WOF failed for minor exterior rust

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andrewNZ

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#1326221 17-Jun-2015 02:11

It may not look structural, but that doesn't mean it isn't. Heck, in some vehicles the windscreen is a structural component.

A dodgy home job on a pillar may just cost you your life or the life of someone you love.

I'm all for DIY, but this isn't one of those jobs. Take it to a professional.

Lee13

33 posts

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#1326224 17-Jun-2015 05:39

Sidestep: "Bodgy" home job! That needs to be cut out, repair panel correctly welded in to maintain integrity.

I've just completed a very similar repair, my WOF guy required me to leave it in primer until he was satisfied it was repaired (welded) properly.

I cut the repair panel out of a wrecked but rust free car of the same model.

As above WOF inspector can have you return with unpainted repairs to see the welding but the inspector must inform you of this like write it on the form

I am a qualified vehicle inspector please pm me if you need any help should there be any problems when you go back for the recheck

Another point to note see how small the original photo of the rust was and after you started the repair how large it turned out to be its the iceberg effect

That is why its a fail you should get a qualified panelbeater take a look but there is no recipt requirement in the VIRM panelshops have special Sika products and glues fillers etc they can help you

NZSpides

155 posts

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#1326229 17-Jun-2015 06:58

I had an older car that I was repairing and found some small spots of rust in both A pillars of the car, on investigating I found that the internal structure of the pillar had failed.
That car was a potential death trap.
If I had a simple fender bender, it's likely I would have suffered serious injury.
Needless to say I scrapped the car and bought another as soon as I could.

If you spot rust on a car, treat it like an iceberg, you only see a fraction of it's entire size.

Looking at the OP's shots of the exposed damage, I would refuse to sit in the car in its current state.
The damage there is more than what I scrapped my old car for (admittedly it was on both A pillars).

Jeeves

301 posts

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#1326260 17-Jun-2015 08:59

Greendrak - consider you had a race car. If you found the same kind of rust problem on the roll cage - would you still take the job on yourself or get a pro to sort it out? Because it's basically the same thing.

lxsw20

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#1326271 17-Jun-2015 09:14

I would suggest there is a lot of hyperbole in this thread from people that don't really know what they are talking about.

Yes, get it checked out properly, but your car isn't going to fold in half because of a bit of surface rust on the very edge of the A pillar.

hsvhel

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#1326298 17-Jun-2015 09:37

lxsw20: I would suggest there is a lot of hyperbole in this thread from people that don't really know what they are talking about.

Yes, get it checked out properly, but your car isn't going to fold in half because of a bit of surface rust on the very edge of the A pillar.

Tending to agree with you there, although the rust is a WOF issue and should be corrected by a professional. You are driving a prado, if you roll over, that pillar is not going to cost you you're life. Those things fold up smoother than a swiss army knife.
Having taken to the roofing tin with screw drivers, i would seriously recommend having someone do the job for you that is trained.

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andrewNZ

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#1326323 17-Jun-2015 10:12

lxsw20: I would suggest there is a lot of hyperbole in this thread from people that don't really know what they are talking about.

Yes, get it checked out properly, but your car isn't going to fold in half because of a bit of surface rust on the very edge of the A pillar.

It's not the rust that's my main concern, it's the manner in which it's being repaired. Chiseling out bits and leaving tears in metal. That really is worse than the rust, and at the end of it, it'll all be hidden so you cant see if it starts deteriorating again.

No It wont "just fold up" under normal use. Crash it though, and it might be a different story.