When do you throw the towel in?

Newbie Joined: 04 Jan 2005 Posts: 11

Iâ€™ve had my ren 19 for 4 years now and I have been very happy with it.

I took it for an MOT at the weekend and the tester reckons it wasnâ€™t worth bothering with. He pushed holes in the rear chassis were the exhaust mounting for the mid section goes, and in the same place at the other side. He reckoned it was going to go further up and the tank would need dropping to weld, though he couldâ€™nt push his screwdriver through it.

He also said the cross member under the front passenger seats was going too, but I couldnâ€™t see it myself, and in total it would prob cost about Â£300 to fix.

Sills etc are all solid.

Has anyone had similar rust on their 19â€™s?

Itâ€™s old, but I donâ€™t want to let it go and I canâ€™t afford a replacement but I donâ€™t want to throw good money after bad.

Can anyone give me any advice?

Spammer Joined: 27 Jul 2004 Posts: 5717

if you had the know how and the welding equipment it would be less than hallf that price to sort all that outi believe
but than again you will still struggle to find a replacement car with tax and mot up and running without problems under the 300quid barrier ,i would personally have it repaired and keep driving ,at the end of the day you know the car but a new car always comes with a few surprises i am afraid

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

its rare for them to go on the chassis rails. Its not a hard repair.

Site Subscriber Joined: 11 Feb 2005 Posts: 2929

Scrap it and get a valver, there all very cheap at the moment so it's a good time to buy.

Site Subscriber Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 1141

dochertya765 wrote:

Scrap it and get a valver, there all very cheap at the moment so it's a good time to buy.

Trust the man, he bought one for Â£25 Wink

You picked it up yet mate? Smile

Site Subscriber Joined: 11 Feb 2005 Posts: 2929

not yet mate, got to hear back from the seller to arrainge a date.

Also got to see if the delivery people can make that date too? I was going to RAC it home but It's too much hassle if it all goes wrong.

Site Subscriber Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 1141

I'd go with RAC mate, for sure. You nearly always get a contractor who couldn't give a toss because he gets paid regardless and most of them are on a call out rate so would rather be working then sat at base all night.

When the top hose on my untaxed valver went the Link contractor couldn't care less, just threw it on the back of the flatbed (almost literally) and off we went. For all he knew I could have just bought it there and then off my mates drive!

However, if your still unkeen I could get access to a trailer with winch (tho not sure it'd drag the car if the rear brakes were locked) and van to tow it if that helps.

FCS Event Manager Joined: 04 Jan 2005 Posts: 3680

Addie wrote:

dochertya765 wrote:

Scrap it and get a valver, there all very cheap at the moment so it's a good time to buy.

Trust the man, he bought one for Â£25 Wink

You picked it up yet mate? Smile

and i have just bought one for Â£67 Smile

this one

Site Subscriber Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 1141

I've just (provisionally) bought one for Â£250 - difference being mine goes and has tax/test Wink

Site Subscriber Joined: 11 Feb 2005 Posts: 2929

Quote:

However, if your still unkeen I could get access to a trailer with winch (tho not sure it'd drag the car if the rear brakes were locked) and van to tow it if that helps.

Addie, your a super star!

Brakes wont be an Issue anyway, They should bang off easy enough and if not I'll take the pads out.

I'll PM you so we can talk ,mate Wink

Site Subscriber Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 2317

I'd go with the RAC, I bought Addie's blue valver, dragged it 5 miles down the road and called the AA Razz

Site Subscriber Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 1141

huwwatkins wrote:

I'd go with the RAC, I bought Addie's blue valver, dragged it 5 miles down the road and called the AA Razz

Me too if you want to reverse it any distance - the transit is a LWB jobbie and has no PAS!

Newbie Joined: 04 Jan 2005 Posts: 11

I checked out the rust guide and felt quite smug that I did't have any rust in those areas before the MOT...... I don't know whether its good or bad that it's rusted in a rare area.

Thatâ€™s a great looking 16v for Â£67, same age as my 1.4 Shocked

I saw a Blue P1 Chamade round my way a few months ago and it looked fantastic.

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

tbh the rear l3egs don't go unless they are bent in a bump.

the only bit that really goes at the back is thre brace under the boot floor

Newbie Joined: 04 Jan 2005 Posts: 11

I'm not sure I read your guide closely enough Chris...

"The chassis rails under the car, they tend to survive ok but some at the back ahead of the rear axle tend to look ok on the outside but if you stick your pinky in and feel around it can be quite corroded, this really needs new metal let in."

My rust is ahead of the torsion bar. One side houses the exhaust mounting and the other the fuel pipes.

A coachworks near my work were going to pick my car up and look at it, but after 2 follow up calls they never bothered... Confused

I'm starting to get a feeling that garages/MOT stations are too eager to write old cars off because they are too much hassle Crying or Very sad

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

they are mate, cars are not worth anything any more, why fix it when you can get a new one is the way its seen!

Ahead as in towards the front of the car, they don't tend to go under the boot floor.

Newbie Joined: 04 Jan 2005 Posts: 11

Thanks Chris,

Itâ€™s a bit sickening when they look at the reg and think why botherâ€¦.

Mine is the type of car you jump in, turn the key and go to work, everyday, just like a new one. I have looked after it.

Iâ€™ve done work on it, all wheel bearings for motâ€™s but only the 2 snapped clutch cables lost me 2 days of driving. (2 spanner rating in Haynes Rolling Eyes

)

Itâ€™s now a question of explaining to a coachworks mechanic, if he can be arsed, I know itâ€™s old butâ€¦. Rolling Eyes