 (potentially expensive): Bodyshop/coachworks. In the Brighton area the only 2 I'd go to are Reeves and Vyes. They'll do you a stunning job but you'll pay for it.

Merlot

Original Poster:

4,121 posts

215 months

Saturday 18th April 2009
quotequote all
Red Firecracker said:
You've got 3 options (well, 4 if yu include the DIY option) an it all depends on how well you want it done.

Option 1 (cheap): Take it to back street monkies and get it fixed but with the knowledge that it'll probably fail again.

Option 2 (this'll be the 2 - 400 quid area): Good garage. (I solely use Mile Oak Services at Small Dole for all my cars/work) who will do a quality repair that looks good and performs excellently. MX-Si of this parish also uses them and had this very work done there.

Option 3 (potentially expensive): Bodyshop/coachworks. In the Brighton area the only 2 I'd go to are Reeves and Vyes. They'll do you a stunning job but you'll pay for it.
Thanks Firecracker

I tried phoning Mike Oak Services but no answer (maybe they don't work Saturdays!), so I've booked it into Reeves as I'm intending keeping the car for a looong time.



Red Firecracker

5,299 posts

234 months

Saturday 18th April 2009
quotequote all
Did you try Vyes?

Forgot to say in my original post that they'd be my preferred option of the two, but that is only based on my last experience with an accident repair there which was superbly dealt with.

Merlot

Original Poster:

4,121 posts

215 months

Saturday 18th April 2009
quotequote all
Red Firecracker said:
Did you try Vyes?

Forgot to say in my original post that they'd be my preferred option of the two, but that is only based on my last experience with an accident repair there which was superbly dealt with.
Family have used Vyes before and the job took forever. However, it was an insurance job so that aspect might have had a bearing.

Vyes website also doesn't work - no telephone number on it either. Reeves had a much better looking website and very helpful on the phone, confirmed that they could do the job ASAP within my timescale (to get my free MOT retest!) too, and they are much nearer the MOT station I used so I could go from there direct to the MOT station without going via home!

Pearcy

184 posts

207 months

Saturday 18th April 2009
quotequote all
I believe Vyes have now closed down...

Merlot

Original Poster:

4,121 posts

215 months

Monday 20th April 2009
quotequote all
Right.

Main rust is on the rear wing section, and to order these would cost £££ plus £££ to paint. Some bubbling creeping onto the sills and nowhere apart from a Mazda main dealer has these in stock atm.

After extensive discussion, they're going to cut out all the rust + a bit more, and weld plates in the place. This will then be ground down, and the whole sill (apart from the top 1cm) will be painted black with a special paint with rust inhibitor to attempt to stop this in the future.

I had a look at another that had been done by them and it looked very good.

Total cost £375.

Combover

3,009 posts

234 months

Monday 20th April 2009
quotequote all
To have them like new i'd say that that price isn't unreasonable. Even better if you're keeping the car. thumbup