My wife and I bought an N-reg disco about 18 months ago from a used car dealer. It came with a clean MOT. A year later, it failed miserably (12 failure items, 9 advisories). Did some work, then had it fail again. The main issue remaining is corrosion. The first MOT listed "excessive corrosion, seriously affecting strength within 30cm of the body mountings" on the nearside front. The second MOT lists this same write up on all four corners. I have done plenty of vehicle maintenance, but never bodywork. When I have the vehicle up on a lift changing diff fluid and oil, I never noticed gaping holes or obvious rust, just the standard gunge of 135,000 miles.
It took it to the local Land Rover dealer to have their body shop look at it. They gave me a quote of £2000 to get it up to speed, but no gaurantees on passing next year. The work includes removing the body from the chassis, welding in new floor pans, outriggers, work on a wheel arch and liner, bootfloor, etc. The vast majority of the estimate is labour (£1506).
So, some assistance and advice please?
1. Is this normal or common in a Discovery of this age?
2. Any suggestions for an alternative shop in the Cambridge region that might save me some ££?
3. Is there a Discovery boneyard that will give me a decent amount for the vehicle so they can part it out, and I can go start over? For example, the wheels are in fine shape, it has new tires, new brakes, the interior is good, etc.
4. How can Land Rover build a vehicle that is a rusting hulk 10yrs later?? You'd think it had been parked up to the hubs in a salt marsh. I had a 25yr old Mercedes that spent it's whole life on a tropical island in the Pacific with far less corrosion.
I am not particualrly attached to this vehicle, although it is handy. My wife's and my primary vehicles are sports cars, so the Discovery works well when family comes into town, or large loads need lifting.
Thanks
It took it to the local Land Rover dealer to have their body shop look at it. They gave me a quote of £2000 to get it up to speed, but no gaurantees on passing next year. The work includes removing the body from the chassis, welding in new floor pans, outriggers, work on a wheel arch and liner, bootfloor, etc. The vast majority of the estimate is labour (£1506).
So, some assistance and advice please?
1. Is this normal or common in a Discovery of this age?
2. Any suggestions for an alternative shop in the Cambridge region that might save me some ££?
3. Is there a Discovery boneyard that will give me a decent amount for the vehicle so they can part it out, and I can go start over? For example, the wheels are in fine shape, it has new tires, new brakes, the interior is good, etc.
4. How can Land Rover build a vehicle that is a rusting hulk 10yrs later?? You'd think it had been parked up to the hubs in a salt marsh. I had a 25yr old Mercedes that spent it's whole life on a tropical island in the Pacific with far less corrosion.
I am not particualrly attached to this vehicle, although it is handy. My wife's and my primary vehicles are sports cars, so the Discovery works well when family comes into town, or large loads need lifting.
Thanks