Scirocco Register

Car has sailed through MOT's for three years in a row with nothing but trivial advisories. Went to a different MOT place today and got this failure.

"Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength Offside Rear Outer (outter still on axel mounting on its way of badly detaching itself from vehicle)"

Firstly, car has been in dry garage, never run in the wet and only done 500 miles since last MOT - can this suddenly occur?

Secondly the garage have said "time to decide if you are going to just repair or get all the bodywork done. Rear axle will need to be removed so its an involved job". Bodywork ( I thought ) was generally good so this has come out of the blue?

Thoughts?

Not good. There are a few pointers in this thread which is remarkably similar:

http://forum.sciroccoregister.co.uk/vie ... ed#p155478

Id get a second opinion first. it is a common place for these to rust, but id get a second opinion on how bad it actually is. have you any photo's?

Yes - that was my post and as you can see from my pics it wasn't pretty - glad to say it's got 12 month MOT at the 3rd time of asking - welding was c.£250 for that in the pic and another hole in rear valance that I discovered when taking the trim off (which was a pig of a job) - there was no need to remove axels or anything.

Like you - I deeply suspect that some MOT testers make stuff up to try and drum up business, and others downright bent as in my case the rust was clearly not new and not even picked up as an advisory the previous year for the previous owner. Also supposed fixed rear brakes could not have worked as when exposed the shoes werent even engaging the drum!!! So that last MOT was downright dishonest IMHO.

Thanks for this

Here is a video of it.

https://streamable.com/v6qysk

Just had a quote to have it fixed. "around £700 to repair what I can see but there will be more hidden behind the body kit." I am new to this sort of repair so cannot work out if this is insane money based on what was there.

It is quite weird that the advisories from the year before. CV boot missing, corroded suspension arms have not been picked up on at all on this MOT but anyway... small wins.

The most dangerous rot is where the rear suspension beam bolts to the body and the most difficult and expensive to fix.
I suggest you have the car looked at by someone who is a specialist on the VW A1 platform, my choice would be Ant at Rust Republic, Sean (GTXTRA on here) would probably suggest The Phirm, I know The Phirm are experts on the mechanical side but I am not sure if they do full body restorations. Sean will know. There are other specialists also. These people have the experience to properly advise you on what wants doing and give some rough assessment of cost. The average car body shop welder does not have their experience or expertise.
All body repair welding is expensive and invariably as work progresses more rot is found. This is usually what eventually kills these cars, however anything is fixable with enough work.

frlrubett wrote: Mon Aug 03, 2020 5:02 pm Just had a quote to have it fixed. "around £700 to repair what I can see but there will be more hidden behind the body kit." I am new to this sort of repair so cannot work out if this is insane money based on what was there.

It is quite weird that the advisories from the year before. CV boot missing, corroded suspension arms have not been picked up on at all on this MOT but anyway... small wins.

it can get expensive, but as above id take it to someone experienced in older vw restoration work, definitely wouldnt take it to a main dealer/ bodyshop. rust republic and KW restorations would be my suggestions but there are plenty of other good places about if you look.

The welding isnt always the expensive bit, its the body work and paint afterwards that bumps the prices up.

sounds like the rot has either ben there for sometime festering and gone unoticed till now or the garage you used is trying it on.
given the current economic climnate and knowing your probably atached to the car they are trying to bleed some money out of you.
i would definately look for a second opinion and get under there yourself and see just how bad it really is.