bodywork repair advice please
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From: somerset
bodywork repair advice please
I'm hoping to get this wheel arch tidied up on my fiesta mk5, is it bad enough to warrant replacing the whole arch? Admittedly is does look slightly worse in reality than in the pics, How much roughly will something like this cost? The car isn't really worth much so i don't really want to spend a vast amount. Ive been doing bits an pieces to it myself to tidy it up since I've bought it but wouldn't attempt any type of body work.
I'm struggling to find somebody to do it, the only place that was recommended to me aren't interested but that's another story.
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From: somerset
Any idea on cost roughly?
don't really wana sell it tbh, I've had a bit of fun in it ( gone to the ring with it twice),i enjoy tinkering with it and upgrading parts. I was planning on putting a puma lump in it next. i paid less than Ł500 for the car 1 year ago, it couldn't really be replaced for that sort of money.
don't really wana sell it tbh, I've had a bit of fun in it ( gone to the ring with it twice),i enjoy tinkering with it and upgrading parts. I was planning on putting a puma lump in it next. i paid less than Ł500 for the car 1 year ago, it couldn't really be replaced for that sort of money.
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From: SE London
Problem is that to do it properly on one of those, you need to put a 1/4 panel on as an arch will never sit right and will need loads of filler to hide the rippling effect from all the welding as.the metal is so thin on those cars. Also means that you can find any other hidden rust, which there will be.
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Bodywork repairs can be and usually are more expensive than mechanical repairs on a lot of cars and to fix the rust problems properly on your Fiesta will cost as much as you paid for it. Always a difficult choice on a car which was cheap to buy. It depends on how much you like your car and how long you intend to keep it. If the rest of the car is in really good condition and you can afford it I would get it done and that way you will have nothing to worry about long term.
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From: Darlington county durham
The thing with rust is that it's starts off ok then as soon as you start to remove 8t holes appear. You could try kurust but I think it will just come back.
to me the bottom of the arch looks the worst and I bet this ends up being a hole.
to me the bottom of the arch looks the worst and I bet this ends up being a hole.
Last edited by Glenn_; Aug 12, 2018 at 03:07 PM.
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From: somerset
4 body work shops I've been in contact with now and nobody wants to do it, 3 haven't even seen it. They just say call back later but then never answer/ or say they will come to me but never turn up. The only 1 that has seen it said he can have an easier life and make more money just respraying. so wasn't really interested.
unbelievable really, i thought people would want the work, fuck knows how these places are making a living
unbelievable really, i thought people would want the work, fuck knows how these places are making a living
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From: hampshire
Body shops are not interested in stuff like that they would rather do 10 car park dings badly and charge the insurance company lol. Body work is the hardest thing to have done well. You will have to find a place that restores cars and works on older stuff but it certainly will not be cheap
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Body shops are not interested in stuff like that they would rather do 10 car park dings badly and charge the insurance company lol. Body work is the hardest thing to have done well. You will have to find a place that restores cars and works on older stuff but it certainly will not be cheap
Last edited by cossynut2; Sep 22, 2018 at 07:55 AM.
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From: somerset
This is the problem when you have paid less than Ł500 for a car and to fix the rust properly will be at least the same amount. It really depends if the rest of the car is in excellent condition and you can afford it it could be worth the cost, but if the rust is only one of the problems then probably not. This is why breakers yards have loads of fairly modern cars in them as many have failed MOTs with rust problems and the cost of fixing it is often more than the value of the cars.
its quite a sound car, never been welded or had any advisories for rust.
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I agree totally with what your saying, the only place that actually looked at it said it would be about Ł350 worth of work, but said he could make that easier doing paint work so didn't want to do it unless i got the metal work done somewhere else and he just tidied it up and Painted. Nobody I've approached even wanted to do the metal work.
its quite a sound car, never been welded or had any advisories for rust.
its quite a sound car, never been welded or had any advisories for rust.
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From: somerset
I wonder if a place that does Welding for MOTs might be interested? They are well used to having to make metal repair patches ,cills etc. Sounds like the places you tried are only interested in making quick money and don't want to have to earn their money by doing any actual fiddly time consuming work!!
Yes that could be a good shout, I've got someone having a look Monday after work i will see what they say first. It may even have to wait til next year if i dont get anywhere soon as I'm running out of time. tax and insurance are nearly up as I put it away towards end of year before the weather gets to bad.
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From: upside down in a field
ive had the same problem, quite a lot of places are only interested in quick turnover stuff so they don't have cars lying about taking up space. I was alao quoted about Ł400 a side to cut out and replace new arches on a similar sized car but some were wanting someone else to do the metal and prep and they do the final paint. I don't know if that's to pass the buck should you come back with bubbles reappearing?
Last edited by fuzzy; Sep 22, 2018 at 03:59 PM.
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Your not going to able to do it half heatedly I'm afraid, I'm in the same predicament as you with a mk4. I gave 400 for it and it's now done a bit less than 40k. There's very little on the rear arches but it is there none the less. I'll do the puma conversion and most probably go for a full hit on the bodywork. I know it's going to be at least a couple of grand. A bit of money yes and no. You could get a modern somthing or other but how often do you see mk4/5 s any more ? What you will have is a nice looking, realiable fun car with easy mechanics. Ask any tech working in dealers, folks regularly walk out with what I think are big big bills and they haven't really got anything remotely unusaul or interesting .
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From: somerset
Your not going to able to do it half heatedly I'm afraid, I'm in the same predicament as you with a mk4. I gave 400 for it and it's now done a bit less than 40k. There's very little on the rear arches but it is there none the less. I'll do the puma conversion and most probably go for a full hit on the bodywork. I know it's going to be at least a couple of grand. A bit of money yes and no. You could get a modern somthing or other but how often do you see mk4/5 s any more ? What you will have is a nice looking, realiable fun car with easy mechanics. Ask any tech working in dealers, folks regularly walk out with what I think are big big bills and they haven't really got anything remotely unusaul or interesting .
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From: somerset
I see what your saying, i enjoy playing about with the mechanical side but i won't enjoy having a go at any body work i don't think. I would never get it to a good standard, making it worse is quite possible
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If you have not got the expertise to do it yourself up to a good standard leave it alone. Maybe the person who is coming on Monday will be able to fix it for you.
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From: somerset
Good news, the guy came out and had a look for me. Said it is not bad enough to warrant a entire new arch. He will cut out the rust and fabricate a piece to put in the bottom and same again for top of arch. Ł200-300 was what he said.
he had a good look underneath, had the side skirt off and looked all round the car and said he was amazed at how tidy it was which was good.
so I'm quite pleased with that
he had a good look underneath, had the side skirt off and looked all round the car and said he was amazed at how tidy it was which was good.
so I'm quite pleased with that
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Good news, the guy came out and had a look for me. Said it is not bad enough to warrant a entire new arch. He will cut out the rust and fabricate a piece to put in the bottom and same again for top of arch. Ł200-300 was what he said.
he had a good look underneath, had the side skirt off and looked all round the car and said he was amazed at how tidy it was which was good.
so I'm quite pleased with that
he had a good look underneath, had the side skirt off and looked all round the car and said he was amazed at how tidy it was which was good.
so I'm quite pleased with that
I had this done on my zs some years back, cost me in 2011 Ł300 per arch, now a pal of mine up the road is ripping it apart for his track toy covering it all with decals lol
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Picked it up tonight, all done. I'm very happy with it, when i picked it up the guy who did it showed me he had done some other bits that he noticed needed tidying up and at no extra cost!
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From: somerset
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From: Darlington county durham
Wow what a good job. Rust looks nothing till you start pokeing at it Then holes appear.
I would be removing the inner interior panels and get some wax oil squirted in the rear quarters.
I would be removing the inner interior panels and get some wax oil squirted in the rear quarters.
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