I went, I saw, I ran away!

[Ogri]

Went to look at a Terrano today - spur of the moment thing. I saw it on eBay, a 2000 83k miles 5 door leather with a full 12m MOT and for the measly price of £1290! Who could resist a look?

First impressions were what I expected - scabby front wings and a few marks here and there. A bit of damp in the boot area and tyres low on tread.

The more I looked the more interested I got - the boot floor solid, the front footwells/bulkheads seemed very solid and dry, a bit of rot on the front bumper end mounting brackets but not too bad. The 2nd and 3rd row seat belts were yanked with all the force my 19 stone could manage and no sounds of crumbling metal so all seemed good so far.

Was just off to get the keys to try start her up when I remembered reading on here about the rear of the inner & outer sills.

The offside outer sill was bubbling a bit at the rear so I gave it a gentle prod with my thumb to see what the metal beneath might be like and ouch - a 30mm hole appeared where my thumb used to be

I left straight away feeling a bit guilty about making a hole in the dealer's car but afterwards just thought I've saved someone else from the pain of buying a rotten car.

As the car had a fresh MOT, should I report this dealer to VOSA? Trading Standards? Or just leave alone and look elsewhere?

Nissan 4x4 OC 1 : 0 Dodgy dealers

Still looking...

Ian

[zippy656]

Originally Posted by XR6R

Went to look at a Terrano today - spur of the moment thing. I saw it on eBay, a 2000 83k miles 5 door leather with a full 12m MOT and for the measly price of £1290! Who could resist a look?

First impressions were what I expected - scabby front wings and a few marks here and there. A bit of damp in the boot area and tyres low on tread.

The more I looked the more interested I got - the boot floor solid, the front footwells/bulkheads seemed very solid and dry, a bit of rot on the front bumper end mounting brackets but not too bad. The 2nd and 3rd row seat belts were yanked with all the force my 19 stone could manage and no sounds of crumbling metal so all seemed good so far.

Was just off to get the keys to try start her up when I remembered reading on here about the rear of the inner & outer sills.

The offside outer sill was bubbling a bit at the rear so I gave it a gentle prod with my thumb to see what the metal beneath might be like and ouch - a 30mm hole appeared where my thumb used to be

I left straight away feeling a bit guilty about making a hole in the dealer's car but afterwards just thought I've saved someone else from the pain of buying a rotten car.

As the car had a fresh MOT, should I report this dealer to VOSA? Trading Standards? Or just leave alone and look elsewhere?

Nissan 4x4 OC 1 : 0 Dodgy dealers

Still looking...

Ian

yes report

[makeitfit]

I've been sorely disappointed with VOSA. A friend of mine bought a disco with fresh mot. He was fitting replacement seats when he found the back was held together with blue tack
Reported to VOSA. They said the garage has some other "issues" being investigated
Both MOT garage and seller(supposed to be in on the deal) appear to have got off scot bloody free. Barstards

[firebobby]

Report it, some poor sod will buy it and have a headache in 12 months, what else is it hiding

[bry]

Yup i've said it before.Never trust to a M.O.T Poking around finds the faults not a back street back hander..

[Sweety]

Originally Posted by XR6R

The offside outer sill was bubbling a bit at the rear so I gave it a gentle prod with my thumb to see what the metal beneath might be like and ouch - a 30mm hole appeared where my thumb used to be

I left straight away feeling a bit guilty about making a hole in the dealer's car but afterwards just thought I've saved someone else from the pain of buying a rotten car.

Is that all I looked at a clean looking SWB in a showroom lifted up the backseat to check the floor & my whole hand went through their nice shiny chequer plate showroom floor had a nice big lump of rusted terrano floor on it, we left quick

[Banshee]

I have to agree with all that's been said above, I have fell out with close friends who are MOT testers because they have passed friends cars that were deathtraps!!!!! And they thought nothing of it and justified it by saying that "we all need a little extra come the end of the month"

The only way to 100% know that a car is roadworthy is to poke around yourself and have an idea what your looking for, that's why this forum is so successful!!!!

If you're ever off to see another one and want another set of eyes I'd be more than happy to jump in with you I'm near Walsall

[AlexD333]

Anyone got a pic of a rotten sill?

Not that I'm a noobie or anything

[Banshee]

Originally Posted by AlexD333

Anyone got a pic of a rotten sill?

Not that I'm a noobie or anything

One of the worst ones I've ever seen is the one melissachels is working on at the moment, she's a scottish lass (i think) who is working on getting a badly rotten one back on the road at the moment

Check out some nasty rust in her photobucket album here;
http://s1061.photobucket.com/user/Me...?sort=3&page=1

These will give you an idea what to look for when you're buying

[solarman216]

All I can add to this is that I doubt VOSA give a stuff, way back when I was an MOT inspector, whenever we had an issue the guy from the new then, Plating and Testing station would visit and simply tell us not to worry we will back you virtually no matter what, do not think it has changed a lot, Rick

[AlexD333]

I know a friend of a friend. Had a car mot station. Had passed the car (before the extra work in order to make it road worthy was complete. The inspector visited and chose the car sitting in the mot bay, work was due to be done that afternoon, got a 30k fine and is now closely watched. So they do on occasion pull their fingers out.

[solarman216]

Originally Posted by AlexD333

I know a friend of a friend. Had a car mot station. Had passed the car (before the extra work in order to make it road worthy was complete. The inspector visited and chose the car sitting in the mot bay, work was due to be done that afternoon, got a 30k fine and is now closely watched. So they do on occasion pull their fingers out.

Ah things have changed a little then, they have found a way of making money, Rick

[rustic]

So, what is wrong with a 30mm diameter hole in the sill?

According to what I have read, unless it is less than 300 mm from a structural point, or unless it has sharp edges and can be a risk.
So would it pass ?

Certainly more investigation is required on that vehicle and clearly more work.

I saw a Rover 214 with a hole in the sill that you could store the car jack in.
In fact both sides.

When you look at outer sills, most are only 1 mm thick, it makes you think, what exactly they are adding to the cars's structural strength anyway.

[solarman216]

As always Rustic you have thrown some common sense into the situation, you have abetter way with words than I, Rick

[R1cho]

Originally Posted by rustic

When you look at outer sills, most are only 1 mm thick, it makes you think, what exactly they are adding to the cars's structural strength anyway.

when you do a body lift you can see the extra strength that the sills give, it is a lot more than you would think