Advice on used car purchase/wheel arch rust
Discussion
I am considering buying a used 97 fiesta off a friends mother as my first car. 47,000 miles, £450. 2 owners, an old couple and friends mother. I have had a licence since 2006 but I have never needed to own a car as I moved to London soon after passing. I'm looking for a cheap run around to last 1 or 2 years and to help build my no claims bonus.
The long and short is the cars MOT is up at the end of Sep 18 and the car has rust around the rear wheel arches. See pictures. Having never bought a car I wondered if anyone had any advice on the rust and buying a used car in general? Any advice would be much appreciated no matter how simple or obvious.
The long and short is the cars MOT is up at the end of Sep 18 and the car has rust around the rear wheel arches. See pictures. Having never bought a car I wondered if anyone had any advice on the rust and buying a used car in general? Any advice would be much appreciated no matter how simple or obvious.
The thing with that chassis is 8 times out of 10 the underneath is going to be worse than the exterior, and that's a bad thing for an MOT. Don't buy it on wheelarch condition alone, take the visible rust as a cue that it warrants a more through inspection.
Going by the alloys and black side mouldings I think it could be 'Flight', so it is also quite expensive given its condition (I appreciate the mileage is low, but the body condition trumps that in this case).
Have a look at https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201... - that looks to be a 'cracker' for less money. It only took me 30 seconds to find that on Autotrader.
Going by the alloys and black side mouldings I think it could be 'Flight', so it is also quite expensive given its condition (I appreciate the mileage is low, but the body condition trumps that in this case).
Have a look at https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201... - that looks to be a 'cracker' for less money. It only took me 30 seconds to find that on Autotrader.
Get the current owner to MOT it and see what they say regarding the rust. As others have said, if this is on the protected paint on the outside the inside and underneath will be worse.
If this fails the MOT and requires lots and lots of work you’ll be here next week asking how to deal with the situation because you purchased it off a friend
Get them to MOT. It will either pass and you get a car for £450 or if it fails you can negotiate the cost leaving some £ to get it fixed. I appreciate at this end of the market your choices are limited but there are plenty of cars for £500 that don’t have rust.
If this fails the MOT and requires lots and lots of work you’ll be here next week asking how to deal with the situation because you purchased it off a friend
Get them to MOT. It will either pass and you get a car for £450 or if it fails you can negotiate the cost leaving some £ to get it fixed. I appreciate at this end of the market your choices are limited but there are plenty of cars for £500 that don’t have rust.
Nanook said:
Ok. I don't see that in those pictures, but I understand the assumption that it's possibly present. I see surface rust.
Are you selling a Fiesta, by any chance?Take that gaffer tape off, and there's going to be bugger all of the arches left (and add "sharp edges" as a fail). Rear arches are very structural, tying inner and outer wings together, as well as C-pillar and sill. Look at the crown of the arch on the NS - see how the whole lip's folded under?
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