MOT.......failure :(

[cybernaughthippo]

Just had my '89 Maestro Mayfair fail its MOT on NS and OS sill, there is now a big hole where the sill used to be... (rust is generally bad underneath but body isnt horiffic).

I realise this sounds like a stupid question, but Im after others thoughts on what I should I do... Is the model suitably rare to save and at what price? Is it ever going to be rare enough to be of interest or is it likely to end up as a doner. Should I just repair it for now?

Having a previously clean MOT with no adviseries I think this has thrown me a bit think the MOT must have been done by someone with very thick glasses!

Open to suggestions. - Quite happily swap it for Rich's DLX

[Austin-Rover]

Well, there's not many of any Maestro version left now, if you go off how many there were. So that makes it rare, right?

I must say I've not seen one in that particular pairing of duotone finish before. The car looks pretty good in those two pictures, more presentable than a lot of Maestros out there. It would be a shame to break it for the sake of some welding. The MoT standard repair you'll get isn't going to look very pretty at all, but it keeps the car on the road and makes it more likely it will see a proper repair in future. As for what's underneath. Get it up on ramps and spend a weekend under there with a wire brush, Kurust and some under seal.

[Guest]

I always find it a bit amusing that there's an element of shock with some people when the fail comes and the sill obviously has looked like that for a while! It's not a hidden part

It does seem it'd be a shame to break an otherwise good looking car for a bit of welding like that (that's assuming it was the only fail area?) Keep it going, it's a nice rare car that

[cybernaughthippo]

I always find it a bit amusing that there's an element of shock with some people when the fail comes and the sill obviously has looked like that for a while! It's not a hidden part

It does seem it'd be a shame to break an otherwise good looking car for a bit of welding like that (that's assuming it was the only fail area?) Keep it going, it's a nice rare car that

Shock... yes that the word for it! In 18yrs Ive NEVER had a car fail an MOT before, esp not a maestro. And while I knew the back wasnt pretty the size of the hole was a bit supprising... (should have re-MOT'd it when I got it really).

There are some other fail items and non mot items but mostly stupid things - exhaust blowing, lots of rust on suspension/stearing items, wings that flap in the wind etc.

Dont panic I wasnt going to break it, just dont know at what stage keep it running repairs need to be traded for re-build repairs, and what damage 'keep it running rapairs' may do long term.

Thanks for the encouragement, its a new day today lol!

[Guest]

good stuff.

And 89? That's a late E-plate then.... ahem

[cybernaughthippo]

And 89? That's a late E-plate then.... ahem

Errrr... ok now I feel really thick On the plus side that makes it older than I think it is

[countrydude]

These don't sound like stupid things to me, rust on suspension and steering items, wings that flap in the wind?? I'd be hugely concerned if that was my life in your car!

There are some other fail items and non mot items but mostly stupid things - exhaust blowing, lots of rust on suspension/stearing items, wings that flap in the wind etc.

[ian drew]

All maestros seem to go in that exact same place first, the last foot of the sills. My turbo, camper and mayfair have all had to have the same area repaired. Its not a bad job and can be patched with any old bits of metal if you don't want to go to the expense of buying new sills. Rimmerbros were selling offside sills for only £12, back to £40 now though. Anyway, you could easily buy 1 sill and chop two bits out of it, one for each side.
Good luck and I hope you decide to keep her on the road.

Ian

[Guest]

Sell me your black Ledbury and then use the funds to fix the sills!

[Oli]

Hi Ian

Do you still have the T16 Mayfair? I last saw it at MG Saloon Day 2007 and loved the concept.

[ian drew]

I do indeed still have the mayfair. It burnt out a valve about 3 years ago. I drove it home, removed the head and saw the offending valve. The 1 day job is still waiting to be done.....
After taking it off the road I drove the Maestro Turbo for a year then on finding out the missus was expecting went and bought a ZT V8 as a family car :-) "It has 8 air bags" was my justification.
I will be selling the T16 Mayfair as soon as I get the head put back on, either the whole car or breaking as I may keep the engine in the event that one day I can;'t fix the O-Series in the MG.

Ian

[Guest]

Open to suggestions. - Quite happily swap it for Rich's DLX

I think I will pass on the swap for now! This is how mine would have gone, if you patch over and don't cure the rust behind, and heading up the arch, things will in time get worse with a cheap cover up repair.

You have to weigh up, what its worth to you, and how much you can realistically afford to spend

Rich

[cybernaughthippo]

Not so MOT failure

Just in case you wondered what happened to it, we went for a littel drive to the IOW where a very nice man (Wiltons of Shanklin) spent the best part of a year making it all nice and shiney again for me!

Just had this years insurance renewal come through, probably need to search for other threads but can I ask what amount people are putting down as agreed valuations?

Thanks

[Colonel Bogey]

Now that does look superb indeed, well done.

[AndyB]

I've just finished a rear n/s sill repair on my monty TD estate which started just like that. Took me about a day - there are a few fiddly bits but it rings like a bell now ! However - it overlaps by the gauge of the metal so is noticeable. But the estate is a functional only holdall.

Worse than that, there was a 4" sq hole in the inner rear o/s arch, near where the tank filler is. During removing the tank filler pipe, the filler pocket rear disintigrated, so lots of cutting out. Repairing here is a ba**ard of a job !
One day I'll get a joggler, then can do flush looking repairs.

Went back in for MOT today - and passed !

There's nothing like a maestro or montego for learning how to mig weld !