Mot Failure - Good 205 Bodyshop Needed!

[d7ve_b 44 1 Cars]

Well it was MOT time this morning and the mighty pug failed on a few things, some minor electrical stuff that I've already sorted and, more worryingly, the following:

 

"Offside rear (outer sill) subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded"

 

...or more specifically this:

 

 

 

 

Where the sill meets the door:

 

 

End of the sill:

 

​

 

I've known there's been some rust there for a while but didn't think it was that bad. The hole wasn't there this morning so obviously the MOT man has had a prod around and gone clean through

 

Whilst I was gutted to see it, I'm going to use it as motivation to get the sills (both as the other side needs work as well) sorted out, hence this post. I need some recommendations for bodyshops that know 205's, can offer advice on the required repairs, have a high attention to detail, can match the paint colour and can complete work that will last. My last run in with a local bodyshop was a bloody nightmare so I'm keen to avoid that experience again!

 

I'm near Manchester but willing to travel for the right bodyshop.

[stufarri 98 3 Cars]

Gutted for you Dave - I hope you can get her back on the road soon.

[john-melbourne 6]

Sorry to hear that Dave, If you still want to go to the meet next week, and you dont mind going in a Polo with no 5th gear i can drive and pick you up

 

John

[d7ve_b 44 1 Cars]

Gutted for you Dave - I hope you can get her back on the road soon.

Cheers Stu, it is still MOT'd until the end of April so not off the road quite yet. Hopefully I can get it in somewhere before the MOT's out.

 

Sorry to hear that Dave, If you still want to go to the meet next week, and you dont mind going in a Polo with no 5th gear i can drive and pick you up

 

John

Cheers John, but as above it should still be ok for the meet, it'll just be little lighter...

[eddie bullit 37]

Send those pics to panel care in Rochdale...did work on the wife's mx5 and did a brilliant job. May be worth a try.

[d7ve_b 44 1 Cars]

Thanks Eddie, but I wouldn't let Panelcare in Rochdale paint my garden gate, they're the body shop that I had all the problems with: http://forum.205gtidrivers.com/index.php?showtopic=117409&st=0

 

Any other recommendations?

[kee 21]

http://www.autofusion-uk.co.uk/

 

These guys are in Wigan, go by the names of Dave and Gray, good guys and absolutely brilliant at what they do. Known on the retro rides forum and i've had bit of work done. highly recommended, if you go, tell them Kieren with the rusty blue Mk2 Orion sent you

 

not sure if they have any specific 205 experience but they have done things from full restorations on old alfa's and MG's to lorry cabs

[d7ve_b 44 1 Cars]

Thanks Kee, I'll give them a call and see what they say.

 

Any other recommendations?

[eddie bullit 37]

Thanks Eddie, but I wouldn't let Panelcare in Rochdale paint my garden gate, they're the body shop that I had all the problems with: http://forum.205gtidrivers.com/index.php?showtopic=117409&st=0

 

Any other recommendations?

Oh eck! I was recommended them from detailers world after I'd had really dodgy work at a well respected local shop...they were great with me n the missus. Finish was spot on as well..really chuffed.

I've used 4 in my area and they have been the only ones to produce a proper job.

After reading other stories it seems like pot luck to find a decent body shop. I suppose you only find out how good their service is when something goes wrong.

Good luck.

[d7ve_b 44 1 Cars]

Bump!

[jamie_1992 66 1 Cars]

you do know that if it has been mot'd and failed the remaining mot that was left on the car then gets wiped (this is what i was told by an mot tester)

just so you dont get pulled with no mot

[mechanicalrepairs 8]

you do know that if it has been mot'd and failed the remaining mot that was left on the car then gets wiped (this is what i was told by an mot tester)

just so you dont get pulled with no mot

That's not true.

 

Coming from an mot tester.

 

Carl

[TooMany2cvs 65]

That's not true.

 

Coming from an mot tester.

Indeed. But... if the car's failed a ticket, then it's a fair bet that it's unroadworthy, hence illegal to use on the road

 

'course, if it IS unroadworthy, then it was illegal to use even before the tester got his yellow chalk out...

[jamie_1992 66 1 Cars]

oh ok im not expert just going by what i was told

[d7ve_b 44 1 Cars]

Aaannyyywaayyyy, any other recommendations, going to start ringing places tomorrow....

[kee 21]

how did you get on?

[Wilky 5]

If you don't mind travelling to South Yorkshire, Snuff Mill Garage on Ecclesall Road in Sheffield (my mate Ian works there, brilliant panel beater) or Phil and Tommy at Class 1 Refinishing in Doncaster who are doing my 280 Brooklands and 205 GTI, superb work

[d7ve_b 44 1 Cars]

Update - it passed the MOT yesterday

 

how did you get on?

 

Thanks for the recommendation, after ringing three different bodyshop/restoration places I ended up taking it to Autofusion in Wigan. The guys seem really down to earth and clearly know how to weld. They even photographed the process so I could see the extent of the corrosion and their handy work repairing it. The MOT tester also commented on how tidy the work was so I expect I'll use them again when I get around to dropping the fuel tank and seeing what lurks behind it.

 

If you don't mind travelling to South Yorkshire, Snuff Mill Garage on Ecclesall Road in Sheffield (my mate Ian works there, brilliant panel beater) or Phil and Tommy at Class 1 Refinishing in Doncaster who are doing my 280 Brooklands and 205 GTI, superb work

 

Thanks for recommendation, I might give them a call when the next round of work is due.

[john-melbourne 6]

Hi Dave,

 

Any pictures of the finished work?

 

John

[d7ve_b 44 1 Cars]

Yeah, but they're attached to an email. I'll get the on the internet later today.

[kee 21]

Glad they've done well, yeah they are good guys, can be daft at times but that just adds to the overall experience. would be good to see the piccies too

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

Would you mind saying how much you paid for the work? Was it just that one side or did they do both?

[d7ve_b 44 1 Cars]

Ok, by popular demand here are the pics. They did the sill repair and also a repair to a hole that was appearing in the drivers side rear foot well that was just waiting to be a failure.

 

The extent of the sill rust after the wire brushing:

 

 

 

The hole in the foot well after a brushing:

 

 

 

The sill repair. I told them not to paint it as it's going back in shortly for some other rust removal and more paint so it's all being done in one go, this job was just to get some ticket on it so I could use it:

 

 

​

 

And the repaired hole under the seat:

 

 

 

I paid £140 for the whole job, they even chucked in a picture of their cat that handles their IT:

 

 

As mentioned, the plan is to send it back in when I have more time (and money) to have any signs of rust removed and quite a few bits painted.

 

[Tom Fenton 1,526]

Looks a nice tidy repair of a very awkward area to access. I have previously done a similar sill repair, it is possible to replicate the orange peel effect of the underseal on the sill quite easily so as to end up with a repair that cannot be seen.

 

Edit to add, just seen the price, bargain.

[kee 21]

the orange peel effect is a stone chip underseal type thing aint it?

 

Yeah they are good guys and competitively priced for definite.

 

did you get a peek of the other cars they had in?