Micra: MOT failure: off load or repair?

How much?

I'd find another garage if I were you.

That lot should be do-able, including MOT for around 200 quid.

You reckon? The welding bit sounds expensive... Maybe I should try another place.

Bruce

I've never been charged more than 40 quid for a bit of structural welding.

Interesting.

What's my bext method of approach? Just book another MOT test at a different garage and see what they say?

Or be "up front" and show my MOT fail sheet to them, ask for an estimated repair cost. Then put it through its MOT.

Bruce

The second one. Try another garage to have the work done, return to original place for an MOT.

I tend to keep my MOT garage and the one working on my car separate.

What exactly is a front chassis box?

The rest though, like Steve says, is fairly straightforward - a few brake pipes, and basically cleaning up caliper sliders/replacing seals - not something I'd personally do, but not that time consuming for someone who knows how. Don't know what on earth a front chassis box is though.

I'm assuming it's a box-section crossmember running across the front of the car - effectively holding the front inner arches together.

Regardless of where or what it is, it's obviously dented and / or corroded, but will only need cutting back and a section welding in.

Here is what is on the MOT failure form: "Front chassis box section body is damaged, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings. [6.1.3]"

I ran into the back of someone. So it is probably dented.

bruce

The message from "AstraVanMan" contains these words:

At a guess it's the hollow section under/behind the radiator. Not that hard to do in most cases. Doesn't have to be pretty, just welded all round and underseal slapped over it.

Right on, Guy. I've just taken the car to a local lad who works from his house/workshop. Its the cross plate at the bottom immediately behind the radiator. Going rusty in a couple of places. It doesn't look to be very thick metal.

The lad quoted me about =A3150 for welding this part, replacing brake pipes and stripping down front brakes. More palatable than =A3450. Especially when the car is only worth =A3500-600.

Bruce

That's more like it.

I think you may want to find another garage.

Probably but even then, the work you've got should only be a couple of hundred quid so you'll still save over £200.

The message from bruce snipped-for-privacy@my-deja.com contains these words:

That sounds a lot more reasonable.

Body mountings???????????????? The micra doesn't have a separate chassis and body, so therefore no body mountings. WTF is he on about?

reason for rejection 6.1.3 is in the section "body security" and is headed This part of the examination applies to vehicles with separate bodies.

That does not apply to a micra.

SimonJ ( snipped-for-privacy@mine.net) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Subframe and/or suspension mount?

With the computerised MOTs, the tester doesn't get a choice or a chance. He just has to pick one of a handful of stock phrases - which ever's nearest. They *hate* it. This is why.