Vitara is due its MOT today must admit i am a bit concerned.

[RickUK]

My V6 Vitara LWB is due its 1st MOT today,must admit i am a little concerned,it run and drives superbly and no major worries as such but the tyres are a possible border line case,but rather than shell out for expensive rubber and then find it has failed on a major pody problem i have decided that the rubber can wait till i find out what is wrong with it if anything major bodywise underneath that is.

The windscreen is my biggest concern i will admit as that has a crack down the drivers side and although not totally across the screen as i understand it as long as it does not go across the steering wheel width i may get away with it,of course i may well be wrong on my statement.But once again a new windscreen is about £140 new but insurance will cover me with just a £70 premium but once again i am hanging back on paying out.It may just scrape through then i have saved myself a lot of money.

These are the 2 main concerns the tyres and the windscreen,if it fails then i have no option but at least the money spent out will give me another years reliable driving.I think i could get away with 3 new tyres at £60 each and the windscreen at £70 cost to me as the insurance will pay the rest.

I will update later on how it faired,but pretty certain it will fail but at least then i will have a better idea on the general condition of the truck and the expense,its not that i cannot afford it,but i just dont like wasting money on repairs that dont require it,and also the re-test is free anyway within the specified time duration.

[RickUK]

Well as predicted it did fail but not on any of things that i was certain it would,tyres passed and the windscreen was OK.

But it did fail on the emission just a very small amount over the top infact it was that close he done another test but it just failed,the biggest concern is the bodywork,it failed on the rear and offside rear outer sill corroded.He mentioned it was a very good motor but still a fail is a fail,so i am getting a couple of quotes from local firms that do some welding and will submitt it gain next week.

At least it will give me another years reliable motoring.

[donkeychomp]

Whereabouts are you? I know a damn good (and cheap) welder.

[RickUK]

Near Hitchin Herts mate.

[donkeychomp]

About 50 miles away from some welding. If it's just a small patch I'd say stay where you are and get some quotes...good luck!

[RickUK]

Thanks for your reply,i have 2 people looking at it monday so it should be done by mid week i hope,cannot say how big a area it is really but going by last year MOT ticket nothing was initial mention or adviced on that ticket so i am assuming its not all that big.

Famous last words i guess,but thanks anyway for your help,its not a major concern just annoying i guess.

[RickUK]

The truck is being welded tomorrow,when i initial showed the guy who i doing the job he was knocking the sills and the amount of rust that fell out was worrying to say the least,and that was without taking the plastic sill covers off.

Was not looking forward to taking these plastic covers off as what was underneath could have possibly dictated what the trucks future was,long story short it was not as bad as i had thought as the rust only went up inside the sill by another inch or so.Welding looks to be a straight forward job and as it is covered by cosmetic sill covers does not have to be ultra refine and will be done to a higher spec than when it left the factory.

This as i understand it is the weak spot on the Vitara LWB range and possibly the SWB but cannot confirm that,it will certainly give the truck as the welder has mentioned another 3-4 years of life as everything including the chassis is very good.

Will update later on in the week when i get the job done and get that MOT ticket.

[maxsixpence]

For your emissions do the following.Get a bottle of Redex and with the tank near empty put the whole bottle in.3/4 fill the tank and then get on a motorway and give it some.Get the revs up,this should blow the shit out and hopefully de-coke some of the carbon.When the tank is low again fill up as normal then do the emissions test again.

[RickUK]

Well the old gal is through the MOT,sills are the weak spot on the Vitara and have been welded up and protected,so in theory it should be good for another 3-4 years at least.Well pleased but still cannot work out how it passed with the windscreen which has a big 6-7'' crack in it albeit its down the pillar but it also goes about 3-4'' into the screen.But the tester seemed to think it was all right.

I wont argue with him as it saved me a fair bit of money replacing the screen.

[donkeychomp]

YES!