MOT Failure

[barryd]

Took the van in for MOT this morning. Its only done 400 miles from the last one. It makes pretty grim reading. The list is too long to screen shot.

1996 Swift Kontiki 640. im guessing this is not going to be a small bill. Should we start a sweepstake as to who can guess how much to the nearest million?


Repair immediately (major defects):

• Offside Front Integral body structure or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a body mounting Jacking point (6.2.2 (d) (i))
• Nearside Front Inner Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength Wheel arch (5.3.6 (a) (i))
• Nearside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded front to rear at rear (1.1.11 (c))
• Offside Front Inner Brake prescribed area is excessively corroded Wheel arch (1.1.21 (e) (i))
• Nearside Front Seat belt anchorage prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced Step (7.1.1 (a) (i))
• Nearside Rear Position lamp showing white light to the rear (4.2.3 (a) (ii))
• Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))
• Headlamp levelling device inoperative (4.1.5 (a))
• Battery insecure and likely to fall from carrier (4.13 (a) (ii))
• Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))
• Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle (1.2.1 (b) (i))
• Offside Front Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))
• Offside Rear Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))
• Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Repair as soon as possible (minor defects):

• Nearside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Monitor and repair if necessary (advisories):

• Front Anti-roll bar pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Both (5.3.4 (a) (i))
• Rear Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced both inner wheel arches (6.1.1 (c) (i))

 

[jagmanx]

£1500 and rising !

 

[mistericeman]

That sounds like a lot of rust from its last mot (assuming it was, motd in last 12 months)

Any previous advisories for same corrosion?

Is it the same tester you used last time?

Brakes/brake pipes I can understand IF it's not had a lot of use (covid etc)

 

[trevskoda]

At that age its bound to be rotten, also leaving standing doing nought is why the brake imbalance, prob now requires cylinders to rear and discs freed up, welding can cost the earth and unless someone can do cheap you will spend more than the vans worth due to age.

 

[barryd]

Oddly some of the advisories on last years MOT have fixed themselves and have not appeared.

The only one that is the same which is now a fail is the following but with some different wording.

• Offside Front Integral body structure or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a body mounting Jacking point (6.2.2 (d) (i))

I dont know what any of this means of course other than its broken.

 

[r4dent]

Pure guess work but..
Welding = £350.
Brakes + pipes = £300
Electrics =£150

I think you'll get change from a grand (fingers crossed!)

If it makes you feel any better I've just received a estimates for some repairs to the house. The one we have accepted is £30k !

and to rub salt into the wounds they want to schedule the work (four weeks) starting on the first day of freedom !

 

[wildebus]

Last years "rear brake fluctating" advistory will likely have moved on to the "excessively binding" and "imbalance" fails I would guess?

My car failed its MOT last Friday due to "fluctating brakes" - basically discs gone a bit out of true (what used to be 'warped'). declined to have the garage replace the discs and pads for me at a few hundred quid - got a set hopefully arriving this week for around £45.
consequence of a vehicle hardly moving for a year


Brake discs, pads and pipes are very straightforward and predictable costs (and money can be saved on discs and pads by either fitting yourself or using an independant mechanic to fit the parts you supply)

Of that long list, the only thing I would be overly concerned on price-wise (and repairability) is the corrosion.
I'd look into that before spending money on anything else just in case!

 

[izwozral]

I think you may have to dig out your lycra shorts and sequined muffin top Barry, apparently, there is money to be earned on some streets in Manchester.

I would be concerned that once rust has got to welding stage you will be forever chasing your tail with it. My friend has spent nearly £2k on welding in the last 4 years and I reckon it isn't finished with yet. He would be lucky to get £500 for his camper - it's a pile of poop.

 

[barryd]

I think you may have to dig out your lycra shorts and sequined muffin top Barry, apparently, there is money to be earned on some streets in Manchester.

I would be concerned that once rust has got to welding stage you will be forever chasing your tail with it. My friend has spent nearly £2k on welding in the last 4 years and I reckon it isn't finished with yet. He would be lucky to get £500 for his camper - it's a pile of poop.

This is my worry. If they say its like £1000 or £2000 and it will be good for another five years or whatever then fine but if its going to be the same each MOT then I guess its time to say goodbye. I was thinking of selling it anyway but was in two minds. Should have flogged it last year really. We only got 17 days away in it and it was rubbish.

The Sync is on its way out on Third and fifth as well (I posted about it a while back) they reckon £250-£800 for that. I suppose once its all done it will at least be easily sellable in this market I guess. Trouble is we will then be vanless. Maybe one last trip then hang on until next year when hopefully the market might have a glut of used vans (possibly)

 

[antiquesam]

In every vehicle's life there is a critical moment when it is time to sell. Miss it and you are stuck with repairs that cost more than it's worth or you have a scrapper. I've never found that moment

 

[r4dent]

I remember a chat with a mechanic who said you have to choose between "depreciation" motoring (where the vehicle drops a grand or two each year), and "fix it" motoring (where you spend a grand or two each year getting things sorted).

Wise words indeed.

 

[mariesnowgoose]

I remember a chat with a mechanic who said you have to choose between "depreciation" motoring (where the vehicle drops a grand or two each year), and "fix it" motoring (where you spend a grand or two each year getting things sorted).

Wise words indeed.

I'm not going to be liked by quite a few members for saying this, but....

In this world we live in now, where awareness and pressure is increasing for not wasting or throwing away stuff, I would go for a repair job every time.
As long as the work was do-able, and the problems sorted keep the vehicle reliable and usable for another year (or more) going forward.

It's not all about the money either.

Too many people want to 'upgrade" to newer (and flashier) just because they can, not because it's necessary.

I say if you seriously want to consider a better future for your kids/grandkids on this earth you need to seriously start looking a bit further than today when you go out and buy more "stuff".

Just sayin'

 

[The laird]

£1800 depending if it needs callipers and slide kits for binding braked
welding is a hidden commodity as once you start it can run further to get good clean surfaces

 

[barryd]

So we have estimates between £1000 and £1800 so far then. Gearbox sync if I get it done somewhere between £250 and £850 on top. I knew I should have bought a bloody motorbike last year!! Now the "chancellor" is not going to be happy if I spaff £3-4k on a bike as well. Im not sure she knows about the secret bike fund though. Mwhahahahaaa Except she will probably

Ive been trying to replace that van for nearly a decade now. Never found one that ticked all the boxes. Now you just cant find one, period. I guess it owes me very little. Bought in 2008 our first van. Its been all over Europe many times and clocked up a fair few miles. I think its days of tackling the Alps and Pyrenees are over though. Possibly.

 

[trevskoda]

If you get the rotten bits cut out and replaced with new then the cost for brake parts will be small and worth it, dont go for a patch up on the rust as its a waste of time & money.

 

[barryd]

If you get the rotten bits cut out and replaced with new then the cost for brake parts will be small and worth it, dont go for a patch up on the rust as its a waste of time & money.

The body shop in Darlo are brilliant Trev. Not bodgers. Ive used them and their servicing garage for years. The bloke who runs the body shop is a bit of a stickler for doing things right. Ill no doubt have a chat with him in a day or two when he has assessed it all. I just hope its good news and it can be fixed to a level where its not just biding time for a year or two.

 

[RichardHelen262]

The only real bad bit is the welding, whilst the rest may sound like a lot, the brake issues are easily solved, and if all the rot is cut out and welded back up correctly then it should be good for many more years

 

[caledonia]

As we say in the trade “if it was a horse they’d shoot it”. As Trev says get the welding done properly that’s if there’s anything to weld to. The rest of the work is straight forward but the welding needs assessed properly to make sure the vans worth repairing.
this is what happens with lack of use.

 

[molly 2]

Chasing corrosion does not stop it just moves on and on

 

[mistericeman]

As above.... Everything is repairable... At a cost.

Welded repairs done properly... And the larger part is preparation AND cutting out of the rust.
Patched over repairs are a waste of time bodge... The rust will just return.

IF you love the habitation....
Maybe a chassis cab unit for a more modern unit?


On the bright side.... Least its not a landrover ;-)