MOT Advisory - Rear Inner Sills Corroding

[Trebordoody]

Hi forum!

Just passed my MOT (yay!) but one new advisory came up to monitor and repair if necessary:

• Rear inner sills corroding

I had a quick look and there is some surface rust under there but nothing looks particularly significant and no holes at least (he says hopefully...🤞)

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You cannot view this attachment.

So basic question first - am I even looking in the right place?
If so, do you think a wire brush, antirust and paint will be enough (for a while at least)?
The second pic (drivers O/S rear) looks a lot worse than the N/S so that's my main concern.

I've searched the forum, and not much to be found on this topic - although I'm sure its there somewhere.
Any help appreciated as always!
Cheers, Rob 

[MrChris]

I would say that is quite harsh by the MOT guys. I had a 2 previously that had worse sills than that and was never picked up. Try a wire brush and coat it as you say. Hopefully the wire brush doesn't reveal more rust underneath and you get to metal quite quickly.

[Ardent]

Harsh indeed.

[Carolyn]

A rotary wire brush will clean that up.  Follow up with Bildt Hamber Hydrate, then zinc primer and a top coat to roughly match the car's colour. 

MOT testers just have to find something these days!

[Trebordoody]

Thanks all, that gives me some confidence!
OK, I'll try to clean it up and hope it's not an issue for next time - I've done most of the underneath already the way Carolyn described but missed the sills. I wish I had a lift so I could see everything!

To be fair, the garage (Halfords believe it or not) have always been supportive and even sorted a few minor things out that they found during testing. But I suspect you're right that they still enjoy finding things to fix...!

[MrChris]

I always recommend people seek out their local council MOT centre to get their tests done. They have no interest whatsoever in finding issues because they don't do repairs at all. They are only set up for MOTs (mainly council vehicles and taxis). They have a duty to offer services to the public. All my MOTs are done there so that I know if something comes up on the MOT, it's genuine.

[Ardent]

I wish I had a lift so I could see everything!

You and me both.

[Jken24]

I always recommend people seek out their local council MOT centre to get their tests done. They have no interest whatsoever in finding issues because they don't do repairs at all. They are only set up for MOTs (mainly council vehicles and taxis). They have a duty to offer services to the public. All my MOTs are done there so that I know if something comes up on the MOT, it's genuine.

Wholeheartedly agree. Well worth the extra few quid using an mot place that needs to upsell the loss they are making on 'competitive' mot prices.

[cptspaulding]

MOT testers just have to find something these days!

Definitely a pattern. Slight sign of rust & testers are flagging it. My own thoughts is that they are covering themselves.

Last MOT on my Focus was that the front subframe was "damaged but not seriously weakened". Alarmed me so checked thoroughly & found nothing but surface rust.

[Trebordoody]

My own thoughts is that they are covering themselves.

I think that's the most likely scenario!
In my case Halfords wouldn't be able to offer a repair anyway, so there's no real benefit to them to point it out expecting more business.

[Craigjm]

Definitely a pattern. Slight sign of rust & testers are flagging it. My own thoughts is that they are covering themselves.

Last MOT on my Focus was that the front subframe was "damaged but not seriously weakened". Alarmed me so checked thoroughly & found nothing but surface rust.

Problem is that crap like that is then on the MOT history for all to see and you have no way of having it removed. You could put your car up for sale and I look up the history and assume it's been in an accident with a comment like that and walk away and you lose a sale. Completely wrong

[Ardent]

@Craigjm

Exactly that. To this day, my dad believes a tester failed his 5 on a side light bulb purely out of spite, just to ruin his 100% pass record.