My car failed MOT- should i get it welded?

It failed on offside front anti-roll bar linkage had excessive play in a ball joint. Offside rear wheel bearing has excessive play. Offside outer rear (sill) seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded. Nearside outer rear (sill) seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded. Nearside inner rear (sill) suspension component mounting prescibed area is excessively corroded. Offside inner rear (sill) suspension component mounting prescibed area is excessively corroded. Nearside rear (chassis leg) suspension component mounting prescibed area is excessively corroded. Two holes in exhaust. Alot of welding needs done. Was quoted about 拢300. My car is 1998 ford fiesta, the engine is fine, is its worth fixing?|||You're going to spend 拢300 on a rotten car, which will require welding within 12 months. These cars, once they start to rust, never stop. In reality, this kind of work where I am employed, would cost about 拢600! The sills particularly, rust like mad, and these are the seatbelt and suspension mounting areas you speak of. The car is worth no more than about 拢350 with a year's MOT on it, and then it needs taxing, insuring, and fuelling, not to mention tyres and servicing. Personally I would cut my losses, and sell the car without MOT, or indeed "weigh it in" at a scrapyard (not a vehicle dismantlers though, a proper metal recyclers, that has a weighbridge) You could net over 拢100 even for a car the size of a Fiesta. Then, spend your money on something like a similarly aged Focus or Golf. The insurance will be similar, as they are better built and they have similar insurance groups. You will end up in a slightly larger and safer car, and move up a little! (I Like old cars, mine were built in 1961 Land Rover, 1970 Land Rover, 1983 Land Rover, 1989 Ford Sierra, and 2006 Ford Focus.)|||I was in almost exact situation recently , S reg(98) car, almost 拢300 for MOT work but perfect engine, though i have t say like, didnt need as much doing as yours. I loved the car but decided to struggle for a month or 2 without a car 'cos it just wasnt worth it. Even if you spend 拢300 on another car with a decent MOT on it your laughing because like already mentioned, your fiesta's probably gonna cost you more next year.|||This sounds awfully cheap for the amount of work that needs to be done. However, if you genuinely get it done for that price and it will then pass its probably worth it - you will get another year out of the car, which is less than a years depreciation on a newer vehicle, never mind the interest on a loan as well. But next year it will probably fail on corrosion as well, since the tin-worm does seem to have got a hold. On balance I would fix it and sell on -|||Well, you cannot drive it unless it passes its MOT, so if you do not get it fixed you need to get rid of the car.





拢300 doesn't sound too bad. It's up to you. 1998 is a bit old for a car (which is ridiculous, I know), so does it need much other work doing to it? The more it needs, the less it is worth keeping. If it is just the welding that needs doing, then that's a lot cheaper than buying a whole new car.|||That seems cheap for that much metal work. I always work on what else could I buy that is going to be better than what I've got. If you like the car, spend the money and keep it, if you are sick of it, get something else but it will cost a lot more than $300( sorry no pound sign on my keyboard) I don't think 1998 is an old vehicle, in fact I just upgraded from a 1978 to a 1998.|||Sounds like it is high mileage and had a lot of winter use. The repair at 拢300 is only the start, if indeed they do complete the repair for that cost. They may well start and say there was more corrosion than expected and the bill is 拢700. Next year will see big repairs and the following years. Time to buy another car with less miles.|||Yup, 拢300 is MEGA cheap for that amount of welding, never mind the suspension work and exhaust.





I smell a rat, to be honest, something really doesn't add up here, the work you describe even at a small cheap garage sounds like 拢6-800 all day long.|||i have to say that to me that sounds suspiciously cheap for that amount of work, really suspiciously cheap.|||Time to scrap it.