Hi,

Our 2008 Freelander has some serious rust issues going on pretty much everywhere. Worst are the front wings with rust all round the wheel arch, rusting from the inside I think. One side actually has a hole through the wing, low down behind the wheel arch.

First question, would corrosion and hole(s) be an MOT failure?

Second how would we be best to fix the issue, assuming it would even be worth fixing?

Thanks, ----------
Tony S

From the manual:

Defect Category
(a) A body panel or body component:

(i) damaged or corroded and likely to cause injury when grazed or contacted, or insecure
(ii) likely to become detached Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.

Thanks. That sounds a fairly extreme lash up. I'll post a couple of pictures tomorrow. Our decision really is whether to replace the car right now, or whether it can squeak through one more MOT which is due in November. I cant see it being economically viable to replace the wings properly, by which I mean with proper paintwork. ----------
Tony S

Photos will help. It should be easy to make safe and presentable if not to factory standards. Landrover - turning owners into mechanics since 1948

2014 Orkney grey Freelander SD4 GS.
2004 Zambezi silver Discovery 2 Td5 (Gone)
1963 Surf blue Morris Mini Minor Super de Luxe (my little toy)

Thanks. By the way a post suggested taping up the sharp edges, that was what I was replying to. It seems to have disappeared now.

Any suggestions welcome. As I say I don't think the value of the car justifies the cost or a proper bodyshop type repair, given the state of the rest of the structure. But I'm not sure I could handle driving round with a non-matching driver's side wing either.

Photos ..

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Crikey, i wasnt expecting that amount of rust! Is the rest of the car the same or is it just localised to the wings? Wondering if its had accident damage in the past and had cheap pattern parts fitted with inferior metal. If the rest of the car is better, i would go online and look for a breakers and pick up some second hand ones with the same paint code, unlikely to be a perfect match but would be better than what you have there.

I'd be replacing the wings or the car. If that's the rust you can see, what about the rust you can't? 2009 Rimini Red SE TD4. Soon to be sold.
Hyundai Ionic 5 Ultimate on order.
Gone. 2006 Tonga Green i6 HSE.

I think if you tried to remove all the rust, there would be no panel left.

certainly the worst rust I've seen on a Freelander 2 and surely an MOT failure.
I take it you live in the north of Scotland and the car has been subjected to the road salt all its life ?

I would guess that there is more serious rust problems on other parts of the vehicle and could be the end of its life unfortunately. The MOT will probably flag up the areas of concern.

You’ve also got to wonder about the rear subframe and the rear wheel arches . For that amount of corrosion it’s either been caked in road salt or it’s been off-road and had mud , cow muck , who can guess what else caked in . I sold my 09 when tin worm was starting to take its toll at the base of the rear arches . We’d had a bad car , steering rack , diff , rear shocks , aircon condenser , throttle body , crank and MAF sensors in a 60,000 mile car . It had had £500 of waxoyl at 6 years old as well . I took a long hard look at the car and decided I’d not throw anymore money at it even though it ran beautifully. I took what I could get and off it went into backstreet motor land . Chasing rust needs an open cheque book and that’s only one half of the conversation. The other is how is a rust box going to perform in a crash . If I was in your shoes I’d have it up on ramps and get someone who knows what they’re doing to go round it with a hammer . 2009 GS Auto Zermatt Silver - Sold June 21 after 10 years of ownership

2016 Subaru Outback SE 2.0 diesel SE Premium Lineartronic Sold 2024 after 8 years and 80k miles . Best Car I ever owned !

2023 Toyota Hilux invincible X 2.8 Auto .

Thanks. I think you're confirming what I was coming round to, get shot of it. That driver's side front wing is the worst, the rear wheel arches are showing that it's coming for them, as are the bottoms of the doors. The inner sill needed plating last MOT.

My guess is that salty spray works it's way past the plastic inner wings and gets into spaces that don't get washed out when you clean underneath. ----------
Tony S

Time to start watching Mechanic Jack's videos

Bobupndown wrote:

Photos will help. It should be easy to make safe and presentable if not to factory standards.

aesmith wrote:

Thanks. By the way a post suggested taping up the sharp edges, that was what I was replying to. It seems to have disappeared now.

Any suggestions welcome. As I say I don't think the value of the car justifies the cost or a proper bodyshop type repair, given the state of the rest of the structure. But I'm not sure I could handle driving round with a non-matching driver's side wing either.

Photos ..

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Quote:

If it’s got a towbar chances are it’s done a bit of boat/Ski launching in the sea. You wouldn’t believe it if you didn’t see what I’ve seen in the area where I am

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 ----------
Tony S