First car - MOT advisory’s

Ehnleg_bnelge

Hi all,
Am going to look at a vehicle today, for my sons first car. 

The car we are looking at is a VW Polo 1.2, first registered in March 2011 so is 13 years old. It’s done 121k miles and had timing belt change in 2019.

Ive done a DVLA vehicle check and most of the history is good, just the usual couple of failures for tyres, lamps etc… but in 2023, it had these advisories….. 

• Offside Rear Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))
• Nearside Rear Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))
• Nearside Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Is it a no go? 

It’s just had a new MOT in March this year, but shows no advisories. Does this mean previous owner has had work done to correct?

Where would I need to look to see the near side integral body structure and check for corrosion.

Any advice appreciated, it’s such a minefield!

Goudy

It could mean it's been repaired or it could just mean the next tester hasn't picked it up or considered it not worth reporting, so it's hard to tell.

It sounds like the sill, the long panel that runs low under the doors on the nearside is rusty.
It could be just surface rust, grit and stones can flick up at the ends of the sills from the tyres and chip the paint enough to let it rust.

But modern cars tend to drain through the car's panels.
This means rain water finds it's way down channels behind all the panels and out under the car.

Trouble is the channels can get blocked with rotting leaves, dirt etc and if the water gets inside some of these panels like the sills, they can rust from the inside and the problem becomes very difficult to fix.

You would need to check the sills each side, but you really need to get under it have a look properly as from the side you are only seeing a section of it, which is difficult on the street.

As for the brakes, it's the parking brake that's fluctuating.
Rear brakes don't do as much work as the fronts, so they were probably on their original set when it was tested in 2023 and would probably need a refresh of drums, shoes and perhaps slave cylinders.

You would need to check the service history and recipes to see if they have been sorted.

facade

As Goudy says, the brakes are nothing, probably corrosion inside the drums, it will either wear away with regular use or you can fit new drums easily.

The problem is the corrosion.

anything more than light surface rust - run away. (and if it is just flaking paint get son to sand away the rust and treat it with a coat or two of that "rusty metal" paint that Aldi sell for gates and outdoor furniture.)

Yes, corrosion through a panel can be welded, but once you get the welder to a car it is The End, as welding burns off what little rust protection there was inside the box section and within a couple of years it is back worse.

Cit6

Rust? the beginning of the end, i wouldn't buy it

GrumpyDil

Surely it all depends upon the cost for the car.

If cheap enough then might be worth it, particularly if you can get a couple of years out of it.