Failed NCT - Rust in wheel sills

dulpit

Hey all,

My car failed it's NCT the other day, there is rust on the inner & outer wheel sills on both sides at the rear of the car. Got a quote just now for fix - €450. Car is a 2001 Ford Focus (5 door) - I feel it's not worth the repair. When they had car up on hoist he pointed out that the rear axle is looking pretty rusty too.

What do people reckon I should do? Is this something that will progressively get worse over time? Like if I was to fix this rust, would it be likely that rust will simply be a problem somewhere else?

I find it hard to justify paying €450 for a 15 year old car. A buddy of mine has offered me a 03 Megane for €500, might just get that (or is that being silly too?)

Atlantic Dawn

Depends on the car really, if it has been trouble free and has good tyres on it plus a large portion of tax it could be worth repairing, if there's other big expenses coming it's time to offload it.

dulpit

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Depends on the car really, if it has been trouble free and has good tyres on it plus a large portion of tax it could be worth repairing, if there's other big expenses coming it's time to offload it.

Trouble free: Apart from a problem with my window electrics (now fixed) and drop links (twice over last few years, also now fixed), it's been great.
Tyres: 2 of them are good, 2 are beginning to go (was flagged as a heads up in the NCT).
Tax: Think I have another 3-4 months paid up on, definitely not more than that.

Reckon it might be time to go...

Lord Nikon

Could you pick up second hand arches and fit them yourself, would probably work out less. If your only intending to keep the car for another little while, probably best to but the money into another car. You'd be surprised what you would pick up for €1k, with an NCT.

dulpit

Got a second opinion on the car, they thought the €450 quoted was possibly a little generous to me, he reckoned it'd be closer to €500 or more. Issue is they have to drop rear axle, cut off sections, add new pieces and weld back in. And it's in an awkward spot too.

He also commented on rust underneath in other places, so time to start the hunt

Atlantic Dawn

If your trying for something cheapish for say €1000-€1500 you might be better to go up to a 1.6 Focus for value, the "high" tax (extra €129 a year) puts people off so reduced prices, heres a few...

1.6

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/ford-fucus-1-6-ghia-saloon-2005-1150-euro/12372321


https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/ford-focus/12443798

savagethegoat

€450 would go half way to buying replacement with an NCT, plus a couple of hundred selling it for spares or repair

dulpit

Any ideas what to do with the old focus? I rang a few car breakers around me (Cork) and they'll either not take it at all, or will take it for scrap (at €10 per tonne, so I'd get maybe a tenner :pac:)

biko

Stick it up on donedeal and adverts and see if someone wants it.
Failing that contact local council for recycling it or sell it to one of those "car 4 cash" crowds.

savagethegoat

strip off the saleable parts if it doesn't go on donedeal and sell them separately, weigh in the rest.