Bought a rot box, how much to fix?
Discussion
Tinkshusband said:
someone did something similar with an amg merc on here ( think that was a cat B write off rather than a rust problem tho) put engine and all the nice bits into a nice rust free shell?
I'm not sure that such a shell exists lol.I'll hopefully hear from the garage today with a verdict. They did say at the time not to panic though as in their view it's not affecting any serious structural bits, just sills and bits of the floor that can be relatively easily replaced.
I promise to come back with an update soon!
fellow rot box owners advice-
Start with the biggest job, and work backwards, try and space it out so that you don't get raped financially, and take your time looking for someone to take the work on.
Cosmetic rust repair, and hidden structural body repair are two very different animals, so I wouldn't for example, go to a paint shop to get sill/chassis work done.
I've just dropped £650 on getting the rear chassis legs welded up on my mitsubishi, it was painful.
But, once it's done, it's done, and if you plan on keeping the car it's perfectly justifiable.
Start with the biggest job, and work backwards, try and space it out so that you don't get raped financially, and take your time looking for someone to take the work on.
Cosmetic rust repair, and hidden structural body repair are two very different animals, so I wouldn't for example, go to a paint shop to get sill/chassis work done.
I've just dropped £650 on getting the rear chassis legs welded up on my mitsubishi, it was painful.
But, once it's done, it's done, and if you plan on keeping the car it's perfectly justifiable.
If you're not able to do the work yourself, and the cost of getting it done properly vastly outstrips the value of the car (sounds likely), I just can't see any point in this exercise. It's not a true limited run Ford, as it was a dealer special, and I really can't see it paying itself back in appreciating value. While the ST200 is a nice enough car, there is no shortage of them out there, and at least now you know where to look for rust...
I think that all ST200s are at that point the cycle where they are worth little, and being scrapped en masse. Good ones are few and far between.
Although the Limited is not exactly ultra rare, they are rather unusual, this is certainly the best one to have come up in a year of searching (daily checks of AT, Ebay and Gumtree, plus scouring PH). As the interior on the Limited is so much more erm, bright (some may say it's an acquired taste!), than a standard model it's definitely the one I'd want.
I agree that a full scale bare metal restoration is not financially viable, but I'm coming round to the idea of fixing the bad bits, then maybe having the surface stuff removed and covered in a proper underseal like Dinitrol, Bilt Hamber, or Waxoyl to slow it down significantly. Certainly enough to give me time to assess what it's like to live with an old car and decide how to play it.
I sold my last MK2 in 2010 and I have to be honest, it didn't really give me much bother, I'm hopeful that once sorted, this one may be the same.
Although the Limited is not exactly ultra rare, they are rather unusual, this is certainly the best one to have come up in a year of searching (daily checks of AT, Ebay and Gumtree, plus scouring PH). As the interior on the Limited is so much more erm, bright (some may say it's an acquired taste!), than a standard model it's definitely the one I'd want.
I agree that a full scale bare metal restoration is not financially viable, but I'm coming round to the idea of fixing the bad bits, then maybe having the surface stuff removed and covered in a proper underseal like Dinitrol, Bilt Hamber, or Waxoyl to slow it down significantly. Certainly enough to give me time to assess what it's like to live with an old car and decide how to play it.
I sold my last MK2 in 2010 and I have to be honest, it didn't really give me much bother, I'm hopeful that once sorted, this one may be the same.
threespires said:
What's an ST200 Limited ?
An ST200, but a saloon version, with a chavtastic two tone leather interior and a different plastic trim on the dash.I love it because there are relatively few around. And I'm a magpie for blue cars, all the better if they have blue seats too
Blue Oval84 said:
threespires said:
What's an ST200 Limited ?
An ST200, but a saloon version, with a chavtastic two tone leather interior and a different plastic trim on the dash.I love it because there are relatively few around. And I'm a magpie for blue cars, all the better if they have blue seats too
Let me help you feel better... That ST200 isn't bad in all honesty. Want to see rust? Here is a couple of photos of what was hiding behind the skirts of my old ST24...
Both sills were like that, and also:
The rear seat belt anchors were going too.
If you plan to keep it, and mint too, I would personally have those sills cut right out and new metal put in. Once the worm starts, it will keep going! Patching will be a good stop gap but it will fail again, and also trying to stick the skirts back over a patched sill is a complete ballache. As demonstrated here...
I dumped this money pit in the end, served it on for a major loss. But if it was a ST200 Limited I would have persevered, the mk2 Mondeo had questionable looks but drove beautifully.
Both sills were like that, and also:
The rear seat belt anchors were going too.
If you plan to keep it, and mint too, I would personally have those sills cut right out and new metal put in. Once the worm starts, it will keep going! Patching will be a good stop gap but it will fail again, and also trying to stick the skirts back over a patched sill is a complete ballache. As demonstrated here...
I dumped this money pit in the end, served it on for a major loss. But if it was a ST200 Limited I would have persevered, the mk2 Mondeo had questionable looks but drove beautifully.
Zerotonine said:
I dumped this money pit in the end, served it on for a major loss. But if it was a ST200 Limited I would have persevered, the mk2 Mondeo had questionable looks but drove beautifully.
Thanks I feel a lot better!! I don't think there's any question about the MK2's looks though, easily one of the all time best looking Fords IMO ETA - if the outer sill skin is in any way rotten then it'll get replaced, a new one is only £23!
Blue Oval84 said:
This one's mine taken from the ad, I haven't got any good pics of my own yet!
Will get some good ones taken asap!
If you want to keep an ST200 over the longer term then KEEP IT, spend the money and don't let anyone put you off. I suspect that it wont be long before their values have really firmed-up, so the money wont be at risk for too long.Will get some good ones taken asap!
Blue Oval84 said:
Thanks I feel a lot better!! I don't think there's any question about the MK2's looks though, easily one of the all time best looking Fords IMO
ETA - if the outer sill skin is in any way rotten then it'll get replaced, a new one is only £23!
It is the labour that costs, and the repaint. In my opinion, the mk2 looks retarded unless it has the RSAP kit. The RSAP makes a dodgy Mondeo look good...ETA - if the outer sill skin is in any way rotten then it'll get replaced, a new one is only £23!
Here it is when I got it, if you are interested.
Not bad for a 205k miler! Pulled like a train!
Zerotonine said:
It is the labour that costs, and the repaint. In my opinion, the mk2 looks retarded unless it has the RSAP kit. The RSAP makes a dodgy Mondeo look good...
Here it is when I got it, if you are interested.
Not bad for a 205k miler! Pulled like a train!
Certainly am interested, and I should clarify that it's the RSAP models I'm talking about too! Your's looks like it was a lovely car Here it is when I got it, if you are interested.
Not bad for a 205k miler! Pulled like a train!
GC8 said:
If you want to keep an ST200 over the longer term then KEEP IT, spend the money and don't let anyone put you off. I suspect that it wont be long before their values have really firmed-up, so the money wont be at risk for too long.
Really? Not wanting to pee on the guy's parade or anything, but what makes you think that? There's been an excellent-looking example with 100k miles listed on Ebay at £1,400 for a few weeks now. That doesn't suggest to me that the market is moving at all...Time for an update!
The car is booked in for bodywork to include-
Next I just need the mechanicals sorting which will include-
I think it's safe to say that this car would ordinarily have been scrapped by any sane owner, but by the time it's finished it should be a brilliant example, and good for quite a while longer.
I am a bit gutted that it's turned out like this as I honestly thought that I was buying a good one (and paid more for it as a result) but given the work I've ended up doing I could have bought one of the many examples that appeared to be one MOT away from the scrap yard and just fixed it up. At least my interior is pretty much mint.
Ho hum, I still love the car and even when it stands me £5K+, I'll be happy with the result.
The car is booked in for bodywork to include-
- New inner and outer sills
- Floor cut out back to good metal and welding back up where it is holed.
- Spare wheel well repair (found two holes in that!)
- Tow bar removed and any holes welding back up/rustproofing
- New Rear arches
- Respray exterior from the rear up to and including front doors (the edges were damaged, ironically by those door protector things that a previous owner fitted)
Next I just need the mechanicals sorting which will include-
- New Coil pack, HT leads and Sparks
- 2X Front lower arms
- 1X CV Joint
I think it's safe to say that this car would ordinarily have been scrapped by any sane owner, but by the time it's finished it should be a brilliant example, and good for quite a while longer.
I am a bit gutted that it's turned out like this as I honestly thought that I was buying a good one (and paid more for it as a result) but given the work I've ended up doing I could have bought one of the many examples that appeared to be one MOT away from the scrap yard and just fixed it up. At least my interior is pretty much mint.
Ho hum, I still love the car and even when it stands me £5K+, I'll be happy with the result.
Blue Oval84 said:
Time for an update!
........
£2,067 was the quote I settled on
......
Ho hum, I still love the car and even when it stands me £5K+, I'll be happy with the result.
Well I think you are bonkers, absolutely bonkers. For that kind of money you could buy an already appreciating classic or decent modern hot hatch / saloon. ........
£2,067 was the quote I settled on
......
Ho hum, I still love the car and even when it stands me £5K+, I'll be happy with the result.
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