MOT Fail :(

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huw_jenks

New member
Joined
Feb 27, 2016
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56
My Puma's been off the road since March so I took her down the garage for MOT first thing this morning, and I'm pretty upset about the result. There's a few easily fixable niggles, but the big thing is that there is a lot of welding to be done. Three different spots and none of them easy to get to. One is drivers side floor pan and will need the carpet taking up and seat out, the second two are sills at the back and will need the radius arms taking off.

I'm really gutted, firstly because I desperatley wanted to have her on the road for this weekend, but also because if the welding is going to be too expensive I might just have to get a different car. I don't want to do that because a) I really like the way she drives, b) the engine's great, on about 88k, c) I've spent many, many hours over the last few weeks sorting out the brakes.

I can't get a quote for the welding until next week, but the bloke who did the MOT reckoned about £400-500. I really don't know if I should spend that much money on her, or put it towards another car. The MOT tester didn't seem to think I'd get that much longer out of her anyway, and I noticed a spot on the sill at the front that passed MOT, but will definitely need welding next time.

I suppose I'm writing this mainly because I'm pretty distraught and I'd like to vent spleen a bit, but also, has anyone got any advice for me?
 
:eek: that sounds like a whack, see what the quotes come back with and make the choice from there.
 
red said:
[post]363105[/post] :eek: that sounds like a whack, see what the quotes come back with and make the choice from there.

I've seen the areas that need welding when up on the ramps today, and they're all pretty small. The problem is, dropping down the axle, and taking out the interior parts too. I think that's where it adds up.
 
Hi Huw
The area that's gone on your car is really complex as you've got the outer wing/sill, inner sill, chassis rail, inner wheel arch all merging around the rear beam mounting. It's not just a case of simply welding a patch in as it is on the floorpan. As you cut out damaged areas you will find that the panel behind has also gone so that needs cutting out as well. Just as an example new sills are now available from expressed panels but I'm willing to bet when old sills are cut off a Puma that the bottom 2" of the inner sill will need cutting off and new metal letting in. Trust me dropping down the axle and taking out the interior is a walk in the park compared to doing welding work on that area of a Puma.
Barry
 

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